Positive Curiosity (Acts 17:10-15)

Curiosity

How curious are you about the Bible on a daily basis?

When we are curious about a topic that we want to learn about or are interested in: we find the people, we find the resources, we read the books and we find videos on Youtube.

But, how much time do you invest in your study with God?

This level is the distinguishing factor from a Sunday Christian to one who lives the Christian life, a man or woman who lives with God.

Curiosity. Not just regular curiosity but positive curiosity.

I’ll explain the difference in the two later on.

Curiosity means a strong desire to know or learn something.

Not just searching for an answer, but a strong desire to know

Know whom? God and Jesus Christ.

John 17:3 “This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent—Jesus Christ.”

From my studies of wisdom from successful CEOs, chefs, authors and leaders, I have come to a conclusion that distinguishes these 1% from the 99%.

They live with curiosity.

They do not settle for being normal, because they do not stop until they find the answer to take their expertise to the next level.

Our whole span of life is simply one thing: to learn about God more and more every day. Everything is else is a necessity in life but only faith will carry on with us to eternity.

You may have heard that curiosity killed the cat.

The phrase "curiosity killed the cat" is an English proverb that warns against the dangers of excessive inquisitiveness or meddling in matters that might lead to trouble. It suggests that being overly curious can result in unintended harm or consequences, much like a cat that, in its natural curiosity, might explore something perilous and meet a fatal end.

Overtly curiosity can lead you into a rabbit hole - stuck in your own thoughts and hole that is difficult to get out of

But, positive curiosity finds joy in the Lord. to be joy or to be glad in the Lord is our goal by being positively curious.

So, reflect for a moment, how curious are you about God in your daily life? Write it down on your notes.

In Today’s sermon. I am going to share with you three ways we can be more curious about God and the Bible based on the example from Acts 17:10-15

Background

Acts 17:10-15 follows the dramatic events in Thessalonica, where Paul and Silas faced fierce opposition for preaching the gospel. After successfully sharing their message in the synagogue and gaining converts, jealous Jewish leaders incited a mob, leading to an attack on the house of Jason, a believer hosting them.

Accused of rebellion for proclaiming Jesus as king, Paul and Silas were forced to flee under cover of night. Sent away by the Thessalonian believers, they arrived in Berea, a smaller city in Macedonia about 50 miles away.

There, they resumed their pattern of teaching in the synagogue, encountering a Jewish community described as "more noble" for their open-mindedness and eagerness to hear the message. Now, keep this in mind, because this description of the people of Berea is our sole focus today.

The Bereans diligently studied the Scriptures daily to confirm Paul’s teachings about Jesus as the Messiah, resulting in many—Jews and prominent Greeks alike—embracing the faith.

However, the short of rest in Berea was short-lived. When the antagonistic Jews from Thessalonica learned of Paul’s success, they pursued him to Berea, stirring up trouble once again. Their relentless hostility forced the Berean believers to act swiftly, sending Paul toward the coast and eventually to Athens, a major intellectual hub, while Silas and Timothy stayed behind to support the growing church.

Escorted by some Bereans, Paul reached Athens and soon requested Silas and Timothy to join him.

When I came across this passage, I was moved and inspired. We as Christians who have limitless resources in our lives to learn more about God do not use it to our advantage.

All knowledge comes from the Creator of this Universe, God. The more we know about God means the more we understand ourselves and our roles in this life.

Therefore, when I came across the story of Bereans, I was able to reflect on my daily life as Christians.

They were living in a time when Christianity was on the rise, but it was met with strong and dangerous opposition.

I watched a video the other day of a conversation between a 7 year old and a 64 year old. At the end of the video, each gave advice.

The 7 year old said, “ Don’t be silly and don’t bully other people.”

The 64 year old said, “you don’t have to be rich to be happy. Do the things you like to do and make you feel good. Because when you’re happy yourself then everyone else is happy around you.”

