The Road Of Faithful Obedience

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE, 7 June 2026
Sermon Series: “The Acts of the Apostles” (#32)
Sermon Text: Acts 20:1-16
Main Points:
Introduction
I. The road of faithful obedience is walked together as one body in Christ (vs. 1-6)
II. The road of faithful obedience passes through the reality of death (vs. 7-9)
III. The road of faithful obedience is sustained by the resurrection life of Christ (vs. 10-16)
Conclusion

The news I saw last Sunday afternoon about Perth weather took me by surprise. I heard that attendance was lower than usual. Some of you may have had difficulty travelling that morning, as tree branches – and even fallen tree trunks – were scattered across the roads, accompanied by strong winds.

Thank you everyone who was able to be here in person last Sunday, and thank you also to those who prayed for the Lord’s church and the worship service that morning. The storm has now passed, and by God’s grace, we’re gathered again to worship Him in the name of Jesus Christ. He is gracious; He is caring; He is our Heavenly Father.

It’s always a joy and a privilege to return to Perth – my home, both physically and spiritually. I’m deeply grateful that the Lord has placed me here to serve in this part of His vineyard. Though I may not as gifted or skilful as many of His other servants, I love the work He has entrusted to me, and I’m eager to continue carrying it out. I believe many of you, if not all of you, share that same desire.

Such is the very portrait of the Apostle Paul and his companions that is set before us in today’s passage. In Acts 20, Paul and his fellow labourers continue the work Christ has entrusted to them. Although Luke does not tell us much about their feelings or thoughts in today’s passage, we can sense their devotion and joy in serving the Lord Jesus. They walk the road of faithful obedience to Christ – a road marked by mission, fellowship, perseverance, suffering, and hope. Through every stage of that journey runs the joy of belonging to Christ and serving Him faithfully.

And Luke also wants us to see something more about this road. At the centre of this passage stands the remarkable account of Eutychus, who falls to his death and is restored to life. Luke is not merely recording an extraordinary miracle. Rather, through this event, he reveals the true nature of the road that Christ’s people travel.

It is a road walked together as one body in Christ. It is a road that passes through the reality of suffering and death. Yet, it is also a road sustained by the resurrection power and life of the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

What is particularly striking is that all of this unfolds within the gathered life of the church. Throughout the passage, Luke repeatedly draws our attention to the ministry of the Word, the fellowship of believers, and the breaking of bread. In doing so, he reminds us that the road of faithful obedience is not ordinarily sustained by dramatic experiences or extraordinary signs, but by the ordinary means through which the risen Christ continually ministers to His people.

As we consider this passage together, we’ll see three characteristics of the road of faithful obedience: first, it is a road walked together as one body in Christ; second, it is a road that passes through the reality of death; and third, it is a road sustained by the resurrection life of the risen Christ. Therefore, though it is often a difficult road, it is also a joyful one, for it is the road on which Christ Himself leads and sustains His people.

I. The Road Of Faithful Obedience Is Walked Together As One Body In Christ (vs. 1-6)

Luke begins with a list of names. Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Timothy, Tychicus, and Trophimus. At first glance, these verses may seem insignificant. But, Luke intentionally records these names. These men came from different churches and different regions. Some were Jews. Some were Gentiles. Some came from Macedonia. Others came from Asia Minor.

What brought them together? Not ethnicity. Not geography. Not culture. But Christ. The gospel had created a new community. Faith alone united each believer to Christ, and the same faith united them to one another. Paul was never a solitary missionary hero. The mission of Christ was carried forward through the fellowship of Christ’s people. This is one of the recurring themes throughout the book of Acts. The church prays together, suffers together, worships together, serves together, and travels together. The road of faithful obedience is not an individual journey. It is the shared pilgrimage of the people of God. This is why Luke repeatedly emphasises gatherings of believers.

Notice what happens when they arrive at Troas. The church gathers. They assemble around the ministry of the Word. They share fellowship. They break bread together. The life of Christ’s people is inseparable from the life of Christ’s church.

This remains true today. Many Christians are tempted to view faith as a private matter. But, Christ did not merely save isolated individuals. He gathered a body. He gave us brothers and sisters. He gave us elders and deacons. He gave us the preaching of the Word. He gave us the sacraments. He gave us corporate worship. The road of faithful obedience is walked together. The church, the body of Christ, is one of God’s greatest gifts for sustaining us on that road and keeping us strong in the Lord’s service.

