LookingtoJesus

October 18

Bible Reading: Acts 21:27-40

Acts 21:31, “I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.”

Acts 21 marks the end of Paul’s third missionary journey in which he traveled through Galatia, Asia, Macedonia, Achaia, and ended in Jerusalem.  The journey took him ~5 years, in which he covered about 2500 miles (1190 by sea, and 1325 by land).  He met with churches that were previously established and went to places where the gospel had not been preached before.  Seemingly wherever he went, opposition arose and suffering followed.  He was a man on a mission.  A God-given mission.  As with Peter and John, he could not (and would not) stop speaking about Jesus (Acts 4:20, 22:15).  As he explained in his letter to Ephesus, he was a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of the Gentiles.  He had a message to share of the “unfathomable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8), and no amount of hardship or suffering would work to stop him!

A riot ensued when the Jews saw Paul in the temple.  They stirred up the multitude and laid hands on him.  They cried out for others to join their mob, falsely accusing Paul of speaking against the Law and the temple.  The entire city was up in arms.  They took hold of Paul and were seeking to kill him.  His rescue came from an unlikely source, for when the commander of the Roman cohort heard what was happening, the mob “stopped beating Paul” (Acts 21:32).  The soldiers even had to carry Paul “because of the violence of the mob” (Acts 21:35). 

At the root of Paul’s trouble was His Jesus-given assignment to “bear His name before the Gentiles and kings and sons of Israel” (Acts 9:15).  And the simple solution would be to stop doing that.  It was the gospel of salvation by grace through faith that angered the Judaizers, but Paul refused to modify his message.  It is, after all, the “glorious gospel of the blessed God” by which he himself was saved (1 Timothy 1:11-17).  And, it represents “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

I don’t know about you, but Paul’s situation seemed more like a good time to hide, rather than speak.  But he was compelled by the Spirit and the love of Christ to share the gospel (2 Corinthians 5:14, 20).  He could do none other! You’ll likely never be called to stand and before a mob of angry antagonists and proclaim the truth, but no matter the setting, you’ve the same powerful gospel to share and the same powerful Spirit to embolden you!

“Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!”— The Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 9:16).

I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY
I love to tell the story
of unseen things above,
of Jesus and his glory,
of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story
because I know it’s true;
it satisfies my longings
as nothing else can do.

Refrain:
I love to tell the story;
‘twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story
of Jesus and his love.

I love to tell the story,
for those who know it best
seem hungering and thirsting
to hear it like the rest.
And when in scenes of glory
I sing the new, new song,
‘twill be the old, old story
that I have loved so long.

October 17

Bible Reading: Acts 21:16-26

Acts 21:23, “Do therefore what we tell you.”

The book of Acts is an historical narrative.  It records for us the history of what happened in the expansion of the church.  That does not mean that every decision that is made or everything that happened is as God would have it.  Our account speaks of a major decision by the church leaders that did not lead to the desired results.

Soon after Paul arrived in Jerusalem, he met with James and the elders.  They heard from Paul regarding the things that God had done among the Gentiles.  Then they informed Paul of the problem the church was facing.  The issue of the Gentile’s relationship to the law had been settled at the Jerusalem council (Acts 15).  The council’s decision was to not bind the Gentiles to the law, but it did not say that it was wrong for the Jewish believers to go on observing it if they so wished.  That difference remained, and would remain, as an ongoing problem in the church.  Some Jewish believers, zealous for the law, falsely accused Paul of speaking against the law.  James and the elders, to appease Paul’s opponents, came up with a plan.  He was to take four men under a vow, follow the law’s requirements, and take them into the temple so that Paul might be seen as “keeping the Law” himself (Acts 21:24).

The plan did not work as the leaders had supposed.  They sought to resove a conflict, but instead of mollifying Paul’s opponents, the Jews, upon seeing Paul in the temple, incited a riot!  So great was the confusion that the Roman commander and his soldiers had to intervene. 

It’s left to the reader to discern the rightness of the decision of James and the elders.  As for Paul, J. Veron McGee, argued that Paul was merely hoping to see souls saved: “A Jew who comes to Jesus Christ does not stop being a Jew. So, they say to Paul, ‘Look, you are a Jew. That is your background. And you want to win the Jews for Christ.’ Paul says, ‘I sure do!’ So, they say, ‘Since you are a Jew, it wouldn’t hurt you to go with these four Jewish men who have made a vow. They have shaved their heads and are going into the temple. Would you go along with them?’ Paul says, ‘Sure.’ Paul didn’t take this vow because he was commanded to do.  He took this vow because he wanted to win these people.” 

In proclaiming the gospel of grace, Paul was always getting himself into trouble, but at the heart of that was his desire to see folks saved, no matter how much the effort cost him (1 Corinthians 9:20-22). 

“I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.”—the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 9:22).

RESCUE THE PERISHING
Rescue the perishing,
Care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.

Refrain:
Rescue the perishing,
Care for the dying;
Jesus is merciful,
Jesus will save.

Though they are slighting Him,
Still He is waiting,
Waiting the penitent child to receive;
Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently;
He will forgive if they only believe. [Refrain]

Down in the human heart,
Crushed by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more. [Refrain]

Rescue the perishing,
Duty demands it;
Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way patiently win them;
Tell the poor wanderer a Savior has died. [Refrain]

October 16

Bible Reading: Acts 21:7-15

Acts 21:13, “For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

These words of Paul echo the heart of the Lord Jesus Himself, for despite knowing what awaited him, “he set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51).  Nothing could work to dissuade Him from the God-given task that awaited Him there.  Though He agonized in prayer over the cup He was soon to drink, He fully and perfectly subjected Himself to the Father’s will (Matthew 26:39).  One disciple betrayed him, the rest abandoned him—still He remained resolute.  They arrested Him.  Beat Him.  Falsely accused Him.  But “like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).  He was Heaven-sent to do the Father’s bidding, and so He did until at last He declared, “it is finished,” having completed the saving work He was sent to do.

Jesus saved Saul and commissioned him from the beginning to bear His name before the Gentiles and suffer for it (Acts 9:15-16).  That mission was Spirit-reaffirmed to him on numerous occasions.  And suffer he did!  We’ve read of such in the Acts account.  2 Corinthians 11:23-29 likewise speaks of the many incredible trials he faced.  Still, as with His Lord, Paul remained resolute.  It was not by His own strength, for his adequacy, in all respects, was from God (2 Corinthians 3:6)!  Though weak in himself, “the power of Christ” dwelt in him (2 Corinthians 12:9).  By grace, he was made strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).  By grace, He persevered.

God gave Paul a fight to fight, a race to run, and it was never easy.  But he fought the good fight and finished the course (2 Timothy 4:7).  It is a false expectation to suppose that the calling of a believer is to an easy life exempt from trials or suffering (2 Timothy 3:12; Philippians 1:29-30).  But in Jesus, we have a preeminent example to follow (Hebrews 12:1-3).  In following in His steps, Paul and countless others have likewise been led along that same well-worn path (Philippians 3:17). 

When your path gets too hard, fix your eyes on the One who walked it before (Hebrews 12:2). 

ALL FOR JESUS
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
All my being’s ransomed pow’rs,
all my thoughts and words and doings,
all my days and all my hours.

Let my hands perform his bidding,
let my feet run in his ways;
let my eyes see Jesus only,
let my lips speak forth his praise.

Worldlings prize their gems of beauty,
cling to gilded toys of dust,
boast of wealth and fame and pleasure;
only Jesus will I trust.

Since my eyes were fixed on Jesus,
I’ve lost sight of all beside;
so enchained my spirit’s vision,
looking at the Crucified.

O what wonder! How amazing!
Jesus, glorious King of kings,
deigns to call me his beloved,
lets me rest beneath his wings.

October 15

Bible Reading: Acts 21:7-15

Acts 21:11-12, “And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, ‘Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.” When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.”

From his conversion, Paul was called to bear the name of Jesus and suffer for his sake (Acts 9:15-16).  He received reaffirmation of that calling on many occasions, including here by Agabus.  The Spirit was saying one thing through Abagus, whereas Paul’s friends were saying something else.  What was Paul to do?  What did he do?

