Acts 17:13-15 – But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
“But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.” Geez, like mosquitos in a swamp it seems like there was no getting away from the persecuting Jews. These Jews from Thessalonica, hearing Paul was at Berea, went there to also tell lies about Paul to the Bereans. They used the same old tactics: Lie about Paul, rise up a crowd by telling them that Paul was dangerous to their own lives, and get Paul either killed or run out of town. Before the Thessalonian Jews arrived none of the non believing Berean Jews minded Paul. But the persecuting Jews had come upon the way to agitate a crowd and it works even today. Most people tend to live and let live (although that is decreasingly so). So what an agitator needs to do is tell the crowd something like “this person with whom one merely disagrees with will spread his ideas and cause problems for you. He will cause problems that affect your business, your income, your way of life.” Even we today are willing to live and let live, unless it affects us, and then “something must be done.” It is not whether or not we would actually be affected, we will not stop to consider, instead with a knee jerk reaction, we will rise up against the accused person. Too often, no facts needed. No chance to defend oneself given. No rights to the accused.
“The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea.” Fortunately the Bereans had believed, being hearers and studiers, they were well on their way to being grounded in the Word. So as the Believers with Paul and those new Berean converts insisted, Paul was sent to the coast for his safety, and for the safety of the new believers. Paul and Timothy stayed behind to further minister to the new church.
“Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.” The Believers who escorted Paul took him from Berea to Athens, down the coast. After arriving at Athens Paul sent word with those who had escorted him to have Silas and Timothy to rejoin with him.
Family, sometimes those who seem to think it their mission to oppose us do so at every opportunity, whether a matter has something to do with them or not. It can become irritating to us. What do we do? We pray and we believe God. We may, if possible, directly dispute their lies (or errors), often we pray to our God and trust Him to take care of it. We pray for the person who may be divisive. Sometimes God changes their heart. Often, God changes our hearts. Sometimes the Lord will just move them on and teach them their error. However, in some parts of the world the persecutors will still kill. It happens to Christians every day. As the Word says some consider us sheep for the slaughter (Romans 8:36, Psalm 44:22). Sometimes we move on, others have, in faith, not moved on and become willing (not desirous) martyrs. We must remember that whether there are those who irritate us, or want to kill us, what is most dear to us is not anything in this world, but it is that God be glorified. Even if we are killed we cannot be defeated because of the sacrifice of Jesus, our Savior and Lord. We know that “…to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21) The Lord always has his eyes on us and He knows how to keep us here and how to bring us home, and whichever He wills is first best for the Gospel, and also best for us. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”