Take your Bibles and turn with me to Acts chapter 20. As we begin chapter 20, we find a new section in the ministry of Paul In the past, Paul has been serving as what you would call a pioneer, going into new areas, going into areas that had never heard the gospel of Christ, and he went in preaching. And of course, God blessed his ministry and multitudes were converted. Now his ministry is taking a change where he is going back and he's visiting churches that have already been planted with the purpose of encouraging them and edifying them, building and strengthening them. This will be his final trip to these churches and so he wants to take the opportunity to build them up and to see them prosper in the gospel. So this is what we're finding as we enter into chapter 20. It's a change in the direction of the ministry of Paul. I'm going to read verses 1 through 12, and then tonight we'll focus primarily on verse 7. Chapter 20, verse 1. And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and he embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia. When he had gone over those parts, and given them much exhortation, he came into Greece. And there he abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. And there accompanied him into Asia, Sopater of Berea and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Saguntus, Gaius and Derbe, Timotheus of Asia, Tychicus and Trofimus. These going before tarried for us at Troas. And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days. There we abode seven days. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep, and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down and fell on him, and embracing him, said, Trouble not yourselves, for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till the break of day, so he departed. And they brought the young man alive and were not a little comforted." Well, Paul begins by taking a trip into Macedonia. Now remember, Macedonia would have been the area of Philippi and of Berea and Thessalonica. And so he goes and he exhorts them. We see this in verse 2. He had gone over those parts and given them much exhortation. And then he came into Greece. Now, as he came into Greece and he spent three months there, he was not received well and his life was actually threatened. It was very dangerous for him to remain. So he returned to Macedonia. We've often seen in the book of Acts that it's primarily a historical book. So Luke is giving us history. He's telling us of the events of the early church. And though it's primarily historical, it also has theology in it too, though his primary emphasis is not theology. He wants to give us the transitions of the early church. And we've seen many transitions as we've gone through the book of Acts. It records the transition from synagogue unto church. It records the transition from Jews and Gentiles as separate groups unto Jews and Gentiles as one body in Christ. It records the transition from law unto grace, from the old covenant passing away and the new covenant entering in. and it records the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit, wherein the Spirit of God came upon the various groups when they received the Gospel of Christ. And so we've seen these transitions, we've seen the historical record, and we've seen the theology. And so as we come to the passage tonight, we see the historical account. Luke is recording for us once again. Paul traveling from church to church, bringing the gospel of Christ, encouraging these brothers, preaching faithfully, and continuing to uplift these churches. But we also see some theology here too. Because as we come to this account, and it's really just a narrative, it's just a historic account, telling us what Paul is doing. He goes to Macedonia, and he preaches to these churches, then he leaves Macedonia, goes to Greece, he's in Greece for three months, and then, because of persecution, he leaves Greece, returns back to Macedonia, and he gathers with the brethren, and he preaches. And so that's the essence of this account. But we get to verse 7, and we find in verse 7 that Paul has gathered with them on the Lord's Day. And this is very significant, because what we see in verse 7 is the proper observance, or the observance that the early church did on the Lord's Day. Very significant, because prior to the entering in of Christianity, the Jewish people worshipped on what day? seventh day, Saturday, and so this was their custom, this is what they did. Upon the resurrection of Christ, even the Jewish Christians, and the early Christians were Jews, these early Christians forsook this tradition, this law of worshiping on the seventh day of the week, and it was a law unto them, it was the Sabbath, it was the moral law of God, the fourth commandment. They ceased to worship on this day, and they worshipped on the first day of their week. So what we find in verse 7 is it's a historic account, but it brings theology too, because what we find here is how they spent the Lord's day. So I want us to look at this tonight. We'll look at the entire text, but we'll focus primarily upon verse 7. Now, the first thing that stands out is that they did worship on the first day of the week, verse 7, and upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together. So, again, the Jewish people kept the law, and they kept it perfectly as well as they could. They looked at the law very seriously. The Pharisees had pressed it upon the common people. The scribes had held it up high. They had a high view of the law of God. But immediately after the resurrection, they began meeting on the first day of the week. Even as early as the first week after the resurrection, John 20 verse 19, then the same day and evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for the fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst and said unto them, Peace be unto you. And this became the pattern. Pentecost, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, took place on the first day of the week. Paul's letters to the church of Corinth, he tells them to take up a collection on the Lord's Day, on the first day of the week, because that's when they were meeting together. And so it was quite normal, quite expected for Paul to tell them to take up the collection on the first day of the week. So we find in 1 Corinthians 16, verses 1 and 2. Now concerning the collection for the saints, As I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered, that there be no gatherings when I come." They were meeting on the first day of the week. So it should not be a surprise that as we come here to verse 7, the church of Troas was worshiping on the first day of the week. which was the consistent practice of the early church. Notice it says, upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together. The phrase here surely implies this was their common practice. Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together. In other words, every week, the first day of the week, when the disciples came together. Paul came and preached to them. It was their normal practice. The day became known as the Lord's Day, which we still refer to it. I mean, it's the Christian Sabbath, but we refer to it as the Lord's Day. Revelation 1.10, the Apostle John, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day. Obviously, though he was exiled on the island of Patmos, still on the Lord's Day, He was worshiping. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day. Matthew Henry says of this day, Surely this can be no other than the Christian Sabbath, the first day of the week, to be observed in remembrance of the resurrection of Christ. Let us who call Him our Lord honor Him on His own day, the day which the Lord hath made, and in which we ought to rejoice. The Lord's Day, a day of rejoicing because we're celebrating the resurrection of Christ. It is a glorious day, the Lord's Day, that we come together. And we come together because they came together. It was the practice of the early church and it is our practice. The second thing we find here is the emphasis upon the preaching of the Word. Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight." The word here implies strong, persuasive reasoning, which is often used, Acts 18.4, and he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. Paul felt a concern for the souls of men. In fact, he felt a compulsion to preach the gospel of Christ. 1 Corinthians 9, 16, For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of, for necessity is laid upon me. Yea, woe is me if I preach not the gospel. Paul saw that the preached word was something that God had committed to him, and he had no choice but to fulfill the call. He had to preach the gospel. Titus 1 verses 1 through 3 begins, Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is the act of godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began, but hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me, according to the commandment of God our Savior." In other words, Paul is saying, this glorious word, this gospel, I must preach because it's been committed unto me according to the command of Christ. And so Paul saw his life as one of compulsion to preach the gospel of Christ and then upon all who would dare stand and preach before God and before his people. Paul charges as he charged Timothy. Preach the word. 1st 2nd Timothy 4 2. Preach the word. Be instant in season and out of season. Be instant when it's seasonal, when it's not, when it's popular, when it's not, when it's received well and when it's not, when men praise the preaching and when they curse it. Preach the word in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort. with all long-suffering and doctrine. The word for long-suffering, we often translate it patience, but literally it means to suffer long, it means to endure, it means to continue, it means to press on, even in spite of great difficulty. We preach the word with all long-suffering and doctrine, the truth, holding forth the truth of the Word of God. So Paul knew the command that was upon him, and he knew the power of preaching. He understood it well. He had confidence in the Word of God, and he knew that he preached it with absolute authority. That's the reason he told Timothy, these things command and teach. Preaching is always in command mode. These things command and preach. Because when the preacher stands behind the pulpit, which many of the divines used to call the sacred desk, they stand forth with authority as if to say, thus saith the Lord, these things command. What things? The Word of God command and teach. So Paul understood the power of preaching. And this early church was obviously used to preaching. It's what they did. First day of the week, when they came together to break bread, they had preaching. And Paul preached unto them. And it's not like, you know, he comes and he begins to preach and it doesn't say at what point he began, but he probably began before nightfall. And now it has gone into the night, verse 8 says, there were many lights, many candles in the upper chamber where they were gathered together. And the scripture tells us in verse 7 that he continued his speech, his preaching, until midnight. So these people were sitting there, listening to Paul expound the Word of God, and they were captivated by his speech, with the exception of One young man, which that sometimes happens. I'll look out in the congregation at times, there'll be a young person sleeping. Well, here's Eutychus. We're not told how old Eutychus is. Just as a certain young man, probably a boy, sitting in the window where the cool breeze, the cool night air was filtering in, quite comfortable indeed, maybe leaning against the edge of the window, and before you know it, he falls out and falls to the ground and of course that momentarily stops the preaching service. It would pick up again later but obviously these people were used to preaching and so Paul preached and the people listened long