Human Trophies

 Acts 20:1 After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia. 2 When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. 3 There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. 4 Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5 These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, 6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.

The events of this chapter are an exciting celebration of what God had been doing in getting the Gospel to the Gentiles.  Above we see this collection of people who had come to faith and were accompanying Paul as he visited other churches and leaders. These people were representatives of each province and city where the Church was active and growing. The next section of this chapter reminds us never to fall asleep in church, describing the revival of Eutychus who had fallen out the window when he fell asleep during Paul's long message.  Finally, Paul meets with a large group of church leaders giving them a charge which is still a challenge and encouragement to leaders today: to set an example of endurance, to protect the church from false teaching, and to remain humble and faithful no matter what opposition they may face. It was both a spiritual and emotional event for all involved, knowing these fellow servants may never see each other again.