Acts 20:1-16

 Acts 20:1-16

After the riot at Ephesus, Paul undertakes a preaching tour in Macedonia and Greece. Word of the chaos of Ephesus would have spread, and Paul is going to travel about and reassure the church with the facts of the Gospel and the truth about the riot. To show them that they too can be faithful when there is persecution. Luke lists himself with Paul in the first person using “us” and “we” along with several other members of the teaching team. Paul finally begins his trip to Jerusalem but spends a week in Troas. There he stays till Sunday, apparently wanting to stay till the church would gather “to break bread.”. The central purpose of the church's gathering was the breaking of bread. Paul’s sermon was incidental and was afforded by the coincidence that he was there.

There are a few details here that would make application in our lives. The gathering likely occurred toward evening after the day's work; note lamps lighted that place. Note also that the teaching preceded the breaking of bread. The meaning and impetus of the breaking of bread would be emphasized in the teaching. Too often when the Lord’s Supper is served, a “short devotional” of such poor quality and insipid meaninglessness as to be useless precedes it. Paul’s long teaching was not the norm, but with the morning departure, he felt compelled to cover as much material as possible. This was no long monologue but likely involved questions, answers, discussions, and application. In all likelihood, at the gathering there would have been a common meal in addition to, as part of, the Lord’s Supper.

We rarely have the opportunity to see a picture of the gatherings of the primitive churches’ worship. And it looks nothing like the worship in the modern church. The emphasis on deep teaching, community, fellowship, and the Lord’s Supper has been replaced with the banality of lights, music, and a pep talk. The tangible reality of the sacrifice of Jesus is either absent or trivialized. At Troas they had one dead boy; now we often have whole congregations that are dead.

“Lord, give me a passion to worship You in the body of the church and in Your body and blood of communion. AMEN”