Transcript Are You Doing All That You Can To Understand? Acts 17:11-12

Are You Doing All You Can To
Understand?
Acts 17:11-12
They were Real Bible Students
• The Bible is Gods inspired Word
– 2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
• Speaking about religious matters are not opinion
– 1Pe 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any
man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God
in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise
and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
• The word of God is the Gospel and only the Gospel saves men
– Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the
power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek.
They were Reasonable Bible Students
• The word “noble” means fair minded
• These people were more willing to listen and contemplate what was
said
• One of the Jews great sin was that they refused to hear the truth
– Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye
continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
– Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you
free.
– Joh 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never
in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
• God expects us all to be reasonable in our understanding of His word
– We must be objective
– We must be open minded
They were Receptive Bible Students
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These people were willing to receive God’s Word
– Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness,
and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your
souls.
Those at Pentecost
– Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the
same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
The Samaritans
– Act 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning
the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized,
both men and women.
Our hearts must not be like the stony ground
– Mar 4:16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground;
who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
– Mar 4:17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time:
afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake,
immediately they are offended.
They were Ready Bible Students
• They were willing to receive the Word of God
– 1Sa 3:10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times,
Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant
heareth.
– Ezr 7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD,
and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
– Act 10:33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well
done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before
God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
• Receive the Word of God
Running from the Word of God
– Jonah
– Pro 13:15 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of
transgressors is hard.
They were Resolute Bible Students
• These people were firm, determined, diligent, and committed to
knowing and understanding the truth.
• The Prophets searched the scriptures
– 1Pe 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and
searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto
you:
– 1Pe 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ
which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the
sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
• The Parable of the Kingdom
– Mat 13:45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man,
seeking goodly pearls:
– Mat 13:46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and
sold all that he had, and bought it.
• The Preaching of Jesus
– Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal
life: and they are they which testify of me.
They were Regular Bible Students
• These people read and studied the Bible daily
– Jos 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but
thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to
do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy
way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
– Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
– Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
– Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in
thine heart:
– Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and
shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou
walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
• Are you reading or studying your Bible daily?
They were Rational Bible Students
• God expects us to be rational when it comes to believing His Word
– 1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
– 1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether
they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the
world.
• God is going to hold us accountable for what we have believe at the day
of judgment
– Heb 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the
things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
– Heb 2:2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every
transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
– Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which
at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us
by them that heard him;
They were Responsive Bible Students
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They “believed” the message of Paul
You cannot say neutral when you hear the Word of God
“Believe” means that they believed and obeyed
Belief alone is not enough to save man from his sins
– Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by
faith only.
– Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without
works is dead also.
– 1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth
through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love
one another with a pure heart fervently:
– 1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of
incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
What type Bible student are you?
• Will you respond?
• Will you rebel?
• Will you be like the Bereans who searched the scriptures and responded to
the message
• Will you be like those in Thessanica who were argumentative unresponsive
and lost
• Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God.
Are You Doing All You Can To
Understand?
Acts 17:11-12