February 17, 2023
Acts 20:1-4 (NIV) When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.
It’s quite interesting when we pay attention to the Scripture written above. There were
people who faithfully followed Paul even in very life-threatening conditions. It is written
the name Sopater, son of Pyrrhus from Berea. Of course, his name is not as well-known
as Silas and Timothy, which are written a lot in Paul’s journeys. But there is a
VALUABLE LESSON from the BEREA CHURCH where Sopater came from, that we
must pay attention to! Read the article below carefully:
Acts 17:10-12 (NIV) As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
The following are the facts and characteristics of the congregation in the city of Berea:
- According to the historians, the city of Berea is a city located in South Macedonia, the city is quite developed and prosperous.
- In that city there were quite a number of Jews who migrated there.
- The Jews there have a very different quality of heart from those in other cities:
a. They thirst and hunger for the Word,
b. They wanted to be molded, taught, and willing to change.
c. They were not passive, but active and diligent in exploring the Word that Paul
delivered until the Holy Spirit himself spoke to them,
d. They were very open for non-Jews to experience the reality of the Gospel of
the Kingdom (actively transmitted divine life and attracted people to walk in
God’s way),
e. They did not falter even though there were people who tried to give Paul a
heretical stigma.
f. They left the individualistic life and boldly followed and supported God’s
agenda that was in Paul.
I find that the congregation in the city of Berea was not as ‘famous’ as the churches in
Corinth, Rome, Ephesus, etc., where Paul sent his letter explaining numerous things
about the principles of truth. Even the Bible records only one time that Paul came to the
city, and the rest were Silas and Timothy who lived there for some time (Acts 17:14).
They were not famous but willing to lose their lives to give life to many people along with Paul. They rarely saw Paul, but they were one with Paul as their father.
Paul did write the book of Hebrews for the Jews abroad, but not for the congregation of
Berea, because this congregation was not slow to listen! In contrast to the Jews in other cities who still live in inner conflict and did not grow properly (Hebrews 5:11-14).
I realize that we really need to ask for the same quality of heart as the congregation of
Berea! I call it the BEST SUPER SOIL OF HEART QUALITY. Once God’s Word is
delivered, then the seed of the Kingdom immediately grows rapidly, strongly, and be
fruitful.
I hope that we who live in the end times will also bring out the best super soil of heart
quality, like the congregation of Berea.
Ps. Steven Agustinus
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