Now, turn again to the book of
Acts chapter 20. And let's read the first couple
of verses of Acts chapter 20 verse 1. After these things,
after the uproar, uproar was over. Some folks there in Ephesus
were very upset with Paul and his preaching. because he told
them that salvation was in Christ and Christ alone. They were taken
up, remember they cried for two hours one time, great is the
goddess of Diana, Diana of the Ephesians, and they cried out
over and over for two hours and Paul preached to them the gospel
of Christ. After the uproar was over, Paul
called to the disciples, unto the disciples. These who were
made objects of God's grace, trophies of God's grace, loved
of God, chosen of God, given faith in Christ to believe Him. He called them and He embraced
them. You see this union in heart,
affection that believers have for one another. We're encouraged
to love one another, to pray for one another, and to forgive
one another. And Paul certainly had a dear
relationship with these believers here, as we'll see later on in
chapter 20, how he said, I kept back nothing, nothing that was
profitable unto you and have warned you with tears, with tears
to look to Christ and to trust Him. And he braced them and he
departed to go into Macedonia. And when he had gone over those
parts and had given them much, much teaching, much encouragement,
exhorting them, encouraging them. And then he came there to Greece. And I believe he went back to
Corinth here, although it doesn't specify. And there he abode three
months. And when the Jews laid wait for
him, now they didn't have any good intentions for him. They
intended to end his ministry, to end his life, but God had
a different purpose. As he was about to sail into
Syria, he purposed to return through, he took a different
route, a different area, a different way back through Macedonia. Now the Lord having brought the
uproar over the gospel to an end, and Paul having completed
his two-year ministry there in Ephesus, remember, turn back
to chapter 19, verse 10, Paul had spent two years there
in a schoolhouse, in a schoolhouse, there in the school of one Tyrannus,
verse 10, and this continued by the space of two years. So
all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus,
both Jews and Greeks. But when his work was through
their Ephesus, God moved him on to a different place, a different
ministry. He was determined to Go down
to Jerusalem, as it says in verse 16 of Acts 20, turn there, verse
16, it says here, Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus when he was
back in that area because he would not spend time in Asia,
for he hasted, he hasted if it were possible for him, the Lord
willing. I'm sure he prayed to this end
because he was determined to be in Jerusalem on the day of
Pentecost. Now, we've seen this before.
Now, he wasn't intending to be there to observe the law. That
law that God had given had been fulfilled by Christ. But I tell
you what he was seeking opportunity to do. He was seeking opportunity
to preach to his own family, his own kinfolk according to
the flesh. Hold your place there and I'll
give you some insight to what he says in another place. Turn
to Romans 10. Romans 10. I brought a radio
message this morning from Romans 10, 1 through 4. In Romans 10,
you see something of his heart's desire to preach the gospel to
his own kin according to the flesh. In Romans 10, verse 1,
and this is why he was determined to be back at Jerusalem during
these feast days, not to observe the law. That day was over. Christ
is the end of the law, but rather to have opportunity to preach
Christ, our Passover, to a multitude of sinners. Romans 10, 1. Brethren,
my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is they might
be saved. And he's talking here about these
national people, his own people. For I bear them record, they
have a zeal of God. but not according to knowledge.
They don't have right understanding. They're ignorant of God's righteousness. They're ignorant of God's righteousness
and going about to establish their own righteousness, have
not submitted themselves unto the righteousness that's of God.
