Connect - Sharing Meals

In the Book of Acts, there is a lesser known story about Paul preaching in the City of Troas for an extended amount of time and causing at least one young listener to become drowsy and to fall asleep (which is not really an uncommon occurrence in many church services).

What makes this story unique is that it tells how the person who fell asleep, also fell to his death (something to remember or keep in mind, whenever we feel sleepy in church).

But what makes this story even more unique is the fact that Paul through the power of the Holy Spirit, brought this dead man back to life.

I understand that not that many knew that aside from Jesus there was somebody else during that time who was able to resurrect somebody from the dead. (Trivia: The Book of Acts, mentions that both Paul and Peter were able to resurrect someone from the dead. Peter was written to have raised a believer in Joppa.)

Now what is often overlooked even by those who are familiar with this story which happened in Troas, is that before and after this miracle, Paul and the fellowship of believers in that city shared in the Lord's supper (they took time to break bread in communion, share a meal together and give thanks to the Lord). Which I believe is a very important, but normally a missing ingredient in many fellowship of believers today. It was very common and frequently done in the early church but sadly was lost through the passage of time.

Today, let us read and meditate on this short passage of Scripture.

Acts 20:7-12 (NLT)

On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight. The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps. As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below. Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said, “he’s alive!” Then they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord’s Supper, and ate together. Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left. Meanwhile, the young man was taken home alive and well, and everyone was greatly relieved.