TEXT:  Acts 17:11

INTRODUCTION:

A.      GOD INTENDS TO SAVE PEOPLE THROUGH THE GOSPEL ( Rom. 1:16-17 ).

B.      IT MUST BE PREACHED.

          1.       Great Commission’s goal ( Mark 16:15 ).

          2.       How can they believe except they hear ( Rom. 10:13-15 ).

          3.       God’s plan ( 1 Cor. 1:21 ).

C.      AN INTELLECTUAL PROCESS.

          1.       Where does faith come from? ( Rom. 10:17;  John 20:30-31 ).

          2.       That is not to say you must have a high IQ ( 1 Cor. 1:26 ).

          3.       God’s appeal is an appeal to reason ( Acts 17:2;  John 6:44-45 ).

D.      NOT ALL PREACHING IS PLEASANT ( 2 Tim. 4:2 ).

E.      BEFORE THE WORD CAN WORK IT MUST BE RECEIVED ( 1 Tim. 2:13 ).

F.      WE MAY PROFIT FROM A STUDY OF THE VARIOUS REACTIONS PEOPLE IN

          THE BOOK OF ACTS HAD TO THE PREACHED WORD.

I.      THE BEREANS ( Acts 17:11 ).

A.      OPEN MINDED çè NARROW MINDED.

B.      THE RESULT OFTHIS ATTITUDE:

          1.       Many believed ( vs. 12 ).

          2.       Even those who didn’t, but listened called “noble.”

II.     THE JEWS WHO HEARD STEPHEN ( Acts 7 ).

A.      STEPHEN SAW THE NEED TO “GET TOUGHT” ( vs. 51-53 ).

B.      THEY “GOT TOUGH” BACK ( vs. 54-60 ).

C.      THE PROBLEM IS NOT THAT THEY TOOK PERSONALLY WHAT STEPHEN

          SAID.  THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO APPLY TO SELF.

D.      THE PROBLEM – WRONG REACTION ( 2 Cor. 7:10 ).

III.    CONTRAST è THOSE WHO HEARD PETER ( Acts 2:36-37 ).

A.      PETER REASONED TO THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS.

B.      THEY WERE CONVICTED è “PRICKED IN THEIR HEART.”

IV.   THE COUNCIL ( Acts 4 ).

A.      THE SIMPLE GOSPEL ( vs. 8-12 ).

B.      COULD NOT REFUTE IT ( vs. 13-14 ).

C.      SOUGHT TO SUPPRESS IT ( vs. 17-21 )

V.    GENTILES ON MARS HILL ( Acts 17 ).

A.      SOME MOCKED ( vs. 32 ).

B.      SOME WERE MERELY CURIOUS ( vs. 32 ).

C.      BUT SOME BELIEVED ( vs. 34 ).

VI.   JEWS IN ANTIOCH OF PISIDIA ( Acts 13 ).

A.      JEALOUSY PROVOKED THEM TO RUDENESS ( vs. 45 ).

B.      THE WORDS OF BARNABAS ( vs. 46 ).

VII.  OTHERS.

A.      FELIX ( Acts 24:25 ).

B.      FESTUS ( Acts 26:24-29 ).  AGRIPPA – “With but little persuasion.”

VIII. SOME WHO RECEIVED HIS WORD.

A.      Acts 2:41;  8:12.

B.      THE EUNUCH ( Acts 8:36 ).

C.      THE JAILOR ( Acts 16:33ff ).

D.      CRISPUS ( Acts 18:8 ).

E.      PAUL ( Acts 22:10, 16 ).

CONCLUSION:

A.      HOW DO YOU REACT?

B.      I HOPE PERSONALLY!

C.      WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK?