I don’t know if you’ve noticed by now, but there is an endless library of how we could live out our best lives possible if we really wanted to. And I say COULD because it depends on if we actually WOULD. All it takes is our WOULD. All of us COULD. The WOULD (or WILL) is the difference between those of us that will and those of us that won’t. All we’d need do is make some changes, adjust some sails, sand down some edges, surrender some outcomes and become the best version of ourselves. There are self help gurus all over the world making gazillions of dollars repackaging bits and pieces of God’s word (often unknowingly) into programs and Instagram punchlines. Bless em.
What’s this all about? Well this past Sunday in yet another chapter of Acts that is “probably just another story of Paul” we breezed on by one town mentioned one time in the Bible so surely it has little importance. Surely it isn’t worth our time or it would be packaged easier, with graphics and easy to read headlines that take 2-3 seconds to draw us into a payoff so we’ll actually spend time on it because it strokes our WWIFM “What’s In It For Me” (or mine) mentality. But see the Bible wasn’t written for or in the days of those that want life handed to them. As a matter of fact Jesus was pretty clear about losing one’s life to gain a life worth living. He literally says to “lose your life for His sake”. That’s a very opposite idea then and today.
This little town was in Northern Greece and this moment takes place around 50 AD. You can find this seemingly uninteresting 150 word moment in this “journal entry” of Paul’s 2nd missionary trip in Acts 17. Basically Paul stopped in, he taught, they listened, they checked what he said against the Bible and then he left. It’s really just 47 words that deliver a very powerful message for us all, today.
The Berean Spirit (look it up) points towards not 47 words in Acts 17 so much as who they were and how they lived life. A spirit or culture or way about them. The words that stick out would be “of noble character” & “eager”. A man comes into town speaking a message that will literally turn your entire life (and family, and religion, and habits and friend group and and and… UPSIDE DOWN and you are remembered as NOBLE and EAGER. You were “journaled” about as receptive and kind, upstanding even though you were smart enough to know this was going to change everything. We live in a world where any time someone’s “truth” (as if we own truth… that’s another topic) is challenged it is common culture to be defensive and protect your truth even though the truth could save your life, lifestyle and legacy. What a group of people! I want the humility it would take to remain receptive in all circumstance – a Berean Spirit.
The second thing you’ll notice is that they didn’t just become infatuated with a persuasive personality (Paul) or possibility (grace, freedom, no more religion or law). It says they “examined the scriptures” and not just that but “examined the scriptures DAILY” to make sure that what Paul was telling them wasn’t just emotionally soothing or attractive, but that it was TRUTH. They opened up the Bible, sacrificed time away from their jobs or families or hobbies and checked the words of the Old Testament to make sure these ideas and possibilities swirling in their heads that no doubt seemed way too good to be true were in fact, truth. What an amazing picture of some of the forefathers of the belief system we take or leave on a daily basis today. Too harsh? Yikes. Sorry not sorry 🙂
Lastly – they believed. We talked about that word BELIEVE in this context from Acts 16 when the jailer “believed”. And how that word in this context isn’t just a light hearted “I believe in God and yeah sure that Jesus rose from the dead. Can I get into heaven now” belief. But a definition of “to entrust (especially one’s spiritual well-being) to Christ.” Their reception, their eagerness to listen, their comprehension and attention led to their fact checking against the only true fact checker (The Word) and this all led them to BELIEVE, like actually believe. And here we are today talking about them – learning from them – and seeing our faith be strengthened and challenged through their story and example – two things that more than often go together like chicken and waffles.
Pray for an eagerness for the story of Jesus. That this eagerness would drive you to listen and learn and spend time with Him. And that this eagerness would ALWAYS be tempered by the wisdom to check the Bible for yourselves. NO MATTER who you are listening to, how much you like them or how easy they are to listen to. A great teacher or speaker who’s more concerned about your life here on earth and after will welcome your research and conversation which will either bring about an error or an understanding in one direction or the other and that can be had through grace which is called community which Jesus fully intends us to be in. Stewards of His grace.
“God please help us to be humble, realizing we don’t have all of the answers neither are we even able to or need to. Help us to be grateful for all the things we feel entitled to and that our hearts and spirits would turn from arrogance of self to reliance in You. That even our breath is seen as a gift from you. That we’d seek you eagerly as our object of worship turning away from all of our other objects of worship finding our whole life and value and identity in You. Please give us a hunger to seek you beyond the surface; that we’d exhaust ourselves discovering you daily. Please help us surrender ourselves to you completely and to understand that you love us just the same either way.”
Amen
This story just keeps unravelling more and more every day. I’m thankful for it and inspired to tell the world because the more and more I look around – they need it.
Jared