"Are These Things So?"

There is a verse that has been sitting with me lately: 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 so.” That last phrase is what I can’t get away from: “whether those things were so.” That is what made the Bereans noble. Not just that they listened, but that they opened the Scriptures for themselves to verify what they were hearing.

What This Meant for the Bereans
When the Bereans heard the Apostle Paul preach, they were hearing truth—yet they didn’t simply say, “Well, Paul said it, so that settles it.” They went back to the Scriptures they had and examined them carefully. They weren’t trying to prove Paul wrong; they were making sure they understood God rightly. And that kind of searching produced something beautiful: convictions that were their own, formed by the Word of God.

What This Means for Us
We are in a far better position than the Bereans. They had the Old Testament; we have the whole Bible. Which means we have an even greater responsibility. To “search the Scriptures daily” means we don’t outsource our understanding of God’s Word. We don’t settle for, “That’s just what I’ve always been taught.” Those statements may be sincere, but they are not the standard of truth. God’s Word is. The question is not, “Who said it?” but, “Does the Scripture say it?”

My Own Journey
I want to be honest: I haven’t always been a Berean. There have been seasons where my conclusions were shaped more by what I had been taught than by what I had personally studied. But by God’s grace, that has been changing. The Lord has been teaching me to slow down, open the Scriptures, and ask, “Is this really what God is saying?” I’m not trying to be different just to be different—I’m trying to be faithful. I want to be a Berean, and I want that for you as well.

A Word About Influence
We are all shaped by those who have taught and discipled us, and that influence is a gift from God. But even the best teaching is meant to lead us into the Scriptures, not replace them. At some point, each of us must move from receiving truth to personally seeing it in God’s Word. Otherwise, our convictions remain borrowed rather than our own. And it is neither healthy nor fair to hold a position with firm dogmatism if we have not personally studied it or cannot clearly defend it from the Scriptures. One of the things that made the Bereans so noble is that they did not fear even the Apostle Paul more than they feared God. They respected him, listened to him, and received his teaching—but they ultimately submitted themselves to God’s Word. That’s why they searched the Scriptures for themselves, even at the risk of disagreeing with someone as significant as Paul. They knew the Bible was their final authority. In the same way, continuing to search the Scriptures and even adjusting our understanding is not a sign of disrespect to those who are teaching us now or who have taught us in the past—it is a sign that their influence is bearing the right kind of fruit. Faithful pastors don’t want lifelong agreement with themselves; they want lifelong submission to the Word of God.

When We See Things Differently — A Berean Response
As we’ve walked through Scripture together, I’m certain that there have been moments where something sounded new or even uncomfortable. That’s okay—it’s part of careful Bible study. In those moments, a Berean response doesn’t shut down or get defensive. It leans in and says, “Let me look at that for myself.” It opens the Bible, studies the passage, and asks honest questions.
A Berean response also welcomes conversation. It says, “Help me understand,” rather than assuming the worst. Instead of letting discomfort turn into frustration, it becomes an opportunity to grow. And ultimately, a Berean response is willing to change its mind. Searching the Scriptures for yourself will, at times, lead you to realize, “I hadn’t seen that clearly,” or even, “I’ve been wrong on this.” That’s especially hard when you’ve been outspoken about a position. I’ve had to eat crow myself, and I’m sure I will again. But each time, God has used it to grow me as I’ve had to admit I didn’t have it right. Pride wants to hold the line, but a Berean holds their interpretations—especially on secondary matters—with humility, recognizing there is still room to grow. That’s not weakness; it’s part of how God sanctifies us by renewing our minds.

An Invitation to Be Bereans
So here is my invitation: don’t just hear the Word—search it. Open your Bible. Look closely at the text. Trace the argument. And ask the question the Bereans asked: “Are these things so?” I don’t want you to agree with me simply because I am your pastor. I want you to be convinced because you have seen it in the Word of God. Because in the end, what matters most is not what you’ve always heard—and not even what I say—but what God has said.