The Noble-Minded Way

Introduction: “Like talking to a brick wall.” Emotional reaction that is unwarranted, unreasonable, and harsh. Like a cornered animal they lash out and attack, defending something precious in their mind.

Ex. The owners of the slave girl in Ch. 16. - money.

Ex. A husband’s reaction to his wife as she cried, pleaded and screamed, then broke his weed pipe. - addiction/idol.

For some - personal performance, drinking, food, shopping etc. We all have something we hold close, sometimes shamefully and often unaware whether we’re holding it, or it’s holding us.

When we are the one over-reacting and lashing out, it can be a sign that we are in the grip of something and need to adjust.

Today we see an example of both this lashing out, and a better way - a noble-minded way as we look at Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica and Berea.

Read Acts 17:1-15

Pray for a renewing of our mind and a refreshing. That truth would become clear and we would humbly receive instruction.

The Berean Jews exemplified a more noble-minded way that we can learn from. (Higher way)

Eager for Truth

v.11 - “they received the Word with great eagerness”

Eagerness of the Berean Jews

Eager/Readiness of Mind/Willing - These Berean Jews were enthusiastic about the truth - about what God had said and was doing. So much so that they heard what Paul said, would listen daily and searched the scriptures for evidence of these things.

The truth was important. Higher than them because it came from God. They knew that they didn’t determine what was true, they discovered it - and so they searched.

They were of such a humble disposition that they could be instructed and would bend themselves to the truth of God.

Proverbs 8:33 NASB95

“Heed instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it.

Proverbs 19:20 NASB95

Listen to counsel and accept discipline, That you may be wise the rest of your days.

We must humbly receive the truth, even when (and especially when) it means we are wrong and must change course! To refuse it stifles our growth as people, as Christians and can even lead to great harm. We must humble ourselves before God and others and be willing to take responsibility to change!

We may need help. But we need change. Many will not get there because of their stubborn pride.

Let me ask you something, church. Consider all the knowledge in the universe – all there is to know. What percent do you think you have in your conscious mind? 10%? 1%? .00001%? We can always learn more!

The humble understand - You can learn something from everyone. They were humble enough to know that they might learn something from Paul.

Many are not so humble, and instead are so settled in the comfort of their own ideas and preferences that if what is true doesn’t affirm them, they refuse to believe it.

They believe anything that fits their own narrative, but refuse anything that doesn’t - regardless of the evidence! There’s a difference in being eager for truth and being eager for affirmation of my preferences and ideas…

Consider the Thessalonian Jews in 1-5

What were the Thessalonian Jews eager for? (Enthusiastic about?)

It wasn’t for the truth. Paul gave evidence for three Sabbaths from the scriptures that Christ had to suffer and die and rise again from the dead. And yet, there was very little response from these Jews.

“and some of them were persuaded” v.4

They seemed numb to what God had said and was doing.

Like the husband who, in his drug-induced stupor numbly ignored the pleadings and protests of his wife but suddenly comes alive with emotion when she messed with his drugs, these Thessalonian Jews hardly reacted at all until something they truly cared about was affected...

Influence and esteem.

v.4-5 tell us that many God-fearing Greeks and “not a few” of the leading/prominent women believed.

v.5 - “becoming jealous”

? - Remember how another important Macedonian city (Philippi) didn’t even have enough Jewish men to establish a synagogue?Thessalonica did. Apparently it was fairly popular because it contained many God-fearing men and many prominent women.

(BTW - Luke’s emphasis in these chapters on the prominent women shows cultural contrast to the normal Roman or Jewish custom.)

When these began to follow Paul and Silas, these Jewish unbelievers saw a portion of their congregation potentially leaving them. So they became jealous, and responded with force.

They cared less about the truth than they did about their own status, influence and reputation in the community.

Note: not always Jews that were the aggressors, just as often the Gentiles/Greeks, even here these wicked/degenerate/morally corrupt people recruited to cause an uproar and attack them were likely not Jewish.

So they attacked Jason and demanded their capture. Fortunately for the Apostle the magistrates did what they could to keep order by sending Paul and Silas away after their bond was paid.

Are you eager for truth? Or is it not important to you? Do you care, friend, about the realities of our Maker and the judgment to come? Do you think about what will happen in eternity? About your soul?

Truth matters! It has implications! If Jesus is the Son of God, the Savior who came and died for our sins then it matters! Your soul, your eternity hang in the balance if this message is true! Don’t you think you should be diligent in searching it out?

the Bereans recognized this and responded nobly. They were eager for the truth and many believed.

If we want to grow, we must be willing to humbly receive the truth and adjust course accordingly. But how do we know what is true?

Recognize God’s Word as the Standard of Truth

Truth without a foundation is groundless. Like the house built on sand, it has nothing firm to stand on and can easily be swept away by the next idea or teaching.

