The Reasoned, The Ready, and The Rational part 2

Intro -

The Ready

Paul and Silas fleeing from Thessalonica went to Berea

Paul, “as was his custom”, entered into the synagogue to preach the Gospel, without doubt arguing once again from the OT scriptures.

Again we see Paul with the ability to not categorize people as unreceptive based on past experiences.

Even though in every city he had come to, without question it was almost exclusively the Jews that ran him out of town, he continued to pursue this demographic of people.

He had a committment to people that wouldn’t allow him to be turned off by their past actions or potential future behaviors.

I want to keep emphasizing that point because we fall victim far too often in our society to writing each other off either based on association or what someone did in the past and it is patently unbiblical.

Unlike the people in Thessalonica, the Bereans were ready and eager for the word.

However, the Bereans were actually studying the OT and instead were eager to see the prophecies in the OT fulfilled.

The character of those is Berea was considered “noble”

It was not that they had issue with what Paul was saying but instead they treated it in subjection to the scriptures.

How we should long to be people that when an issue is brought to us we examine it with the scriptures rather than the persuasive speech of man.

Our sole response to anything that is brought before us, whether it be from someone we trust, barely know, or even our own thoughts, should be how does this reflect the truth of the Word of God

However, the nobility of their character wasn’t simply that they examined the Scriptures, the people in Thessalonica did that, it was that they were without prejudice and were open minded

Book “Reading While Black where Dr. Esau McCaulley outlines that people from everything culture and tradition have come to the Scriptures and have asked the question “how does this apply to my situation?” If it is the black person enslaved or the single mother struggling, the marriage on the rocks or the person that is grieving. They all have come to the text and found a God that speaks to them without misinterpretation. From this they have formed a doctrine if you will of God being a liberator, provider, reconcilier, comforter. And the list goes on.

This is the nobility that Paul saw displayed. Not just that they were eager to learn but that they were open to the idea that God was beyond what their box had put Him in and they wanted to hear it from someone else’s experience.

So they came to the text and saw…wait a minute the Messiah IS a suffering servant. He somehow is God AND is condemned to die...

If we could be people that would take people’s lived experiences/testimony and examine them in light of the text we’d be amazed at what we see.

So the Bereans, listened to Paul, listened to his story, his claims, and then examined the scriptures DAILY to see if they were valid.

They were people that were constantly in the Word, eager and expecting God to talk back to them. What are your expectations for God?

Then Luke once again makes mention that from that eagerness, faith was born across the board. Men and women with some of which being of high standing.

Again showing that the Gospel, when put forth, draws people from every intersection of society!

The diversity of the Kingdom of God seems to be a central theme for Luke and I believe should be a central theme for us as believers.

We must be a people that are willing to share the story of the Gospel, God’s redemption of humanity, with those from every walk of life.

In doing so we maximize the beauty and diversity found in the created order.

Although, like the Jews, there will be people and beliefs that follow us around. We have to keep the Gospel on the move, because there are those out there that are ready and eager for it.

And just like we read here in Acts with Silas and Timothy, when that diversity is brought in we need leaders that are willing to shepherd it, train it, and disciple it for the glory of God.

Either your role is to be drawing it in or your role is to be building it up, sometimes it’s going to be both but either way it’s never going to be neither one. If you really took hold of that truth…how would your life be different right now?

Let’s talk to someone who has and how that has impacted him

Jon Guinn Presentation

Questions

How has life been for your and the family since we last saw you?

Tell us about what the Lord is doing in Albuquerque

How can we support you?

What challenges are you facing?