Acts 17:10-15

I’m so thankful for the powerful presence of God that is so tangible in this place. Thankful for all the prayers that have been offered throughout the week in preparation for services like this, and that we can really feel that as we come in the presence of God. We have a lot of new families, a few new families worshiping with us today. We’re really grateful that you’re here. We are really looking forward to meeting you after our service today. Warm welcome to all of you. So good to be back here in our church after a gap of one week. Really missed seeing all of you, but thankful for God’s protection and care in your lives throughout the last couple of weeks, and pray that God will continue to move in our midst and inspire and encourage and change our lives as we listened to the immutable, powerful word of God even this morning.

We are going through our series through the Book of Acts, Church on the Move. And last week we ended by talking about how Paul was forced to leave Thessalonica and go to Berea. And in the context of that, we know how Jason, who is just mentioned by name, we think from the Book of Romans that he might be somehow at least distantly related to the Apostle Paul, was able to pay almost like a bond, probably put his house as a bail or some money to guarantee that they could be released from prison, but also make sure that they would not continue to remain in Thessalonica.

Thessalonica is very, very interesting in the ministry of the Apostle Paul. Most scholars make the point that Paul was probably only in Thessalonica for a period of about six weeks. And most will say that the books of 1st and 2nd Thessalonians were the first epistles that he ever wrote in all the other 13 epistles that were penned through his authorship. And if that was the case, those two books were written within a span of almost just a couple of years after his visit to this city. But it’s remarkable what he achieved during the six weeks that he was there. As he writes 1st Thessalonians, which we went through in our church, as we went through the Book of 1st Thessalonians, we see that he’s reminding them of certain truths that he taught them during those six weeks. For example, he writes in 1st Thessalonians about election, the death of Christ, the call to salvation, the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, the wrath of God, the kingdom, judgment on unbelievers, apostasy, the man of sin, the second coming of Christ, and the resurrection of believers.

So all of these things, he writes them in 1st Thessalonians, but it’s almost as if he’s reminding them of the things that he taught to them, even while he was in person. But we also know from 1st and 2nd Thessalonians that he worked the entire time he was in Thessalonica as a tent maker, because in 2nd Thessalonians he writes, you remember how we were when we were with you, that we did not take anything from you as we labored in your midst. So here was a very busy man teaching and preaching God’s Word, establishing churches, but at the same time, almost working full time in his efforts to the Lord. I praise God for men like that, that commit themselves to, completely committed to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And so we, in that context of his hard work in Thessalonica, but he come to verse 10 of Acts 17, we’ll cover 17:10-15 this morning, Acts 17. But before we go into it, we can see that his labor in Thessalonica, not only established the church at Thessalonica, but we also see some very trusted men came out of his ministry in Thessalonica. Look at Acts 20:4. Here the Apostle Paul is about to go to Jerusalem and in the list of the men who would accompany him to Jerusalem, we see two names, Aristarchus and Secondus. These are Greek names from Thessalonica. Look at the fruitfulness of his ministry. Even though he was only there for six weeks, his impact was so strong that years later as he would travel to Jerusalem, there are two men who are faithfully accompanying him both from Thessalonica. And look at this man Aristarchus, he actually, when you fast forward through the Book of Acts and you come to Acts 27:2, the Bible says Aristarchus a Macedonian again of Greek origin from Thessalonica was with us. Now here in Acts 20:4, Paul is going back to Jerusalem to be with the Jerusalem council. In Acts 27:2, he’s about to take his voyage to Rome and look who’s going with him. The same Aristarchus is traveling with him. What I’m trying to show to you is the lasting fruitfulness of the ministry. Even though it was such a short period of time, it is paying dividends years later by not only at the church in Thessalonica, but also by these faithful men who are accompanying Paul continuously in his journey, even all the way to Rome.

