AP

1 Thessalonians 2:1-2  You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results.  We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.

There was a time in my younger days when I would have thought of these verses as only having historical significance, providing a picture of what Paul and the Early Church were up against in their missionary activities.

But now I see them as having real relevance to us today.  Like the Early Church, we are called upon to proclaim the Gospel in a culture that is quite hostile and antagonistic to our doing so.  I learn three important things from Paul’s statement here: firstly, that we must always be prepared to (‘dare’ to) tell people the Good News about God’s Saving Grace in Jesus even when this will attract ‘suffering’ and ‘outrageous treatment’; secondly, that we can trust our Sovereign Lord God to help us do what we might otherwise think is beyond us; and thirdly that, by God’s grace, our efforts, no matter how seemingly inadequate, are ‘not without results’.

For a cowardly introvert like me, this is all very encouraging – I just need to keep a hard copy of this TQW in my pocket to remind myself constantly of what I have just written!

And there are many other Scriptures that make the same points.

When Moses felt totally inadequate to do what God told him to do at the ‘burning bush’, the LORD gave him all the necessary resources and reminded him: “Who gave Man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD?  Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say”(Exodus 4:11-12).

When Isaiah was given the difficult task of speaking God’s Word to unyielding hearts, deaf ears and blind eyes (Isaiah 6:9-10), he was later reminded: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).

Jesus commissioned his disciples with the words: “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

My responsibility is simply to be obedient and faithful, and to leave all the consequences (both positive and negative) in my God’s safe and sovereign hands.

– Bruce Christian