I have been given a compliment in recent days by a couple of different people. They said, "You are the only pastor who has kept me awake for the sermon." Personally, I don't think it has anything to do with me. I've watched from the front as women get in a good elbow on a sleeping husband, or vice versa.
I've always thought it would be handy to have a squirt gun for moments just like this, when the weight of sleep overpowers every effort to keep eyes open. A little squirt of water could do just the trick, don't you think?
No really, this "compliment" always makes me think about a very interesting Scripture from the book of Acts. Paul has been doing everything possible to spread the Gospel message...then this happens in chapter 20:
7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
Can you imagine? These days we do our best to wrap worship up in an hour. After all, it IS lunchtime. Paul was so excited to share the Gospel with his audience of fresh ears that he couldn't stop! Poor Eutychus fell so sound asleep that he fell right out the window!!! Gracefully and powerfully he was brought back to like by Paul who immediately went back upstairs to eat. Then he kept preaching until daylight!
As we enter into the events surrounding Jesus' death, you might remember that Jesus finds the disciples asleep, though he has asked them to remain awake. Perhaps God knows how easy it is to "fall asleep" to the Gospel. When we think we know the stories and have a pretty good handle on all things spiritual we sometimes zone right out. It is a challenge to keep Scripture fresh and new, alive to our senses, yet we too are called to stay awake.
Have you taken in any new, perhaps unexpected, learning this Lent? Any of the old familiar Scriptures offer a new perspective for you? Take a few minutes to look up one of your favorites, read it looking for new insight or perspective.
This is what it means for Scripture to be alive, though written thousands of years ago. The Holy Spirit opens us up to experience it's teachings in new and meaningful ways. It's never just a book that we've "read before."
Prayer: God of wisdom and intellect help me to stay awake to the life within Scripture. Challenge me to hear your voice and see you in the things of everyday. Open my perspective to the power of experience and its deep foundation of truth. Amen.
Amen.
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