into the night. Obviously preaching was a central aspect of the Lord's day. Still is, still should be. When preaching becomes secondary, then anything will come in and take its place. We've surely seen it in our generation. Many things come in and usurp the place of preaching. But whenever this happens, whenever preaching is replaced by music, music is a good thing. It just should never replace preaching. They bring drama. Testimonies offer churches that spend much time giving personal testimonies, taking the place of preaching. Whenever this happens, the church is weakened because there's power in the preaching. We don't have anywhere that there's power in personal testimony or power in the singing of the gospel. It didn't please God through the foolishness of singing to save them that believe. but through the power of the preaching of the Word of God. So, as the Word of God was preached, truly the threefold mission of the Church was made manifest. Now, the threefold mission of the Church that preaching fulfills all three would be worship, and the edification of the saints, and evangelism. And all three of these are fulfilled in preaching. Because as the Word of God is opened, worship takes place. That's the reason it's so important to begin, and it's the reason why expository preaching is so important. But even in expository preaching, almost always we begin with the reading of the text, because as soon as the Word of God is opened and the text begins to be read, right away the people see, this is the Word of God, thus saith the Lord. And so it sets the stage for the deliverance of the Word of God to the people. And as the Word of God is opened and the Word of God is expounded, The glory of God is made manifest before the people of God. Because God is made evident, He reveals Himself through His Word. And so, as the Word of God is preached forth and God is made manifest, and He appears unto us all the more glorious, it draws us into worship. And so, it doesn't matter what the text is, It is unfolding unto us God. And so, God becomes glorious in our sight, and we worship Him. That's the reason preaching is an aspect of worship, because God's glory is made manifest in His Word. And so, as His Word is opened up and expounded before the people of God, His excellence is made manifest, and God appears all the more glorious in our sight. It's worship. And then, second of all, the saints are edified because God's people are drawn nearer to God through His Word. They are strengthened through His Word. They are convicted of sin through His Word. They're sanctified through His Word. Jesus says, praying unto the Father, sanctify them through thy truth. Thy Word is truth. In other words, sanctify them. through your Word. And so as the Word of God is preached from the pulpit, the saints are edified. And again, it doesn't matter what the text is, because we find God through the whole counsel of the Word of God. We preach from Genesis and Exodus all the way to the New Testament. We preach the whole counsel of the Word of God, and the people of God are fed from His Word, and they're built up and strengthened. And so the edification of the saints is an important part of the preaching of the word. Then the third aspect is evangelism and the amazing thing of the word of God. The same text, the same passage that God will use to draw men unto his worship and we glory in his presence and the same word that is used to strengthen and edify the flock is the same word that God will use to save the elect. And so we find that it's through the foolishness of preaching that God saves them that believe. So the preaching of the word is an essential aspect of worship. And obviously on the Lord's Day, they knew it. And the majority of the time, we don't know how long their worship service lasted. We know this. It appears that the preaching of the Word was an essential aspect. Now we have to assume that they prayed, that they sang songs and hymns and spiritual songs, speaking and edifying one another through the singing of the Word, but they also preached the Word. Every period of great revival was characterized by powerful preaching. We have to assume the New Testament period, the early church, powerful preaching. And this is one of the greatest revivals in the history of the world. Right here, the New Testament. You read Acts chapter 2, and God is adding to the church daily, such as should be saved. How many people were saved in one day? Three thousand people, one day. Now that is amazing. I would love to see that. Three thousand people, one day. How? Through the preaching of the word. Powerful preaching. Peter stands up on the day of Pentecost, preaches the word. That's what they did. And God used the foolishness of preaching to save multitudes. The Reformation was charged. With the powerful preaching from men like Martin Luther and John Calvin and John Knox, the Puritan revival in England was characterized by the powerful preaching of men like John Bunyan and John Owen and Richard Baxter. Then the Great Awakening in America, promoted by the preaching of Jonathan Edwards and John Wesley and George Whitefield. Then the church today. Church today is weak. It's terribly weak. I was listening to a message this morning by John MacArthur. He's on the radio, by the way, from 5 to 5.30 in the morning, if you're interested. I just happened to be on the road at that time. Good message. But MacArthur, I heard him at a different time. I assume it's the same series of messages, but he's talking about the judgment of God upon America. And he's preaching from Romans 1. and the fact that God has given us over to a reprobate mind. And you see the demonstration of the corruption of America as the demonstration that God has brought his judgment upon our land. Now, whether or not his judgment is final, we don't know. We don't know what God is doing. We surely can see great corruption in our land. But the point MacArthur made that was particularly stirring is the weakness of the