So You Think Your Pastor Lingers?

How would you like a pastor like Paul who says what he means and then some? Yesterday’s devotional tackled his quick speaking and travel but if all his messages were this long I have no idea how he ever got to the next town!

We met on Sunday to worship and celebrate the Master’s Supper. Paul addressed the congregation. Our plan was to leave first thing in the morning, but Paul talked on, way past midnight. We were meeting in a well-lighted upper room.

A young man named Eutychus was sitting in an open window. As Paul went on and on, Eutychus fell sound asleep and toppled out the third-story window. When they picked him up, he was dead.

Paul went down, stretched himself on him, and hugged him hard. “No more crying,” he said. “There’s life in him yet.” Then Paul got up and served the Master’s Supper. And went on telling stories of the faith until dawn! On that note, they left—Paul going one way, the congregation another, leading the boy off alive, and full of life themselves. (Acts 20:7-12, MSG)

Because the verses make the point that there were many lights and lots of people, it stands to reason that oxygen levels were low. Eutychus may have brought this on himself because he was sitting in a window. Anyway, he passed out and down he went. Paul raised him from the dead just as Elisha did for the Shunammite woman’s son. (See 2 Kings 4:34-35) AND THEN …Yes indeed…and then Paul kept on preaching. Whew!

I read this and made a promise to myself never to complain about a sermon length again!

Prayer- Father God, shut up our mouths when we dare to complain about the faithful church folks who serve us every day. Amen.

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