Having said all that, I believe we can be grateful for the attacks on one person – this is the Apostle Paul and his character. We can actually rejoice about the smear campaign some Jews at Thessalonica waged against Paul. For the result of those attacks drew from Paul these great letters we call 1 and 2 Thessalonians. From these letters we learn a whole lot about Paul, as he preaches and teaches and lives God, and so encourages the early Christians. From Paul we also learn much about how we are to live our own Christian life.

Now one thing is for sure, Paul could never be mistaken for the priest we got to know as Father Mulcahy, in the classic television show M*A*S*H. The Father Mulcahy character was a quiet, unassuming man, who was kind, gentle. And he was marginal. Father Mulcahy never managed to influence or persuade others, especially the viewers. How unlike the outspoken, unconventional, carousing Hawkeye.

Now I am not suggesting we should compare the Apostle Paul with Hawkeye – point for point. However, the similarity is there and can be used for our purposes. Hawkeye was not afraid to stand up for what he believed. He was always willing to go the extra mile for those he cared for. He was known to encourage others - especially Radar. He was sincere in his encouragement to Margaret - aka Hot Lips - to think better of herself and demand the respect she was due from Donald Pinopscott. Hawkeye was loyal through and through...to his patients, and to those he called “friend.” Hawkeye put his own fear aside, or at least went forward with a sort of courage, when he had a humanitarian mission to do that he thoroughly believed in. No matter the opposition that Hawkeye experienced, he kept going forward. He was not the sort who would be intimidated by anyone.

Well, Paul was ready to go to the mat for his friends. Much later he went to the cross for Christ. And in the meantime, he certainly was not the sort who would be intimidated by anyone, no matter the opposition…which throughout his life and ministry, included several ship wrecks, many floggings and most of his ministry was spent in prison. Telling others about Christ often involves perseverance in the face of resistance, hostility and persecution. Paul experienced all that – and more – before and after his time at Thessalonica.

It was on their journey through Macedonia, out of the town of Philippi, that Paul and Silas head west and stop at Thessalonica. Probably they stop here because there is a synagogue. As was their habit, the two men spend time in the synagogue. Acts 12:2-3 tells us they, “reasoned with the Jews from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead.”

It is through these discussions and teachings that many conversions of the Jews.

And, perhaps more alarming to that day, the embrace of Christianity was by a “large number of God-fearing Greeks and many prominent women” (Acts 17:4). These Greeks, though uncircumcised, follow Jewish ceremonies and traditions and theology. These converts’ response threatens Jewish tradition and thinking. And probably more so, their embrace of Christianity threatens the power structure of the religious rulers. As a result, the Jewish leaders instigate a riot. They gather a mercenary mob eager for violence. With probable accusations of subversion and other anti-Roman activity, Paul and Silas are eventually forced out of town. And as I said in last week’s sermon, they are smuggled out under cover of night.

It is at this point that Paul’s critics take full advantage of his sudden disappearance. The smear campaign and character assassination they launch is to undermine Paul’s authority and his gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ. They are ready to discredit Paul in any way they can. Can’t you just hear these men? “Paul just ran away. He hasn’t been seen or heard of since. Paul and his friends just move around from place to place. They don’t accomplish anything that does any real good for any one! Everything they did and said here was empty. It has no meaning! It’s good for nothing! You fools!”

So when Paul finally hears through Timothy what cruel and unjust use of power and authority is being used against the new believers, Paul responds immediately and directly to this new church. Paul sets out to remind them that they know his work there was not “in vain.” The Greek Paul uses, is kenos. That is: something is void of meaning or value. The words, the story, the witness are more than just words for Paul. Paul preaches because his very life depends on it. He preaches because Jesus’ life and death and resurrection is the very center of Paul’s being. And now Jesus is at the center of the hearts and lives of the believers at Thessalonica. Paul reminds and assures them of that truth.

Perhaps a second accusation that Paul defends against went something like: “These people are jailbirds. You want to listen to couple of jailbirds. And they are disloyal to Rome!” Remember, the Acts passage I read earlier, Paul and Silas’ last stop before Thessalonica was Philippi. Paul’s witness there is instrumental in the conversion of a fortune-telling slave girl. Her spiritual healing becomes an economic threat to her owners…whose words are key for Paul and Silas being thrown in jail and charged with being subversives – getting ready to take over the Roman government, they were! The local magistrates neglect to determine the fact that Paul is a Roman citizen. After a well-timed earthquake and the dramatic conversion of the Philippian jailer, this gross injustice to Paul, indeed a Roman citizen, is duly noted down at city hall. From the further verses in the Acts passage, that I did not read, the magistrates offer to drop all charges. They ask Paul to leave the city of Philippi - quietly.

