Prepare your heart for the Sermon by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together hearing God's Word.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.

Carefully Think

• Read verses 1-10. Where have Paul and Silas just come from?
• How are the Berean Jews compared to those in Thessalonica according to verses 11?
• With what kind of attitude did the Bereans receive the word?
• What did the Bereans do upon receiving the word? How often were they doing this?
• According to verse 11, why did the Bereans examine the Scriptures in this way?

Prayerfully Meditate

• What might it mean that the Bereans are more noble-minded than the Thessalonians?
• How does the Berean response to the Scriptures differ from the Thessalonians?
• How does their examination of the Scriptures in response to teaching show us what the Bereans valued? What did they prioritize?
• What kinds of things keep you from receiving God’s word with eagerness? 
• Why is it important to examine for ourselves the Scriptures being taught?