That's what's provided for us through Christ and in Him. He
is our righteousness. For Christ is the end of the
law. He's the end of it. For righteousness
to everyone that believe." So when he went there, he pointed
those people, his own kinfolk, to Christ, who is the Lord, our
righteousness. Now he, in verse 2 it says that,
or verse 1, he called the disciples and embraced them. This is Acts
20, verse 1 again. He embraced them. And verse 2,
and when he had gone over those parts, he had given them much
when he departed to go into Macedonia. Now, Macedonia included the churches
of Philippi, Thessalonians, and those of Berea. He exhorted them
to continue in the gospel. And then he came into Greece. Now, when it says here that he
exhorted them, we have no detailed record what he said on that particular
day, but we do have this record. The letter to the Philippians,
turn over there to Philippians chapter 1. I believe he exhorted
them this way and instructed them this way. And you can read
through the epistles, I believe these are the exhortations that
he gave them. Philippians chapter 1, notice
verse 27, only let your conversation, only let your conduct, this is
Philippians 1, 27, be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether
I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs,
that ye stand fast in one spirit, one mind, striving together for
the faith of the gospel." Stand fast. Don't waver, don't move. Stand together for the faith
of the gospel. And in nothing terrified. Don't
be upset by your enemies, your adversaries. which is to them
an evident token of their condemnation, but to you of salvation and that
of God. For unto you it is given in the
behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer,
also to suffer for Him." Now later, back to Acts 20, later
Paul came back to Corinth, for three months it says there, in
three months, and he again preached the gospel. Remember what he
said? We've studied, determined to know nothing among you but
Jesus Christ and Him crucified." That was a message that he repeated
over and over and over and over again. And that's the very message
that we need to hear. Salvation in Jesus Christ. I want to point something else
out here in verse 3. And when the Jews laid wait for
Him. Now who were these folks? They
were most religious, weren't they? They were those who were
very self-righteous. who went about to establish a
righteousness by their doing, but here we see that they have
murder in their heart. When the Jews laid wait for Him,
they were going to end His life and end His ministry. They hated
Him, and they hated the way of grace, and they hated the Lord
Jesus Christ, and were planning to do Him in. should not surprise
any believer because we have this word from the Lord in John
15. Turn over there. Don't be surprised if the world
hates you. You know why? The world hated
him. John 15. Turn there. John 15,
verse 18. If the world hates you, you know
that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world,
the world would love His own. But because you are not of this
world, I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world
hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, the servant
is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted Me, they
will persecute you. If they have kept My sayings,
they will remember what you have said. But all these sayings will
they do unto you for My name's sake, because they know not Him
that sent They don't know God. That's why they were seeking
to end his life. But you know the Lord, as it
says there, when we were about to sail into Syria, He purposed
to return a different way. You see how the Lord protected
him and delivered him? I want you to find 2 Timothy,
2 Timothy chapter 3, 2 Timothy chapter 3. Believers that are
not immune from heartache and trouble and trials in his life? Not at all. You read the life
of old believers back years ago, Martin Luther and these men,
the old reformers, they were hated and hunted and persecuted
and killed. 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 10,
But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose,
faith, longsuffering, love, patience, Persecution, afflictions which
came unto me in Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, what persecutions I endured,
I endured. His grace is sufficient for the
trial, but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, all that
will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." And
that's what was happening. We've read it over and over through
our study of the book of Acts, how the apostles were mistreated.
for the gospel's sake, for His name's sake. Now look back at
the text. God gave this apostle, in verse 4, some faithful traveling
companions, so faithful to the gospel. Now these were men just
like you and I. These were men who by nature
were born in sin. These were men who were guilty
before God. These were men who had violated
God's law, who have offended God. Yet these were men who were
chosen of God, blessed of God. Saved by God's grace, these seven
men, some of them are very well known, Gaius and Timothy and
Tychicus we read in other places, but God gives us servants to
labor in the ministry together as one. We are laborers together
with God. And these faithful servants of
the Lord waited for Paul to arrive, it says there in verse 5, These
going before tarried for us at Troas." Now it was dangerous.
It was dangerous in that day to travel with Paul. He was a
hated man. And it was a danger to fellowship
with him and to be known as one of his companions. But yet they
waited for him. They identified with the gospel
by identifying with God's servant, this man, the apostle. And we
sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread,
after the Passover." Now, I think that is just a reference to time.
That's how they reference time in that day, much like we would
say Thanksgiving. That's the time of the year that
we just observed in this country. After the days of the Passover,
they left Philippi and came to Troas in five days, and there
we abode seven days. Here's what I'm getting at. What
happened in Troas? He stayed there seven days. It
says in verse 7, the last part of verse 6, they abode in Troas
seven days. Verse 7, upon the first day of
the week, here's what happened. When the disciples came together
to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on
the morrow, and he continued his speech until midnight. Now four things happened. Here's
the first one. Four things happened at Troas.
