“And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.”
Acts 17:11 (NLT)
The Bereans had something in them the Thessalonians didn’t. They listened to Paul’s message eagerly, but they didn’t stop there. They went home and searched the Scriptures day after day to see if what they were hearing was true. That kind of listening takes humility. It takes a willingness to be taught, and a willingness to test what we’re taught against what God has already spoken.
What moves me is what happened next. Luke says that as a result, many believed. When we listen to the Word of God and when we read the Word of God for ourselves, belief grows. Isaiah teaches us that God’s Word does not return void. It works on us. It convicts us. The Word draws us into understanding by the leading of Holy Spirit. The Word of God and Spirit of God train us in partnership to discern what aligns with God’s heart.
And that kind of rooted faith produces courage when opposition shows up. The enemy stirred trouble in Berea just like he did in other cities, but the believers didn’t hesitate. These young Christians knew the battle was spiritual and acted with confidence in God. They protected Paul and sent him on to Athens. That’s noble character. That’s the fruit of Scripture taking root in a person’s life, changing what they value and how they respond under pressure.
So here’s the invitation for us today. Let’s be like the Bereans. Let’s listen to good teaching with expectation and hope, but then go home and investigate the Scriptures. We need both sides of this coin. If we only listen and never study, we won’t practice what we’ve heard. And if we just study by ourselves, we’ll miss the wisdom of those gifted by the Holy Spirit to teach and pastor us. Be open-minded, be of noble character, then listen and learn the Word of God.