And in Acts 2:18, he really wanted to come back to Thessalonica, but he was unable to do so. Look at 1 Thessalonians 2:18, for we wanted to come to you. Certainly I, Paul did again and again, but Satan blocked our way. But those few weeks of ministry left such an indelible mark upon that entire town, even though he was unable to go back ever and see them again.

In the context of that, we come to verse 10. As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. This is the second time when he had to make an escape in the middle of the night. We already saw in Acts 9:25, where he had to be lowered in a basket in the middle of the night. And so you see how difficult the circumstances were in Thessalonica. And all three of them here, Paul, Silas, and Timothy are leaving Thessalonica and they’re making the journey that’s about 50 miles away to Berea. Thessalonica, as I mentioned to you last week, is right on the side of the highway. It is on the main thoroughfare. Berea is totally different. It is off the beaten path, as some would say. And it is a very secluded town. When Thessalonica is 200,000 people strong, Berea is only about 6,000 people strong at that time. But Berea was a very important town in the mind of God. And even though it was so small, so insignificant, maybe in the eyes of man, and off the main highway, God’s Spirit would lead the servants of God to this town known as Berea.

Listen to the description of what is said about this tiny town. It was a beautiful city in the mountains, had many gorgeous gardens due to the abundance of water in this area. Above all, Berea was a city where the aristocracy lived. It was like a retirement center for the wealthy military, political, and educational leaders. When Paul arrived in Berea, he went immediately into the synagogue keeping with his game plan. So understand the context of this town, a beautiful garden city almost, maybe how Bangalore was maybe years ago before it became so overpopulated. So beautiful, Bangalore maybe, filled with people who are highly educated and wealthy at the same time. Even though the population was so small, 6,000 people, they were learned people. And you will see the difference in the next verse as to why they were learned. And what did Paul do? Rather than hiding for a while because of all the persecution of Thessalonica, he immediately went to the Jewish synagogue. So even though it was a city that only had a few people, it had enough Jewish people, at least 10 of them, to form a synagogue in that town. And he would go there.

And in verse 11, the Apostle Paul would make a very startling comment that we all should follow. It is this. Now, the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica. Now I already told you that they had a very good background, they were wealthy, they were educated, and as history tells us, they were in a very comfortable setting. But their nobility that is mentioned in God’s Word by the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with their education or their wealth. It actually has to do with how they received the Word of God that was given to them. And that’s exactly what we see in the next sentence. Why? They received the message with great eagerness. The word that is used over here is the same word that our Lord would use about receiving God’s Word like childlike believers. There are a lot of people that come to pews like this and churches like this with sort of almost a lot of a blocked mind to God’s Word. The people at Berea not only had an open mind, they had an open heart as well. Their mind and their heart was ready to receive from the Lord. And they are basically putting out the welcome mat for God’s Word is almost the word here is welcoming somebody very important into your home. Remember how you would welcome somebody very important to your home? That’s the way they welcomed God’s Word into their lives with the importance of it, with the beauty of it, as if a distinguished guest had arrived at their scene. They welcomed God’s Word with great eagerness and but they didn’t stop there. They examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. This is not an ordinary pastor. This is not an ordinary theologian that is explaining the Old Testament to them and showing to them that Jesus is the Messiah, probably the greatest theologian ever to walk on the face of the earth. The greatest pastor ever to walk on the face of the earth. Thirteen of the books of the New Testament were definitely penned by him. Yet when they received the Word from him, they didn’t go, Oh, this is Paul, the great missionary, whatever he says is right. No, they opened the Scriptures one day, not weekly, not just on Sunday morning when the pastor is preaching, daily, they opened the Scriptures and they tested it and to make sure that what was taught to them was true.