What happened at Troas? Four things happened. Number
one, it says there, upon the first day of the week they came
together. They met, excuse me, they met
on the Lord's Day to worship Him. They met on the Lord's Day
to worship Him. And this is a day that we have
set aside to come together to honor Him, to hear His Word,
to read His Word, to sing praises unto Him and pray unto Him, to
worship Him on the Lord's Day. Sunday. Not a Saturday, not a
Sabbath, but Sunday. This is designated and set aside
this day for our worship established by the Lord's resurrection. Remember
on the first day of the week they came to the grave and the
messenger said, He's not here, He's risen, He's ascended. And
the church since that day has been meeting to worship and honor
the resurrected victorious Lord who was delivered from our offenses
and raised again because He justified us by His blood. And we have
gathered here today, haven't we? Why have you come here today? We've come here to worship and
honor the Lord Jesus Christ and to hear Him. Second thing happened,
they met to observe the Lord's table. They came together to
observe the Lord's day, to worship Him. They came together to break
bread, it says there in verse 7. To break bread. Now, I believe
this is referring not to a meal, but to the Lord's table. Now
turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 10. 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Look what it says here. Verse
16. 1 Corinthians 10, 16. The cup of the blessing. which
we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the
bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of
Christ? He took our sins in His own body
on the tree, and we break the bread in remembrance of His broken
body. The bread which we break, is
it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many
are one bread, one body, for we are all partakers of that
one bread." They came together to hear the gospel, to worship,
and to observe the Lord's table. Thirdly, they met together, it
says in verse 7 in our text, Paul preached unto them, ready
to depart on the following day. They met together to hear the
gospel of God's grace. Now, I can't think of anything
more important in the life of a believer than those three things. Can you? Anything more important
in the life of the believer than to meet together, to worship
Him on the Lord's day, to partake of the Lord's table, He says,
this do in remembrance of Me, and to hear the Word of God declared,
thus saith the Lord. It is our privilege, but it is
also the command of God to do these things. Now, it's His commandment
to meet together. Turn to Hebrews chapter 10. It's
His commandment that we come together on this day, this day
designated by the Lord, on the first day of the week, to honor
and to worship Him. Turn to Hebrews 10, low verse
23, Hebrews 10, 23. Let us hold fast the profession
of our faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promise.
Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good
work, not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together as a matter
of some end, but exhorting one another as so much more ye see
the day approaching." So don't neglect the means, the very means
that God has given to bless us, to assemble together as the Lord's
people. And, not only that, but to assemble
together to honor the Lord by observing His table. Turn, if
you will, to 1 Corinthians 11 this time. 1 Corinthians 11.
And these things are very, very important in the believer's life,
to meet together on the Lord's Day, to pray for one another,
to encourage one another. 1 Corinthians chapter 11, and
then when we come together to observe the Lord's Table. This
is by His command, and it is our privilege to do so. 1 Corinthians
chapter 11, look at verse 23. For I received of the Lord, that
which I also delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same
night in which He was betrayed, took bread. And when He had given
thanks, He broke it and said, Take, eat. This is My body, which
is broken for you. This do you in remembrance of
Me. After the same manner also He
took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament,
the New Covenant in My blood. This do you, as oft as you do,
Do it in remembrance of me." Now, find 1 Corinthians 9, 16. And the third thing is the preaching
of the gospel. We meet to worship, we meet to
honor the Lord when we take the Lord's table, this do in remembrance
of me, and we meet together to preach the Word. Now, how important
is that? Well, let's see what the Word
says. 1 Corinthians 9, 16. For though I preach the gospel,
I have nothing to glory of, for necessity is laid upon me. Yea,
woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel." Now that's to the
preacher. Woe is unto me if I do not remain
faithful to preach the gospel. But woe is unto you if I preach
it and you put it from you and will not have it, will not believe
it. The Lord Jesus Christ is sum, substance, and subject matter
of all three of those things. Worship, to honor the Lord, observe
the Lord's table, and the preaching of the gospel. He is the sum
and subject of all three of those things. Is not the Lord Jesus
everything to the believer? Is not the Lord Jesus Christ
all in all to you who believe? Do you not love to worship Him?
to remember Him when we observe the Lord's table, and to hear
Him preach to you over and over and over again. I've been preaching
this same message the years I've been here and the years I've
spent in Ashland. Twenty-five years I've been trying
to set forth this gospel that honors and glorifies the Lord
Jesus, that's true to His Word, that points centers to Him. Now
look back to the text again, Acts chapter 20. Paul continued
preaching until midnight, it says in verse 9. You see that?
