Sleeping in "Church" Leads to Meaningful Meeting

~Acts 20.7-12

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking, . . .and he prolonged his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.

Wouldn't we love to have more details of this story. The group gathers to "break bread." That could mean they gathered to have a meal together, but since the talk came first and went on until midnight, it seems more likely they gathered to take the sacrament of communion, honoring the death of Christ. Warm light flickers from the lamps; Paul's voice intones on and on. The teenager Eutychus, whose name means fortunate one, slowly slips into daze phase and then his body relaxes into sleep. One moment he is there; the next there's a soft shuffling sound, and whoosh, he's gone!

Who saw it? Maybe his friends who had been watching and snickering as he drifted off? What excitement for them! Maybe Paul who would have been facing his audience was the one to sound the alarm. Certainly it wasn't his mother, for we know that no self-respecting mom would have let her kid fall asleep in such a spot. Did the audience hear the scrape of his sandals against the wall as he fell from the window sill or the thud as the body hit the ground below? Maybe no one really saw him go, but hearing a sound, a curious person standing nearby went to the window and looked down.

Either way, the alarm was sounded and doubtless there was a sudden speedy exit from the room as everyone rushed down the stairs, Eutychus' family with some fear I would guess. Young's Literal Translation says the youth was "lifted up dead." What does Paul do? The translations have different views, from J.B. Phillips' "bent over him and holding him gently in his arms" to the statement of The Message that Paul "stretched himself on him, and hugged him hard."

Gently or vigorously, the boy was revived, much to everyone's relief. After returning to the room, the thankful believers having just looked death in the face and experienced an amazing resuscitation, shared the Lord's supper. Perhaps they were more attentive after that, as the text says Paul continued talking with them until dawn. What a service that would have been to attend.

Ananias, praying man and ordinary guy

Ananias prayed often. This secret time with the Father guided all he did and was the only way he could carry the load he felt for the new church in Damascus. Great numbers of converts to the faith were joining believers who had come fleeing persecution in Jerusalem. It was an exciting time, seeing people set free from their sin and sickness, seeing relationships healed, seeing the Kingdom of God come. Some days Ananias could hardly believe he was privileged to be part of it.

But it was also a time of grave danger. The new faith had enemies who were serious about stopping the spread of this “rumor,” this “legend,” that the long-awaited Messiah had come at last. Not content with just killing Jesus, religious leaders were now after everyone who believed in him, both Jews and Gentiles.

Prayer was a lifeline. One day as this godly man came before his God, he felt more than the usual urgency. “What is it, Lord?” he asked and tried to quiet his own thoughts to listen.

Ananias felt himself slipping into a dream state as a vision unfolded. God called his name. He heard it.

“Here I am, Lord!”

“Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

Ananias’ heartbeat sped up.

“Lord,” he answered, “We know of this Saul of Tarsus. I have heard reports of the evil he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And we hear he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

Ananias’ heart was pounding now. Surely there was some mistake.

But the Lord said, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Someone outside his room sneezed and Ananias was back in the present moment, the material world. The voice of the Lord was silent and his own thoughts were shouting. Saul of Tarsus here already! On Straight Street! Praying. And blind. Hadn’t the Lord said he was blind? Yes, he was sure of it. What did it mean? Would answering this call be a death warrant?

He wrestled with his thoughts, but in the end Ananias knew he would obey. As he walked toward Straight Street, he recited.

The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.
Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side.
His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory.
All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols—worship him, all you gods!
Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, LORD.
For you, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.
Let those who love the LORD hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.

As he walked toward this divine encounter, the Holy Spirit strengthened Ananias in purpose. What happened to him did not matter. He was only a servant, a slave of Christ. If God chose to release him into the hands of this killer, so be it. The Kingdom must advance. He got to be part of it!

The Spirit had also shown Ananias more details of Saul’s experience on the road: the flash of light, the vision of Jesus. By the time he reached Straight Street, Ananias did not for a second doubt that he was in the right place at the right time, and that indeed he was about to meet the infamous Saul of Tarsus.

