0418. Paul's Manner of Entering In

Paul’s Manner of Entering In

"For they themselves relate, with regard to us, what manner of entering in we had unto you" (1Th_1:9).

It is more than interesting to carry ourselves back twenty centuries while we view Paul’s missionary journeys. We follow him from city to city, until finally passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, we come, with him, to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

1. Paul, as was his custom in other cities, entered into the synagogue, and three Sabbath Days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures. Our first vision finds him contending for the faith, with resolute reasonings. Paul was no light-speaking minister that entertained his crowds with jokes, or who sought to impress them with death-bed scenes. He preached the Word; he brought forth an unanswerable testimony concerning his Lord.

2. Paul felt that God had committed unto him the Gospel, and he preached that Gospel, exclusively. He did not side-step and preach in platitudes concerning the great men of his day; he did not rave with rich oratory over the scenic beauty of the land, nor did he, with fawning flatteries, seek to gather round him the men of this world. Paul did not preach to please men, for then he had not been the servant of Christ. He did not seek glory of men; he did not seek their gold. He preached without deceit, without guile and without uncleanness.

3. Paul preached the Gospel amid great opposition. His boldness knew no sense of fear. Paul stood like an iron post or a stone wall. He was not afraid of the faces of men. He did not court persecution, but he feared it not.

At Thessalonica many believed and consorted with Paul, among these were some Jews, and a great multitude of devout Greeks, and of the chief women not a few.

This success, along with Paul’s unanswerable arguments concerning Christ, moved the Jews with uncontrollable envy. They gathered unto them, certain vile fellows of the rabble, and set the whole city in an uproar.

The mob assaulted the house of Jason, who had entertained the Apostle Paul and his party. Not finding Paul, they carried Jason and certain of the brethren before the rulers, and complained that Jason had received the preacher who had "turned the world upside down."

Thus we see what manner of entering in, Paul had at Thessalonica. (1) His three Sabbath Days in the synagogue. (2) His manner of preaching. (3) The great persecution.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR