Epicenter Conversations

As Acts chapter 20 begins, Paul is traveling with several companions from the various churches he has helped plant throughout Europe and Asia. These companions would have been useful in several ways. They would have ensured accountability since Paul was carrying a large gift of money for the Christians in Jerusalem. They would have also provided some protection from theft. Here is Paul at his best seeking to encourage community between the Gentiles and Jews with a tangible example of the truism, "It is better to give than to receive."

The scene then shifts to Troas where Eutychus gets bored to death and is miraculously revived. Some commentators choose to hammer Eutychus for not being interested in spiritual matters and falling asleep. But, here is an adolescent who is actually listening to a preacher instead of out carousing around the town. It is midnight after all and Eutychus falls. Paul's response was to stop everything and check on the young man and restore him to life. Could this story be an inspiration for us to strive to keep things interesting for all of us including the kids, or perhaps a stimulus to stop what we are doing and check the pulse of our young people, or even a reminder to seek revival for ourselves and our kids? Are any of them still spiritually interested or have they become bored to death?

Then finally, the chapter closes with a beautiful example of the fruits of the community Paul has helped to form. The Ephesian believers gather to meet with their beloved Paul one last time. This unified gathering is drastically different from the unified gathering whipped up by Demetrius in Ephesus in the last chapter. By their fruits...