“Is there a man named Saul here?” he asked at the door of the roomy house which often hosted guests.

“Yes, yes,” said Judas. “He came several days ago. How did you know? The man has barely spoken and not eaten a bite.” Judas led Ananias to a back room where a lifeless looking young man sat head in hands.

This was the terrible persecutor? The room was quiet as Ananias approached. Suddenly he was filled with compassion for this lost soul who had so much misplaced devotion to God. “Brother Saul,” he said gently, putting his weathered hands on the shoulders of the young scholar, “the Lord—-Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here-—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

The face turned upward. “Yes,” said Saul. “He told me you would come.”

Ananias prayed, “Brother Saul, receive your sight!” and immediately Saul’s eyes were opened, his vision restored.

Ananias prophesied, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’

They found water. Saul was baptized that day. After taking some food, he regained his strength. And Ananias said, “Thank you, Lord.”

The Fisherman and the Master, part 2

~John 21.1-19

"Don't think about it. You can't change the past. You can't change what happened. You're a big-mouth boasting idiot with no more guts than the fish you clean, a pathetic excuse of a friend who bails out when the things get tough. You're a worse traitor than Judas. At least Judas had the balls to face Jesus and betray him outright." The more Peter's thoughts accused him the harder he worked. Even though the air was sweet and cool as dawn approached, sweat poured down his bare back.

It had been his idea to come to the lake. After all, they were just sitting around wondering when and how the Lord would appear to them again, wondering if he would appear again. While words could barely express the amazement and joy they had felt at seeing Jesus alive, still, when left to themselves, they had no idea what to do next. Often it had been Peter who had the ideas. But since that night of the arrest, he was so immersed in his own failure he could barely function. And unlike the others, his relief and joy at seeing Jesus was tempered with shame.

Abruptly he had ceased pacing the room and announced, "I'm going fishing."

Although it was late in the night, most of them jumped to their feet too. Work was better than just waiting to see what came next. But it had been pointless work, as it turned out. All night they'd caught nothing.

None of his companions dared say anything to Peter as he worked furiously, rowing to re-position the boat, sharpening their fishing knives, anything to stay busy. Peter's restless activity stood in sharp contrast to the quiet of the water and the other men. The sails hung as empty as the nets and as their hopes for a catch.

Then, just before dawn broke, someone hailed them from beside a fire on the shore. "Young men! Have you caught anything?"

"Nothing," Thomas yelled.

The man on the beach called back, "Throw out your net on the right side of the boat and see what happens."

Peter paused, wiped an arm across his forhead and reached for a drink of water. The rest of them, happy for distraction, humored the odd request and threw the net over. Within minutes there were fish, not just a few fish, but as many as the net could hold. Suddenly, Peter's full attention was riveted on the man on the shore.

"It's the Lord," said John, voicing the thought of all.

Without hesitation, without deliberation, Peter grabbed his tunic, threw it over his head and plunged into the sea, swimming for land with all his might. Only as his feet touched bottom and he walked up dripping from the cold, shallow water did he realize that he had nothing to say to his one-time Master and friend. It was the third time he'd seen Jesus since the resurrection. The other times had been in a room with everyone there, James, John, Andrew, all of them. Jesus had paid Peter no special attention. Why should he? Peter felt his own failure deeply, but he did not know how to express the anguish of his regret. He had betrayed the Lord. That was an irrefutable fact of history. Still, he was drawn to Jesus.

Wet and cold Peter went to the fire and stooped without a word to warm himself. As he did, he was hit with a horrible deja vu: dawn breaking, Peter shivering, warm fire, Jesus nearby. Unbidden, the scene replayed in his mind. The servant girl stares and accuses him, "He's one of them!" Peter denies it. "I don't know him!" Three times someone had suggested he was a follower of Jesus, and three times he had denied it—once with an oath. How could he have lost his nerve, his commitment, so completely? And then Jesus had turned to him just as the rooster crowed. It had happened exactly as the Lord, who knew him so well, had predicted, and just as Peter, who apparently knew himself so little, had poo-foo'd as impossible. Well, he knew better now. And what he saw of himself was weak and ugly.

