Luke the beloved physician shared when Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke himself shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with the people in Thessalonica, “some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come here also. Whom Jason has received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go”, and in chapter seventeen and verse ten of the book of Acts Luke shared how, “the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea” where we read:
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea:
who coming there went into the synagogue of the Jews.
The verse begins, “And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea:” Luke began with the words, “and the brethren” which means “and the fellow believers who were united to each other by the bond of affection” “immediately sent away” or “straightway and forthwith dismissed and dispatched” “Paul and Silas” which refers to “Paul, whose name means small or little, and Silas whose name means woody and a Roman citizen and the companion of the apostle Paul on several of his missionary journeys” “by night” or “in the dark and nighttime” “unto Berea” whose name means “well watered” and was “a city in Macedonia, near Pella, at the foot of Mount Bermius”. Luke shared how the “fellow believers in Thessalonica” caused “Paul and Silas” to be dispatched at nighttime to travel to the city of “Berea”.
The verse goes on to say, “who coming there went into the synagogue of the Jews.” Luke continues with the words, “who coming there” or “who, when Paul and Silas”, entered the city of Berea” “went into the synagogue” which means “came inside the sacred place of worship where an assembly of Jews formally gathered together to offer prayers and listen to the reading and expositions of the scriptures” “of the Jews” or “belonging to the people of the Jewish nation by origin, birth or religion”. Luke shared how “Paul and Silas” entered the “synagogue” in “Berea” where they knew Jewish people would be gathered to worship God.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the fellow believers in “Thessalonica” sent “Paul and Silas” away, and they traveled to the city of “Berea”. When they arrived, they, as their usual practice was, entered the “synagogue” that was located there. Regardless of the suffering “Paul and Silas” endured, they were determined to share the “gospel” of Jesus Christ. God's Holy Spirit was leading them step by step and city by city so people could hear about Jesus dying for their sins and being resurrected from the dead. This gave access to everyone who believes and trusts in Him to be “saved” from the penalty of sins, which is death, and to receive everlasting life with God. Those who yield to Jesus will receive God's gifts, and anyone who submits to Him will become “witnesses” of the glorious gospel of Jesus even like “Paul and Silas”.
Next time Luke shares how the Jews in Berea, “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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