The greatest problem in the world today in Christendom is people are followers of other people and not of the living God. It is all about personality. It is all about charisma. It is all about entertainment. It is all about the gifts of preaching. It’s all about how well what somebody is saying sounds like. Very few people go back to God’s Word and see, is what I’m hearing in accordance with the written Word of God. Paul would tell you in Galatians, if even an angel from heaven comes and tells you a gospel that is contrary to what you have heard, let him be cursed, the Bible says. So it doesn’t matter how many Instagram followers this person has. It doesn’t matter how much popular his YouTube channel is. It doesn’t matter if he preaches at Kumbh Mela or at PC Nag, the Word of God is the Word of God. And anything contrary to that has to be tested by the church and rejected completely by the church. There is no room for that in God’s Word. I don’t care what college you went to, how many PhDs you have, how many titles you have, how many doctor titles you have, if what you’re preaching is not in accordance with God’s Word, it is to be rejected. And we as a church should be a discerning church, a church that holds God’s Word with such value that we will never allow anything like that to enter into our homes, into our lives or into our church. And it doesn’t matter whether your pastor has been preaching to you for 10, 15 years. You should examine, make sure that what I preach to you every single morning is also in right with God’s Word. And you should also have the courage and the boldness to ask questions of your pastors. Pastor, you said this today, is that really what God’s Word says? You should not just take at face value just because one of your pastors that you like or you respect said something. That necessarily is not directly from God’s Word. But what I love about here is that there were people that examined God’s Word regularly.

Billy Graham was once asked the question, if you had to live your life again, what would you do differently? Graham replied, one of my great regrets is that I have not studied enough. I wish I had studied more and preached less. You have pressured me into speaking to groups when I should have been studying and preparing. Studying God’s Word. More study, less preaching. More study, less preaching. The more you study, the more God’s Word make you wiser. And so that when you speak, what comes out of you is God’s Word and not what you think is right.

George Washington, the first president of the United States, his secretary, Robert Lewis, would write about the president that he was custom for him to go to the library at four o’clock in the morning for his devotions as a president. Can you imagine how busy he was shepherding a new country, yet he found time to start his devotions at four o’clock in the morning. And he concluded each day with Bible reading and prayer. Study of God’s Word, examining Scriptures is so important.

What I’m going to show to you in the next few slides are some statements that you heard all your life. And I want you to think immediately as you see it, whether it’s in God’s Word or in accordance with God’s Word. The first one is this, God helps those who help themselves. I think at least a few of you have said this all your life. This is not in God’s Word. And in fact, it is not actually theologically correct either. God helps the helpless. God even in our weakness helps us. Now there is some truth to it in that you cannot be passive in your life and that you cannot just say God will take care of everything, that you have to have some effort. The Bible talks about responsibility and all those things, but this is not really the Bible. God helps those who help themselves.

What about the second one, the most famous one and the quoted one by people outside the church? Judge not that you be not be judged. Even people within the church will tell you, Pastor, let’s not judge because you’ll be judged. In fact, here’s the answer. All of you will be judged. Completely finish reading the verse. By the way, when you’re telling me that I’m judging, you are judging me at the same time as well. So there’s a problem here. Judge not that you be not judged, but read the full verse. What does the next verse say? You should judge only making sure that the rod that is in your eye is taken out before you look at the speck in somebody else’s eye. The Bible is not telling us not to judge. The Bible is saying that you should not be a hypocrite and judging somebody else when things need to be corrected in your life. In fact, all of God’s Word tells you to test everything. How can you test everything without judging? It says watch out for false prophets. How can you watch out for false prophets if you’re not judging? The Bible says to practice discipline within the church. How can you do that without judging? So all of our lives we’re called to be discerning people. But what the Bible is saying is do not be a hypocrite in the way you judge others. When you yourself are wrong, do not try to correct someone else.

What about this third one? You can see this in the shoes of all the athletes and in the back of jerseys, Philippians 4:13. I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me. Wonderful. It is so true. I went to PA school and passed. I can do everything. I mean, it’s okay. I guess I’m not going to stand here and tell you that’s completely wrong. But understand the context of it. The Apostle is in the prison. He’s talking about the fact that he’s completely content in the sufferings of his life, in the littleness that he has. And he says, even if I have plenty, even if I have a lot, I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me. Understand the context of Scriptures. Do not quote Scriptures out in a vacuum.

