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. Acts 20:7-12

In the midst of intense preaching, evangelism, and persecution comes this humorous story. Paul was longwinded. He must have been engaging to most of the people there. It only took one person to fall asleep. And then he fell out the window. So what did Paul do? He went down and raised him up. What else could he do? At least when I doze off on a Sunday morning, nobody will have to brng me back to life!

This home church seemed to set the pattern for modern day church fellowships, talking and eating, talking and eating. Paul was obviously passionate about wanting to get his teaching out there, and everyone was hungry for the truth.

Eutychus now had a story to tell. He had many witnesses who were just as amazed as he was about the quick turn of events.

What’s your story? Ok, so you were never raised from the dead after listening to boring preaching. But we all have stories that no one else can tell. They don’t have to be elaborate or even life-changing.

What about the simple story where God encouraged you in the middle of the day when no one was around to witness it?

What about that loved one you’ve been praying for for years?

And in this audience there are stories where God didn’t answer that prayer the way you would have liked, but you’ll serve him anyhow. That’s just as much of a miracle as God using Paul to raise Eutychus from his bad preaching.

We all have stories if we can bring ourselves to tell them.