He was long preaching. In verse 7 it says he preached
until midnight. Down in verse 9 it says he was
long preaching. And then in verse 11, it says
he talked a long while, even till the break of day, And so
he departed from them. Now there is no possibility,
is there, in exhausting the subject of God's Word? Is there a possibility
that I run out of things to preach? Absolutely not. The whole Bible
is a book about the Lord Jesus. The whole Bible is about Christ.
Every jot, every title of God's Word, every verse, every word,
every line, every book is about Him. Christ in Him crucified. All the way from Genesis 3.15,
turn over there, Genesis 3.15, the first promise we see given
in the Word of God is concerning salvation in Christ Jesus after
the fall, after the ruin. Genesis 3.15, it says, I put
enmity between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed,
And the seed of woman shall bruise thy head, crush him. He'll be victorious over sin,
death, hell, and the grave. And thou shalt bruise his heel."
His humanity. He'd bear our sin in his own
body on the tree. This whole book is a book about
Christ. Turn to Revelation chapter 5. In the beginning and in the
end and all the way through. It's a book of redemption. Redemption
through the blood of Christ. Every line, every word, every
book is all about Christ, Christ, Christ and Him crucified. Notice
Revelation 9, Revelation 5 verse 9, And they sung a new song,
saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, to open the seals thereof. For thou wast slain, and hast
redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, tongue,
people, nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests,
and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld and heard the voice
of many angels round about the throne, and the beast, and the
elders, and the number of them was ten thousand, times ten thousand,
and thousands and thousands, and saying and singing, Worthy
is the Lamb." You see, it starts with the Lamb in the beginning
God, and it ends with the Lamb. Christ in Him crucified, all
the way through the book of God, we see the Lord Jesus Christ
pictured in His sacrificial character as the Lamb of God, who is worthy
to receive all honor, power, riches, wisdom, strength, glory,
and blessing both now and forever. Forever. You see, it's a book
about Him. It's all about Christ in Him
crucified. Who He is. Who He is. Now who is He? Is He just a mere
man? Is He just a historical figure?
My friend, this book teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ is
God manifest in the flesh. That's who He is. The Word was
made flesh and dwelt among us. Who He is. This book tells us
who He is. Turn to 1 Timothy chapter 3.
1 Timothy chapter 3. Who He is. It's so important
to understand who He is. Because it makes what he did
absolutely successful and effectual. Who he is? He's not just a mere
man, he is God in the flesh. The old writers called him God-man. God-man, one word, God-man. Who
is he? Look at verse 16, 1 Timothy 3,
16, and without controversy. This is not a debatable issue.
Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. Justified, vindicated by the
Spirit of God. The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit
said, this is the Messiah, this is the Christ. Scene of angels. The angels owned him. Preached
unto sinners. Believed on in the world. And
God received him up to glory. When he by himself purged our
sin, he sat down, the right hand of God, victorious. This is who
he is. Paul preached to them until midnight. And then he continued his speech
until the break of day. You cannot preach Christ too
often. I've never heard a believer complain
about that we've exalted Christ too high or preached Him too
often. Have you? Not a believer. A believer enjoys to hear who
he is. Not only that, but we enjoy hearing
what he did. What did he do? Well, turn to
1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3. We see what
he did for us. 1 John chapter 3, verse 5. Who he is, what he did, who he
is, and what he did for us. Notice 1 John chapter 3 verse
5, and you know he was manifested. Look at verse 4. Whosoever commit
a sin transgresseth also the law, for sin is transgression
of the law. And you know that he was manifested
to take away our sin. That's why he came. And in him
is no sin. He had no sin, did no sin, knew
no sin. He's the spotless Lamb of God. But this is what he did. He bare
our sin in His own body. Turn to 1 Peter chapter 3. This
is what He did. He appeared once in the end of
the age to put away sin, the sin of God's people by the sacrifice
of Himself. 1 Peter 3.18, For Christ also
hath once suffered for sins, the just, He is the just one,
and He dies for, for somebody. Who does He die for? Those who
were unjust, those who were guilty, those who were sinners. Can you
come in there? Christ died for the ungodly. Can you identify with them? That He might bring us to God,
being put to death in the flesh, but quickened, quickened by the
Spirit of God. Thank God He didn't remain dead. He said, the third day I'll be
raised up. That vindicated that all He said
and all He did was successful and accepted of God for us. Who He is, what He did, and why? Why? Turn to 2 Corinthians 5. Why? You see, Paul preached these
things over and over. You read through the epistles,
Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, 2 Corinthians 5. God was in Christ, reconciling
us unto Himself. 2 Corinthians 5.20. Now then, we are ambassadors
for Christ as though God... How important is it to hear the
preaching of the Word? Now we are ambassadors for Christ
as though God did beseech you by us. Oh, you better listen. We pray you, In Christ dead be
ye reconciled to God. For God, look at verse 21. Now
here's the gospel in a nutshell. Here's the gospel, a condensed
version of the whole Bible is right here in verse 21. You see
that? God made Him sin for us. He made Him sin for us. Who knew
no sin. God laid on Him and charged Him
all the sin of God's people. laid upon Him, He did no sin,
He knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of
God." There's that statement again, the righteousness of God
in Him. This is what He did for us and
this is why He did this. Turn to Romans chapter 3, that
God might be just and justify the ungodly. Romans chapter 3,
look at verse 24, "...being justified freely by His grace, through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth, God
setting forth, to be my satisfaction, to be my sacrifice. God setting
forth to be the propitiation through faith, faith in His blood,
to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins. Not
my righteousness, His, that are passed through the forbearance
of God. to declare, I say at this time, His righteousness,
that He might be just. How can God save me and still
be just and not violate His holy law, His holy justice? Well,
He saves me in such a way that's honoring to His law through Christ,
through the merits of Christ, through the sacrifice of Christ,
that He might be just and the justifier of Him which believes
in our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. This is what we preach, who He
is. This is why Paul was long preaching till midnight, and
then continued to the breaking of the day. Who He is, what He
did, why He did these things, and where is He now? Where is
He now? Turn to Hebrews chapter 7. Where
is He now? Seated at the right hand of God.
What's He doing? What's He doing there? Look what it says here in Hebrews
7. Verse 22, it says, By so much
would Jesus made a surety, a surety, a guarantor, a surety of a better
covenant, a better testament. Verse 23 of Hebrews 7, And they
truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue
by reason of death. But this man, because he continueth
ever, has an unchangeable priesthood, wherefore he is able also to
save them, to the uttermost that come to God by Him, here it is,
seeing He ever lives. He ever lives right now. Now
you think about this. He ever lives right now to intercede
for me and for all of God's people. I need a mediator to represent
me before God and I have a great high priest who is the Lord Jesus
Christ. Turn back to Hebrews chapter
4. We have a great high priest who represents us, who mediates
for us, who intercedes for us. When we sin, we have an advocate
with the Father. Who is it? Jesus Christ the righteous. And He doesn't plead our merit,
He pleads His blood. Look what it says here in Hebrews
4 verse 14, seeing then that we have a great high priest that
is passed into the heavens Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast
our profession. For we have not a high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Therefore let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that
we may obtain mercy, find grace to help in time of need." We
have a great high priest. We have a mediator. We have an
intercessor. And it is the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is what we preach. You see, the doctrine of the
Bible The doctrine of the Bible is Christ. The truth of the Bible
is, the Lord Jesus said, I am truth. He said, this truth will
set you free. Stand fast in the liberty where
Christ has set us free. And the good news of the Bible
is, what is the good news of the Bible? This is the faithful
saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners. Save sinners. Now, I told you
there were three things that happened. They met together to
worship. They met together to observe
the Lord's table. They met together to hear the preaching of the
gospel of the Lord Jesus. And the fourth thing that happened
is this. Turn back to Acts 20. When Paul was long preaching,
this young man fell asleep, verse 9, He sat in a window, three
stories up, Eutychus is his name, being fallen into a deep sleep,
fell down from the third loft and was taken up dead. And Paul
went down and prayed over him as Elijah did, as Elisha did,
and God through that prayer gave life. And Paul went back to preaching,
verse 11, They went back and observed the Lord's table and
they talked till daybreak. Verse 12, they brought the young
man alive and were not a little comforted, they were greatly
comforted. Now here's the story of this
young man. His parents did the right thing in bringing him to
the worship service, didn't they? They did the right thing. We
should bring our children to hear the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Paul said to Timothy, from a
young child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able
to make thee wise unto salvation. We are to bring our children
up into nurture and admonition of the Lord. It is a wise thing
to set your children under the constant faithful preaching of
the gospel. God will use that and own that
and bless that as a means to bring them to Christ. So put
your children under the preaching of the gospel. These people did.
