Are YOU Berean?

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.

The Bereans are one of my favorite peoples that Paul ministered to while on his journeys! Not just because they received his message but more than that, they investigated for themselves what the Scriptures said. In other words, they went to the source, the best and last word-Scripture!

One of my pet peeves is that people quote or otherwise express opinions without first checking the source for themselves. Many go and "eagerly receive" a message from the pulpit and then implement it without first studying for themselves what the Word really says. After all, the pastor IS a man of God isn't he?

In this age of information overload this really puzzles me. Today, we have access to so much more than did the Bereans and yet we hear something-whether from a leader or a commentator or some YouTube video and take it as truth without SEARCHING for ourselves!

About the Bereans

BEREA [beh REE ah] — a city of Macedonia about 73 kilometers (45 miles) west of Thessalonica (modern Salonika). On his first missionary journey, the apostle Paul preached at Berea (Acts 17:10) with much success. The Bereans were "more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica," because they "searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11).

The Berean Jews were "more fair minded" (or of more NOBLE CHARACTER) because they valued truth and so daily tested Paul's teaching against their standard of truth, the O.T. The Thessalonian Jews had been more concerned with the number of Greeks who showed respect for Judaism than with truth.

What this says to me is that they took personal responsibility to find out the truth for themselves instead of taking the word of another. Like the Bereans, it is my opinion that we should search out the truth, whether in Scripture study, in the news, on television and yes, even on the internet! Especially on the internet.

Going even further, just as when studying our Bible, consider motives, customs, and culture!

Before you vote…

Getting more to my point…we're in the last days of an election season. Needless to say its pretty ferocious out there as politicians scramble to get your vote. It is said (and yeah, I've checked sources) that this year more money has been spent than ever before to win the privilege of representing you in Washington D.C.

The airwaves (and the internet) are full of all kinds of negativity and ugliness as far as I can see. My hope is that, regardless of how you may vote-GET OUT AND VOTE! Going further, I pray you will not just take the words of a well crafted ad, or a popular commentator or even a news story and especially NOT a video found on YouTube. I pray instead that you will be Berean-MORE FAIR MINDED and listen to all sides (even those you disagree with J ) before going to the polls next Tuesday. Making a truly sincere and informed decision is your choice.Don't be swayed by those that tickle your ears-check it out for yourself!

BE BEREAN