14/05/2019
NOBILITY IN SCRIPTURES Part 1 Tuesday 14th May 2019
Badega Ndoli Alex
“And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming [thither] went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:10-11 KJV
Our theme scripture tells us how Apostle Paul left Thessalonica for Berea and how he found the Bereans. The bible says that the Bereans were MORE NOBLE in comparison to those in Thessalonica. The term “Noble” is the Greek word “eugenesteros” of which the comparative degree is “eugenes”, "more noble (or nobler)," referring to the state of being "more noble-minded" and the name Berea means “well-watered” in Greek.
Putting these definitions together we can understand what kind of people the Bereans were. First they were Norble-minded. Second, they were well-watered like the garden of the Lord (Isaiah 51:3 AMP). Their minds were well prepared for the word of God like a garden is well-prepared for seeds. This is why they received the Word of God with “all” readiness of mind and searched scriptures “daily” to see whether what Apostle Paul presented to them was true.
We have a very big problem in the church today where most Christians follow with their emotions and sentiments rather than their minds. This is why there is immaturity and disorder causing a lot of fanaticism and division. We extremely love “motivation speeches” (which unfortunately most times is what we refer to as POWERFUL PREACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD) more than truth rightly divided. This is because we love and enjoy results without knowledge of the process. We go for finished goods without knowledge of the ingredients. There is no Noble-Mindedness in the way we treat God’s word. No eagerness and readiness of mind in receiving the truth.
A noble-minded Christian will always be eager and ready to receive the truth of the word, not only with his emotions but with his mind also. They don’t leave their brains behind when they go for church services. They are ready even to go an extra mile in searching scriptures to find out whether what the preacher said was in line with the truth of God’s word. They don’t just swallow everything they hear because the presenter holds or claims to hold a certain position in the church. They love and respect ministers of the word but they treat God’s word nobly. Following with your brain is what nobility in scriptures means!
If the word of God is presented to a noble-minded Christian and he realizes that it lacks “right division”, because the presenter failed to “study and present himself to God as a workman who doesn’t have to be ashamed” (2 Tim 2:15 KJV), he will still love the preacher but won’t believe his words. Your brain or mind is a very essential asset as far as the gospel is concerned! Get ready your mind when listening to a sermon and be prepare to search scriptures for more light.
“Follow with your mind not just your emotions”! Badega Ndoli Alex