Two Groups
The book of Acts records these two incidents in the life of the apostle Paul.
“When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,’” he said.
Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.
But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.
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, and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”
When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.
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.
Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.
The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea.
The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. Acts 17:1-15.
Here is an illustration of how two types of people receive the message of Jesus Christ even today.
In Thessolonica as was his custom when in any city the apostle Paul went on the Sabbath to the synagogue and presented the message of Christ. As a result both Jew and God fearing Greeks believed what he had to say including some prominent people.
However there were those who it seems, vehemently opposed what Paul said. Thus they resorted to violence. Which in turn caused Paul and his companion Silas to leave the city.
Paul and his companion Silas then went to Berea where the book of Acts notes,
“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.
Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.”Acts 17:11,12.
The Bereans not only welcomed Paul and Silas, but they received the message of the Gospel of Christ Jesus with eagerness and they “examined the Scriptures every day to see what Paul said was true”
The Bereans set an example for all who would hear the message of Jesus Christ.
While Christianity is a religion of faith. It does not require blind faith. True believers in Christ be they evangelist, pastors, teachers, or simply people sitting in the pew do not expect those they present Christ to, to have blind faith.
They challenge the one who hears the message of Jesus to read the scriptures for themselves to see for themselves if it is true or not. Then make an informed decision whether or not to follow Jesus.
By contrast there were those in Thessalonians that believed that the message of Jesus Christ was wrong and resorted to violence to prevent Christ message from being spread. And not content to stop them in their own city they went to Berea. The book of Acts recording,
“When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.” Acts 17:13.
Such things are still happening today. There is a wide spectrum of people in the world that are opposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
At one extreme are radical religious, terrorist, and even political groups that persecute and even murder believers in Christ for their beliefs.
At the other end of that same spectrum are those who for the most part, speak peacefully but strongly against believers in Jesus Christ Atheist groups and others who mock and decry believers in Christ in the media. They say they know what is right, and try in a peaceful but forceful way to prevent the salvation message of Jesus Christ from spreading. Even at times resorting to the court system to get their way.
Ultimately however it is up to the individual to decide for themselves the truth about Jesus Christ and the Salvation He offers. In order to do that the individual needs to read particularly the New Testament for themselves. To look at what the early believers in Christ believed and what true believers in Christ today believe. Then make an informed decision for themselves.
Please think about it.
The book of Acts records these two incidents in the life of the apostle Paul.
“When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,’” he said.
Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.
But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.
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, and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”
When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.
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.
Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.
The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea.
The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. Acts 17:1-15.
Here is an illustration of how two types of people receive the message of Jesus Christ even today.
In Thessolonica as was his custom when in any city the apostle Paul went on the Sabbath to the synagogue and presented the message of Christ. As a result both Jew and God fearing Greeks believed what he had to say including some prominent people.
However there were those who it seems, vehemently opposed what Paul said. Thus they resorted to violence. Which in turn caused Paul and his companion Silas to leave the city.
Paul and his companion Silas then went to Berea where the book of Acts notes,
“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.
Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.”Acts 17:11,12.
The Bereans not only welcomed Paul and Silas, but they received the message of the Gospel of Christ Jesus with eagerness and they “examined the Scriptures every day to see what Paul said was true”
The Bereans set an example for all who would hear the message of Jesus Christ.
While Christianity is a religion of faith. It does not require blind faith. True believers in Christ be they evangelist, pastors, teachers, or simply people sitting in the pew do not expect those they present Christ to, to have blind faith.
They challenge the one who hears the message of Jesus to read the scriptures for themselves to see for themselves if it is true or not. Then make an informed decision whether or not to follow Jesus.
By contrast there were those in Thessalonians that believed that the message of Jesus Christ was wrong and resorted to violence to prevent Christ message from being spread. And not content to stop them in their own city they went to Berea. The book of Acts recording,
“When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.” Acts 17:13.
Such things are still happening today. There is a wide spectrum of people in the world that are opposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
At one extreme are radical religious, terrorist, and even political groups that persecute and even murder believers in Christ for their beliefs.
At the other end of that same spectrum are those who for the most part, speak peacefully but strongly against believers in Jesus Christ Atheist groups and others who mock and decry believers in Christ in the media. They say they know what is right, and try in a peaceful but forceful way to prevent the salvation message of Jesus Christ from spreading. Even at times resorting to the court system to get their way.
Ultimately however it is up to the individual to decide for themselves the truth about Jesus Christ and the Salvation He offers. In order to do that the individual needs to read particularly the New Testament for themselves. To look at what the early believers in Christ believed and what true believers in Christ today believe. Then make an informed decision for themselves.
Please think about it.
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