Author: Scott Chafee

Scott serves on staff at King’s Grant Baptist Church in Virginia Beach.

Aslan Returns December 10

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Aslan Returns

The Official Narnia Site – Movie Trailer

I read the book years ago and can’t wait for the movie to get here. Here is a brief synopsis of the book… destiny is before us and we are all going to be tested:

Lucy and Edmund are spending a dreary holiday with their cousin Eustace, who is a rather mean spirited little boy. They are unexpectedly drawn into Narnia when a painting of a ship on the wall of Lucy’s room comes to life, and the three children fall into the ocean to be rescued by the Dawn Treader.

Once safely on board, Lucy and Edmund are greeted by their friend Caspian (now King Caspian) who has undertaken a quest to find the seven lost Lords of Narnia, as he had previously promised to Aslan. Lucy and Edmund are delighted to be back in Narnia, but Eustace is less than enthusiastic.

They first make landfall at the Lone Islands, which is nominally Narnian territory, but has fallen into degeneracy–among other things, they participate in in the slave trade. Caspian, Lucy, Edmund, Eustace and Reepicheep are kidnapped by a slave trader to be sold. A man “buys” Caspian before they even make it to the slave market. He turns out to be the first lost lord, Lord Bern, and acknowledges Caspian as his King when Caspian reveals his identity. Before they leave the island, Caspian re-claims it for Narnia, overthrows the greedy governor, and replaces him with the Lord Bern, whom he creates Duke of the Lone Islands.

At the second island they visit, Eustace leaves the group to avoid doing any work. He hides in a dragon’s cave to escape a sudden downpour. The dragon’s treasure arouses his greed, and he fills his pockets with gold and jewels and puts on a large golden bracelet. He then falls asleep and wakes up as a dragon, with the bracelet badly hurting his arm; it fit his boy’s arm but is far too small for his dragon’s foreleg. As a dragon, he becomes aware of how bad his previous behavior was, and uses his strength to help make make up for it. Aslan visits Eustace during the night and turns him back into a boy, and as a result of the visit, Eustace becomes a much nicer person. When Eustace is finally able to take off the bracelet, Caspian recognizes that it belonged to another lord, Lord Octesian; presumably the dragon killed Octesian and added the bracelet to its collection.

They visit Burnt Island, Deathwater Island (so named for a pool of water which turns everything immersed in it into gold, including one of the missing lords), the Duffers’ Island and the Island Where Dreams Come True. This last island, where nightmares become real, is never seen, but is where they find a crazed Lord Rhoop. They come to the Island of the Star, where they find the three remaining lost lords in an enchanted sleep. The fallen star inhabiting the island informs them that the only way to awaken them is to sail to the edge of the world and leave one member of the crew.

The Dawn Treader continues sailing into an area where merpeople dwell and the water turns sweet rather than bitter and salty. At last the ship can go no further as the water has become too shallow. Caspian wishes to travel with Reepicheep to the end of the world, but his subjects are unwilling to let him go and remind him that he has promised the daughter of the fallen star that he would go back for her. Caspian declares that nobody will go on and descends to his cabin, here a painting of Aslan comes to life and tells Caspian that Edmund, Eustace, Lucy and Reepicheep are to go on to the end of the world, but Caspian must return to Narnia.

Lucy, Edmund, Eustace and Reepicheep venture in a small boat through an ocean of flowers until they reach a wall of water that extends into the sky. Reepicheep paddles up the waterfall, and is never again seen in Narnia. Edmund, Eustace, and Lucy walk in a strange land where they find a lamb. The lamb turns into Aslan who tells them that Edmund and Lucy will not return to Narnia and that they should learn to know him by another name in their own world. He then sends the children home.

Leadership and Wisdom

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After the Word of God was growing and prevailing Ephesus (Acts 19:20) Paul decided that he needed to go to Jerusalem and then to Rome (Acts 19:21). While in Ephesus, the Emperor Claudius was poisoned and the Empire fell into the hands of a 16-year-old boy named Nero (in AD 54). It’s almost like Paul needed to witness to the new Emperor; maybe he thought it would be a great opportunity to change the Empire.

