If what you’ve told me is true, you will have gained my trust.

In Revenge of the Sith, Anakin and Master Windu are a hanger bay. Windu explains to Anakin that Obi-Wan has destroyed General Grievous and how Windu and some other Jedi are on their way to ensure the Chancellor returns the emergency powers he received back to the Senate.

Anakin then shares with Windu that the Chancellor is a Sith Lord.

Anakin wants to go with the Jedi to confront the Chancellor but Master Windu won’t let him.

Mace then tells Anakin, “If what you’ve told me is true, you will have gained my trust.”

Mace then proceeds to the Chancellor’s office to verify what Anakin had said.

Trust But Verify

The late Ronald Reagan, the 40th U.S. president, popularized the saying, “trust but verify.”

In Scripture, we learn about a group of people that trusted Paul but were compelled to verify what he preached.

In Acts 17:10-11, we read, “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea (in Macedonia), and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews (the Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” (Emphasis added.)

5 Reasons To Be Like Mace and The Bereans

Regardless of what we are told by the media, politicians, or pastors, we need to verify what we are told.

There are plenty of lies and half-truths that are spread in relation to Jesus, the Gospel, and Scripture.

Here are 5 reasons we need to be like the Bereans.

1. They were “more noble” because of their willing reception of the Word of God. (Acts 17:11)
2. They examined what they heard by comparing it to the Old Testament Scriptures. (Acts 17:11)
3. Bereans guarded Paul’s safety.(Acts 17:14a)
4. Bereans continued to grow in their faith. After Paul’s departure, Silas and Timothy stayed behind. Scholars speculate it was so the Bereans could learn more about the Gospel from Silas and Timothy(Acts 17:14b)
5. They helped Paul carry on his ministry, despite the trouble Paul was facing in the region. (Acts 20:3-4).

How will you become more like the Bereans today?

Will you willing accept the Word of God?

Will you study Scripture to verify what you are being taught?

Will you provide and protect fellow believers?

Will you gather with others to study Scripture?

Will you minister in your community, offline and online?

We need to do all of these things but we can’t do them all at once.

Pick one and start doing it now.