Testing the Teacher!

“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.” ~Acts 17:10-12 NLT

I love this passage in the 17^th chapter of the New Testament book of Acts. In this section Paul and Silas are in the city of Thessalonica to which he later writes several letters that are also included in the New Testament. In this city they find the kind of people where the gospel of Jesus Christ has an opportunity to take root and flourish! I believe that this passage has lots to tell us about ourselves and about the attitudes that we need to carry with us each and every day.

For instance, the people were open-minded, unbiased, and flexible people. The actual Greek word carries with it another nuance and that is the idea of nobility and honesty. When we are open-minded in our approach to the Word of God we allow ourselves the opportunity to explore deeper understandings and to be receptive to some things that may challenge us along the way.

The people were also good listeners! They listened eagerly to the message that Paul was bringing to them. The actual Greek says that they “received” the word which meant they listened, understood, and actualized the message they were being taught during Paul and Silas’ stay in there city.

But there is a final thing in this passage that really speaks to me as a pastor, as someone given the opportunity and responsibility of teaching God’s Word. The author writes that the people “searched the Scriptures day after day to see IF Paul and Silas were teaching the TRUTH!” WOW… I love this so much because as a pastor I want the people under my care to be skilful at discerning the truth of what they are being taught and not just the kind of people who take in everything they hear or read as the gospel truth!

In this day and age we need to be discerning yet open-minded, unbiased yet perspective, flexible yet solid in the foundations of our faith and the Word of God!

WHY?

So that the Word of God can take root in out lives and as a result we will be able to stand on the Truth of God’s Word and also be able to speak the Truth of God’s Word into the lives of those God has placed around us!

So, how are you doing in these three areas?

Are you open-minded, an active listener, and a student of the Word?

You know… it is so important that we make sure that we are more than just people who sit in the pews and just absorb the teachings without discernment. So that we can be people who stand firm on the Truth of God’s Word. So that we can be the kind of people that can be a source of Truth when people around us need to hear about another way of doing this thing called life!

Learning to be an Acts 17 Christian…

Rev Trev