ACTS 17
2 Outlines
Acts 17:10-14
THOSE NOBLE BEREANS
Acts
Today there are many
different aids to Bible study. There are all sorts of study Bibles available as
well as books and courses that will help one study the Bible. In spite of all
the help at our fingertips, many Christians are ignorant of the content and
teachings of God's Word!
I want to introduce you
to a special group of people who will always be remembered because they were
serious about studying God's Word. They are known as the Bereans. According to
Acts 17:11, the Bereans were "more noble" than another group of
people known as the Thessalonian Jews. The difference was their attitude
towards the Scriptures. The Bereans were true students of the Word of God. They
loved God's Word.
In this message we want
to think about Acts
Vs. 10, 12 - Paul and
Silas arrived in
Vss. 13-14 - Trouble
followed, and again Paul needed to leave town.
In verse 11 we learn
many good things about approaching God's Word from those "noble
Bereans".
They loved God's Word,
and we want to use the word "love" as acrostic to help examine the
Bereans' love for the
Word of God.
L - LISTENING AND
LEARNING
"... they received
the word with all readiness of mind..."
Of course, we must
realize that the reason the Bereans could listen and learn was because Paul and
Silas were doing their jobs. They were teaching the Word of God. Make sure that
the men you listen to practice 2 Timothy
There appears to be a
lack of listening going on today. The people in the pews are sitting there, but
very often they are not paying attention to what they are being taught. Many
people are present in body, but absent in spirit. They are not with it. I would
venture to say that the majority of people can not tell you what the preacher
said after he said it.
To be a better listener
in church, I suggest:
1. Ask God to help you
pay attention.
2. Make sure there is
nothing wrong between you and the preacher. Get any problems settled, or you
won't listen well.
3. If necessary, in your
mind repeat the words that the preacher is saying. This will help you
concentrate.
4. Take notes.
5. Try to apply what is
being said to your own life. Ask, "How does this relate to me."
The Bereans not only
listened, but they learned. As you listen attentively you will learn. And if
you really love God's Word, you will also read and study God's Word for
yourself. This will also help you learn.
O - OPENNESS AND
OBEDIENCE
One of the great
problems which we have when we witness to unsaved people is that we are dealing
with narrow-minded people. One of the problems that preachers have is that
often they are dealing with narrow-minded Christians! The Bereans were open to
the teachings of the Word of God. The majority of Thessalonians were not.
As Christians we need to
be open to the being taught the word of God by the preacher. We must be ready
to allow our wrong ideas to be replaced by what the Bible actually says. When
your pastor presents a new idea from God's Word be open to seeing if this new
idea is correct. If it is correct, replace your old wrong ideas with new
Biblical ones.
In verse 12 we are told
that many believed. That means that they obeyed the Word of God and were saved.
As Christians we must also obey the Word of God and follow the Biblical
teaching of those preaching God's Word. We also need to obey God's Word as we
study it for ourselves. 1 Samuel 15:22-23
V - VERIFICATION
"...and searched
the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."
Sometimes preachers
preach pure heresy and nobody realizes it.
Do not take what your
pastor says blindly, but check your Bible and make sure that what he is
teaching is true! If you make sure that the preacher you already trust is teaching
you the truth, it will be easier for you to spot a heretic. You will already be
used to "searching the Scriptures daily".
If you find a problem
with what your pastor is preaching, go to him personally. Maybe you have not
understood what he was saying, or maybe the pastor simply made a mistake. AND
PREACHER, WHEN YOU'RE WRONG, ADMIT IT!
E - EXAMINE - ENDURE -
EXPERIENCE
Examine thoroughly the
Word of God.
Endure in studying the
Word of God. It is to be a daily process.
Experience much from the
Word of God. The Bereans experienced salvation.
As Christians sincerely
study God's Word they will experience:
Much joy
Much change
Much growth
Much knowledge
Much peace
Much encouragement
And much more!
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Acts 17:32-34
REACTIONS TO THE RESURRECTION
In
(Discuss Acts 17:22-31)
There were three distinct reactions to the
resurrection.
SOME DETRACTED - Vs. 32 - They mocked.
SOME DELAYED - Vs. 32 - They would hear Paul again.
SOME DECIDED - Vss. 33-34 - They chose to believe.
(The original idea of this message came from the late
Jack Wyrtzen. However, the alliteration is mine.)