They brought their young son, Eutychus, to hear the gospel. But something happened to this
young man. He became disinterested. He got sleepy. Think of all the
things he could have heard and didn't as Paul was long preaching. He fell out of the window, fell
backwards out on the ground and was taken up dead. Well, we know it says there that
they brought the young man alive after Paul had prayed on him.
The Lord had mercy on him, raised him from the dead. And I think
next time this young man had the opportunity to hear the gospel,
maybe he didn't sit way in the back. Maybe he said, I'm going
to get up front. So I won't miss a word. I hear attentively. And
they continued to worship, verse 11 and 12. and were comforted
in this miracle of God's sovereign grace." It says they brought
the young man alive. Now, just on the surface, that's
an interesting story, right? Do you see the gospel in that
story of that young man, Eutychus? Huh? It says there, being fallen
into a deep sleep, fell down from the third loft. There's
ruin by the fall, isn't it? Ruin by a fall. Now this is similar
to the story that we have in 2 Samuel of the young man Mephibosheth. You remember when they fled,
when he was just a young lad, his nurse took him up and she
ran when she heard the news of his father being slain in battle? And he fell and was ruined in
a fall? That's exactly what happened
to us in Adam. And Adam all died, ruined completely. This man died! Eutychus was dead! But something
happened. life. And Adam all died, even
so in Christ shall all be made alive." Ephesians chapter 2,
turn over there, I won't keep you but just a moment. Ephesians
chapter 2. You see, everywhere we look in
the Gospel, we see God's sovereign mercy to sinners. This man was
ruined in a fall and raised to life. It says there that You
find Ephesians chapter 2. It says there in the text that
Paul went down and fell on him and embracing him. And that's
exactly what God does to us when we're dead in sin. He falls on
us and embraces us and draws us to himself with the gospel.
Ephesians chapter 2. Ruining Adam. raised in Christ. By one man's disobedience many
became sinners, by the obedience of another shall many be made
righteous. Ephesians 2 verse 1. And you, and you hath he quickened
who were dead. Ephesians 2 verse 1. Dead in
sin. Spiritually dead, no life. Where in time past you walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in children
of disobedience, among whom also we all had our conversation in
time past in the lust of the flesh, fulfilling the desires
of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of
wrath, even as others." Now underscore these next two words, but God,
but God. Eutychus would have never been
raised from the dead. But God, in sovereign mercy,
through the means of Paul, brought that young man to life. And that's
exactly what God does for us in the Gospel, through the preaching
of the Gospel. But God, who is rich in mercy
for His great love, wherewith He loved us, even when we were... What is that word? Dead. How dead? Graveyard dead. That's dead. We were dead in
sin, without God, without hope, without Christ. He came and embraced
us, gave us life, breathed into us the Spirit of life, and He
said, Live! And we lived by the command of
God. Even when we were dead in sin, has quickened us together
with Christ. quickened together with Christ.
By grace are you saved. It has raised us up together,
made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that
in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of
His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. That's what happened to Eutychus.
God raised him up. And that's what happens to us
who believe the Gospel. We were dead and God came. God gave us life. God keep us
alive.