Acts 17
Noble like a Berean!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, July 24.
Have you heard someone say, “be noble like a Berean” and you wonder to yourself, what in world that does that even mean?
Acts 17:10-11 explains what it means “to be noble like a Berean”: “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
Berea is a town in Macedonia and the people are called Bereans. As the Jewish people of Berea listened to Paul’s teaching, the Bible says they “received the word with all eagerness” (11), which means they listened with an honest and sincere heart to understand Paul’s teaching. Next, the Bereans did not just accept or deny what he said, but they, “examin[ed] the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (11).
To be “noble like a Berean” requires two things of us:
- You need good listening or reading skills so you can actually understand what the person is trying to communicate. Be respectful enough to hear them out and work through the material. Don’t jump to conclusions and don’t take things out of context. This requires love and humility, only possible when you are walking in the Spirit.
- For you to have a good working knowledge of God’s Word. This means that you will take the time to study your Bible, examine the Scriptures, and be able to apply the plumb line (standard) of God’s Word to what you have read or listened to. This requires Bible time, not internet search time.
Seize the moment and start good life habits today by spending time with God every day in the Word and prayer. This is the only way to become gentle and humble like Jesus and discerning and wise with the Word.