Next one. This is very popular in the world. This is talking about how we should all treat each other equally. And this is good. We should, but we are all God’s children. The Bible doesn’t say that. Who are God’s children? Those who are adopted into the family of God. We are all God’s children in that we are created by the same God, but the Bible does not give the title of children to all the people born in the world. Only believers are adopted into the family of God. What does that mean? You are not a child before you were adopted. You did not belong to the family of God. There was a time in your life when you were adopted in the family of God. That’s when you become God’s children. When somebody tells you, we are all God’s children, very tactfully and lovingly tell them, yeah, true, but let me tell you how you can really become the child of God and share the gospel with them.

Next one is important, especially for your coworkers and for people that you live with. But this is not in the Bible. Cleanliness is next to godliness. The people that you go to work with and the people that you live at home with or the people that you sit in the pews with here at church appreciate this part very much, but it’s not in the Bible. Cleanliness is not next to godliness. There are a lot of Christians around the world who don’t have a soap, who don’t have deodorant, who don’t have shampoo, who don’t have proper running water. They are still godly. Cleanliness is not right next to godliness.

Oh, when you die, God gains another angel. No, angels don’t become human beings, nor do human beings become angels. Your Appachan that passed away is not going to be watching you from heaven. The Bible doesn’t say that. Now, you can claim that and the Bible is absent about that, but these things you should never say as Christians, you know, my so-and-so died, I have now gained a guardian angel. No, angels look unto our salvation with envy. They cannot become who we are, nor we can become what angels are. We are the ones that are created in the image of God and forever we will remain in the image of God. These are all things that are contrary to God’s Word. You don’t gain a guardian angel.

Second, this one, I’ll end with this slide, to thine own self be true. Actually, the Bible says don’t do that. You know why? Because your self is corrupt. You have to be true to the living God and His Word, not your own self. This is talking about how we should be our own people. Understand that, but it’s not in Scriptures. Follow your heart. The Bible doesn’t say that. You know why? Because Jeremiah tell you the heart is deceptive about everything. So don’t follow it. It will lead you to the wrong way. But a heart that is transformed by the power of God, you can follow the Holy Spirit, not follow your heart.

And this is going to ruffle some feathers. For where two or three gather in my name, then am I with them. Let me just say a disclaimer, first of all, you can keep on saying this during meetings where not a lot of people come. This is a favorite of ours, when you have Friday morning fasting prayer and the meeting is about to start and only two or three people are there and we are expecting about 30. We say, you know, it’s okay. Keep on repeating it, but understand the context of this verse. Why did Jesus say this for two or three are gathered together, I am there? The context is resolving conflict between believers. Jesus said when two or three of you have conflicts and you need to come together to resolve the conflict. Guess what? When two or three gathered together to resolve a conflict, I will be there in the midst of it as the one who will help you to resolve the conflict between them. Now, is there anything theologically wrong with saying we’re gathered together and when two or three are gathered together, I am there? No, but my preference is that we are true to what the Scripture says and only quote Scriptures in conflict. So when we come together for resolving conflicts, say, oh, we are here to resolve a conflict that is in our church and here’s our prayer, oh God, your promise says when two or three of us are gathered together, you are there. So in the midst of this conflict that we’re having, God help us to resolve it. So we should be very careful and in fact, I tried to look up where this came from and I found that out in about 16th century, somebody made a book of prayer in which they wrote this down. That became the tradition of the church and in fact, before then, there is no record of this being said in any prayer meetings when the church came together. So it’s okay. I know that it is a very common phrase of ours, you can keep on doing it, but be very diligent and mindful of where this is found in God’s Word.

