During his second missionary journey, Paul saw a vision of a man of Macedonia beckoning for help (Acts 16:9-10). He was called to go outside his comfort zone to a new field of evangelism. What resulted was the spread of Christianity toward the west into Europe for the first time, but not without contrary winds. Paul’s usual practice was to seek to establish congregations in cities at strategic locations to radiate Christian influence. His first endeavor was in the city of Philippi, which evidently had no synagogue of the Jews. On the sabbath, Paul went out of the city to the riverside and spoke to Lydia, a seller of purple, who had an open heart to the gospel; she and her household were baptized (Acts 16:13-15). In Philippi, Paul and Silas suffered imprisonment because they healed a slave girl (Acts 16:16-24). Nevertheless, an earthquake opened the prison and arrested the attention of the keeper of the prison who was then baptized along with those in his house the same hour of the night (Acts 16:25-34).
Acts 17 opens with Paul and his companions heading through Amphipolis and Apollonia, with no record of preaching in either place, to arrive at Thessalonica. As Paul’s custom was, he began attending the synagogue of the Jews to preach Christ in their midst (Acts 13:5, 14; 14:1; 17:1, 10; 18:4). Luke records that he did this for “three sabbath days” (Acts 17:2). What was the result of Paul drawing out arguments from the scriptures that Jesus is indeed the Christ? “And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few” (Acts 17:4). Luke then records a riot, (which the envious, unbelieving Jews started wherein Jason and other brethren were seized), as terminating Paul’s sojourn there, the brethren immediately sending him by night to Berea (Acts 17:5-10).
In Berea, Paul found an audience more fair-minded than the prejudicial Jews he had just encountered: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). After checking what was said with scripture, many Bereans believed, both Jews and Greeks (Acts 17:11-12; Rom. 10:17). However, the Thessalonian Jews, upon hearing of the success Paul had in Berea, came and stirred up the people, making so much trouble that Paul sailed to Athens, leaving Silas and Timothy there (Acts 17:13-15).
Paul was stirred by the idolatry at Athens. His preaching there was met with mockery (Acts 17:32). “Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them” (Acts 17:34). It seems Paul came to Corinth somewhat discouraged, “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling”
(1 Cor. 2:3). These hardcore persecutors had caused him to leave Thessalonica and Berea. Most in Athens mocked and rejected the gospel. Yet, Paul continued to preach the gospel. In Corinth, “he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks” (Acts 18:4). When Silas and Timothy came to him at Corinth and told him of the firm stand the Christians at Thessalonica had in the faith amid persecution, he was encouraged. From Acts 18:5, we find renewed zeal on the part of Paul at the arrival of Silas and Timothy in Corinth. Paul was pressed in spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. “And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized” (Acts 18:8).
The gospel of Jesus Christ has had a profound impact for good on Western civilization in the centuries since Paul entered Europe. Think of these congregations—Philippi, Thessalonica, and Corinth—which were started because Paul did not give up preaching the gospel even when he was persecuted and discouraged. Later, Paul wrote to these congregations. His correspondence is instructive and encouraging for us.
From prison, Paul wrote to the Philippians to say, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Phil. 4:4). He could rejoice that though he was in prison, the gospel was able to reach the palace and all other places (Phil. 1:13); even some of Caesar’s household had obeyed the gospel (Phil. 4:22).
To the Thessalonians, Paul wrote, “For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain: but even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention” (1 Thess. 2:1, 2). Paul’s entry into Thessalonica was not a failure, (not empty or vain cf. 1 Cor. 15:14; Eph. 5:6; Col. 2:8; James 2:20). Regardless of the number of converts, his motives were pure and his doctrine was sound. In 1 Thessalonians 1:6-9, Paul mentioned the great results of his efforts in Thessalonica:
And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: so that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.
It was always a joy for Paul to know his labors were not in vain (1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 6:1; Gal. 2:2; Phil. 2:16; 1 Thess. 3:5). Paul portrayed the paradoxes of his work in the Lord in 2 Corinthians 4—outwardly he may have been perplexed, persecuted, and perishing, but inwardly he was renewed and rejoicing in the eternal reward that he and those who had obeyed the gospel would receive in the last day. To the Corinthians he wrote of the final victory in the resurrection, concluding: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).
We too may have struggles and setbacks in our attempts to serve the Lord faithfully and spread the soul-saving gospel of Jesus Christ. But let us not quit. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9).
–Mark Day