14 - Paul in Berea and Athens -The Itineraries Of Paul
Paul in Berea and Athens When we left Paul, he was just going out of Thessalonica and on his way to Berea. He left Thessalonica because it got a little hot there and he had to go out by night. There may be times in the 20th century when something like this applies. These things are written because they’re examples to our walk. These examples in their walks are examples that we utilize in our walks. That doesn’t mean when you want to decide whether or not to go out of town, you flip to Acts 17. It takes revelation. But that is a possibility. Paul had to leave at night. There were other times he just stayed there and stood no matter how hot it got. There were other times he just walked out real cool-like and other times he had to go out at night. It depended on the revelation in that situation. He had to have that spiritual perception and awareness. Later, we’re going to see something almost totally opposite from this because the situation was different. God’s not a respecter of persons. He’s a respecter of conditions. When the conditions change the revelation can change. When the conditions in a community are different, the revelation can be different. In Thessalonica he had to go out at night. Acts 17:10: And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. “into the synagogue of the Jews” – not again. Yes, right back into the synagogue because that was what he was accustom to doing because that was where he could begin to open up the Word. You and I wouldn’t have, perhaps, so much success there. Paul did. You go where you know the Word will reach and bless people. Berea is sort of south of Thessalonica. Not directly south, that’s the sea. It’s down the coast a little way. Berea was his next stop in Macedonia. Acts 17:11: 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
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on the intellectual and the philosophy and that’s it. It’s a real deflation of the ego to give up what you’ve worked out and accept God’s grace. 153 Paul in Berea and Athens Acts 17:16: Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. The word “spirit” according to the Receiving The Holy Spirit Today book is either 4a which is the issue from man’s mind, or 5; the gift in manifestation. Either Paul’s mind was stirred because of what he saw which I’m sure it was because he saw philosophy all over the place. He saw idols all over the place; not much Word and not many believers. Or it could also have been the gift in manifestation where God was telling him, “Let’s clean up a little bit of this place or give them a chance to hear the Word anyway.” “the city wholly given to idolatry” – he whole city was given to idolatry; w