Saturday 29 December, 2012
Acts 17:10-15
10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. When they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 The Bereans were very glad to receive Paul’s message. They studied the Scriptures carefully every day. They wanted to see if what Paul said was true. So they were more noble than the Thessalonians. 12 Many of the Jews believed. A number of important Greek women also became believers. And so did many Greek men. 13 The Jews in Thessalonica found out that Paul was preaching God’s word in Berea. So they went there too. They stirred up the crowds and got them all worked up. 14 Right away the believers sent Paul to the coast. But Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea. 15 The men who went with Paul took him to Athens. Then they returned with orders that Silas and Timothy were supposed to join him as soon as they could.
Here we have people who are commended for two things: receiving the teaching of the word with eagerness, and also examining the scriptures to see if what Paul was teaching was correct.
This is a good model for us of how we should respond to teachi
ng.
We should be (1) eager to receive and learn new things and (2) diligent to examine what we hear and test it against the what we read in the Bible. Developing both of these qualities is essential for growth and maturity.
Some people are really eager to receive teaching and take on-board anything they hear without taking the time and effort to see if it lines up with the Bible’s teachings.
Others are so focused checking up on all the facts and the “letter of the law” that they become cynical and lose their open-hearted eagerness to learn.
Lord, help me to be an eager learner and a diligent examiner of what I am hearing. Help me to keep an open heart and to be a determined seeker of truth.
Written by Shelley Witt
In Reading this passage I became aware of how protective the believers were of Paul and Silas. They felt the danger brewing around them and acted accordingly. two points appear to me. One is that the believers acted to protect Paul and other leaders, and second Paul allowed them to protect him and went along with their decisions.
We are totally blessed to be in a country where we do not have to protect our Christian leaders physically. However spiritually we do have the duty to protect them, that is by praying for them continually, and having our spiritual eyes and ears looking out for dangers. Leaders should also be open to hear from the believers that God has put around them.
Lord I pray for each leader of each ministry and going up in leadership to Richard and Sue, and Phil and Chris. Lord I pray for their total protection and pray to hide them from the eyes of the enemy. Amen