church today. He mentioned that in the majority of churches, first of all, the majority of churches are declining. Second of all, most churches have large numbers of lost people in the church. We need a great awakening in our day. It's been a long time since we've had a great awakening. It's a long time. A long time since we've seen great revivals sweep a land, and if there's ever been a land that needs revival today, it's our land. Churches are much stronger in other countries than they are in our own country. It's really sad. Because for so many years it seemed that the hub of evangelical missionary work was leaving from the United States and bringing the gospel to the world. And now it appears that there are churches away from the United States that are much stronger and much more powerful than the churches here. It's really sad and dreadful. But here's the point. God is all-powerful and His Word is all-powerful and it will not return void and He works His purpose perfectly and it is no more difficult for God to save 3,000 people in a day today as it was 2,000 years ago. He is able. God is a powerful God. We need to pray that God would bring a great revival upon our generation and if history is any indication It will begin today through the powerful preaching of His Word. That's the reason we need to pray that God would raise up multitudes of men who will valiantly and fearlessly, in spite of what others will say, preach the Word to be instant, in season and out of season, to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. The preaching of the Word of God must continue to go forth today. And then the third thing we see is that the early church came together to observe the breaking of the bread. Verse 7 again, upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread. Now, the early church often came together to partake of fellowship meals, which they often referred to as love feasts. We can see this in 1 Corinthians. The Lord's Supper was usually celebrated as a part of the Love Feast, and sometimes the two almost blended together. So that you see in 1 Corinthians there is so much abuse at this Love Feast, and Paul is bringing in the discussion of the Lord's Supper at the same time. But the point is this. The Lord's Table is a place of communion. The word for communion is koinonia. It means fellowship. And so this early church came together for fellowship and communion. Now the first place of communion at the Lord's Table is obviously with the Lord Jesus Christ. Because the Christian has a unique fellowship with Christ. It's the reason we celebrate the Lord's Supper as a part of worship. Because Christ is present at worship, and the Lord's Supper is a unique fellowship with Christ. And so, when we partake of the Lord's Supper, Christ is with us when we partake. 1 Corinthians 10.16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? Is it not the koinonia? Is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ? And so we are actually spiritually meeting with Christ when we partake of the Lord's table. But second of all, it is a fellowship with one another. if it's to be shared by believers, members of the body of Christ. The Lord's Supper is a reminder to us that we are members of one another, members of one body, members of Christ. And so we come together for this fellowship. And at the original, at the first Lord's Supper, the last supper, they actually drank from one cup. Because it was a union. They drank together from one cup. Matthew 26, verses 27 and 28. He took the cup, and he gave thanks, and he gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. The original literally says, Drink from it, all of you. just shows the unity, the oneness, as they partook of the Lord's Supper together. The early church shared this special unity and fellowship. So when we come to the Lord's Table, it's a part of worship. We come fellowshipping with Christ, and we come in communion with one another. demonstrating this great unity that the body of Christ has. Listen to the early church talking about this special unity and fellowship that they shared. Acts chapter 2 beginning with verse 44. And all that believed were together. So you see a sense of unity there. They were together and had all things common. Again, unity. They sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily, with one accord, you see the unity again, with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. You see the unity again. Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily, such as should be saved. The Lord's Supper is a special time of worship and celebration. It's an important part of the Lord's Day as we come together and break bread. The early church met on the first day of the week and they broke bread and they had fellowship and they had worship. But notice also the breaking of the bread was linked inseparably to the preaching. The first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached. And the reason I make that point, the Reformers emphasized this by saying that no observance of the Lord's Supper should ever take place without preaching. Because they saw it as being absolutely linked together. They would never celebrate the Lord's Supper apart from the preaching of the Word of God. Again, we strayed much from that in our generation. But it was of the essence, I believe, of the early church and obviously with the Reformers. One other thing we find that they were doing on this Lord's Day. Again, we find in verse 7, Upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight. But then, He was interrupted. Eutychus fell out of the upper window. Whether or not he was dead, we don't know. But Paul went down and miraculously healed him. So that verse 10, Paul went down, fell on him, embracing him, and said, Trouble not yourselves, for his life is in him. It was enough of a miracle that verse 12, when they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted. And so the preaching of Paul was interrupted for a brief period while Paul