Open minded

1) Luke tells us about a place called Berea in the 17^th chapter of Acts.

a) Paul and Silas had previously to the city of Thessalonica and preached (17:1).

b) Paul taught in a Jewish synagogue for “three Sabbath’s” (3 weeks), Acts 17:2.

c) In Acts 17:2b the Bible says this apostle “opened the Scriptures” to the people.

2) What Paul taught is found in verse 3 – he spoke about Old Testament prophecies.

3) He used the Old Testament to describe how Jesus would suffer and finally be resurrected.

a) Some who heard the preaching were convinced (verse 4), but others were not so interested.

b) Jewish leaders (verse 5) became jealous and incited a riot.

c) Things became so tense Paul and Silas left town; they went to the city of Berea (verse 10).

d) When these men came to this community they again went into the local synagogue to preach.

4) Verse 11 is where we want to start reading – READ.

a) In the ASV and KJV we have the word “noble.”

b) In the NKJV the text says “fair-minded.”

5) This word means “well-disposed to receive truth” or a willingness to be “right-minded.”

6) In Thessalonica, the people had not been too interested in God’s word; they chased the preachers out of town.

7) In Berea, we see an attitude in verse 11 that really consists of three things:

a) First, the people had receptive hearts (noble-minded, ready to receive the truth—they were open minded).

b) They also “received the word” (they gladly accepted the message).

c) Then they “searched the Scriptures each day to see if the information being preached was true).

d) Our society has a lot of ideas about what an “open mind” is.

8) If we want God’s definition of an open mind, verse 11 in Acts 17 presents us with a three-fold description:

9) A mind ready to receive truth, a mind that gladly accepts truth, and a mind that verifies that truth.

10) We sometimes talk about what it means to be a Christian.

11) We may list various qualities that are to describe God’s people.

12) We may also talk about being salt, light, leaven, and a sheep.

13) In Acts 17 we see the Christian way of life from another vantage point.

a) Christians are to be willing to “receive information” (be people who are ready to listen and hear).

b) The world will pay attention to good listeners.

c) What if I asked each one of us to take a pen and paper and number to 30 on the paper.

d) Could you list 30 people you know who are good listeners?

e) I doubt that any of us here could do that.

f) Could we list 10 good listeners? 5? Could we even list 1?

g) Most people in life are not good listeners.

14) How many times have we tried to say something to someone and they didn’t want to hear it?

a) How many times have we thought about someone, “he or she has a closed mind”?

b) “He or she is not willing to listen.”

c) This happens in the work place as well as in homes, and the consequences are often serious.

15) Our society is filled with people who have gotten a divorce or are thinking about it.

16) We may know of people who say, “my marriage is on the rocks.”

17) One of the biggest complaints among married people is communication.

a) One spouse will not really listen to the other.

b) In the early years, a man and woman want to hear what the other has to say.

c) As the years begin to pass in a marriage, that eagerness to hear may turn to a feeling of duty (obligation).

d) Additional time passes and what has become a duty now begins to become a burden.

e) Finally the burden becomes so heavy people see it is a burden they can no longer take.

18) If we are not willing to listen to others, there will be problems.

19) There will be problems between parents and children if there is little listening.

20) Being a good listener should typify the people of God in every aspect of the Christian life.

a) Parents need to listen to their children and children to their parents, Eph. 6:1-4.

b) If we listen to what others have to say, we will stand out among the crowd.

c) People want to be listened to.

d) I do not know how many times I have visited some type of medical facility to see a patient.

21) There have been a lot of hospital and nursing home visits.

22) One of the most common complaints is this: no one will listen to me.

a) The charge about bad listening may be related to the medical staff.

b) It may be from the dietary people.

c) It may involve the housekeep staff.

d) A refusal to listen is very, very agitating.

23) God commended the people in Berea for having an open mind (being willing to listen).

24) One of the ways we can demonstrate that we are a Christian is a readiness to listen to someone.

25) When a person is hurting or troubled, we can listen.

26) We may not have all the answers. We may not have any of the answers.

27) They may tell us about something we have never heard of before. We can listen.

28) If we want to better our relationship with our friends, spouse, children and work place associates, we need to listen.

29) This is also true in the spiritual realm; if we want to please God, we need to listen to His word.

