Carefully examining the religious information we hear
1. A young boy was not doing too well in school.
2. His father spoke with him about his grades and the talk made a big impression.
3. The next day the young man went to class and raised his hand.
4. The teacher called upon him and asked what he wanted to say.
5. The child said, “I don’t want to scare you, but I thought you should know something.
6. Last night Dad said if I don’t get better grades soon, someone is going to be in big trouble.
WARNINGS ARE A BASIC PART OF LIFE AND WE LEARN
ABOUT THEM VERY EARLY.
a) Almost everywhere we look there are warnings.
b) Jesus was Bible teacher who believed in warnings.
c) Much of His teaching consists of caution and carefulness.
d) Tonight I want to tell you about one of the words that He used.
2) A few moments ago Mt. 7:15 was read.
3) When delivering the Sermon the Mount Jesus said, “Beware” (key word) of false prophets.
4) This word denotes a warning and the need for caution.
5) This same term occurs in Mt. 10:17 where Jesus said “Beware” of persecutors.
6) Most remember that Jesus said “beware” of the leaven of the Pharisees” (Mt. 16:11).
7) In the gospels this term, which is used in all the references just given, describes caution.
8) It says to those who see it, “pay attention, be vigilant, watch out.”
9) When the book of Acts was written, Luke began to use this same term.
10) Luke’s predominate meaning of the word is paying attention to something; careful listening.
11) We find this use of the word in the other verses read for the scripture reading – Acts 8:1-6.
ACCORDING TO THE TEXT, PHILIP WENT TO THE CITY OF SAMARIA AND BEGAN PREACHING.
1. The first part of verse 6 alludes to “multitudes” (great crowds of people).
2. Large numbers of individuals “gave heard” to what this evangelist said.
3. That is, they gave careful consideration to what was said.
4. Gave heed is the same term Jesus used when warning people.
5. Luke used this same term to say that people carefully evaluated what was being said.
6. Acts 8:6 is a Bible example of how non-Christians were taught.
7. The unsaved were given the facts and they began to ponder what was said.
8. They turned their minds to the teaching to see if it was reliable.
9. It reminds me a salesman who has the best product on the market.
10. He makes his sales pitch and then provides a sample of whatever he is selling.
11. Potential customers are encouraged to check that sample against everything else.
12. This type of salesman knows that his product will almost sell itself.
13. Non-Christians were encouraged to think about and test what was being taught.
14. Right now I am engaged in a Bible study with a husband and wife.
15. Ben was with me this past week at this household and we heard the husband say these words:
16. I like to look at things from a lot of different angels.
17. We had a ready response for his point of view.
18. That’s fine. If we have the truth, people can check it any way they want.
19. People can question it from every conceivable angle because the same conclusion is reached.
20. Truth establishes itself to be true.
21. Careful consideration of religious information is important for several reasons.
22. One of these reasons is found a few verses later in Acts 8.
23. Beginning in verse 9 of this chapter we are told about a sorcerer named Simon.
24. Luke tells us this man’s sorcery “amazed” the people of Samaria.
25. Simon either had some pretty good tricks or Satanic power and he impressed people.
26. At the end of verse 9 we find that he claimed to be great.
27. What we want to take note of what is said in verse 10 – READ.
28. Luke wrote that “all gave heed” (same word) to Simon the sorcerer.
29. People gave careful consideration to Simon’s tricks and they believed.
30. They attached themselves to this man because they thought he was connected to God.
31. The expression “gave heed” leaves us with one of the important points we will ever hear.
32. Carefully considering the religious information we hear is absolutely critical.
33. We need to check religious information very, very carefully.
34. Those who saw Simon’s signs believed.
35. He had been well checked out but many were still deceived.
36. By using this word in Acts 8:6, 10, Luke showed two things.
37. First, we need to be careful about the religious information we accept.
38. Second, even those who are careful can be tricked.
39. Vigilant people can be deceived.
40. In the study I mentioned moments ago the wife asked a simple but brilliant question.
41. She said, “I believe that I am in a right relationship with God.”
42. “Yet, I can see the need to test what I think.”
43. “Is there a way to really determine my spiritual status?”
44. “I think I have been careful, but on this matter I need to do some double checking.”