During the English Reformation, Thomas Bilney, a Cambridge student, underwent a profound conversion to Christ after reading, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” This revelation opened his eyes to the truth that salvation is by God’s grace through faith in Christ, and he became a powerful advocate for the Christian faith.  However, the Counter-Reformation led to severe backlash, resulting in the execution of many reformers. Bilney was imprisoned and faced the choice to recant or be burned at the stake. Friends urged him to recant, and just two days before his execution, he felt immense internal conflict. Although he believed he was meant to die for his faith, he ultimately rationalized a compromise: “I will preserve my life in order to dedicate it to the Lord.” This decision led to guilt and confusion, causing him to stray from his beliefs. Consumed by grief, he collapsed in the arms of his friends, who recognized their part in his decline.

After several years of apparent apostasy, Bilney returned to his faith and became a fervent voice for Christ again. When arrested a second time, he stood firm. The night before his execution, he held his hand over a burning lamp, enduring the pain until he burned his finger to the joint. He declared, “When the flames consume me, I shall not feel them. This body may suffer, but it will lead to unspeakable joy.”  The next day, Bilney descended into Lollard’s Pit, where many martyrs had perished. After praying, he embraced the stake and kissed it.

What can we learn from Bilney’s journey? His friends had led him astray in a moment of vulnerability. But like Paul, he ultimately determined to follow the will of God no matter where that led. When someone is determined to follow the will of God, it is important not to get in the way. 

When someone is determined to follow the will of God, it is important not to get in the way.

MUST JESUS BEAR THE CROSS ALONE
Must Jesus bear the cross alone
And all the world go free?
No, there’s a cross for ev’ry one,
And there’s a cross for me.

The consecrated cross I’ll bear
Till death shall set me free,
And then go home my crown to wear,
For there’s a crown for me.

Upon the crystal pavement, down
At Jesus’ pierced feet,
Joyful, I’ll cast my golden crown
And His dear name repeat.

O precious cross! O glorious crown!
O resurrection day!
Ye angels, from the stars come down
And bear my soul away.

October 14

Bible Reading: Acts 21:1-6

Acts 21:4, “And finding disciples, we stayed there seven days.” (NKJV)

By the point in the Acts account, believers had scattered throughout the regions where the Apostle Paul was traveling. Driven by the Spirit, Paul sought them out so that he might instruct and encourage them.

During my trips to Uganda, we experienced something like that. After breakfast each day, my uncle, Pastor Bob Emrich, and I would jump into a van to visit local pastors. Our dear friend, Paul Mwesigwa, the Ugandan director of Hope and Mercy Mission, served as our driver. We were grateful for his guidance, as we had no idea how to navigate to any of our destinations or find our way back to the guesthouse without him.

We traveled along dirt roads and sometimes mere paths, with no road signs to direct us. The journey was often challenging. I recall one particularly rainy day when our tires became caked with mud. The roads sloped toward ditches to help shed water, but our mud-covered tires couldn’t maintain traction, and we ended up stuck in the ditch. This wasn’t our only encounter with mud; there was also the incident with a flat tire! Despite these challenges, we persevered, knowing that most people in the region walked to their destinations—just as the Apostle Paul did. As we traversed the landscape, we covered many miles, yet we always found places to meet fellow disciples of Jesus. We spent time with them, encouraging each other.

The Apostle Paul sought out disciples because he yearned for fellowship with them (Romans 1:11-12). Without a website or GPS, he relied on the Spirit’s guidance to find his way. Most of us, in contrast, face no significant physical obstacles when it comes to gathering with other believers. If we have a heart to follow the Spirit’s leading, He will guide us to where we need to be.

“The man who is in the family of the Church has friends all over the world.” —William Barclay

THE FAMILY OF GOD
I’m so glad I’m a part
Of the fam’ly of God
I’ve been washed in the fountain
Cleansed by His blood
Joint heirs with Jesus
As we travel this sod
For I’m part of the fam’ly
The family of God

Composers: Bill and Gloria Gaither; Copyright: 1970 William J. Gaither.

October 11

Bible Reading: Acts 20:17-38

Acts 20:35, “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

I love these words from Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Though this specific statement isn’t recorded in the gospel accounts, it encapsulates the essence of His life and ministry. Jesus exemplified the principle of giving more than any man before or since. He sacrificed and poured out His life, extending love and care in every possible way. He bore burdens, taught, helped, served, and shepherded. Ultimately, He gave His own life, offering Himself as a ransom for all—the greatest gift ever given. In this act, He manifested His divine identity, for God is the greatest giver.

