Words of Encouragement and Life

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Words of Encouragement and Life

Date: Jul. 19, 2019

Passage

Acts 20:1-12 (ESV)

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.

7 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. 8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. 9 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. 10 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.” 11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. 12 And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 20:10

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.”

1. Strengthening the churches (1-6)

Paul's time in Ephesus came to an end. Now he traveled through the places he had been in Macedonia, Greece and Troas. He went there to encourage the disciples. There were still many Jews who plotted against him, but there were also many growing leaders who could provide the needed word of God for the encouragement of the churches.

2. The meeting in Troas (7-12)

In Troas Paul had only one day. A large crowd gathered at the church, and Paul shared in their worship service, speaking for a long time-past midnight. One young man named Eutychus was listening from a window, grew sleepy and fell three stories. They picked him up dead, but Paul embraced the young man and said, "He's alive!" The word of God has power to encourage and give life.

Prayer: Prayer: Lord, thank you for your life giving words. Use our ministry to encourage and give life.

One Word: The word of God gives life

In the End, Have Faith in God

Genesis 49:29-50:26

Key Verse: 49:50:24

When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

Today's Question

What benefits in this life go with or come from justification, adoption, and sanctification?

See answer and references