Acts 17:10-15

                                                                     Acts 17:10-15

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. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.

The missionary team escaped from Thessalonica and came to a neighboring city called Berea that also had a synagogue.  Each city had its own challenges and benefits.  Initially, it looked like Berea would be a place with great potential for growth and fruitful ministry.  However, things changed quickly, and Paul’s plans had to be abruptly changed.  There are some things about this narrative that stand out as being helpful to consider as important as we look to learn from the past.

EXAMINATION OF SCRIPTURE: The strategy of starting in the synagogue continues to hold true in Berea.  The response to the message of the coming, suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah we well received by both the Jews and the Greeks.  However, the Jews are described as being more noble because they searched the Scriptures to verify that what Paul was teaching was Scriptural.  This is what each and every person should do when they hear a message, read a blog, read a book, or sit under teaching of any sort.  When we believe teachers and preachers without a careful examination of Scripture; we become vulnerable to the lies of false teachers, Satan, and this worlds system.  The other thing that is commendable to the way the Bereans received Paul’s teaching was their eagerness to hear God’s Word.  Every time we open Scripture or hear the Scriptures read and taught, there should be an eager expectancy to learn what God desires to teach us.

EXPECTATION OF PERSECUTION: If the Jews in Berea were more noble than those in Thessalonica; the Thessalonian Jews were more zealous in their persecution.  When news that Paul and his companions had simply gone to Berea, the Jews went there to stir up trouble and cause Paul to have to leave, though he left Timothy and Silas behind.  When we are following Christ, we should expect for there to be persecution.  This is especially true in places that are unreached with the Gospel.  Satan will not relinquish control of the hearts and minds of those he has kept in captivity without a fight.  If we go into the mission of reaching the lost thinking that we will be well received and that results will be quick and easy; we will become easily discouraged.  We must learn to expect difficulties, persecution, and other forms of hardships.

EXPANSION OF THE GOSPEL: The persecution that Satan means to thwart the growth of the church always ends up contributing to the expansion of the church.  Paul ends up going to Athens with the help of an escort from Berea and the Gospel will soon be proclaimed there as well.  Paul sends word back with the men who took him to Athens for Timothy and Silas to rejoin him.  Paul’s removal from Berea afforded Silas and Timothy more time to invest in the lives of the new believers and help establish the church there.  However, Paul’s priority remained the expansion on the church to new and unreached places.  It seems that persecution was the indication that Paul used that it was time to move forward.  That which we often interpret as evil is often used by God for good.  This is a general concept that applies to many situations but specifically to the mission of reaching the unreached.

APPLICATION: Always check the teachings of any church, writer or speaker against the Word of God and be open to having others question our own teaching based on the Bible.  View persecution and suffering for the sake of the Gospel as one of God’s means of expanding the church.  Do not worry about what God might be doing and His control over our circumstances.  Trust Him over and above everything.