In Berea–People believe and search Scriptures as protesters track down evangelists.

Acts 17:10-15

• Hearing the Good News, searching the Scriptures, and believing in Jesus Christ.
• Hostile culture tracks down the influencers of the way of Jesus Christ.

Hearing the Good News, searching the Scriptures, and Believing in Jesus Christ.
“Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.” Acts 17:10-12

In Thessalonica, the people of the Jewish culture riled up a mob of wicked men to come after Paul and Silas for spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They also riled up the city officials against the influencers of the way of Christ. Christians helped Paul and Silas to escape to Berea. This is spoken about in the posts of Acts 17:1-10. On the map below, Berea is seen just southwest of Thessalonica.

While on his missionary journey, the custom of Paul was to enter whatever Jewish synagogues were available. After all, the Jewish people claimed a monopoly on God and had in possession the only Scriptures on earth inspired by the Holy Spirit. Everyone else, all non-Jewish people, were considered Gentiles. In the Jewish culture, it is very hard to convince anyone that it is possible to live for God by faith in Jesus Christ and not through the laws of Judaism. For the Gentiles, faith came by hearing about Jesus not through the Old Testament Scriptures. Paul and Silas were preaching a message that the letter of the law kills but the Spirit gives life, “… [Jesus] also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 3:6

Because Paul and his companions were preaching about Salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, some Jewish people wanted to literally kill him, like those from Thessalonica, but others were willing to listen and search for the truth, like those of Berea.

Paul showed from the Old Testament Scriptures how Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies of the coming of the Christ and Savior of the world. The Scriptures of the Old Testament that points to Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world is called the “scarlet cord”. The Jewish people in Berea were willing to listen to Paul about Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and even searched the Scriptures to search the truth for themselves. After doing so, many Jewish people believed, and more than a few of the “God-Fearing” Greeks/Gentiles, as well as many of the “God-Fearing” prominent women and men.

As followers of Jesus Christ, whatever we hear someone speak about the word of God, let’s be sure to stay rooted in a personal relationship with God by reading the Bible for ourselves. All Scriptures must center around Jesus Christ, the message of the Cross, forgiveness of sin, the resurrection, eternal life, and the judgment to come beyond the grave.

 Hostile culture tracks down the influencers of the way of Jesus Christ.
“But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds. Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there. So those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed, they departed.” Acts 17:13-15

The Jewish people from Thessalonica could not bear to hear that service to God was possible without the Old Testament Scriptures, without the laws of Judaism. They considered Paul to be blasphemous and deserving of beatings and even death for saying Salvation could be had by faith in Jesus Christ. They tracked Paul down and followed him to Berea like a roaring lion seeking to devour him. The Jewish people from Thessalonica stirred up the crowds against him.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we live in an atheistic world that believes service to the community must be done through the entity that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel. They consider it to be against humanity to believe in God who says we must come to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin and to live in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Everywhere we go in today’s culture, which is global, people are stirred up against the spread of the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The entity that gives people what to speak and do is giving life to the image of the beast to speak and live through people. By what they say and do they oppose God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. They are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

Ou Lord Jesus does not want us to be among the hostility of today’s atheistic culture, as quoted, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.” Revelations 18:4-5  “And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” Matthew 10:14-15 Jesus says, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:4-5

When people are not responsive to the Holy Spirit and they close out the Good News of Jesus Christ, it’s time to depart from them. Only the Holy Spirit can create a willing heart to hear the testimony of Jesus. As Paul says through the Holy Spirit, “…my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

The Christians in Berea brought Paul to Athens. On the map below, Athens is almost due south of Berea and just a bit to the east. Silas and Timothy remained in Berea while Paul went on to Athens. Silas and Timothy would eventually meet Paul in Corinth [southwest of Athens], as described in Acts 18:1, 5 “After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth…When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia…” Berea was a city in the region of Macedonia.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11