Paul was used by God in a mighty way and the enemy would not give up without a fight, so Paul encountered more trouble before he left Ephesus (Acts 19:21, 23). We are also told that Paul was again alone, having sent Erastus and Timothy into Macedonia (Acts 19:22).

It was normally the Jews causing Paul grief, but we read of two Gentile groups rising up against him: in Philippi (Acts 16:16-19) and here in Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41). It seems the gospel was a threat to the local idol making industry (Acts 19:24-25). Paul was hurting their trade and needed to be stopped; reasoning that he was robbing Artemis of her majesty (Acts 19:27). She was believed to be the daughter of Zeus and her temple was in Ephesus (one of the seven ancient wonders of the world). The silversmiths had made little statues in her likeness so I believe that these businessmen cared little about her majesty and more about their profits. The gospel and Paul were bad for business.

There was a town hall gathering in the theater in Ephesus and a couple believers are dragged to the meeting (Acts 19:29). Paul wanted to go there and speak to the crowd but his friends persuaded him not to go (Acts 19:30). Sometimes Paul had more passion and courage than sense. What I like here is that the disciples were not afraid to disagree with the apostle; Paul did not surround himself with yes-men and they had the freedom to speak their minds. Paul let the wisdom of others take priority over his own desires. He was not only a preacher and teacher but Paul was a good discussion leader (Acts 19:9). It is my observation that leaders who are afraid of others disagreeing with them leave little room for discussion. I am encouraged by leaders who do not think they always have to be right.

Not only did the friends of Paul not want him to go tho the theater, the city officials begged him not to go (Acts 19:31). Then the Jews got a man named Alexander to stir up the crowd chanting “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians” for about two hours (Acts 19:34), which is an odd thing for the Jews to do… to encourage the practice of idolatry (Exodus 20:3-4).

A little history: the people believed that Artemis had fallen to earth in the form of a meteor, like a multibreasted woman, who was proclaimed as the patron deity of childbirth. After a little research, I discovered she was the goddess of the hunt, wild animals, wilderness, childbirth, virginity and young girls, bringing and relieving disease in women; often depicted as a huntress carrying a bow and arrows. I am still amazed at what people will believe; sort of like believing that we all evolved from primordial muck by chance over time. It takes more faith to believe this universe just happened by accident than to believe in a divine creation. The universe is way to complex for there not to be an Intelligent Designer behind it all. Paul brought the message that the Messiah came down from the Father who offers everlasting life to those who believe; a much more believable story than a goddess falling as a rock from space.

Application: How many men today have another man beside them to guide them along life’s journey? Men who will speak truth to them, to help them avoid danger and temptation? How many of us are as passionate as Paul, compelled with a mission that must be accomplished? How many of us who are in leadership are humble enough to listen to others? Are we ever strong enough to admit, and even confess, that we were wrong? To our employees, our wives, our children? Do you surround yourself with yes-men or those who will challenge you and speak the truth to you in love?

Manifesting God’s Glory

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Paul’s next stop in Ephesus (Acts 19:1) seemed to display an extra measure of God’s power. It appears that on this third missionary journey God used special demonstrations of power to authenticate His messages and ministers (Acts 19:11).

The first story is theologically interesting since it appears Paul encounters some disciples that believed yet had not receive the Holy Spirit when they first believed (Acts 19:2, 6). The brief interpretation is that this new faith movement needed authenticity and consistency; basically evidence that the movement of Christ was united in both Jerusalem and Ephesus. But these disciples were not already Christians (since all Christians receive the Holy Spirit at the time of conversion, 1 Corinthians 12:13).

These believers were followers (disciples) of John (Acts 19:3), which means they were Old Testament seekers but did not fully understand the Christian faith. Their answer to Paul’s question about receiving the Holy Spirit revealed they were not yet fully Christians. They had not yet received Christian baptism (having been baptized only “into John’s baptism”) which was further evidenced that they were not Christians.

Acts 19:8-10 summarizes the events in Ephesus, the results being that in over two years all the people who lived in the province of Asia heard the gospel (Acts 19:10, 17).

