Lucky Eutychus

Hello, weekend! And hello to you too. Glad you stopped by. You've made it another week through the Bible. Congratulations!


Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Fri, Mar 6: Which leader of one of the 12 tribes of Israel owned the staff which “budded, blossomed and produced almonds?” (Num 17)
Numbers 17:8 8 The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

And here's the question of the day:
Sat, Mar 7: What was made out of bronze and put up on a pole? (Num 21) Bonus Point: What organization used this image as their symbol?


And here's the reflection of the day:
Do you think of Sunday as the first day of the week or the last day? Do you know what I mean? Does Sunday begin a new week or does it finish the week off?

As a pastor, Sunday feels like the last day of the week for me. All week long, all I do leads up to worship on Sunday. Maybe for you, it feels like the end of the week too. It feels like a final day of rest, especially if you have to go to work on Monday. Others may feel like Sunday is the beginning of the week, that worship marks the beginning of the new week and provides energy for the new week.

During Creation, God worked for six days and on the seventh, he rested. God created the Sabbath, a day that was holy, a day set apart for God. All through Leviticus and Numbers, we hear about the festival and holy days. And the Sabbath is always one of them. To this day it is still a deeply beloved tradition in the Jewish tradition.

In Acts 20, we see the first reference to sabbath in the Christian church. In verse 7 it refers to "the first day of the week" where they gathered to "break bread" and "hold a discussion with" the congregation in Troas. This is the first time sabbath is referred to in the New Testament. And it seems that Sabbath is meant to be seen as the first day of the week, not the last.

It is meant to be a continuing memorial of Jesus' resurrection and his appearances to the disciples. In fact, you can find parallels with resurrection throughout the story: gathering, teaching, and breaking bread and fellowshipping over a common meal.

Perhaps the most overt reference to resurrection is with poor Eutychus, whose name ironically means "lucky." Eutychus is part of the congregation gathered to hear Paul teach. They've eaten and Paul is speaking for a long time. Imagine it: a stuffy room filled with people, long past bedtime. Anybody could fall asleep. It is unfortunate that Eutychus chose to sit, rather precariously, on the sill of an open window. He dozes off for a bit and falls to the ground.

It's a comical scene really. How many of us have dozed off during church? How many of us have gotten caught, either by the person we're sitting with or the even the pastor?! And how many of us have a private little giggle when we read about Eutychus and his ill-chosen seat?

Well, Eutychus' story takes a turn for the worse when he is "picked up dead." Paul (perhaps feeling a little guilty for not being the most exciting preacher/teacher in the world) rushes down the stairs to him, announcing, "Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him" (v10).

Here is another resurrection reference; though he is dead, he will be alive. And this continues the healing-teaching cycle that Paul is so concerned about.

Paul is the broker of God's life-giving power and miracles. But the point is not to dwell on the miracle; the point is that Paul resumed the preaching and teaching. Miracle and teaching go hand in hand. Paul even downplays the miracle by returning to teaching right away. The message is the center of the story, the center of the faith.

It is easy to get distracted by good works and looking for miracles, but what sustains us, what gives us life and breath and faith is the Word.


Have a good day!
Allison