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