Let’s look at some of the miraculous stuff that happened:

  1. God worked with such power that pieces of cloth, like a handkerchief that had touch Paul brought healing and deliverance from demons (Acts 19:12).
  2. There is the funny story of the seven sons of a Jewish priest named Sceva (Acts 19:13, 14) who was an exorcist. The demon says that he knows Jesus and knows Paul, but who are you (Acts 19:15). What a slap in the face. The last we see of these sons is flying through the door one by one naked and bleeding (Acts 19:16). Too funny.
  3. People were getting right with God, many believers publicly burning their tools of sorcery (Acts 19:18, 19).

It is almost as if God was showing off! God demonstrated His power in several ways:

God made the Holy Spirit obvious: knowledge of the Old Testament did not help because the Holy Spirit did not take up residence in believers until Pentecost (Acts 2:4). Before that the Spirit did not mark salvation but He did empower people for certain tasks.

God made obvious the blessings of true discipleship: Paul began to disciple people daily (Acts 19:9), and the fruit produced was that the whole region heard the gospel (Acts 19:10). A few well trained soldiers in God’s service is more effective than hundreds of people who have never been discipled.

God made His ambassador obvious: He used the ordinary to do extraordinary things. Attention was brought to Paul because he could be trusted to bring attention to Christ.

God made His power over the occult obvious: with all the magical incantations, witches, wizards and sorcery in Ephesus, God broke through and they began to understand the idea of spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18).

God made true repentance obvious: God convicted the city of their error (John 16:8) and the people responded in a practical way (Acts 19:18, 19), producing fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:8).

Application: How do you see God moving through your life? Is there anything that needs to be exposed and eliminated, confessed and repented of? Are you being discipled, daily through your Bible reading and quiet time, or with another man on a regular basis? What prevents you from finding another man to ask if he would like to read and study the Bible each week? The greatest power that God has demonstrated today is the power of the Holy Spirit to change lives. People cannot change on their own, how often do men fall back into the same old rut? Christ walks with us, and put other men in our pathway to help strengthen us along the journey.

Paul and His Vow

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I love that game Trivial Pursuit; you know the one that has players bursting forth with tidbits of random and otherwise useless information. The writer of Acts, Dr. Luke, throws in one item of what seems to be useless trivia, that when Paul left Corinth, he had his hair cut off because of a vow (Acts 18:18). I wonder why Luke thought that bit of information needed to be included in the narrative? Know for sure that the point is not that Paul needed a haircut, but the reason for the haircut.

Paul was deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and coming to Christ did not make him forget that heritage. Luke was referring to the Nazirite Vow (Numbers 6:1-8). Note the purpose as revealed best in the NIV: “If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of dedication to the LORD as a Nazirite” (Numbers 6:2).

  1. Using the word wants: it was voluntary
  2. Using the word special: not only was it voluntary but it was for men and women.
  3. Using the word separation: it was a vow of consecration to the Lord, to be distinguished from all others.

If you know the writings to the Corinthians, this church was in the midst of terrible depravity in a sexually explicit society. The most extreme pagan practice involved the cult of Aphrodite, full of lust and sexual immorality as a part of their worship.

The haircut is not the beginning of the vow but the end of it (Number 6:5). Practically speaking, Paul entered this wicked city with the intention of setting himself apart, to remain pure in the midst of impurity, committing himself to the only One who could ensure victory (2 Corinthians 2:14).

The vow involved abstinence (Number 6:3) from wine and strong drink. I abstain from alcohol not for biblical reasons but for social reasons. I see what alcohol does to our society and choose not to support that industry (drunk driving, road deaths, broken families, ruined marriages, abused children). I know alcohol is not forbidden in the Bible, but for me it is a distraction. It is a voluntary decision I have made. I do not believe that I personally can consume alcohol and be a truly devoted follower of Christ. I’m sure that Satan would use it as a trap for me, so I have made a vow of separation.

A visible sign of someone taking this vow of separation was uncut hair (Acts 18:18). If someone forgot about the vow they made, they could easily look into a mirror and be reminded of their commitment. Once Paul no longer needed this sign of extreme devotion to God, he cut his hair leaving Corinth. I am impressed with Paul’s example.

Paul had insecurities, weaknesses and temptations like all of us, but he dealt with them with wisdom. Jesus told us to be “shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Had Paul not taken precautions, he could have gotten into serious trouble.

