(Read Acts 17:10-12)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.” After Jason was arrested and released on bond, Paul and Silas thought it best to leave town. The Apostles left Thessalonica and headed for Berea. The Bible says, “The people of Berea were more open-minded than the people of Thessalonica. They were very willing to receive God’s message, and every day they carefully examined the Scriptures to see if what Paul said was true” (17:11). As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.
Acts 17:11 is a key verse of scripture for me. When I gave my life to Christ (in 1995) I memorized this verse and I reminded myself of it daily. I constantly recalled this verse for two reasons. First, since I knew I was called to preach/teach, this verse reminded me that I must stick to the Word of God and never teach anything that is not based-on or birthed-from the Word. Secondly, it reminded me that I have a Godly responsibility to double-check what my Pastors and teachers were telling me. Far too many believers have been led astray because they failed to check the teaching for themselves.
The Message Bible translation of verse 11 reads, “The Jews received Paul’s message with enthusiasm and met with him daily, examining the Scriptures to see if they supported what he said.” Paul’s teaching had to line up with the Word. The scriptures HAD TO support what he was saying. If not, the Bereans would NOT have accepted it as true. Guess what? The same standard still applies today.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. God gives His teachers/preachers the Grace to teach/preach. It is obvious that Paul had the Grace to teach and preach the Word of God. Through Paul thousands were led to Christ. This did not happen because Paul was so smart or because of the force of his personality. No, it is obvious that God was working through Paul. God is a Spirit and His Word is a Spiritual book. You cannot approach, interpret or properly teach God’s Word without being led of His Spirit. The teachers/preachers who make the greatest impact for the Kingdom of God are those ordained and anointed by God to teach/preach. Maybe you are not called to teach or preach, but you are still required to study God’s Word. As you do, remember, it is a Spiritual act. The author of the book lives inside you. Ask the Holy Spirit to unveil, unpack, and illuminate what He meant and what it means to you, as you read God’s holy scriptures.
2. The Spirit of God will never lead you contrary to the Word of God. When someone claims to teach the Word of God, under the direction of the Spirit of God, they must still be checked and one of the easiest ways to check the teaching is to check it against other scripture. Scripture is the best commentary for scripture. When someone makes a claim from one verse, it must line up with the entire body scripture. If someone claims they are being led of the Spirit when they teach something that is clearly against scripture, then they might be led of “a” spirit, but they are surely NOT being led of the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit will never say any contradictory to His Word!
3. The Grace to teach is not a license to stray from the Word. If you claim you are called by God to teach/preach and that you are being led of God’s Spirit as you do it, remember, the people listening to you have a mandate to check what you are saying against the Word of God. Just because you have a title, a clergy collar, a degree, or an ordination certificate, it does not mean that you have the right to say whatever you want to say. James said, “Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1).
4. You have the Grace to CHECK what you are being taught. At the end of the day, you have the responsibility to ensure that everything you accept into your heart is something that lines up with the Word of God and something that agrees with your Spirit. The believers in Berea checked the Apostle Paul to ensure everything he was saying was in alignment with the Word and we are required to do the same today. It is dangerous to accept what someone is saying without double-checking it from the Word. Far too many cults have been established over the years by leaders who were not being led of God, and by followers who blindly accepted everything a person had to say. That is why I teach the way I do. I make it a point to show you, from the Word, everything I am saying, and I then ask you to read it for yourself. If you think it came from me it will not have much impact in your life. But if you see it came from God, it can change your life forever! So check everything you hear. The more certain you are that the teaching is from God, the greater the impact it will have in your life.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for giving me Your Word. You documented Your teaching in the pages of the Bible and You made a way for Your Word to be translated into my language. I now have the privilege of reading your Word for myself. I thank God for my Pastors and the teachers You have ordained to teach me. But I don’t accept everything that have to say blindly. I double-check every teaching against Your Word. I make sure that what I am being taught lines up with Your Word and that it resonates with my Spirit. The more I check my leaders, and the more I see that their teaching is coming from You, the more I am able to be changed by what I am being taught. By checking my leaders I confirm the fact that they are merely the instruments, but You are the one doing the teaching; they are the mouthpiece, but You are the speaker; they provide the voice, but You provide the words. Thank You Father for giving me leaders who become the vessels through which You teach me, and thank You for helping me to see what I should receive and what I should reject. This way I am able to grow and not be led astray. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