30) I like these 8 suggestions for good listening: face the speaker. Maintain good eye contact. Minimize external distractions. Acknowledge what people are saying by verbal or non-verbal signs (nod or say something). Think about what the person is saying and not be trying to guess what they will say next. Concentrate (minimize your own internal distractions). Keep an open mind (let the person finish). If a complaint is being made about you, let the person finish.

LISTENING IS GOOD AND IMPORTANT BUT IT IS JUST ONE OF THREE THINGS IN ACTS 17:11.

a) The Bible also says these people “received the word” (listened) will all “readiness of mind.”

b) We can do certain things in life and be enthusiastic about them.

c) Or, we can approach them with an attitude that shows apathy, a sour state of mind, and gloom.

d) There are certain things in like that people do not like to do and it can show in their attitude.

e) On our list may be waiting in a long line (the bank, grocery store, or department of motor vehicles).

f) People do these things, but they demonstrate plenty of frustration.

2) It is possible to listen but not do so gladly (eagerly).

a) Imagine talking to someone and the person is listening.

b) As the person listens you notice something that seems a bit odd.

c) Every 2-3 minutes the person yawns.

d) You do not think much of it at the time; perhaps he didn’t get enough sleep last night.

e) The next day comes and you talk to him and the yawning continues.

f) It is not long before you notice a pattern – he always listens but yawns when talking to you.

g) At some point we would probably ask this question: Am I boring you?

3) We could substitute other behavior for poor listening.

4) It might be looking away, tapping the foot, or scratching the ear.

5) In Acts 17:11 people listened to the Bible and they showed an interest in hearing the Word of God.

6) The people from Berea were not the only ones who acted in this manner.

a) Acts 15:12 says there was a group of people and they got silent so they could “listen.”

b) There was a crippled man (Acts 14:8), and he was “listening” to the preaching.

c) We get the impression from Acts 14 that he was intent on hearing what was said.

d) Mk. 12:37 tells of people in a crowd who “listened with delight” (“gladly,” ASV).

7) Some will not listen to God’s word. Others will listen but do it grudgingly.

8) There is a third option that is a Biblical option: listen with a ready heart and mind.

9) If we listen to people in the world with a ready ear, we will be a light for Christ.

10) We will stand out amongst all others.

11) Our listening skills also extend to the times we come together as a congregation.

12) Whether we are gathered together as the church, we assemble to hear.

13) Our attitude should be one of gratitude that we have another opportunity to grow in our knowledge of the Bible.

14) This is a lesson that even some of the apostles had to listen.

15) At the transfiguration Peter spoke; God said to him, “listen.”

16) The people in acts 17 were good listeners and such is our duty too.

17) IF WE ARE WILLING TO LISTEN AND LISTEN CAREFULLY, WE WILL LEARN TO BE PEOPLE WHO ARE DISCERNING.

a) This is the third point in Acts 17.

b) These people did not automatically accept what they heard.

c) They listened, listened carefully, and then examined the information they received for accuracy.

d) Americans often fail in all three of these areas.

e) This third area is especially a problem.

18) Loads of people in this country fall for scams.

a) If you use e-mail, how many times have you gotten the “Bill Gates” hoax e-mail.

b) If you forward the e-mail to a certain number of people, a check will be sent to your mailbox.

c) People believe that and hope for the money.

d) Most of us have seen an offer from a fellow in Nigeria wanting us to help with a money transfer.

19) In the religious world there are scams and hoaxes.

a) There are books besides the Bible that people claim are inspired of God.

b) One such book is Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.

c) Mark Twain said this book reads just as well backward as forward.

d) The same may be said about the book of Mormon and the Koran.

e) All three of these books falsely claim to be of God.

f) People are willing to read them, and read them with an open mind.

g) The problem comes when there is not a willingness to test the information to see if it is true.

20) Listen, listen well, and then check the information out to see if it is right.

21) This is a 3-step process from a single verse and it will help us again and again in our lives.

22) It will help us as we deal with people, and it will also help us in the spiritual realm.

a) It is even the process we must follow to become a Christian.

b) We cannot be a Christian without hearing the message (faith comes by hearing, and hearing by God’s word).

c) We receive the word with joy as Jesus once said and then examine it to be sure it is true.

d) When we know the Bible is truly the word of God, we obey it.

e) Have we done all these things?