I pray for a second chance for youth to hear the Word

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7: No one can doubt the necessity for reverence of The Word of God, above all else. While there is so much going on in the local church, which may be considered entertaining and appealing to the senses, the most vital moment of any church service is the delivery of The Word of God.

Certainly, this goes beyond the senses and must challenge the intellect of the listener.

Indeed The Word of God is life. The Word of God is the vehicle by which the life of Jesus is laid out before the people and then the people are asked to choose The Word, choose Jesus, choose life.

Acts 20:9 KJV:
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.

The enemy spirit has a goal, which is to stop The Word of God from going forth in your life.

He will use whatever distraction to hinder or stop the flow of God’s Holy Word from reaching your heart.

I believe that God understands the challenge that might be presented to the youth when it comes to the preaching moment.

They are young. Their attention span is shorter and their ability to fully grasp the importance of the moment may not be present as yet.

To see the little ones asleep is not so bad. Indeed, the praise and worship may have worn them out.

To see the youth drift off during a long sermon may be acceptable. The spirit may have indeed been willing. However their flesh was weak in its attempt to stay awake. All of that is acceptable.

However, to have teens and adults make their church chair become their bed of comfort is another story.

It is expected that all who are of age are aware that all that goes on in a service leads to the moment of maximum impact, which is when the Holy Word of God is being preached.

While the praise and worship is absolutely needful and wonderful, its sole role is to lead the people into the place where they are ready to hear the mysteries of The Word of God, revealed as God has given it, through His vessel, the preacher.

You must understand that The Word of God is a reflection and type of The Living Word of God who became flesh, Jesus Christ.

Therefore, to fall asleep during the delivery or birthing of The Word of God is to fall asleep while God is speaking to you through His Son, Jesus.

Think about  it. You are not allowed to sleep in the presence of a magistrate.

You are not allowed to sleep in the presence of the Queen. So, it stands to reason that you should not fall asleep when God is speaking.

In the text, Eutychus, sitting in a third floor window, fell asleep during the long sermon delivered by The Apostle Paul, who preached until midnight.

Eutychus fell to his death. While the people began to mourn the death of Eutychus, Paul told them that there was still life in him. Paul embraced the young boy and the boy’s life returned to him.

Can it be that God is telling us that there is forgiveness and a second chance for the youth when they fall asleep?

Can it be that the youth are forgiven for missing out on vital information given through The Word?

Acts 20:10 KJV:
And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

What a picture it must have been, as Paul, full of the Living Word of God, embraced the youth and brought him back to life.

The Living Word brought life to a dead youth.

This is my prayer for the youth of Bermuda. I pray that they would be given a second chance to hear The Word of God and are made alive by this very Word.

How can they receive The Word of God, except they hear from the preacher? 

Bermuda, will you give your children an opportunity to be made alive by hearing The Word of Life ministered by a minister of The Word of God?

Dr Maria A Seaman is the pastor of Shekinah Worship Centre, Hamilton Parish.