I remember when US Airways Flight 1549 landed on the Hudson River. It was January 15, 2009. Its captain was Chesley Sullenberger III, better known and forever endured as “Sully.” He became a hero that day as he ditched the plane because both engines were disabled by a bird strike. Because of his quick thinking and aviation skills, all 155 passengers survived. That was a landing never to be forgotten by those on board. Many heroic landings of flying machines have probably taken place throughout history, but those can not compare or be quite so meaningful as Eutychus in Acts chapter 20.
Paul had been preaching until midnight. A man named Eutychus was sitting in the window. They were on the third floor of the building, and he fell asleep. He fell out of the window and died. Talk about a landing! His friends found him dead from the fall, but he was miraculously brought back to life. Paul stopped his preaching and went down to where the body was. The Bible says he fell on him and embraced him. As Paul held this faithful listener, he told his friends not to worry: “his life was in him.” His landing must have been extremely painful, but God healed him and restored his life. What a landing and what a God.
Act 20:7–10 “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.”
Paul returns to the upper room to break bread and eat with those still present until daybreak. This miracle comforted those who were there, and especially those who knew the young man. God had provided life and used this to affirm the ministry of the Apostle Paul. Paul then leaves them by ship, but I can imagine this incident strengthened and encouraged all the Christians present. No doubt, word of this landing and miracle was shared with anyone who would listen. Seeing the power of God and listening to Paul must have caused some to believe in Jesus.
Act 20:11-12 “When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.”
Paul also experienced a super landing. In Acts 14:19-20 he had been stoned, left for dead, and thrown out of Lystra. He was dead and raised as a miracle work from God. He had a hard landing as he was stoned to the point that they had to pick him up and throw him out of the city. It took a miracle for him to come to life. After he had been resurrected, Paul did not stop; he went back into the city where, a short time before, they had stoned him.
Act 14:19-20 “And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.”
One day we will all have a huge landing. If we live until Jesus comes, those who are His will be changed and meet Him in the air. I Thessalonians 4:16-17 gives us this account. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” If we are already dead and were saved before death, we will come with Him and be reunited with our new body that will come out of the grave.
If we die before Jesus returns to earth and we are followers of Christ, we will be with Him immediately. In II Corinthians 5:8, we are taught “ to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” Our spirit will leave this earthly vessel and will unite with Jesus. Wow! What a landing. I can only imagine the exuberant joy that will flow from my soul as I see Jesus for the first time. His glory and majesty will be so great that all I will want to do is bow before Him and praise Him. No longer will I deal with pain and sorrow. The experience of death will be no more. It is too great for me to comprehend, but it will be a reality one day. When I land on the shores of Heaven, I will have my final landing. If I could think of words to describe what it will be like there would not be enough paper to hold them. At their very best, my words would be inadequate. Eutychus and Paul had great landings, but those who are saved have the best landing coming that surpasses all landings. Hallelujah! What a day that will be!
Revelation 21:4-5 “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”
