BEREA: Goodbook 07-16-12

Goodbook messages arrive every Monday, Thursday, and Friday with a Scripture reading and ideas for how to apply the reading in our lives. We are reading through the book of Acts. For additional Scripture reading, you can follow the Advanced Track.

Reading: Acts 17:10-12
(Advanced Track: Isaiah 49-66)

¹⁰ That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. ¹¹ And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. ¹² As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.

Application:

The people of Berea have inspired many over the centuries.  There are colleges, seminaries, libraries, and towns named after the people of Berea.  Here are a few things that inspired me about them.  Maybe you were inspired by the same things.

One thing that inspires me about the people of Berea is that they were open-minded.  You may remember that the people in Thessalonica were not open-minded.  They did not want to hear what Paul had to say about Jesus. They formed a mob and dragged associates of Paul before officials.  They came up with a devious case to stir up anger and resentment against Paul and his companions.  Unlike the people of Thessalonica, the Bereans were open-minded.  They were open to what Paul had to say.  Even if the message challenged their current beliefs, even if the message made them stretch, even if the message was difficult to hear, even if they really had to wrestle with the concepts, even if the message called for change in their lives, the people of Berea were open-minded.

Another thing that inspires me about the people of Berea is that they listened eagerly.  More literally, this phrase translates: “They received the word with readiness (or eagerness).”  They were ready, they were prepared to listen to the message.  They were eager to a message about Jesus.

The third thing that inspires me about the people of Berea, is that they searched the Scriptures day after day for the truth.  While they were open-minded, they did not believe any old thing.  They searched the Scriptures daily to test what they were hearing with the truth of God’s Word.

Inspired by these faithful people, let’s make the effort to:

1) Be open-minded to how God might be speaking to us through his Word and through other people.

2) When you have a chance to hear from God – in personal devotion or in worship or in your small group – listen with readiness and eagerness to hear from God.

3) Search the Scriptures daily.  Most study Bibles have a concordance that lists Bible verses according to topic/theme.  Make a daily habit of searching the Scriptures about things on your mind and heart.

Share your comments and ideas about how to apply this...