The Apostle Paul was careful to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. As a recipient of grace, he understood that all he was and possessed was a gift from God. He did not serve as an apostle to gain anything for himself. Instead, he worked diligently to meet his own needs and provide for his friends. Generous in his support of others, Paul became a conduit of God’s blessings, exhorting the elders of Ephesus (and all of us) to adopt that same attitude.

Situated in northern Israel and surrounded by picturesque hills, the Sea of Galilee is nourished by the Jordan River. It serves as a vital resource for local agriculture and tourism, supporting a diverse ecosystem that includes various bird species, aquatic life, and, importantly, humans. In stark contrast, the Dead Sea lies to the east of Jerusalem, recognized as the lowest point on Earth’s surface. Its high salinity prevents most aquatic life from thriving, lending to its name. While visitors can effortlessly float on its surface or extract valuable minerals, the Dead Sea offers little in terms of vibrant life or natural beauty. A primary difference between the two bodies of water is their relationship with the Jordan River: the Sea of Galilee both receives and gives water, fostering a dynamic ecosystem, while the Dead Sea solely receives water, lacking an outlet and contributing to its unique yet barren environment.

As a recipient of the riches of God’s grace and mercy, you are incredibly blessed. However, God did not save you to be a mere depository of blessings; He has blessed you so that you might serve as a conduit. Opportunities to share abound—make it a point to be a blessing to others, drawing them to the source of all giving: God Himself.

“More blessed it is, because it is more God-like.”—Brian Bell

FREELY, FREELY
God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name.
I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name
And in Jesus’ name I come to you
To share his love as he told me to.

Refrain:
He said ‘Freely, freely you have received;, freely, freely give.
Go in my name, and because you believe others will know that I live.

All pow’r is giv’n in Jesus’ name
in earth and heav’n in jesus name
And in Jesus’ name I come to you
To share his pow’r as he told me to. [Refrain]

God gives us life in Jesus’ name
he lives in us in Jesus’ name
And in Jesus’ name I come to you
To share his peace as he told me to. [Refrain]

October 10

Bible Reading: Acts 20:17-38

Acts 20:28, “To care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”

You don’t need me to tell you that we live in perilous times. Around the globe, wars are either ongoing or on the horizon—Russia and Ukraine, the Middle East, China and Taiwan. Our own country is hopelessly divided and plagued by corruption. In my lifetime, I’ve never seen more uncertainty regarding our nation’s future. While church attendance is at an all-time low, crime and despair are on the opposite trajectory.  Yet, as the ship of humanity sails toward its God-appointed destiny, it’s essential to remind ourselves that God is in control. Despite the ugliness that permeates the world, there is one entity, the church of God, that remains forever beautiful, constituting “a kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28).

Paul deemed the church beautiful and exhorted the elders of Ephesus to care for it, maintaining that same perspective.  He had sacrificed and endured through unimaginable challenges because of his great love for the church.  We esteem something’s value according to the price paid for it; the price paid for the church was the lifeblood of Jesus.  Even as you’ve been redeemed, “not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:19).  The church is God’s work of art, His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10), and He is even now preparing it for the day when He will “present the church to himself in splendor” (Ephesians 5:27).  Paul’s exhortation to those elders was to care for the church as shepherds, but we all likewise have a role to fulfill in maintaining fellowship, exercising our gifts, and doing our part in the building up of the body.  Regardless of what you hear on the news, nothing is more important or of more lasting value than that!

There is a famous story of the days when Sir Christopher Wren was building St. Paul’s Cathedral. On one occasion, he was on a tour of the work in progress. He came upon a man at work and asked him: “What are you doing?” The man said: “I am cutting this stone to a certain size and shape.” He came to a second man and asked him what he was doing. The man said: “I am earning so much money at my work.” He came to a third man and asked him what he was doing. The man paused for a moment, straightened himself and answered: “I am helping Sir Christopher Wren build St. Paul’s Cathedral.” All three were working on the same project, but only the third man grasped the glory of what he was privileged to be a part of.   We’ve all been gifted to serve in the building up of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11). It is possible to lose focus and forget that as members of the body of Christ, we are incredibly privileged to be a part of the greatest work of all! Are you serving with passion or going through the motions?