The need to examine is so real, why? Look at Ephesians 4:14, then we will no longer be infants tossed back and forth by the waves. The greatest work of the enemy today is done even within the Christian church in which he’s deceiving people left and right with a gospel that is not true. It breaks my heart to think how many people go to church continuously without fully realizing that they’re not even saved to begin with because they have never been communicated properly the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are still infants tossed back and forth by the newest theology that is out there and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and the craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Do not fall for this. In fact, I’ll tell you right now, there is no new theology under the sun. Everything that we need to know, everything that we need to learn, everything that we need to follow is already written in the 66 books of God’s Word. In fact, be very mindful and careful when somebody stands before you and says, I received a new revelation this morning. The Bible says, do not add anything to this book nor take anything away from it. But you can say, I received a word from the Lord that is in accordance with Scriptures. Let me tell you what God’s Word have to say. There is nothing new under the sun, especially when it comes to the immutable Word of God. We are to be people that examine God’s Word diligently.

Verse 12, as a result, because of faithful preaching, examining, studying of Scriptures, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. They not only examined the Scriptures because they wanted to make sure that what Paul was preaching was right. Their heart was also willing to believe and obey the Word that they heard. What a contrast this is to what we read about the Pharisees in John 5:39-40. Jesus said of them, you study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life and it’s true. But these are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. You know, the saddest thing about these people, they memorized almost the entire Old Testament. Yet when Jesus came, they failed to see the Jesus of the Old Testament. That’s what Jesus is saying. You study the Scriptures day and night, yet you want eternal life and you’re studying it. But yet when the author of life and the one who would give you eternal life came, you refuse to receive Him. So let us not be just theologians. Let us also be believers. I have read so many times, there are many learned theologians who don’t even believe in God. And I’m like, what a contrast. You know, it doesn’t even make any sense. Puffed up in knowledge, but the heart has not been transformed. That is also a very dangerous thing that can happen. You can really study Scriptures and not allow the Holy Spirit of the Scriptures to transform your life. Let that not happen. You can gain a lot of head knowledge and you can go straight to hell. And you cannot be a believer without believing also the Word that you’re studying and making it real in your heart. But they were able to do that. And years later, along with that man from Thessalonica, the two men that we talked about, look at what happens in Acts 20:4, as Paul again makes a journey to Jerusalem. He was accompanied by Sopater, son of Pyrrhus from where? Berea. Look at the fruitfulness of his ministry, even in Berea. Here is another man, a Greek man, maybe one of the ones that Luke is writing about in Acts 17:12, who accompanies with Paul and goes to Jerusalem as well.

But this wonderful time of teaching and preaching and examining God’s Word did not last for long. Look at Acts 17:13. When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the Word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. What is the problem? Paul is preaching God’s Word. That’s their problem. So they would make the journey of 50 miles. They don’t want to leave him alone. They would come and they would stir up the people and say, this man is the enemy of our faith and he will rise the people up. Look what happened. Acts 17:14, the believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. Unlike in the case of Thessalonica, when all three of them left. In this case, Silas and Timothy would remain in Berea, but only for a very short period of time. Look at Acts 17:15. Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens. Now when you read the Scriptures, you’re like, well, they did that, but you know what the distance between Berea and Athens is? It is 222 miles. That’s a long journey at that time. Luke does not say what route they took, whether they traveled by sea or by land. But these men not only came to Berea, but they also wanted to go with Paul all the way to Athens. And they did just that. I can imagine why they did that. They wanted to continue learning the Scriptures, continue learning God’s Word. And here is the most famous and most proficient theologian with them. They probably in the travel of many, many weeks and months were learning, continuously learning God’s Word. They could not get enough of the learning of God’s Word. And they reach Athens and they left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. So the stay of Silas and Timothy in Berea were short-lived, but at the end of it, they would find themselves again in Athens. In Athens, there would again be a separation. Timothy would be sent back to Thessalonica. Silas went to an unknown place and all three of them were reunite again in Corinth as we learned about again in the Book of Acts. Next week, we’ll talk about the great ministry of the Apostle Paul in the town of Athens.

