Power of the Gospel in the Midst of Shame and Suffering - 1 Thessalonians 1-3

 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2 (ESV)

For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.

What do you do when you are discouraged, threaten and/or harmed for doing something good?  Would you continue to do it?  Would you go to another town, right next door to the town you did the good thing, and do the good thing there?   This is the point Paul is making in the above passage.  To fully understand the context we have to recall a few verses from the book of Acts, the history of Paul’s visit to Thessalonica.  First we have to read what happened to Paul and Silas in Philippi:

Acts 16:22-24 (ESV)

The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

Paul and his missionary team preached the gospel in Philippi and were beaten and imprisoned for it.   Now let’s read what Paul and Silas did, after leaving Philippi to travel to Thessalonica.  

Acts 16:40 - 17:2 (ESV)

So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed. Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

The key thought when reading about Paul’s visit to Thessalonica is the phrase, “... as was his custom ...”.    Paul was beaten in Philippi for preaching the gospel and after his release he travels with his team and preaches the gospel in the neighboring city.   He actually established a church in the town.  This is the church he is writing to in 1 & 2 Thessalonians.   He is writing, as we read in chapter two to remind them that his visit was not in vain, even though it followed a time of suffering and shame from the non-believers in Philippi.   Yet, they became “bold” in their declaration of the gospel to these Thessalonian people.   When discouraged, shamed, and even beaten Paul became bold for the gospel.    He did not shrink away.   He understood that the preaching of the gospel was the power of God.  When we are discouraged and shamed and ridiculed, would we respond by being more bold and preach the gospel to more people?  Recall what he just wrote in this little letter prior to chapter two:

1 Thessalonians 1:5 (ESV)

because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

What kind of people are we?