Eager Beaver Bereans

August 24

(Acts 17:11 NIV) “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness…”

(Matthew 13:23 NIV) “But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

(Romans 15:4 NIV) “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

Luke describes the Bereans as being of “noble character”. What does that look like? Scripture says the Bereans “received the message with great eagerness.” They eagerly received the gospel that Jesus died for their sin and rose again. They also likely shared that message with enthusiasm. They became gossips for the gospel. Can you imagine a church where all of the gossip pertained to the good news of Jesus, rather than the perceived failings of others? The church’s reputation could change almost overnight. We could become like the Bereans and be thought of as “noble in character”. But it all starts with us receiving the message with eagerness. Believe the good news. Receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If you’re tired of the character you’ve become, and would like to become a person of noble character, this is where you start. It’s where the Bereans started. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Like A Broken Record

August 23

(Acts 17:10 NIV) “As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.”

(2 Corinthians 11:23-28 NIV) “Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. {24} Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. {25} Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, {26} I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. {27} I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. {28} Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.”

Paul’s life played out like a broken record. For those too young to remember, when an old phonograph record got a deep scratch or a crack in it, it would often skip, playing the same phrase over and over again. Today’s verses repeat the now familiar story of Paul being run out of town. Over and over again, this was his earthly reward for preaching the truth. The true gospel is offensive. It changes people, and many don’t want to see that happen. More than once, Paul got beaten up and close to killed. Again and again, he had to flee for his life. This is because Paul was a persistent prophet. The first thing Paul and Silas did when they reached Berea was to go to the synagogue. They didn’t go there for a handout -- they went there to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Thank God for persistent prophets whose lives play out like broken records. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day  

Blessed Are The Troublemakers

August 22

(Acts 17:6 NIV) “But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here…”

(Acts 24:5-6 NIV) "We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect {6} and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him."

(Hebrews 10:32-35 NIV) "Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. {33} Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. {34} You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. {35} So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded."

The mob that rioted in Thessalonica resembled the mobs of today, blaming someone else for their bad behavior. They pointed to Paul and Silas, and accused them of making trouble all over the world. That’s quite a claim! Would anyone say that about you? Is your faith so active and far-reaching that you would be accused of making trouble all over the world? Would it surprise you to know that God will bless the right kind of troublemaker? Paul and Silas did nothing wrong. They simply preached the truth and challenged the status quo religion. They shared the love of God, delivered people from demons, and spoke of Christ’s death and resurrection wherever they went. Because of this, they were accused of causing trouble all over the world. If that’s the kind of trouble you cause in this world, Jesus would likely say, “Blessed are the troublemakers.” -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Guilt By Association

August 21

(Acts 17:6-9 NIV) ““But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, {7} and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus." {8} When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. {9} Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.””

(Luke 21:12-19 NIV) “But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. {13} This will result in your being witnesses to them. {14} But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. {15} For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. {16} You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. {17} All men will hate you because of me. {18} But not a hair of your head will perish. {19} By standing firm you will gain life.”

After Jason invited Paul and Silas to come to his house, he discovered that just being around committed Christians can cost you. A hostile mob invaded his home and when they didn’t find Paul or Silas, they dragged Jason and some “other brothers” to the authorities. Jason got in trouble for just hanging around with committed Christians. Today, some people will wrinkle up their noses when they find out that you go to church. You don’t even have to talk about Jesus, all you have to do is associate with people of faith, and you become a target for ridicule. Why is that? It’s because Satan knows that he cannot allow even one ray of light to invade his darkness. He fears the name of Jesus, and does not want people to even get near it. So he tries to keep people away from committed Christians. Our goal is to be committed enough that the devil must try to keep people away from us! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day