He took another precaution, he purposely did not take any money from the Corinthians; he got a job. A Macedonian church sent him money so he could preach freely without being a burden to the Corinthians (Acts 18:5, 2 Corinthians 8:1-2, 3-4). He also found a couple new friends, Aquila and Priscilla, who were also tent makers (Acts 18:3).

Application: Men, it is time to consider taking the vow… it’s not about letting your hair grow, but separating yourself from the world and consecrating yourself to the Lord. How do you keep yourself pure in a society that elevates sensuality, drunkenness, impurity and promiscuity? Do you go out into the world unprotected or worse, with a belief that you would never fall to any of these more grievous vices? Hear the words of 1 Corinthians 10:12, “let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” In short, that is what we call accountability. We can stand better together.

How to Fulfill Your Calling

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I am participating in the Dave Ramsey EntreLeadership event at Regent University this Friday (November 5), so I was already thinking about leadership. I was recently reminded about Isaiah 1:19, which has always been one of my favorite leadership Scriptures. The NIV says it this way, “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.”

Add the next verse in Peterson’s paraphrase and we get this, “If you’ll willingly obey, you’ll feast like kings. But if you’re willful and stubborn, you’ll die like dogs. That’s right. God says so” (The Message) – Isaiah 1:19-20.

The word eat means satisfied, fulfilled, content, and to enjoy. I suppose that is something all of us want out of life. Sometimes I read on Facebook where a friend might say, “I love my life,” but can I honestly say that? Or do I allow disappointments, stress or unrealistic expectations to distract me from the pure pleasure of ministry; serving God and others?

This verse promises we can live fulfilled, enjoyable lives. But there’s a catch! First, we must be willing and obedient; willing to do things God’s way and be obedient to His leadership. As a leader (or parent, spouse, boss, deacon, employee, worship leader, children’s teacher, or whatever) we must be willing to do things that others are not doing. It sort of comes with the territory. Leaders do what is necessary to get the job done, not looking for credit or passing blame.We see a need and we do whatever it takes to meet that need.

The question then becomes, “When others criticize, or disappoint, or abandon you, are you still willing to let God shape you through His refining process?” In other words, are you willing to be stretched? Are you willing to do things that you know are beyond your abilities. Wait a minute! If we do things beyond our abilities, it seems that we are allowing God to work through us; using our weaknesses for His glory and His kingdom. It’s hard to boast about ourselves when there is no doubt that God accomplished the task (through us).

Consider 1 Peter 5:10 “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace … will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

Being stretched by God means you will:

  1. Be uncomfortable: allow God to push you beyond your comfort zone, forced to grow, change, and be vulnerable to others.
  2. Give up your rights: to be offended, to not forgive, to be right, to judge, to not care or walk away when things get tough.
  3. Discipline your flesh: change your habits, introduce new disciplines, deal with stress in a healthy manner.
  4. Only do now that which you can live with tomorrow: always keep the big picture in mind, even when you want to react to the moment.
  5. Turn your back on the ordinary: accept the fact that God has extraordinary things for you, and be willing to take steps of faith in that direction.

To fulfill our calling as leaders, we don’t have the luxury of staying the same lovable person we are today! Remember that while this stretching ultimately glorifies God in our lives; our fulfillment and enjoyment comes as we are better able to impact others for the Kingdom.

How to Avoid Burnout

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I’ve been studying the life of Paul over the past couple of months and wanted to pass on this information, perhaps you can relate:

Life is so busy these days, family, work, church, and we try to schedule a little time for leisure activities. As in any church, there is a large group of people who do a tremendous amount of volunteering. While many serve with joy, we can easily move toward burnout and lose that joy, forgetting the purpose we serve in the first place. I have discovered from Paul that the best time to deal with burnout is before you burnout. Take a look at Second Corinthians chapter four where Paul tells us how to go the distance.

Remember God’s mercy and don’t lose heart (2 Corinthians 4:1): God has given us our particular ministries. We don’t have to prove our worth through our ministry, and we don’t have to wallow in our mistakes. It is God who calls and gives us strength.

