Check It Out

Bible Reading: Acts 17:10-12; 1 John 4:1-3

Ariana hurried over to her dad in the church foyer before the church service began. “Dad, guess what my Sunday school teacher told us today? She said Noah took two of most kinds of animals on the ark, but he took seven pairs of some. Did you know that?”

Dad nodded. “I know it now, but I didn’t know it when I was your age. I learned it the hard way when I was sixteen.”

“What happened?” Ariana asked.

Dad smiled sheepishly. “Before I was a Christian, a couple of friends and I decided to see what went on at a small church in our town. We sat in the back row. The pastor said Noah took seven pairs of some kinds of animals. Well, everybody knew Noah took two of each kind, so I was sure he was wrong. I stood up and tried to correct him—right during the service!”

Ariana’s eyes widened. “Oh no! What did the pastor say?”

“He was very gracious. He smiled and thanked me for pointing out what a lot of people were probably thinking. He asked everyone to turn to Genesis 7:2, and he read it out loud. Of course, I quickly saw I was wrong. I was embarrassed, but I learned a valuable lesson. I hope you can learn from it too, instead of embarrassing yourself like I did—or worse.”

Ariana frowned. “What could be worse?”

“Believing a lie. Some preachers say things that the Bible really doesn’t say, and they lead people away from the truth. That’s why we need to check things with the Bible—even when a pastor is preaching.”

“But our pastor would never mislead us!” said Ariana.

“I don’t believe he would,” said Dad. “I trust Pastor Hunt because he preaches that we can only be saved through the death and resurrection of Jesus. But if he did tell us something that was incorrect, how would we know?”

“By checking Scripture, right?” replied Ariana.

Dad nodded. “As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us in understanding God’s Word. As we read it, pray about it, and talk to other Christians about what it says, He will help us know when something we’re told isn’t true.”

-Heather Tekavec

How About You?

Do you use your Bible at church? Do you follow along when the pastor is reading or preaching? Most preachers know the Word of God well, but like all people, they can make mistakes, and some may lead people astray with false teaching. Check their teaching against Scripture, and ask your parents or other Christian adults about what they said. Pray about things that are hard to understand, and trust God to help you know the truth of His Word.

Today’s Key Verse:
1 John 4:1 Do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. (NLT)

Today’s Key Thought:

Find out what the Bible says