Then Paul, as his custom
was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the
Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer
and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you
is the Christ." (Acts 17:2-3 NKJV)
I intended to begin writing about 1
Thessalonians today, but realized that to do so I needed to begin in Acts,
Chapter 17, where the contentious planting of the church in Thessalonika is
fully described. If you Google "missionary" you’ll find more resources, ideas
and information than you can possibly sift through in a lifetime. What endless Google results make seem complicated is really very simple. I often describe myself to people as a missionary. They typically ask, Missionary to where? I usually just name the place where I am standing. Missionaries are missionaries wherever they are. Paul had
three mission centric resources when he entered the capital city of Macedonia, and these resources remain available to all missionaries today. 
Verse 1 says -- Now when they had passed
through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica… In
any work we begin for God, it is critical to remain sensitive to the leading of
the Holy Spirit. God often pre-softens stony hearts to be receptive to the
Gospel as He did for Paul’s work here. Paul’s discernment carried him through
many places before he arrived at the specific place where God had a plan in
place. It is easy to convince ourselves we can decide what God wants done and
where He wants it done without ever asking Him for input, and thereby miss the blessing He has planned.
When we do this we end up with our ministry to which we attach His name. Paul
wisely kept walking until the Lord revealed the spot where He wanted to establish
a new church.
Paul reasoned with them from the scriptures.
Paul’s scriptures weren’t our scriptures. He had only what we call the Old
Testament. For him it was the Only Testament. Could you sit and reason with
someone, could you make reasonable representations that Jesus was the Messiah
from the Old Testament alone? Many people we encounter have no
idea that the Old Testament is about Jesus. From shadows and types like Boaz in
the Book of Ruth who was Ruth’s kinsman redeemer as a type for Christ, our
Kinsman redeemer, to the specific details of the birth, life, death and
resurrection found in the Psalms and Isaiah, the Old Testament points to Jesus.
We are equipped with the Old Testament scriptures Paul had, plus so much more. Have you equipped
yourself to reason with others from the scriptures?
In Philippians 4:16 we read -- For
even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Paul
didn’t just go, He was sent - both by God and by the church in Philippi. The
success of any missionary is greatly increased with sufficient funding and
prayer support from sending believers. Many are called to Christ’s Gospel
mission, but more are called to support with prayers and funding. Do you
support missionaries with prayers and funding? Ask God to reveal a missionary
for you to support and begin sending monthly financial help. Even small support can
produce huge Gospel results in the distant reaches of the Earth. If you can’t
be a go-er, become a sender.
If you are following the leading of the Holy
Spirit, you have been strategically placed by God in a Gospel opportunity. Paul
got busy in Thessalonica -- explaining and demonstrating that the Christ
had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I
preach to you is the Christ." Today, to whom are you explaining and
demonstrating that Jesus is the Christ? Or, have you abandoned God’s mission for
one more of your own design and liking?
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