Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
I like what Luke has to write about the Berean people. They would be precious gifts in any church. They eagerly accept the Gospel and seek the scriptures diligently to find the prophecies from the past that were being accomplished in their own time. They must have been a great crowd of people to preach to and teach. I think that if any Christian church was to have an ambition, it should be to be biblically-centered in a Berean way.
Thankfully, I have been allowed to serve three churches in my lifetime that were full of people who thirsted for the Gospel and the Word of God. They have sought to seek God’s guidance over their lives and to increase their knowledge of the Bible. It is a rare and wonderful gift in these secular times, and I am truly grateful to God for allowing me the privilege of sharing the Gospel with such faithful followers of Christ.
Yesterday, I wrestled with God in prayer for one of my friends who had a severe heart attack. As I was praying in the hospital chapel, I looked for some words from the Bible to help my friend and to help me know that God had heard my prayers. My eyes fell upon two verses from the 41st psalm: “The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.” (Psalm 41:2-3)
I could not have chosen two better verses. Today my friend is resting comfortably and the crisis appears to be over. He has long way to go before he fully recovers, but I thank God for His Words. He showed me that there are often times when we are powerless, but there is never a time when we are prayer-less.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the promises of the Gospel and the blessings of scripture. Thank You for Your power in the world and for the prayers that are spoken to You every second of the day. Help us to become like Bereans of old, to receive the Gospel gladly and to read the scriptures faithfully. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.
Today’s image is John’s latest Appalachian drawing. It depicts a stream in the Smokies during the Fall. It’s called “Fall in Leaves.” You can view a larger version at the following link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4877571660_cc7d070bb8_b.jpg
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