Be truthful and honest in all you do (2 Corinthians 4:2): Maintain our integrity because integrity produces power in life. Guilt zaps your energy. You need to finish with your character intact. Your integrity includes how you handle the Word of God. Don’t distort it or make it confusing. Don’t serve others out of guilt.

Be motivated to work for Jesus’ sake, not out of selfish desires (2 Corinthians 4:5): We need the right motivation to serve others. We have to start as servants and end as servants, not celebrities, like people can see all that we do for God. We need to learn to live our lives for an audience of one, and that one is Jesus Christ, our only motivation.

Realize that Christians are only human (2 Corinthians 4:7): We must accept our limitations. The quickest way to burn out is to try to be Superman. Humility is being honest about your weaknesses, and recognizing that we don’t need to do everything in order to be faithful. Pace yourself for the important things, not just the urgent things.

Develop a true love for others (2 Corinthians 4:15): Churches and believers thrive, grow, and survive when love is present. We must love the people we serve or we won’t last in the ministry God has for us. Love even covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).

Allow time for inward rejuvenation (2 Corinthians 4:16): Serving others can be hard and take a lot out of us, so it is important to allow the inner person to be renewed. Take time for reflection, solitude, reading and prayer.

Stay focused on the important things (2 Corinthians 4:17-18): Let’s keep our eyes on the goal, not the difficulties we might encounter. I’ve heard it said that only God who sees the invisible can achieve the impossible. To be a winner in this marathon of faithful service, we need trust God and press on even when things don’t make sense.

With Fear and Trembling

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Paul leaves Athens and makes his way to Corinth, about 50 miles away (Acts 18:1). He describes his arrival in 1 Corinthians 2, without eloquence or superior wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:1), resolved to know nothing except Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2) and that he came to them in fear and trembling (1 Corinthians 2:3). Interestingly enough, Acts 18:9-10, reveal a vision given to Paul for him not to fear. While Paul had been in danger in many places, there is no biblical evidence that he ever before was warned in a vision not to be afraid.

It is likely that what happened in Athens affected him more than we expect:

  1. Few converts.
  2. Overwhelmed by pagan and polytheistic beliefs.
  3. They wanted to argue philosophy when Paul wanted to discuss the truth.
  4. These few converts failed to produce any fruit, no church was established.
  5. He spent his time in Athens alone.

While Timothy and Silas may have come as he asked, perhaps they were quickly sent elsewhere (1 Thessalonians 3:1-2). Perhaps Paul just moved on in frustration. It is likely that Paul was focusing on the negative and lost sight of the positive. Have you ever done that?

Have you ever noticed how solitude can affect your state of mind? Perspective changes, we see that everything is bad and cannot see the silver lining. Insecurity can lead to immobilization; sadness turns into depression; intimidation turns into terror.

First Corinthians 2:1 indicates that Paul left Athens feeling intimidated. The child prodigy and former Pharisee must have felt humiliated by their harsh words, calling him a babbler (Acts 17:18). He resolved to know nothing except Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2), not relying on his persuasive abilities or theological speeches.

God taught Paul a lesson that day, that without the Spirit, no one can accept or understand the things of God, because to him they are foolishness to him (1 Corinthians 1:23, 2:14). As we speak up for Christ, we cannot believe that we are foolish just because we were not persuasive enough. Paul was weak (1 Corinthians 2:3) which might be interpreted that he was so scared that he became ill. The man had lost his confidence. Perhaps he wondered if the fruit in other cities was the result of God blessing Silas or Barnabas rather than him.

The enemy would love to see God’s servants in self doubt, but Paul writes about a great demonstration of the Spirit’s power (1 Corinthians 2:4), which means proof. The abundant fruit produced through his preaching was proof of the Spirit’s power. God often proves Himself when we have the least to offer (1 Corinthians 1:26, 27).

Application: Perhaps God has opened a door for you and you lack confidence. Insecurity can hold people back from the ministry that God has planned for them. There are many wonderful promises in the Bible when we are weak: the Lord is our confidence (Proverbs 3:26), your strength will equal your days (Deuteronomy 33:25), My grace is sufficient for you, My power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Stand strong in the fact that God is the One at work in you, and the ministry He has for us will be accomplish through Him and not our own abilities, creativity, goals, action plans or strength. God has called us to be faithful and not necessarily successful, according to the world’s standards.

