Key Verse: Verse 9 – “And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.”
Key Words: Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep
I really do feel sorry for Eutychus. It was bad enough that he fell asleep in church while Paul was preaching; he even fell out of the window to his death three stories below. Dr. Luke included the incident for all the world to read. Think of it, the only time Eutychus got his name in the Bible, he was sleeping in church. Dr. Luke tells us about it in Luke 20:7-9, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.”
Now, Eutychus is not the only one to fall asleep in church. I have watched couples nod off in magnificent rhythm. I mean perfect timing. Why, there are our spiritual church sleepers: they fall asleep, wake up long enough to say amen, and then doze back off into never-never land. Then there was the lady who had the strangest wheeze and smile while she was snoring, it reminded me of a chattering chimpanzee.
Why do people fall asleep in church?
- Training: That’s right, we were trained as small children to stretch out on the pew beside our parents and sleep away. Habits are hard to break.
- Physical Factors: Medicine we are on.
- Indifference: Some people would rather sleep than be fed the Word of God.
- Boredom: Let’s face it, some messages can be boring.
So much for the diagnosis, what about the remedy?
- The Service: Must be conducive for worship, good music and a few good, hearty amens every now and then help congregation involvement.
- Physical Preparation: Get a good night’s rest on Saturday night; get up on Sunday morning in time to get ready without a lot of helter, skelter.
- Spiritual Preparation: Take time to have prayer for the service before coming to church.
- The Speaker: Should be alert and ready, have his message well-prepared. We are not in the entertainment business but each message should be interesting.
Are you ready? Let’s have a great service, not just this week but every week.
What to do:
✞Apply the principles listed in the devotion.
Dr. Mike Rouse
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