As I was moving boxes during the move, I ran across one labeled “unmentionables.” It caught my attention because that word struck me as rather old fashion. In our modern world, it seems, nothing is unmentionable. Watch any television program and even the commercials are filled graphic content. Last week, I walked into Wal-Mart and the first display as I came in was filled with a movie that had swear word in the title. It appears we have lost any semblance of what is appropriate and dignified. It reminds me of what was said by the prophet in Jeremiah 6:15 “Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; They did not even know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time that I punish them, They shall be cast down," says the LORD.” When a society gets to the point it can’t even be embarrassed because nothing is left unspoken, that society is ripe for a fall.
In Acts 20, there is the tragicomic event surrounding a young man by the name of Eutychus. He did what a lot of folks before and after him did, he fell asleep during a sermon. Unfortunately, he was setting in in the third story window at the time. So instead of nodding off and hitting the pew in front of him, he fell to his death. The good news was the apostle Paul was delivering the sermon and had the ability to bring him back. I don’t know, however, if we can judge Eutychus too harshly. The sermon had gone on till midnight. Paul wouldn’t finish it up till daybreak. That’s a long lesson. I know some folks that might want to jump out of a window if I had a lesson that long, yet these Christians wanted to be there to hear Paul. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not pushing for all night sermons but I think we might need to adopt these folks' dedication. They knew that Paul was only in town for a limited time only and they were determined to ...
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