This is when we get a flash of Paul’s sense of humor – and his sense of justice. Paul and Silas had been stripped, beaten, and then thrown into prison. Their feet were fastened in the shackles. As you can imagine this was an extremely painful experience. All this is humiliation stacked on humiliation, since they were flogged naked in public, without trial, in spite of their Roman citizenship. Are you getting my point? So really, Paul’s reply after hearing from city hall about their release from jail, might seem just a bit tame: “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out!” You’ve heard the saying, “If they are chasing you out of town, get up front and make it look like a parade.” Well, it seems Paul led the parade out of Philippi that day.

News of the Philippi events and incarceration must get to Thessalonica probably soon after Paul and Silas get smuggled out of that town. So Paul responds to the accusation of being a jailbird by stating they “had suffered and were spitefully treated at Philippi.” He says nothing more on his own behalf, or against those at Philippi. Knowing all this, I think it is all the more surprising to learn that when they do arrive in Thessalonica their preaching is “bold.” Here “bold” truly means “a lack of fear” and “a full confidence in the message itself.” Paul’s spirit is not dampened. The Holy Spirit is certainly not being stuffed in a basket, or under a bush. The message of Christ’s love and salvation are boldly going forth.

Without fear...daring...bold…especially in the face of danger! No matter the antagonism and cruelty to God’s Word and Paul’s evangelism throughout the Roman Empire, Paul never wavers. Why? Paul knows of the danger. Paul knows the danger is much more than physical pain or even his own death. The danger is in what happens if the new Christians are convinced that Paul’s words are empty. The danger is in if their hearts are changed against the message of Jesus Christ’s love and work in salvation. The danger is that this would mean that Christ’s life and ministry is in vain. The danger is that Christ’s death for us holds no redemptive mercy. The danger is that Christ’s resurrection would have no power.

Paul dared to be bold in his feelings about Jesus, the Source of his message. He dared to be Audacious for Jesus Christ! Paul assures us the message is not empty. It is not in vain. It is not some theory. The message is life in the one, true living God, through Jesus Christ. The message is God’s power.

That has not changed one bit. That is because it is still “the gospel of God.” It is still God’s plan for salvation for us. It is still God’s plan of bringing us into a right relationship with Himself and with each other. We can trust this gospel message not to change. And we can trust that it will change human lives and relationships.

We are to dare to be Audacious! The Good News of Jesus – God’s message - must always be shared and proclaimed without fear. You know, I believe the greatest fear that most of us face when even thinking about Christian witness is fear - not of persecution, hostility, or cruelty. Our fear is a fear of rejection. The fear of being regarded as foolish or stupid, or both, tends to cripple or paralyze us, before we even open our mouths. We are often imprisoned in silence. I think this fear is based on the fact that you and I tend to get hung up on results. After all, we know right off that no one is going to listen, our story is not worth being listened to; what Christ is doing in our lives doesn’t matter and won’t help another; that God saved our marriage means nothing; that God is saving our children from a life worse than death certainly is not worth mentioning to someone else. Oh yea, and we know that we will be shunned at school or work. Results! Right! Yet results are not our job. Results are God’s job. Our sharing what Jesus is doing in our lives, our sharing what God is doing in and through MPC, our witnessing must be designed - not to get results, but to be “bold – to be audacious - in our God” in sharing the story of Jesus Christ. That is our job… sharing Christ!

What would have happened if Paul fell prey to that silence? The opposition wins! Satan wins! That is not God’s plan. Paul did not just suck up his courage and march on. God did not magically dissolve all fear or concern. Paul had an unwavering conviction of who Jesus is. God works through that conviction. In God’s equipping power, the church at Thessalonica was established…and God continues to work through the ages. Because Paul was not silent and dared to be audacious, you and I benefit from his outpouring of love and concern and passion of Jesus Christ.

You and I are to take courage and have confidence in our God....in God’s message of new life and hope, and in sharing that message with others. And you know, it is not just my job, or Dave’s job, because we are the official, ordained pastors. Because we are born again believers in Jesus Christ as our Savior we are all ministers. That is what scripture refers to as the priesthood of all believers. So our task is to share with others this message we know for ourselves. We need to let God be God and do God’s job in the results. We need to boldly do our job and love, talk, and share the message of God’s love to others.

I happened to read the devotional booklet that was used on the Mexico Mission Trip. I’m not sure who put it together, I am told probably Karen Coyle. Day 4 speaks to this issue, with just one or two adaptations for us. