Noble. Honorable. Respectable. Fine qualities. High moral standard. Reasonable. Sensible. Are not all of these what we want to be? I believe so. We want to be well thought of. We want to be an upstanding person. A good example. Sincere. Honest. Humble. We want to be the best we can be. Which brings us to God. Because the only way we can be the best we can be is to live God’s way. God’s way works. We have to live by His moral standard. We have to be what He calls noble and respectable. This is where we need to follow the example of the Bereans in Acts 17:11-12.
“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. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.”
They were eager to hear the Word of God. Paul and Silas were there to preach and teach God’s Word. The Bereans were ready to go. They were ready to listen and learn. They wanted to. They weren’t forced to. They weren’t begged to. They weren’t bribed to. They were excited. Eager. Zealous. That’s how we need to be when it comes to studying God’s Word whether it’s in private, in a class, or in a worship service. Receive God’s Word with an enthusiastic desire. Not because you “have to.” Not because you’re made to. Not to just look good in front of others. Read God’s Word with your heart. Do you love God? Then love His Word.
They examined what was said every day. Paul and Silas were no doubt well known to them and others. They were preaching. Teaching. The Jews in Berea were very attentive to what was being said. But they knew they couldn’t just take their word for it. They couldn’t just believe something just because Paul said it. They took the things they were being taught and compared it with Scripture. If it matched up then they’d believe it. If not then they wouldn’t believe it. They searched the Scriptures daily. Do we search the Scriptures daily and check the things we are being taught and the things we believe? It is easy to believe something just because the preacher said it, or my parents, my friends, my teacher, my spouse. We can’t believe someone just because they say it. We have to take what is said and search God’s Word and make sure that whatever is said is in fact true.
Many of them believed. We have to be eager to study God’s Word and find out the truth. Truth only comes from God. If I am taught something I must check God’s Word. If I check God’s Word and find out that it truly says that then I have to believe it because it is God’s Word. I cannot believe someone just because they tell me something. But once I read it from God’s Word then I have to believe it. Whatever God says goes. He gives truth. We have to believe it. Do you believe in God? Then believe what He says in His Word no matter what it is.
Let’s be noble. Honorable. Sincere. Let’s get excited about God’s Word. Let’s find His truth. Let’s believe His truth. There are many today who want to do things their way. They want to believe what they think and feel. Don’t be one of those. Don’t be like that. Find out what is pleasing to God. Believe God’s truth. Obey God’s truth. Those who are noble listen to God, not themselves.
A Cord of Blue 