To an Unknown God

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Paul had a fruitful ministry in Berea until the troublemakers from Thessalonica came, and the people urged Paul to move on (Acts 17:14, 15). The next city after the noble Bereans, was Athens (Acts 17:16) where we have to ask how some people who knew so much could really know so little. Some of Paul’s companions left him for a time while he waited in Athens (Acts 17:15, 16). It is here that Paul notices all of the idols around town.

I did not fully understand this passage until I traveled to Kathmandu Nepal. While there I discovered a cross section of Hinduism and Buddhism that manifested the city with countless shrines, statues and idols. I would walk down the streets and find shrine after shrine along the sidewalks, with candles and items of devotion in front of these little altars erected to one of the 330 million gods of Hinduism. I even discovered what they called the Kumari, who lives in a palace in the center of the city. This young girl is considered to be a living goddess, the bodily incarnation of the goddess Taleju until she menstruates, after which it is believed that the goddess vacates her body (she was also called the vestal virgin). The whole experience caused me to wonder why so many people around the world consider the resurrection to be just a silly story.

So Paul sees these altars all over town and concludes the Athenians to be religious people (Acts 17:22). I can hear him saying to them, “Let me tell you about this God you don’t know, and I’ll tell you His name.” Of all of Paul’s visits, this city is different from others he has visited so far.

The city itself was different: much smaller and less sophisticated, perhaps 100 years past her glory days. They had a reputation of being the center of higher learning with universities, philosophers and freethinkers.

Paul’s team was different: he entered the city by himself, without Timothy and Silas. They did not catch up to him in Athens (Acts 17:15, 16), which left him without the emotional, physical and spiritual support he had in other cities. No one would have known if he was too intimidated to preach, or blamed him for not engaging people with the gospel (Acts 17:17).

Paul’s speech was different: this may be one of the best sermons Paul preached, building a relevant bridge to the people and using a creative object lesson.

The response to the gospel was different: only a few people became believers (Acts 17:34). Paul does not mention a church being planted, and he never mentions any other contact with them. I suppose the lesson for us is that sometimes the best sermon will not penetrate an unwilling heart.

Paul’s leaving was different: he was not persecuted or even run out of town, he simply left (Acts 17:33, 18:1). Why no persecution? Perhaps they were too cold to care. They were so open minded that anything goes could have been the town’s motto. Live and let live, if it works for you, do it. Come to think of it, would you rather have someone hate you or be apathetic towards you? I submit that apathy is worse because if someone hates you, at least they have some sort of emotion towards you. Beth Moore says that persecution is not nearly the enemy that indifference is. The Athenians did not care if Paul left of not. Everyone was entitled to his own god.

Application: We live in a tolerant society. We also have a message that no one comes to the Father except through Christ. He is the way the truth and the life (John 14:6). He who has the Son has life while he who does not have the Son does not have life (John 3:36, 1 John 5:11-12). Don’t allow your tolerance for other faiths compromise the unique claims of the gospel story. We must discover how to build a bridge to lost people around us; but remember that the results are not up to us, they are up to God. We are called to be faithful, not necessarily successful. If one method does not work, keep trying until you can find something that makes the gospel click with them. Sometimes it is only a matter of readiness to receive the message. Most of all, never allow yourself to become indifferent to Christ. Maintain your passion for the One who saved your soul and brought peace to your life, work, marriage and family. Keep Him at the center.

The Berean Example

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Luke and Paul’s missionary team seem to part ways for a while since he again uses the third person when writing about the events in Philippi (Acts 16:22), Thessalonica (Acts 17:1) and Beara (Acts 17:10). Remember that Luke occasionally changes his style from that of a third person observer to a first person participant. In Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-16; 21:1-18; and Acts 27:1–28:16, the author speaks of “we” and “us” in relationship to Paul’s travels. The language implies the author himself traveled with Paul. These “we” sections include the time when Paul was imprisoned at Rome.