II. The Road Of Faithful Obedience Passes Through The Reality Of Death (vs. 7-9)

When the church gathers in Troas, everything appears encouraging. Believers assemble on the first day of the week – the Lord’s Day, or Sunday – following the pattern established and encouraged by the apostles. Paul preaches. The saints listen. The church enjoys fellowship together.

Yet, suddenly death enters the scene. A young man named Eutychus falls from the third story and is picked up dead. The timing is striking. Death appears in the middle of worship. Death appears in the middle of preaching. Death appears in the middle of Christian fellowship. Luke is reminding us that the church still lives in a fallen world. Following Christ does not remove suffering. Faithfulness does not eliminate weakness. Obedience does not exempt believers from death. The road of Christ passes through these realities.

Indeed, this pattern reflects the life of Christ Himself. Our Lord walked the road of perfect obedience. And that road led to the cross. Likewise, Paul is moving steadily toward Jerusalem, knowing that affliction awaits him. The shadow of suffering already lies ahead. But, he continues. Why? Because the road of Christ has never been a road that avoids death. It is a road that passes through death.

This is an important lesson for the church. We often expect difficulties to occur outside the church. But Luke shows us that sorrow sometimes comes right into the middle of Christian fellowship. Believers gather for worship and receive difficult diagnoses. Faithful saints bury loved ones. Church members struggle with weakness and grief. Even in the gathered church, we encounter the reality of death.

Yet, notice what the believers do not do, as exemplified by the Christians in Troas. They do not abandon the gathering. They do not abandon the Word. They do not abandon fellowship. The church remains gathered around the means Christ has appointed – that is, the Word, prayer and the sacraments. This becomes crucial for understanding what follows.

III. The Road Of Faithful Obedience Is Sustained by The Resurrection Life Of Christ (vs. 10-16)

And that is, the road of faithful obedience is sustained by the resurrection life of Christ. Paul goes down to Eutychus and embraces him. Then he declares, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” The young man is restored. The congregation is comforted. But what happens next? This is where Luke’s emphasis becomes especially important.

Paul returns upstairs. The believers follow, listen to the Word expounded, and break bread. They continue in fellowship. Then the journey continues. The miracle does not replace the ordinary ministry of the church. Instead, it confirms it. The restoration of Eutychus is a visible demonstration of the very life that Christ continually gives His people, His church.

Luke is showing us that the risen Christ is present among His church. It’s a visible demonstration of what Jesus says in Mt. 18:20, “where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them.” The same Lord who conquered death is sustaining His people. The same Lord who raised Eutychus is nourishing His people through the Word and fellowship. The miracle is extraordinary. But the means through which Christ ordinarily sustains His church are wonderfully ordinary. The church gathers. The Scriptures are read and preached. The saints fellowship together. The bread is broken and the cup shared.

And through these means, Christ ministers His resurrection life to His people. This is precisely what makes the ending of the passage so beautiful. After Eutychus is restored, the church is comforted, and Paul continues toward Jerusalem. The mission continues. The road continues. The people of God continue. Why? Because Christ is alive, and He is in the midst of His church.

The miracle reveals what is always true, even when no miracle occurs. The risen Christ is sustaining His church. Every Lord’s Day, Christ gathers His people. Every Lord’s Day, Christ speaks through His Word. Every Lord’s Day, Christ strengthens His people through fellowship. Every Lord’s Day, Christ nourishes His people through the means He has appointed. The restoration of Eutychus gives visible expression to an invisible reality that is taking place continually within the life of the church. The risen Christ is giving life to His people. For wherever Christ is faithfully proclaimed, the power of His resurrection is at work, bringing life to the spiritually dead and sustaining those who belong to Him!

Conclusion

Acts 20 teaches us the nature of the road of faithful obedience. It is a road walked together as one body in Christ. It is a road that passes through suffering and death. And it is a road sustained by the resurrection life of Christ. The story of Eutychus reveals the character of the entire Christian journey.

Death is real. Suffering and weakness are real. But they are not ultimate. The risen Christ is present with His church. And He continues to strengthen His people through the preaching of His Word, the fellowship of believers, and the breaking of bread.

As Paul and his companions continued toward Jerusalem, they did not continue because the road had become easier. They continued because Christ was alive. The same is true for us. We walk together. We walk through a fallen world. And we walk sustained by the risen Christ, who continually ministers His life to us through the ordinary means He has graciously appointed.

Therefore, let us remain on the road. Let us remain with Christ’s people. Let us remain under Christ’s Word. Let us remain at Christ’s table. For the road of faithful obedience is ultimately the road of the risen Christ Himself – and He will bring His people safely home, while gathering through the gospel all whom the Father has appointed to eternal life. ***