45. What a perceptive question.
46. Our response to this woman was about like the one Philip gave.
47. We can only know for sure if we examine the scriptures.
48. In that Bible study a few days ago we looked at verses like Jn. 8:31-32.
49. Jesus said if we “abide in His word,” we are His disciples and the “truth makes us free.”
50. We know whether or not we are abiding in His word by carefully studying God’s word.
51. Some time ago we used a Sunday night to talk about Acts 5 and Gamaliel.
52. Gamaliel used this term that describes careful consideration (Acts 5:35 is the reference).
53. He said, “take heed” when dealing with the apostles (consider the matter ever so carefully).
54. His proposal didn’t get very far because Christians soon had to flee for their lives.
55. Those who failed to carefully and diligently consider the matter soon paid a high price.
56. Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans.
57. A lot of people pay a lot of attention to what they eat.
58. The lady who cuts me hair told me a few days ago she thinks we should have a Twinkie tax.
59. In her mind, people should avoid all forms of junk food.
60. Those who do not do that should be taxed for bad eating habits.
61. Concern about what goes into the body exists, but what about concern over spiritual information?
62. Luke used a word which says to us, “Be very, very concerned about that.”
ASIDE FROM ACTS 8 AND 5 THE TERM WE ARE CONSIDERING OCCURS ELSEWHERE WHERE IT ALSO HAS THE SENSE OF CAREFULLY CONSIDER.
1. It is applied to Lydia in Acts 16:14.
2. Acts 16:12 tells how Paul arrived in Philippi, a city of Macedonia.
3. Saturday came and he found some women having a prayer session by a river.
4. The end of verse 14 says Lydia “gave heed” (same word) to what he said.
5. Lydia didn’t make a spur of the minute decision about the faith.
6. Lydia evaluated the facts, and perhaps questioned Paul on certain points.
7. She gave careful consideration to what Paul said.
8. I can only wonder if Paul did not sometimes experience what gospel preachers today experience.
9. At different times someone will say to a gospel preacher, “I have some questions.”
10. Preachers in the church usually sit down and begin to take the questions one by one.
11. The person doing the asking usually says, “What do you think/What do you believe?”
12. A high percentage of preachers and knowledgeable members of the church will respond in this way:
13. Let’s go to the Bible and get our answers from there
14. Opinions are not the way to answer your questions.
15. After someone asks a What do you think about 3 times and they hear, “Let’s go to the Bible”…
16. Something happens.
17. It is invariably the case that the one asking the questions starts to say,
18. “Well, what does the Bible teach about ____?”
19. True Bible teaching points people to God’s word.
20. A teacher who presents information from God encourages his or her listeners to check the answers.
21. This is heaven’s will for Christians and non-Christians.
22. One of the most well known verses in the book of Acts is Acts 20:28.
23. Paul spoke to the elders of Ephesus and said, “take heed to yourselves and to the flock.”
24. Those words take heed come from the same term we have been discussing.
25. Paul said, “give careful consideration to yourselves and this congregation.”
26. “Pay attention to what is going on in this body of God’s people.”
27. Unless this was done the church at Ephesus would not be properly cared for.
28. In the world this principle is often used.
29. Most pay attention to certain items.
30. It may be the gas gauge in the car. At some point people pay attention to their level of fuel.
31. Perhaps it is the condition to our physical body.
32. Attention may be paid to our bank account.
33. Attention in the physical realm, but so is attention necessary in the spiritual matters of life.
34. While we would hope that all would carefully consider religious information, we know it doesn’t happen.
35. Even the Bible says it doesn’t happen.
36. First Timothy was written to a young preacher.
37. In the 4th verse of the first chapter there is a reference to what might be called worthless material.
38. Paul was aware of Jewish fables and “endless genealogies.”
39. Paul told Timothy do not give “heed” (same word) to those things.
40. Carefully considering these matters was a waste of time.
41. Today there are still many areas of life which are a waste of time.
42. Yet, people often give heed to information that is useless.
43. Perhaps it is even information which will draw someone away from God.
44. 1 Tim. 4:1 again uses the word being discussed.
45. There Paul spoke of “giving heed” to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.
46. Satan and the world have lots of things that they like us to pay close attention to.
47. God has a different plan.
48. 1 Tim. 4:13, where we again have our special word, says “give heed to reading.”
49. God tells His people, study the scriptures. Examine His word so we know the truth.
50. Once we know what is right, be obedient
51. One of the greatest feelings in the world is to know that we have the truth and we have obeyed it.
52. Not only have we obeyed it, we can go back and study it a thousand times and we will come to the same conclusions.
53. We hope each one here has had a chance to study about New Testament Christianity.