Visit to a church service

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. – Acts 20.7-10

I know we are in the book of 1 Corinthians, but I came across a passage preaching a couple of weeks ago that really challanged my heart. Paul was on his last mission trip when he and the team stopped to fellowship with the beleivers in Troas.

This really blessed my heart. I love history and love visualising history. As I read this I could almost imagine this wonderful picture of an early church service.

A few things stick out. First we notice where the Christians were on the first day of the week. On Sunday they gathered together. There is at least on other time when we read of Sunday worship for the believers. So we at least have precedent for our practice.

Then we see that the Christians gathered together. God’s people since the earliest days have had the practice of gathering together, apparently on the first day of the week. The writer of the book of Hebrews reminded the church of how important that was when he said ‘do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is.’ God’s plan is for God’s people to meet in fellowship.

They met to break bread together at the Lord’s Table to remember His gift on the cross. They met to hear God’s word preached as Paul did till midnight.

The great blessing to me is that if we had a time machine and went to that service we would feel very much at home.

I wonder how those folks would feel if they visited our church?