Peter miserably rubbed his hands and stared into the fire as he remembered these words of the Lord: “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven." Denied before Yahweh. And deservedly so. There was no more reason to live or to die. Peter shuddered, not entirely from the cold.

The boat had not been far from land, so the others approached within minutes, towing the laden net of fish. Jesus was tending some bread on the fire, getting ready for breakfast. "Bring some of your fish," he said. Mechanically, Peter rose and dragged the net in as the others gathered eagerly around the Master. Yes, they too had been afraid. They had even run. But they had not so blatantly denied him. They could interact with him now without shame.

Soon fish crackled on the coals and everyone but Peter enjoyed the catch and the bread that Jesus had prepared.

Afterwards, as the sun climbed, Peter walked away from the circle of fellowship where he felt an outsider. But Jesus followed. For the first time since the terrible event, the Lord spoke to Peter directly, using his formal name. "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others?"

There had been a time, it seemed long ago, when Peter was sure he loved the Lord more than any of the others. "Yes, Lord," he answered without conviction. "You know I love you."

"Then feed my lambs."

What did that mean? Before Peter could decide, Jesus asked again, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"

"Yes, Lord. You know I love you."

"Take care of my sheep."

Peter's misery increased. Obviously the Lord saw right through him and the profound limits of the meager, piddling love which was all he had to give.

Jesus stopped walking, stepped in front and put his hands on Peter's shoulders to look into his face, but Peter could only study his sandy feet. "Simon son of John, do you love me?"

Finally, Peter looks up and meets Jesus’ eyes. Tears gather. "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you."

"Feed . . . my . . . sheep."

Feed my sheep. At last Peter is able to hear. It’s a commission. Even he, with all of his weakness and self-loathing, is not rejected. He is restored! The Lord will still use him. Can it be?

Jesus answers the question in Peter's eyes. "I tell you the truth, when you were young you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” These sobering words prophesied death. Peter understood. He was reinstated into the Kingdom he thought had been lost to him forever; this time he would be faithful until death. Jesus knew. Jesus could see it. Peter would still get an opportunity to bring glory to God. Relief and joy washed over him.

"Follow me," said Jesus. And Peter did.

In the days following, Peter and all the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit, so that they no longer sat wondering what to do. They had a broken world to reach with the message of Jesus' good news. On that Pentecost it is Peter who tells the people, "God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” And when the people hear this and are cut to the heart and ask what they should do, it is Peter who answers with confidence from his own rejection and restoration, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

The Fisherman and the Master, part 1

~Luke 5.1-11, my enhanced version

“Simon! Hey, I’m talking to you. Have you heard anything I just said?”

“Huh?” asked the big man. “No, Andrew. I guess not. Sorry.”

“Fine. The most exciting thing to happen around here in a lifetime, maybe in several lifetimes, is going on right now, right here where we are, and you don’t want to talk about it. Ok. You just keep your thoughts to yourself, Big Brother. I’ll talk to the rocks.”

But the younger man was wasting his breath. Simon had already turned his gaze back to cleaning nets there beside the bluegreen water slapping the side of their boat. He was torn with conflict, and a decision had to be made soon. Yes, today. Sure, Andrew was right. It was amazing to have a guy come to town who could do the astonishing things Jesus did. Jaw-dropping amazing! He thought of the water turned to wine, the money changers driven right out of the temple, the stir Jesus had caused in the Samaritan village. Any one of these events would have been enough to keep people talking for years, and they had happened one right after the other. He thought of his own mother-in-law, how sick she had been for days, how dark circles had grown under the eyes of his anxious wife as she cared for her mom. Then Jesus invited himself over. Wouldn’t take no for an answer. Walked right in, took the sick woman by the hand, and within moments it was gone—the fever, the anxiety, the sick smell in the room, the cloud over the house. All vanished with the presence of this man. And to top it off, an hour later dinner was on the table.

