Thursday, November 12, 2015

Breaking Bread: Creating memories

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. 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. But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted. (Acts 20:7-12 ESV)
Paul was a man on the move. His calling meant he met many people, seeing them come to faith in Christ. He might be somewhere two days or two years. This time when he left the area, he knew he might never be there again. He had much to share with these believers, and went on and on... The place was packed - it was window-sill seating only. The events that night were memorable to Luke as he records, and to all who were there. Luke says nothing of what Paul said that night; it is not just the Bible studies or sermons we remember, but the fellowship, the praying, the breaking of bread and all that surrounds them. We rob ourselves of them by not participating.

No comments:

Post a Comment