How To Not Fall Out Of A Window And Die- Lessons From Eutychus

How to not fall out of a window and die

• Have you ever fallen asleep in an inappropriate place?

• I can remember when I was in college, I used to be so tired all the time. Its hard work hanging out

• I had this 8am class, spring quarter, I would literally wake up, go to breakfast, go to the class and sleep for an hour

• Why did I even go? I could have just slept in.

• I got a D- the lowest grade you could get and still get credit- I didn’t care

• In the Army 5 years later I was sitting in a Board and some Major asked me about it

• You never know what can happen when you fall asleep.

• This AM want to preach from Acts 20:7-12 READ

• Eutychus- the name means “good fortune”

• I’m not sure how fortunate he was- but that’s what his name was

• Its easy in your Christian life because you’re doing more than other people to get a sense of contentment

• We are on a journey together- a journey of being refined by the holy spirit and growing to become more like Christ

• That process is not easy- its not for the faint of heart

• But together, we can live this life growing and learning and loving. To become more like Christ

• I’m titling this message- how not to fall out of a window and die- lessons from Eutychus

• What can we learn from the story of Eutychus? How can we not fall out of a window and die?

1. Make sure you stay close

• Having proximity to what God is doing is the first part of growing in Christ

• A lot of people don’t make their relationship with God a priority

o In Vs. 7 we see On the first day of the week

o The early church gathered on the first day of the week

o This was the custom and the norm- they got together

o It was normal to break bread and be together- they spent time with one another.

o I don’t know what time Paul started- but he kept talking until mid-night That’s a sermon!

o So many people talk about church length- we can work for 40 hrs, watch a movie for 3, but cant sit in church for 1.5 hrs?

o The bottom line is that the church, the early church made getting together the priority in their life

o It wasn’t a priority, it was THE priority

o I’m kind of old school- but I think that as we are a called out people, a peculiar people that we are called to spend time with the people of God as much as we can

o God moves in our fellowship time with one another.

o Now I understand that by making the choice to preach on this- some of you are saying- I thought I was close?

o If you are not close I am talking to you! If you are far away I’m talking to you!

o If you are in his lap I’m encouraging you to stay!

o Here is part of my personality- I always ask- “how can we make this better” I bring that to everything I do- including my relationship with Christ

o The hard part about that is that at times it may seem as if I’m a relentless task master- I’m not- I just like to make things better- to be constantly improving them.

o FOR PROXIMITY= The best place to be is as close to Jesus as possible

o Today- in the superbowl- the first time in history they are selling tickets outside the stadium

o The Tucson Weekly reports-

o The NFL will sell a $200 ticket to the game, but it comes with a catch. Fans will have to sit on the grass on the East Side of the stadium and watch the game on the huge outside HD TV screens

"We've never done this before," Brian McCarthy, the NFL's vice president of corporate communications, said Wednesday

The offer has been extended to Cowboys Club Seat season ticket holders, and must be purchased in blocks of four. Those who purchase the block of tickets receive a free parking pass, four Super Bowl programs and four scarves-

o Forecast for superbowl in Dallas? 30 low 40 high chance of snow and rain LOVE THOSE SCARVES!

o Why would you pay to sit outside? And why would you want to be near Jesus but not next to him

o Here was Eutychus beginning problem- he had positioned himself in a way that he wasn’t close to where Paul was preaching- to where the move of God was going on!