went down and fell on him and embraced him and declared his life is in him. But then After this took place, now remember it's after midnight. If you see in verse 7 again, Paul continued his preaching, his speech, until midnight, and many lights were in the chamber, and then the young man fell out of the window. Well, after Paul went down and the young man was healed, we see in verse 10, I'm sorry, verse 11, when he therefore was come up again." In other words, there was just a temporary distraction. "...when he was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till the break of day. So he departed." What we find here is that upon healing the young man, Paul returned, went back up, and continued his speaking until the break of dawn. There's a slight difference though. There's a different word that's used here. The word here for It says, when he has come up again, broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while. This word talked here is from the Greek word homileto. And you might hear an English word from that, homileto. Have you ever heard the term homiletics? Homiletics is the technical term for preaching. If you study homiletics, what you're studying is the art of public speaking, homiletics. Well, Paul is now engaged with homiletics, only this is a less formal style of speaking than what he was engaged with before midnight. So, in other words, Paul is now going before the people, and now he is simply speaking the Word of God to them. In other words, He's teaching. What's happening? He comes back upstairs, and when he had broken bread and eaten, now, we have to assume that the breaking of the bread, which was of the essence of the Lord's table, had probably already taken place, not necessarily, but it could have already been taken place, and this breaking of the bread is different, or it could be the Lord's table, but the point is this. Paul returns, goes upstairs, and continues to converse with the people in the context of fellowship. There's fellowshipping going on now. And what Paul is talking about during the fellowship is not just idle talk. He's teaching them. Because Paul was always teaching. He's teaching them. He's doing homiletics before them. He's teaching the people. Because this was Paul's chief concern for the churches. It's why he was there. Remember, he's going back and retracing his steps, going to the churches and teaching them. So the point is this, upon the Lord's day, They came together, they worshipped, they broke bread, they heard preaching, and they fellowshiped. Do we not do the same thing? We come together on the Lord's Day, we break bread at least once a month, we hear the Word preached, of course we sing joyous hymns unto the Lord, we pray, we read the Word of God, but then we have times of fellowship. And the fellowship should be sweet times where we come together. And very similar to what they did. Of course, they didn't go till the... I mean, we don't go till the wee hours of the morning because we have to get up early the next day. Of course, Paul departed early in the morning too. But the point is, Paul was concerned about speaking things that would edify and build because Paul's chief concern for the church is was that they might mature and grow in the faith. We'll see this as the chapter continues to unfold. Look at verses 26 and 27. Paul says, Wherefore I take you record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. He taught. He preached. He says, My hands are clean because I preached faithfully. Or verses 31 and 32, still chapter 20, Therefore, watch and remember that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone, night and day, with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified." The Word of God is able to build strengthen and edify. Paul knew this and so he spent his time teaching and preaching the word before the people because he had one goal which should be the goal of every pastor. His one goal was to take this precious body and present them before Christ pure and chaste and holy. He says in 2nd Corinthians 11 Verse 2, For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. So why did Paul take the time to teach? Because he was concerned about their holiness, their virtue, that he might present them to Christ as a chaste virgin. All of us, by the way. should strive and endeavor to encourage one another and to strengthen one another and to build up one another and to see each other grow. And so we can see in the passage here that they came together on the Lord's day and they came to get together for fellowship. the breaking of the bread, the preaching of the Word of God, the fellowship where they strengthened and edified one another, and they spent the day joyfully celebrating the resurrection of Christ. That's what the Lord's Day is about. That's why we don't worship on Saturday anymore, because we come together to celebrate Christ. And every time we come together, we should celebrate Christ. He's a glorious Savior. He's glorious to behold, and we come together, and in one accord, we worship and adore Christ together, because He's a glorious Savior, and He sits upon His throne. And we look and behold His glory, and as His Word is proclaimed, it points us closer to Christ, And then we exalt him all the more and bask in his glory. That's worship. And this is what the early church did. They came together and they worshiped. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, may we do the same. May we come together on the Lord's day and we break bread and we hear your word proclaimed. And oh, Father, may we sing forth your praises. You're glorious to behold. Wonderful God, a good God, an immense God, marvelous God. Father, thank you that we can come before you and worship you. Bless us as we come together. Knit our hearts together as one. Father, may we come together in fellowship and communion, joining hands together. and worshiping you. Father, bless us, O God. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. You're dismissed.