Innocence of the child and the wisdom of the old man.

From what I gathered from these two advices is that happiness is simple. We tend to overcomplicate life and make it difficult on ourselves.

What should we focus on now so that we don’t regret later in life. What is going to create everlasting happiness in our lives: the heart and curiosity to know God.

Just like David’s confession in Psalm 27:4

“I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple.”

Lessons from the Bereans

So, what can we learn from the people of Berea and their approach to the Gospel? There are three lessons.

Lesson 1: Curious Christians live with Noble Character

Acts 17:10–11 “As soon as it was night, the brothers and sisters sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. Upon arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since they received the word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

Christians should live with noble character. What does noble character mean?

The word noble literally means "well-born" or "of high societal birth," often referring to someone of high social status or good lineage. However, in this context, it carries a more figurative sense, implying a nobility of character rather than just social rank.

The Bereans are contrasted with the Jews in Thessalonica, who rejected Paul’s message and reacted with hostility (Acts 17:5-9).

The nobility of the Bereans is tied to their actions: they "received the word with all eagerness" and "examined the Scriptures daily" to see if Paul’s teachings about Jesus as the Messiah were true.

This suggests that their "noble character" refers to their open-mindedness, intellectual honesty, and diligence in seeking truth. Rather than dismissing Paul out of hand or reacting with prejudice, they approached his message with a willingness to listen and a commitment to verify the truth.

Be a person of nobility through your character. Be a person who listens. Be a person who is eager to learn, learn about God.

Lesson 2: Curious Christians live with eagerness (open-minded)

“The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since they received the word with eagerness (v. 11)”

Eagerness to do what? To know more about God daily.

The fastest way to be successful is to be eager right? To pursue with eagerness to be successful. By asking continuous questions.

I think I spent alot of my walk of faith just reading the Bible. It stuck as knowledge. I remember Bible verses, but living by faith was difficult because I did not know how to apply God’s teachings in my life.

We cannot simply hear the word of God, but be eager to know and pray to God, what can I do to apply this message into my life.

I pray that the Holy Spirit saves us from your own rabbit-holes, and brings us into His light of eagerness of exploration.

The Bible is filled with so much exploration that we could not imagine. You look at a world map and notice the endless possibility of locations that you can travel to, right?

Do you know the level of exploration with your backpack and compass that you can do with the Bible?

(SHOW GRAPH)

Look at this chart. Though the Bible spans thousands of years, God is perfect that there are 63,779 cross-references, which are instances where a passage mentions or echoes a concept, event, or person found elsewhere in the Bible.

Doesn’t this entice you to read more of your Bible? Imagine the amount of wisdom you will gain in your lives to be more successful and productive.

Lesson 3: Curious Christians examine the Scripture Daily.

“The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since they…examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so (v.11)”

Scripture reading must be a daily practice. You have to incorporate Scripture reading into your daily routine.

What is the first thing you do in the morning, drink water? go to the restroom? You hit the alarm clock or phone, you get up and you get ready for work or school, right?

Do you think about these things while you do it? No, it has become a reflex that you do automatically through constant repetition and it has become your routine in life.

How beautiful will it be if you could incorporate scripture reading into your daily life. Make it daily routine.

With that level of wisdom, you all could start your own youtube channels talking about how the Bible has impacted your lives. People love faceless videos.

Conclusion

Are you ready to explore the Bible more in your daily life?

Start today. Don’t delay to tomorrow

Remind yourself what is priority every day.

Remind means to recall or remember something again to your mind. You need to repetitively tell your mind what is priority.

If you are not convinced yet, let me remind you again why reading Scripture is important.

We all want to win or be successful in life.

God has given us an easier path by giving us the answers to life through His word.

To win in life. You have to go to the creator who has all the answers. Yes, the Bible does not have certain technicalities that relate to modern society, but it is the fundamentals.

Joshua 1:8 “This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.”

Amen.

Let us Pray.