We esteem the value of a thing according to the price paid for it.  That Jesus shed His blood to obtain the church means that it is of infinite value, and therefore deserving of our undying devotion!

GLORIOUS THINGS OF THEE ARE SPOKEN
Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God.
He whose Word cannot be broken
formed thee for His own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
thou may’st smile at all thy foes.

See, the streams of living waters,
springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint while such a river
ever flows their thirst to assuage?
Grace, which like the Lord, the Giver,
never fails from age to age.

‘Round each habitation hov’ring,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a cov’ring,
showing that the Lord is near.
Thus deriving from their banner
light by night and shade by day,
safe they feed upon the manna
which He gives them on their way.

Savior, since of Zion’s city
I through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in Thy name.
Fading is the worldling’s pleasures,
all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasures
none but Zion’s children know.

October 9

Bible Reading: Acts 20:17-38

Acts 20:27, “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.”

Have you ever shrunk back from saying something about Jesus for fear or what others might say or do?  Having preached many times, I must confess that I sometimes gave thought to how others might respond to some hard truth I was preparing to share.  But, as Paul admonished Timothy, the obligation of the preacher is not to men, but to the One who “is to judge the living and the dead” (2 Timothy 4:1-2).

Much of Paul’s troubles resulted from the direct opposition and plotting of the Jews.  While there were elements of his teaching that they could accept, they hated his gospel of grace.  That God would save the Gentiles and simply, by grace, through faith, apart from any human works, was not a message they could tolerate.  It was that specific message that caused him so much trouble, and a simple solution would be to alter his message to meet their demands.  But that’s something he would not do. He refused to be dissuaded from speaking the whole counsel of God’s word, no matter the cost.

In the sixteenth century, there was a protestant reformer in England by the name of Hugh Latimer. Known to be a great preacher in his day, he had many opportunities to speak. Once he was to preach before King Henry VIII of England. As he thought about his great responsibility to bring a message before the king, he realized that the message that God laid on his heart was not the message that the king would want to hear.  As he began his sermon he said, “Latimer! Latimer! Do you remember that you are speaking before the high and mighty King Henry VIII; who has power to command you to be sent to prison, and who can have your head cut off, if it pleases him? Will you not take care to say nothing that will offend royal ears?”  He then paused and continued, “Latimer! Latimer! Do you not remember that you are speaking before the King of kings and Lord of lords? Before Him, at whose throne Henry VIII will stand; before Him, to whom one day you will have to give account yourself? Latimer! Latimer! Be faithful to your Master and declare all of God’s Word.”  Latimer faced the choice: would he preach what man wanted to hear or would he preach what Christ would have him preach? Latimer did take his stand for truth and preached boldly. Eventually, he was martyred by Henry’s daughter, Queen Mary.

“The preacher who preaches what his audience wants to hear, and not the whole counsel of God, hurts both his audience and himself!”

STANDING ON THE PROMISES
Standing on the promises of Christ, my King,
Through eternal ages let his praises ring;
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God, my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail.
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

Standing on the promises of Christ, the Lord,
Bound to him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning ev’ry moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

October 8

Bible Reading: Acts 20:17-38

Acts 20:18-19, “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials.”

Though not much esteemed in the world, humility is a virtue much esteemed by God. The concept was so foreign to the Romans and Greeks that they lacked a word for it. Then Christ came along.  Humility means to think with lowliness of mind—not to think poorly of ourselves, but to recognize our neediness in light of God’s holiness (Romans 12:3).

Humility does not come naturally. From birth, we are inclined toward a “me, myself, and I” mentality. While sin manifests in various forms (1 John 2:16), pride lies at its root (Proverbs 6:16-17).  Like a cherished treasure, pride is not easily pried from our hearts.  It is only by a work of the Spirit that eyes are opened to God’s glory and our own shortcomings in sin.

The Divine Son of God left the glory of heaven to enter our broken world without fanfare. Born in a manger and living as a humble servant, He had no place to lay His head (Luke 9:58). He gave everything, ultimately humbling Himself to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). He came to save us from sin and pride, allowing us to relate rightly to God and others (Philippians 2:3-5).

