SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

TOPIC: SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES
TEXT: ACTS 17:10-12

Whenever you hear the Word of God you must set ourselves to learn it, that you may have it ready upon all occasions, and what you have learned must be put into practice, for that is the end of hearing and learning. The Bereans were very willing to hear the Word of God and did not shut their eyes against the light. They attended to the words spoken by Paul and were very pleased to hear them. They did not pick quarrels with the Word, nor find fault, nor seek occasion against the preachers; but bade it welcome, and put a candid construction upon everything that was said. Herein they were nobler than the Jews in Thessalonica, but walked in the same spirit, and in the same steps, with the Gentiles there, of whom it is said that they received the word with joy of the Holy Ghost, and turned to God from idols, 1 Thessalonians 1:6-9.

The readiness of mind of the Bereans to receive the word was not such as that they took things upon trust, swallowed them upon an implicit faith: no; but since Paul reasoned out of the scriptures, and referred them to the Old Testament for the proof of what he said, they had recourse to their Bibles, turned to the places to which he referred them, read the context, considered the scope and drift of them, compared them with other places of scripture, examined whether Paul's inferences from them were natural and genuine and his arguments upon them cogent, and determined accordingly. You must be like these people.

Observe, 1. The doctrine of Christ does not fear a scrutiny. You must check the message preached to you or read whether they are of God or not. You must study the Scripture yourself in order to be able to stand. 2. The New Testament is to be examined by the Old because in it lies all the prophecies and promises of the Old fully and exactly accomplished. 3. Those that read and receive the scriptures must search them (John 5:39), must study them, and take pains in considering them, both that they may find out the truth contained in them. 4. Searching the scriptures must be your daily work. The Bereans that heard the word in church on Sunday did not think this enough, but were searching it every day in the week, that they might improve what they had heard the Sunday before, and prepare for what they were to hear the Sunday after.

Is the Word of God your oracle and touchstone which you can consult at any given time? Those that rightly study the scriptures, and meditate therein day and night, have their minds filled with noble thoughts, fixed to noble principles, and formed for noble aims and designs. Searching the Word of God has a great multitude of benefits; don’t allow the devil to cheat you. You might have success via your efforts, but good success comes by study and meditating on the Word of God daily. Therefore, search every word of God you receive to show yourself approved.

Word Affirmation: “Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God." - Isaiah 62:3 (Don't just say it, mean it!)

“Search every word of God you receive to show yourself approved."

Central Truth