The Berean Paradigm

The Berean Paradigm

2014-02-09

Acts 17:10-13

God continued to use persecution and opposition to spread the Gospel.

·      The Uproar in Thessolonica forced Paul and Silas to go to Berea & then Athens.

·      God knew he needed encouragement and refreshment…he found both in Berea.

o   God knows exactly when you need encouragement.

·      We find encouragement & paradigm on how to listen to Word & sermon in the well-known Bereans.  Act 17:10-11

They received the Word with all eagerness.

·      Did not mean they were naive & simply believed everything they heard.

o   it means they were open to the gospel & had not prejudged it or Paul.

§  "noble" -- free from prejudice.

·      There was a sense of anticipation, not a routine or out of mere “Sunday” obligation.

o   We are full of anticipation about certain things…events (football).

§  Are you like that with Scripture & sermons?

o   Guard Sat. nights, pray for Sunday, develop positive listening habits for sermons

The reason for receptivity was a love for God's Word.

·      They examined/researched synagogue OT scrolls to see if what Paul was saying was true.

·      Even a great teacher like Paul was not assumed “right” because he sounded authoritative.

o   No teaching/viewpoint should be blindly accepted on basis of speakers reputation or “confidence”, methodology, claims, academic pedigree.

·      God’s Word is perfect, men are not.

o   Don’t be preoccupied (+/-) with who is saying it but what being said. 

The Word is the standard by which we should evaluate all teaching/conduct.

·      A Sermon is an exposition of Scripture or pontifications of a man, vain philosophies, fashionable therapeutic ideas of modern society?

o   Should have teaching about sin, grace, gospel, holiness.

·      Ask: Who is big in sermon? Preacher, Paul or Jesus Christ.  1 Cor 3:4-5

Like the Berean’s- listen to faithful men carefully, then do your homework. 

·      All principal truths of Scripture can be understood by ordinary Chistians with out any great learning, simply through ordinary means of grace. 1 Jn 2:26-27, 1 Thess 5:12-21

o   Like the Bereans: search Scriptures daily, not just Sunday morning.

·      biblical illiteracy is rampant in the church.

o   63% do not know the 4 gospels; 58% , 5/10; 58%, do not know Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount.

o   The Bible is the worlds bestselling book but is also the most neglected on owners lives.

§  The desire to possess is not matched by desire to know its message.

We can’t trust other men as infallible, neither can we trust our own interpretations as infallible

·      There is a tendency to use Scriptures to confirm/proof text our desires.

·      We need godly, gifted teachers to challenge our interpretations of Word.

The Berean’s obviously loved the Word & sought to live by it. Act 17:11-12, Jam 1:22-25

·      When the Holy Spirit revealed: Jesus did fulfill the OT messianic prophecies, and they responded to word/truth….many believed.

·      Be like the Berean’s: daily take responsibility, be truth seekers: eagerly hear/receive the Word, examine what in light of other Scriptures, then, by grace, walk obediently.