My dear preaching & teaching friends, mga boksu, pastor at pastora, titser at speaker, have you had any person die on you while you are preaching, teaching or speaking? I certainly hope not. Sleep or doze off maybe… 😉
All preachers, teachers, public speakers no matter how good they are, at one time or another have sleeping members in the congregation. I know because I have also dozed and snoozed, 😜tuned out 😅at one time or another. I must confess that I tune out when the sermon is too long or the preacher is not as ‘captivating’. I look at the time when the service extends beyond what I expect it to last.
The apostle Paul had one such experience. A member of his audience died on him. Paul preached deep into the night. It was actually midnight, when a young man sitting on the window sill dozed off and fell from the 3rd floor and died. (Acts 20:9)
Imagine listening to a sermon deep into the night, being young at that, and sitting by the window too, perhaps in a room full of people, nowhere to sit and by the window where it would be cooler, sarap siguro matulog! 😃
What did Paul do? Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.” 11 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 (20:10-11).
Amazing! A miracle…
v. 12 They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.
More than just a young man rising again from the dead, it was a time of comfort and encouragement for the believers because they were thirsty for God’s Word. Paul preached at the expense of great persecution upon him. There were riots, plots to kill him most of everywhere he went in his missionary journeys. He was imprisoned, he was stoned, he was beaten, he had to run and hide for his life. Yet he kept on and persevered in his passion to preach Jesus Christ. Paul kept talking even after midnight until daybreak because he was leaving the next day (v.7). Time was very precious. He wanted to make the most of the time he had with the people God sent him to care for.
What can we learn from this short story? Passion for the gospel – both from the preacher and the preached. Today, you and I dear friends, are living in a relatively ‘free’ ‘comfort zone.’ We are blessed we can share God’s word, read the Bible, pray and worship freely without fear of persecution. We have air-conditioned rooms, many choices of places and time to study God’s Word. Are we as passionate to share God’s Word and as excited to study and listen to His Word?
Covid19 opened up doors for more people to study God’s Word. God works in mysterious ways. His truth shines bright amidst the dark world of death, sickness, grief and suffering. Jesus is the Light of the World. He is the Living Water and the Bread of Life.
Read God’s Word and know Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