Before we get to Acts 17, Paul and Silas travel 100 miles from Philippi to Thessalonica. I sort of wonder what made one city more of a priority than some other city. The first criteria I’d say is it was the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Another criteria was Paul wanted to preach the gospel where it was not already known (Romans 15:20). While in Thessalonica, there was a mob seeking Paul and Silas to do them harm (Acts 17:5, 6) because they had upset the entire world. The believers got Paul out of there and sent him by night to Berea (Acts 17:10).

I read that Mount Olympus could be seen from the foothills of Berea, just 20 miles from the sea. Like Virginia, they had a landscape that went form the mountains to the beach; but the people we more noble than others in the region, which is an excellent standard set for us today (Acts 17:11).

They were willing to receive the message (Acts 17:11): meaning they accepted the offer deliberately and readily, to come and hear what Paul had to say. Many people today do not ever get to the place where they will come and hear or receive the message of Christ. It is truly sad because we have so many opportunities to hear but people choose to ignore Christ’s invitation.

They were ready to receive what Paul had to say (Acts 17:11): with eagerness, meaning a predisposition for learning (according to Strong’s). Let’s make sure we are ready and eager to learn about Christ.

They examined Paul’s message with the light of the Scriptures (Acts 17:11): they did not take his word for it, they did their own research. The word used here means to “ask, question, discern, examine, judge, search” (Strong’s). It is very important that we learn to study the Bible for ourselves. We are a people so used to being spoon-fed the Word of God that we just might starve if it were not for the preacher.

As you research or study the Bible, make sure about the nutritional value of the stuff you read. With the internet full of so much great information, there are plenty of sites that will lead people into inaccurate interpretations of the Bible. Do not accept anyone’s teachings without backing it up with Scripture. Then allow the Bible to make commentary on itself.

These Bereans had the right practices but also the right heart. They did not search the Scripture to find error in Paul’s theology, but to see if what he said measured up to the Bible. They did not want to argue or fact-check the truth of the teacher, but to check what he says to the standard of truth.

The Jews in Thessalonica soon discovered Paul was in Berea and were mean enough to travel fifty miles to stir up the people (Acts 17:13). It seems to me that not much has changed in all these years; some people just love causing God’s leaders grief and stirring up people to set their hearts and minds against them. The word used here is “to rock, topple, shake, stir up” (Strong’s).

Application: How often to do search the Scriptures to make sure that what is being taught is true? Are you in a position to receive God’s Word? Are you familiar enough with the Bible to allow it to bring comfort and healing when the world begins to rock, topple or shake your world? I pray that we all will become as noble as the Bereans, who set such a great example for future generations.

God's Armor for Us

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Paul makes it clear that we are engaged in a spiritual battle and all believers find themselves subject to Satan’s attacks because they are no longer on Satan’s side. So, Paul tells us to use every piece of God’s armor to resist Satan’s attacks and to stand true to God in the midst of those attacks (Ephesians 6:10-18).

  1. Belt (Truth) Satan fights with lies, and sometimes his lies sound like truth; but only believers have God’s truth, which can defeat Satan’s lies (Ephesians 6:14).
  2. Breastplate (Righteousness) Satan often attacks our hearts – the seat of our emotions, self-worth, and trust. God’s righteousness is the breastplate that protects our hearts and ensures his approval. He approves of us because he loves us and sent his Son to die for us (Ephesians 6:14).
  3. Footgear (Readiness to spread the good news) Satan wants us to think that telling others the Good News is a worthless and hopeless task; the size of the task is too big and the negative responses are too much to handle. But the footgear God gives us is the motivation to continue to proclaim the true peace that is available in God; news everyone needs to hear (Ephesians 6:15).
  4. Shield (Faith) What we see are Satan’s attacks in the form of insults, setbacks, and temptations. But the shield of faith protects us from Satan’s flaming arrows. With God’s perspective, we can see beyond our circumstances and know that ultimate victory is ours (Ephesians 6:16).
  5. Helmet (Salvation) Satan wants to make us doubt God, Jesus, and our salvation. The helmet protects our minds from doubting God’s saving work for us (Ephesians 6:17).
  6. Sword (The Spirit, the Word of God) The sword is the only weapon of offense in this list of armor. There are times when we need to take the offensive against Satan. When we are tempted, we need to trust in the truth of God’s Word (Ephesians 6:17).

And don’t forget to pray (Ephesians 6:18).