But what I want you to take away today is this, it is this, we have to be people who are students of God’s Word, that don’t just believe everything that we hear, but daily examining the Scriptures and making sure that what we are hearing is true. But also commit your life to a daily study of Scriptures. A weekly hearing of God’s Word on a Sunday morning is not enough for their soul. Remember what God did for the people of God in the wilderness. Every single day He would give them manna, but there’s something very important about the manna that God gave to them. God did not give them manna for a whole month or for a whole year. In fact, if they tried to keep the manna for the next day, what happened to it? It got to be spoiled. God would give them fresh manna every single day. That is a picture of what God wants the New Testament believer to be. When Jesus teaches us to pray, give us this day, our daily bread, I believe that’s not just talking about the physical bread. Jesus is asking you to pray also for the spiritual bread that can nourish your soul more greatly than any physical bread ever could give to you. So pray and practice every single day, Lord, give us today the daily bread that is needed for my soul. Even if you don’t read many chapters, in fact, I would discourage you to read many chapters on a given day, read a few Scriptures, internalize them, meditate those few Scriptures, test them, test your life against them, understand the context of it, understand the context of the chapter, the book, ask the Holy Spirit, what can I learn from this passage that I read today? Let Him change you, transform you and make you to be the people that God wants you to be.

I’ll end with this. The Pony Express, very famous, was a thrilling part of American history. In a time when there were no cars, no modern automobiles, it ran from St. Joseph, Missouri to Scranton, California, a distance of 1,900 miles. The purpose of this Pony Express was to make sure the mail got from one end of the country to the other. The trip took 10 days, 40 men, each riding 50 miles a day, dashed along the trail on 500 of the best horses the West could provide. But as these men would travel from one station to the other and would carry mail, they had to make sure that they did not carry too much weight with them. So to conserve weight, clothing was very light, saddles were extremely small and thin. No weapons were carried with them, even though sometimes the journey was very dangerous. The horses themselves were small. They wore small shoes or none at all. The mail pouches were flat. They were very conservative in size. Letters had to be written on thin paper, and postage was expensive. It was five dollars an ounce, a tremendous sum in those days. But in spite of the fact that they had light clothing and they carried very little things with them because they had to make this long journey, you know what they carried with them every single day? A full-sized Bible. It was presented to every rider when he joined the Pony Express. And he took it with him, despite all the precautions of weight in riding the pony. Why? Because the Scriptures were deemed standard equipment. Did you hear what I said? The Scriptures were deemed indispensable equipment. You can leave your weapons behind, but the Holy Bible has to be with you. Yes, the journey is filled with dangers, but God’s Word is indispensable to the journey. These riders would be gone on the journey for several days. They could not imagine going several days without reading God’s Word. So in spite of that, at those times the Bibles were bulky too. They would take God’s Word with them. And the journey of life, is God’s Word traveling with you? Are you committed to it? Has the busyness of life taken you away from a daily devotion and reading of God’s Word? It’s time to change. It’s time not to resolve yourself just to a preliminary and precursory reading of Scriptures. Take time, no matter how busy you are, to study God’s Word. It will make a full, complete transformation and difference in your life. And I pray that all of us will examine our hearts to see, what can I change? How can I change my schedule? What can I do to make sure that God’s Word always receives the priority that it deserves in my life? May God, by His Spirit, help me to do just that.

Let’s look to the Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you for your Word. Help us to receive it with the richness, with the greatness that you deserve. And when we receive it, oh God, help us not to be people that blindly believe everything that we are hearing, but constantly searching Scriptures to make sure that it is in right with God’s Word. Help us to test everything and to hold on to that which is good. Help us to change. Help us to be different in our study and reading and meditation of your Word. Help us not to get to the end of our lives and regret that we did not study enough. Help us to manage our time better. Help us, oh God. Be with us as we enter into a time celebrating your death for us. Thank you for being with us. It’s in the name of the Lord Jesus that we pray, amen.