Christ saved and transformed Paul and made him to be, apart from Christ, the most accomplished figure in church history.  Paul undertook three missionary journeys, establishing numerous churches and authoring epistles that make up much of the New Testament. His writings have inspired countless believers throughout history, and he endured immense suffering for the gospel.

Yet Paul saw himself differently, maintaining a humble perspective.  He said, “I am the foremost of sinners” and “the least of the apostles” (1 Timothy 1:15, 1 Corinthians 15:9). Emulating Christ’s humility, he consistently prioritized the needs of others (Philippians 1:21-24, 2:17) and even declared, “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls” (2 Corinthians 12:15). He urged the elders of Ephesus to likewise serve with humility, imitating Christ as he himself had (1 Corinthians 11:1).

While the world promotes pride and self-love, Christ lived according to a radically different mindset.  It is the work of the Spirit to renew our minds so that we might put things in the right perspective.  Though society may not value humility, God does, calling us to walk the path of true humility, the greatest treasure in the eyes of God.

“Christian humility flourishes in the human soul when we are standing in front of a window that looks onto the Himalayas of Christ’s grandeur.”—Tim Keller

I GAVE MY LIFE FOR THEE
I gave My life for thee,
My precious blood I shed,
That thou mightst ransomed be,
And quickened from the dead;
I gave, I gave My life for thee,
What hast thou done for Me?
I gave, I gave My life for thee,
What hast thou done for Me?

My Father’s house of light,
My glory-circled throne
I left for earthly night,
For wanderings sad and lone;
I left, I left it all for thee,
Hast thou left aught for Me?
I left, I left it all for thee,
Hast thou left aught for Me?

I suffered much for thee,
More than thy tongue can tell,
Of bitterest agony,
To rescue thee from hell;
I’ve borne, I’ve borne it all for thee,
What hast thou borne for Me?
I’ve borne, I’ve borne it all for thee,
What hast thou borne for Me?

And I have brought to thee,
Down from My home above,
Salvation full and free,
My pardon and My love;
I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee,
What hast thou brought to Me?
I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee,
What hast thou brought to Me?

October 7

Bible Reading: Acts 20:1-16

Acts 20:9, “And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.”

Having pastored for many years, I’ve witnessed it on more than a few occasions: a member of the congregation dozing off during the sermon. Sometimes, the individual would even make a point of apologizing afterward. I never fell asleep myself—though as the one preaching, that would have been even more embarrassing!  In centuries past, churches employed an officer known as a beadle, whose duty was to keep congregants awake. In Puritan churches, the beadle would patrol the aisles with a long pole topped with a brass knob, ready to rouse any dozing parishioners with a gentle rap on the noggin.

It’s hard to imagine anyone dozing off during one of the Apostle Paul’s sermons, yet that’s exactly what happened to Eutychus. Perhaps he was fatigued from a long day’s work, or maybe the warm room and prolonged message lulled him into slumber. Unfortunately, Eutychus was seated by a window, and when he fell asleep, it resulted in a three-story drop—and his untimely death. Fortunately for Eutychus, Paul was an Apostle and gifted with miraculous abilities. He rushed down, bent over the young man, and assured the crowd, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him” (Acts 20:10). The congregation was comforted, and Eutychus likely remembered that service for the rest of his life!  By the way, Eutychus was a common slave name which ironically means “fortunate!”

In light of this story, it’s wise to stay awake and alert during sermons—especially if you’re seated in a window seat three stories high! Today’s pastors may lack the ability to raise the dead, but most strive to deliver meaningful messages. We are all at our best when we endeavor to stay focused, striving to apply what we learn to our lives.

“Remember, if we go to sleep during the sermon and die, there are no apostles to restore us!”—Charles Spurgeon

OPEN MY EYES, THAT I MAY SEE
Open my eyes that I may see
glimpses of truth thou hast for me.
Place in my hands the wonderful key
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my ears that I may hear
voices of truth thou sendest clear,
and while the wave notes fall on my ear,
ev’rything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my ears, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my mouth and let me bear
gladly the warm truth ev’rywhere.
Open my heart and let me prepare
love with thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my mouth, illumine me,
Spirit divine!