The Power of the Heart/Mind Combo!

In Berea - Acts 17

10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

Paul visits three major cities in Greece, and as usual he goes first to the existing synagogues to share the gospel and to explain how Jesus is the promised Messiah to the Jews.  Though the message was similar in each city, the contexts were very different in each.  In Thessalonica, Paul and Silas spent more time reasoning from the scripture. There were many who were persuaded to side with them, and yet there was also a good measure of hostility directed toward them.  In Athens there was a lot of idolatry and many different pagan philosophies circulating in the marketplace.  Athens was considered the intellectual capital of the world.  Paul was distressed when he saw the prevailing worldview and argued persuasively for the Christian worldview, which worshipped the Creator who could be known not a created thing like an idol.  

In Berea, the Berean Jews were noble in character and students of the scriptures.  Therefore they were open and receptive to Paul's message.  Let's look at some of the key indicators of their receptivity.  

1. They received the message with great "eagerness".  Another translation says they received the message with "readiness". They were hungry for the truth.  There was a "god-shaped" hole in their hearts, which they were looking to fill.  They were asking the "first order" questions of life. 

2. They examined the scriptures EVERY DAY to see if it were true.  Though they were eager it didn't mean they didn't prepare.  They used BOTH their head and their hearts.  They didn't take everything "hook, line and sinker", but had a "due north" which was their scriptures, the Old Testament.  One of the reasons I write the daily bread blog is to develop the discipline of being in God's word on a daily basis.  Though we may have read the bible several times, it doesn't matter.  We need to keep our minds focused on Christ and His word.  As we meditate on God's word, we will be like a tree planted by streams of water that yields it fruit in season. (Psalm 1)

The combination of being ready with both their hearts and minds, along with being receptive to Paul's preaching persuaded many of the Jews and Greek men and women to come to faith.  We can learn a lot from the Berean Christians.  The Bereans teach us not only to read the scriptures daily, but also to examine them.  Use your mind to come to a deeper understanding of the bible, and your heart to put it into practice.  You will become the type of Christian God can use mightily to reach others with the Good News about Jesus.