Those Noble Bereans

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed. - Acts 17:10-15

    Unlike so many at Thessalonica, when the people at Berea heard Paul preach the gospel they profited from the Word. The Bereans did not go to church half asleep, or with their minds wandering in a thousand directions. When they went to the house of worship, they went seeking a word from God for their souls. They listened attentively, turned to the passages cited, compared scripture with scripture and received what was taught from the Word of God with readiness of mind. The Bereans were determined to know the truth of God. As Paul preached they took down notes to fix his doctrine in their minds. When they went home, they searched the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit holds these Bereans before us as examples to follow. If you would receive spiritual good for your soul by the preaching of the gospel, you would be wise to hear the Word attentively, as the Bereans did.

    1. Paul and Silas were sent by God to Berea with a message to declare (17: 10)

    By one means or another God always brings the messenger of mercy and the object of mercy together at the appointed time. Paul was sent to Philippi by a supernatural vision in the night because the time had come for the Lord to open Lydia's heart. The apostle was beaten and imprisoned at Philippi because the time had come for the jailer and his household to be saved. The officials at Philippi pleaded with Paul and Silas to leave their town because the time had come when God would save some elect Thessalonians. Paul was driven from Thessalonica to Berea by persecution because there were many at Berea to whom God was determined to be gracious. The eye of faith sees the overruling hand of divine providence using the wicked deeds of men to move God's servant to the place where God wanted him (Ps. 76:10). 'The devil was outshot in his own bow,' Matthew Henry wrote. 'He thought by persecuting the apostles to stop the progress of the gospel, but it was so overruled as to be made to further it.'

    Paul and Silas came to Berea as messengers commissioned by God. Knowing that God had sent him to preach the gospel at Berea, as soon as he arrived in the town Paul found the local synagogue and began preaching! He was God's ambassador and he knew it (Matt. 10:40; 2 Cor. 5:18-20). As such, he had a message from God and boldly delivered it (2 Cor. 5:21; 1Cor. 2:2). God's ambassadors all faithfully deliver the message God has given them, the message of free and gracious salvation through the obedience and death of the sinner's substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will not alter or trim his message for any reason. God sent Paul and Silas to Berea at the appointed time of mercy for the calling of chosen sinners. As we shall see in verse 11, grace had gone before them and had prepared the way for grace, for there were some chosen sinners at Berea seeking the Lord. These three things are certain: wherever there is a sinner seeking the Saviour, there is the Saviour seeking a sinner; wherever there is a sinner seeking light, there will be a gospel preacher bringing light; and wherever there is a sinner seeking grace, grace has begun its work. No sinner will ever seek the Lord until grace causes him or her to do so (Rom. 3:11).

    2. The Bereans received the Word of God with all readiness of mind (17:11)

    There is nothing more delightful to a preacher than the privilege of preaching the gospel of Christ to people who are ready and anxious to hear it (Acts 10:33). Like Cornelius and his household, the Bereans had been prepared by God to receive his Word. Luke was inspired by the Holy Spirit to tell us three things about them.

    First, the Bereans were more noble than the Jews of Thessalonica. This was not a reference to their social status! Luke's reference is to their attitude towards the Word of God and the preaching of the gospel. The Bereans reverenced the Old Testament Scriptures as the Word of God and as the only source of divine truth (Isa. 8:20). Their minds were not hardened against the Word by their religious customs, doctrinal traditions, or philosophical opinions. They were open to anything taught in the Scriptures. Our minds must always be open to 'Thus saith the Lord,' and completely closed to all else. When the Bereans came to church, they came with the hope of hearing from God. They reverenced the worship of God and the ministry of the Word as God's ordained means of doing their souls eternal good (Eccles. 5:1-2; 1 Cor. 1:21; Eph. 4:11-14; James 1:17-19).

    Secondly, the Bereans received the Word of God with all readiness of mind. 'This more noble disposition of mind and conduct was owing to the grace of God bestowed upon them,' commented John Gill. Blessed is the soul God causes to hunger, for he will be filled. Blessed are those God causes to thirst, for they will be satisfied. Blessed is the sinner God causes to seek, for he will find. Notice, 'They received the Word!' They did not ignore the Word. They did not find fault with the preacher. They did not argue with the Word. 'They received the Word!'

    Thirdly, they searched the Scriptures. As Paul reasoned with them out of the Scriptures the Bereans followed along, taking notes. When they got home, they searched the Scriptures daily, to see if Paul's doctrine was according to the Word of God. All who care for their souls should do the same (John 5:39; 1John 4:1). The gospel of Christ will bear scrutiny and examination. God's servants want their hearers to examine what they preach and teach by the Scriptures.

    4. 'Therefore many of them believed' (17:12)

    The word 'therefore' is important. It refers back to verse 11. As a direct result of the diligent use of the means at their disposal, God gave the Bereans faith and salvation in Christ. It is written, 'Seek and ye shall find!' God promises to be found by all who seek him (Jer. 29: 13; Lam. 3:25). No one ever yet sought the Lord in vain! Many of the Jews believed. Many of the Gentile women believed. And they, as faithful witnesses, persuaded their husbands to believe (1Cor. 7:16). Grace prepared the way, grace brought the word and grace gave faith.

    4. The offence of the cross has not ceased, or even diminished (17:13-15)

    Though many believed (those who were chosen, redeemed and called by the grace of God), many were offended. Persecution again broke out, forcing Paul to leave Berea too. We learn four things from this brief history of the gospel at Berea.

    1. To those who are called, to God's elect, the gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:15-16; 1Cor.1:21-23). There is no need for compromise. The message we preach is God's means of grace to his people. To compromise the message is to destroy the means.

    2. To the unbeliever the gospel of Christ is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence (1 Peter 2:7-8). It is not possible to make divine truth palatable to natural men. The only way God's ambassador can deal with his enemies is to confront them and demand surrender on God's terms.

    3. Any preacher, or any church, who faithfully preaches the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ will suffer for it (Matt. 10:16-34). The world will never embrace those who faithfully declare the truth of God.

    4. However, our God, the God we trust and serve, is still on his throne. Nothing should deter us from serving our God. He will arrange even the persecutions of our most implacable foes to do us good, to further his cause and to increase his kingdom (Rom. 8:28).