Acts 20:1-12

I checked 60 translations, and here is the final score. Eutychus was a young man (23), boy (26), lad (5), youth (5) and child (1). Perhaps you are wondering what difference it makes, and to us it makes no difference at all. It has no impact that I am aware of on theological truth, or anything else of importance. Then why am I even making note of it you may wonder. I make note of it because I find it interesting how something that has no impact on our lives whatsoever, must have made all the difference in the world to Eutychus.

I can find no other mention of him in the Bible or any historical reference. This one incident is all that we know about him, yet it is likely that he lived a full life after this night. If this event happened while he was still a boy or teenager, it would have had a different impact upon his life than if it happened while he was a young adult. Society is much quicker to forgive and forget the mistakes by boys and teenagers than it is to forget and forgive mistakes of young men. Even our justice system recognizes the difference: the penalties for a juvenile or an adult offender are quite different. Falling asleep while listening to a long-winded preacher is not a crime; thank goodness. However, falling asleep and falling out of a window and then being dead and returned to a life is very memorable.

I want to believe that at Eutychus’ memorial service people remembered the good things about his life. I hope he lived a life that cause people to remember him as a faithful Christian, steadfast friend, supportive husband, loving father, solid citizen and a pillar in the community.

I do not believe the mistakes and sins of our youth must define us. Some people never forget; but their opinion is not what counts. God’s judgment is all that matters. When we accept his forgiveness, everything else becomes history.