Of course Simon wanted to be part of that. And he had been specifically invited. Jesus had looked right at him, eye-to-eye, man-to-man and said, “Come. Follow me.” And he wasn’t saying that to everybody, only a handful so far. Jesus was somehow a chosen man of God himself, and he had chosen Simon to be part of the mission. “Yes, I should leave the constant struggle of these empty nets and follow him,” he thought. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I'll surely regret if I let slip by."

Yet, how could he even consider it? Follow me indeed. Easily said, but who’s going to take care of the family? Jesus hadn’t said anything about how following him would keep food on the table. Simon was not a flake. He understood his responsibilities. “I will show you how to fish for people.” What did that mean anyway?

Being with Jesus was a rush, but Simon lived in the real world. And for him and his buddies, the real world was nets, hooks, scales and fish guts. A look at any of their rough hands would reveal it. And when the catch was low, as, unfortunately, it had been lately, that meant more time in the boat, not abandoning ship to run after the local prophet, no matter how amazing the guy was. That, Simon decided, was the only decision a responsible man could make.

Just as he came to this conclusion there was a stir on shore. Around the bend from town came a crowd of people. And, no surprise, Jesus was in the center of the pack. Simon tried to strengthen his resolve. He would not go to them. Even though he and Andrew had been at it all night they still needed to get back on the water for any hope of some income this day. He tried hard to ignore the approaching throng and to focus on getting the debris out of his nets.

Jesus apparently aimed to settle near the shore to teach, but the press of people was too great. Everyone wanted to be close and they just about backed him into the lake. When he saw the brothers’ boat there, he got in, asking Simon to push it out into the water. What choice was there? Even though Simon had determined not to abandon his life, he couldn’t refuse the request.

Jesus taught from the boat all afternoon, his words burning into Simon’s tormented heart. “I am a fisherman,” he reminded himself. When darkness fell and hunger sent the people home, Jesus said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”

“Master,” Simon replied wearily, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing.” He waited for Jesus to withdraw the request, but his fellow Galilean only returned his gaze, waiting. Sigh. “But if you say so, I’ll let the nets out again.”

As he and his brother maneuvered the boat back into open water, Simon’s thoughts mocked him. What did he expect to happen? He had decided he could not abandon the work which provided for his family, yet he was still compelled to obey. After a few hundred feet, he and Andrew dutifully let down the clean nets, exactly as they had done hundreds of times before, exactly as they had done the night before and through the cool hours of early morning. A fresh breeze stirred.

Suddenly the boat lurched leeward and began to tremble. What was happening? For a moment Simon imagined some great sea creature attacking from the dark waters. He leapt forward to see. It appeared the nets were full, full of wriggling fish! It took a few seconds to comprehend the sight. Simon was broken from his incredulity when he noticed stressed threads starting to unravel from the weight. Immediately the brothers jumped into action trying to support the nets as best they could and shouting desperately for help.

The boat of James and John pulled up beside and all five men struggled to get the catch on board. Both boats were soon filled to capacity, knee deep with fish, and still there were more. Finally the last net was secured and the heavy vessels labored toward land.

At this first moment of catching his breath the impact of what had just happened hit Simon. Jesus. Jesus was not just prophet and healer. He was something, someone, far more. He was provision. Simon had been calculating for days and finding Jesus coming up short. As further realization of his companion’s identity settled into Simon, he was overcome. He caught a breath-taking glimpse of who Jesus is and at the same moment of the darkness in his own heart by comparison. He fell to his knees. “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.”

Jesus knelt with his hand on Simon’s shoulder. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. Then he repeated the mysterious words from before: “From now on you’ll be fishing for people.” The Bible tells us next that “as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.”