We live in a pluralistic, and relativistic society. One where one person’s truth is assumed to be as equally valid as the next person’s “truth.” That’s not how it actually works though is it?

Ex. When a person born as a man feels he’s a woman that’s his so-called truth. The problem is, that the next person’s “truth” might be that maleness is spiritually and scientifically rooted in biology. This sounds good - that everyone can have their own preference as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone - but what about when it does? What about when our boys aren’t shown or taught about what manhood is, and what about when teenagers who are hormonal and confused about who they are get pressured into looking for meaning in “becoming” another gender? What about when it has implications and consequences across a society? Who is to say which “truth is true”?

In a relativistic society, the “truth” that wins is the one that’s most popular at the time. This is dangerous and can lead to all sorts of evil.

When we cast off the idea of God as a moral law giver, we remove the grounds of truth.

What about science and evidence? That is good, and has a great benefit - but it falls short.

First, it only deals with material evidence and cannot give us truth about the non-material things (i.e. the soul, our mind and consciousness, morality, purpose, where we came from, where we are going, etc.).

Second, many who promote Science as the arbitrator of truth tend to only trust in the material, thereby ruling God, spirituality, and the supernatural out before any evidence is even considered.

Third, The science that was meant to be a process to discover truth (of theories of truth) ends up becoming a philosophy of evolutionary materialism which does exactly what it claims religion does - accepts those claims that enforce it’s own materialistic views, and rejects any claims to the contrary - even though it’s mechanisms can neither prove nor disprove if they are indeed real.

What’s the point? First, we have good reason to believe in God and in His Word. We, like the Bereans, will do well to weigh everything against what God has revealed.

Ex. General and Special! Correctly applied science and Bible!

The Berean Jews went straight to scripture as the standard of truth to see if these claims were so.

If God has revealed Himself, His purposes, His will to men, then we ought to take it serious. The Bereans were serious about God’s Word...

They studied it daily, searching out the claims of Paul and Silas. They looked to see if Christ was truly portrayed as a suffering servant who would die for the sins of His people (Isaiah 63). They looked to see if the things Jesus did, the place He came from, and the resurrection were foretold by God through the prophets.

Oh, brother and sister - what if we were so serious about the truth! Let’s take every claim about our nature and our needs to the One who made us and knows us better than we do! Let’s challenge every claim of salvation and security in this world with the reality that God has revealed in His Word to us! Let’s cast off the relative, anything goes morality of this corrupt world and heed the commands and warnings of God to us in scripture! Let’s get serious about the Word of God!

But, how do we know the Bible is true?

Reasons to believe the OT:

Archeological evidence (places, people and events)

Fulfilled prophecy (Messiah – birthplace, Nazarene, out of Egypt, suffering, etc.; Nations conquering Israel, Destruction of cities – Tyre)

Unity amid diversity – One message amid ~27 authors from all walks of life, from Kings to farmers called to prophecy. Written over a span of over ~1000 years it tells a single story of the Creator God who covenants with His people, and plans for their ultimate blessing and Salvation at great cost to Himself. And does this through a variety of genres (Law, Histories, Songs, Wisdom writings, and Prophecy).

Finally, Jesus (who rose from the dead) believed it!

This is no simple academic endeavor. This is critically important. Let’s get serious about the inspired, authoritative, trustworthy Word of God! The Bereans were and it prepared them for the truth, and affected how they responded to others.

Treat others with Respect

We end considering this fact. A teachable, humble heart that takes God’s Word seriously will treat others with respect.

Leviticus 19:18 NASB95

‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.

Genesis 1:27 NASB95

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Did all the Berean Jews believe on Jesus? (No, but “many did” compared to only “some” of the Thessalonians). Note the difference in their treatment of Paul and Silas.

They were confident enough in what they knew that they didn’t feel threatened and defensive when Paul taught them of Jesus.

They were focused on God, His Word and would seek to honor that - even if it meant they must repent and be converted.

Ex. Gamaliel in Acts 5:35-38 - we don’t know that he ever believed in Jesus. But in this he was more “noble-minded” than his fellows.

Not so with those of Thessalonica, for their jealousy took over and they attacked them as an adversary.

We do that, don’t we.

Today’s culture is full of this mob mentality where we need reasoned, humble approach to dealing with others, especially those we don’t agree with - after all - as was the case with Paul - they may be right.

Conclusion: How do we become more noble-minded?

Romans 12:1–2 NASB95

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Humble ourselves before God

Facing our sin

Reflecting on our own wrong thoughts, attitudes, and actions

Realize it’s what He thinks that truly matters

Walking in the reality of what He has done for us in Christ Jesus

Renew our minds, according to His Word

This means spending time reading and studying the Bible!

Replace that music or podcast with a sermon, or conference message

Made time and space to not just read, but meditate upon the Word

We’ll do this together! Commit! Become accountable! Not a task, a relationship!