Scripture Reading : Acts 17:1-15
Theme : Expository Preaching & Expository Listening
- Expository preaching of the Word. Paul preached from the Old Testament to the Jews, and explained to them what the Old Testament meant regarding the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ. Expository preaching is not a new concept in recent church history. It was done in the Old Testament (Nehemiah 8:8), by Jesus in the synagogues, and also by Paul. However, preaching God’s Word clearly and accurately does not guarantee a positive response from the hearers. In fact, the Bible tells us that many people would not want to hear sound teaching (2 Tim 4:3-4). The Jews did not respond positively to Paul’s message, but stirred up a riot instead.
- Expository listening of the Word. The Jews in Berea were “more noble than those in Thessalonica”. It is the preacher’s responsibility to preach expositorily, but the hearer’s are also responsible to hear expositorily. The Bereans “received the Word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” The hearer’s responsibility is to have a teachable heart, so that he will hear God’s Word eagerly, having a genuine desire to want to know God’s Word. But he should not blindly accept whatever the preacher says – the hearer has the responsibility to study the rest of Scripture to ensure that what he heard does not contradict the rest of the Bible, and to obey the Word of God.
Praying the Scripture
- God does not require the preacher to produce results by the number of people who likes to hear him preach. The requirement of God is that the preacher be faithful to preach His Word clearly and accurately, seeking to please God rather than humans. The Old Testament prophets (e.g. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel) were not popular amongst the people because they preached about God’s impending judgment, which the Jews did not like to hear. Paul was faithful not to change the content of the Gospel simply because the people did not like it. Pray that our pastor and elders will also faithfully preach God’s Word accurately and clearly.
- The world judges the effectiveness of the sermons by the size of the congregation. Many so-called Christians even blame the preacher for the failure of the hearers to obey God’s Word. But it is the responsibility of the hearer, not the preacher, to be teachable and obey the Word of God. Let us pray that we will “receive the Word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
经文：使徒行传17:1-15
主题：释经讲道与释经听道
- 释经讲道。保罗从旧约经文给犹太人讲道，并解释旧约如何阐述基督的遭难、死亡与复活。释经讲道并非是近代教会历史中的新概念；旧约曾如此行（尼8:8），耶稣在会堂曾是如此，保罗也那么做。然而，清楚精确地传讲主道并不保证听众就会有正面的反应。事实上，圣经告诉我们许多人不愿听纯正的道（提后4:3-4）。犹太人没有正面回应保罗的信息，反倒耸动搅扰众人，引发暴乱。
- 释经听道。庇哩亚的犹太人“贤于帖撒罗尼迦的人”。传道者的责任是要释经讲道，但听众也有责任“释经听道”。庇哩亚人“甘心领受这道，天天考查圣经，要晓得这道是与不是”。听者的责任是要有一颗受教的心，能乐意听神的话，并真诚渴望晓得神的道。可是，他不应该盲目接受传道者所说的一切；他有责任查考其余经文，确保他所闻的不与圣经余处有矛盾，并顺服神的道。
用经文祷告
- 神不要求传道人要结果子，特意数算喜欢听他讲道的人。神的要求是传道人要忠心，清楚精确地传神的道，求讨神的喜悦，不看人。旧约先知们（如以赛亚、耶利米、以西结等）可不是受人欢迎的，因为他们讲的是神即将到来的审判，全是犹太人不爱听的。保罗对神忠心，不因为人不爱听道而随意更改信息。祈求我们的牧师与长老们也能忠心，清楚精确地传神的道。
- 世人以会众的数目衡量一人讲道的功效。许多所谓的基督徒甚至因听众不顺服神的道而责怪传道人。但是，愿意受教并顺服神的道是听众的责任，不是传道人的。让我们祷告我们会“甘心领受这道，天天考查圣经，要晓得这道是与不是”。
