How To Be Noble Minded

·59 min·5 clips

Do you want the truth to be true, or do you want what you believe to be true?

The episode is a sermon from Pastor Dave Berry at Flagstaff Christian Fellowship, based on Acts 17:1-15. Berry begins by reading the passage, which describes Paul's missionary work in Thessalonica and Berea. He opens with a prayer addressing global and local concerns, including the war in Iran, the Hualapai people, Ashfork, Trinity Bible Church, and church members with health issues. The sermon's introduction poses reflective questions about truth, reasonableness, and openness to change. Berry outlines two points: how not to be noble-minded (Thessalonica, verses 1-9) and how to be noble-minded (Berea, verses 10-15). He explains that in Thessalonica, Paul reasoned from scriptures for three Sabbaths, proving from Old Testament prophecies that Jesus is the Christ, but many Jews rejected this due to jealousy, forming a mob and making false political accusations. In Berea, the Jews were more noble, receiving the word with eagerness and examining scriptures daily, leading many to believe. Berry contrasts the ignoble, close-minded Thessalonians with the noble, open-minded Bereans. He emphasizes that being noble-minded involves a heart posture of humble reasonableness, not intellectual laziness, and requires rigorous Bible study. Applications include personal faith examination, church doctrine discussions like the keys of the kingdom, and examples from his life, such as conversations with an Israeli friend and a former Mormon named Riley. The sermon concludes with a call to be reasonable like Christ, especially for men in leadership, and a closing prayer.

As heard by us

A sermon on Acts 17 linking jealousy, stubbornness, and Christlike reasonableness.

Acts 17 is treated here as a close look at what happens when Scripture confronts jealousy, stubbornness, and the real cost of obedience. The message follows Paul reasoning from Scripture that Jesus is the Christ, then sets the persuaded Jews, devout Greeks, and leading women…

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Why you'd press play

Press play when Acts 17's jealous mob feels uncomfortably close to home.

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