1. Mary and the Bereans

2. Thessalonica – Acts 17  Paul went to the synagogue  Reasoned over 3 weeks – from the Scriptures  Christ needed to suffer – and raised from the dead  This Jesus whom is preached is the Christ  Many believed or were persuaded  Followed / united with Paul and Silas  Jews, Greeks and women  Run out of the city after being held in custody.

3. Berea – Acts 17  Paul went to the synagogue  Implied:  Reasoned from the Scriptures  Christ needed to suffer – and raised from the dead  This Jesus whom is preached is the Christ  Many believed or were persuaded  Jews, Greeks and women  Very similar general actions and responses between the two cities.

4. Berea – Acts 17 – Digging Deeper  More noble  Received the word  With all readiness of mind  Search Scriptures daily  To see if what Paul said was true  So why does the Bible in 2 short verses say so much more about those in Berea?  What makes them unique?  Are they “different” than other Jews around the area / world?

5. Making it Personal……  Would the Scriptures say that about you? Us?  More noble  Receive the word - w ith all readiness of mind  Search Scriptures daily to see if what is taught in class and in the pulpit is true

6. Making it Personal: Does it say what it says? Do any of these verses challenge you? Do they say what they say?  Matt 23 – Jesus preached very negative lessons and ones of woe and condemnation. (we should only preach positive, uplifting sermons)  Matt 5:29, 30 and 7:14, 23 (you mean “everyone” won’t be saved? There is a hell?)

7. Making it Personal: Does it say what it says? Do any of these verses challenge you? Do they say what they say?  1 Pet 2:9-11 (we have to be different than the world around us?)  1 Pet 4:3,4; Prov 23: 29-32 (you mean social drinking of alcohol is not okay?)

8. Making it Personal: Does it say what it says? Do any of these verses challenge you? Do they say what they say?  2 John 9 (you mean doctrine does matter and the lines of fellowship have to be drawn?)  Deut 4:2; Prov 30: 5-6; Ps 119:160; Rev 22:18-19; (Col 2) (God’s Word is not enough!!... You mean it is enough just because it says so in the beginning, middle and end of His Word?)

9. Making it Personal: Does it say what it says? Do any of these verses challenge you? Do they say what they say?  1 Pet 2:9 – How the Lord views the church (you mean the Lord’s opinion of the church is that high, and yet I degrade it when trash talk it, ignore it or minimize the importance of the Lord’s church?)

10. Mary (mother of Jesus) – Luke 2  2:19: “ kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  2:33: “marveled at those things which were spoken of him.”  2:51: “kept all these sayings in her heart.”

11. Making it Personal – The Challenge  Do we keep God’s Word in our heart even if it is a challenge to us?  Even if we maybe don’t understand it all?  Even if we initially want to refuse to accept it?  We need to be like Mary and the Bereans  be of “ready mind” and  “keep these things in our hearts”  Even when it is challenging to us or we don’t completely understand.