It's natural to want to please other people by what you do and Paul was no different. Not only was he concerned about what he did, he wanted to make sure he preached the true gospel and men knew exactly what God expected of them. His letter was one of encouragement to the believers at Thessalonica, but more than anything he longed to know their faith could endure the testing to come.

If you're like me, you've heard some whacky preaching in your time. It's amazing to consider Jesus never preached in such a way the people hearing him felt compelled to give him money. But to hear some men and women behind expensive pulpits in our day, we're led to believe they got their "pay me if you want to be blessed" message from God. Paul received money for ministry but he was not about to put any of it in his own pocket. But what was the trouble of which Paul warned the Christians in Thessalonica?

In Acts 17, we learn that some Jews, a host of Greek men and many prominent women living in the city responded to the gospel message and were saved. But their response led some to incite a riot against Paul calling both he and Silas troublemakers. The charge was going against the grain of the status quo, or preaching something that makes some feel uncomfortable.

The trouble Paul experienced on his missionary journeys is well documented in Acts. But take notice what happened in Thessalonica when some of the believers hid Paul and Silas from the mob. The Bible says Jason and some other brothers were taken against their will to stand before the city officials. There, they were cited for complicity in giving aid and shelter to those who preached Jesus.

Paul not only felt responsible for someone else taking heat for what he did, but I'm sure he wished he could have stayed behind and taken the abuse instead of being slipped out of town to go preach elsewhere. But, that's what a true minister of God does. He preaches because people need to hear it. He is not counting results, but leaving them to God. He does not think about what God will do, but simply takes joy in serving Him.

May we learn to preach like Paul, not in order to please men but to please our Father. May we serve not to earn people's respect, but to simply preach the gospel message, clear and without personal motive. And may we learn to leave the results to Him and not make up our own to justify having done it.

1 Developed from Read the Bible Thru (Jr. 12:1-14:10 1 Th. 1:1-2:8 Ps. 79:1-13 Pr. 24:30-34 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

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