David Bahn – Reflections

Acts 17:10-12

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.

P.T. Barnum is reported to have said, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” According to Wikipedia, however, it was probably said by David Hannum, criticizing Barnum and his customers. Some would lay that also at the feet of those who believe the story of Christmas, and Easter, as well as those of Jesus’ miracles and many of his teachings. Atheists.org mocks Christians and Christmas celebrations, putting it in the same category as Santa and the Easter Bunny. Those who reject the truth of God’s word and deny God’s existence or their accountability to him consider those of us to believe in God to be misguided at best if not foolish or deceptive.

But the greater cause of foolishness is advanced by those who will not examine the word carefully to see what God actually has revealed and what his claims on us actually are. Many will dismiss God because to believe in him would cause a major shift in their priorities and lifestyle. Others will ignore God because it causes them to feel weak and dependent. But a careful examination of the word of God would lead us farther than a mere outward change of lifestyle or priorities. It takes us deeper than an awareness of our dependence on God for daily bread.

A deep reading of God’s word will reveal that his plan for the world was laid into motion from the before the dawn of time. His word reveals that his intent is for us to experience his goodness and love to the praise of his grace. His delight is to reveal his love in his Son, his power in Jesus’ resurrection, and his grace in the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of people.

The most foolish and misguided thing we can do is to dismiss the claims of God’s people. Second to that is to follow blindly those who have led us previously without examining what they say against the word of God in the Old and New Testaments. What a joy to discover the true message of God as we look to the word and take on the more noble way of humble faith and truth revealed in the Bible.

What is God saying to you today in his word? Will you embrace that truth and follow his call?

Acts 17:10-21

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds.14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there.15 Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.

16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.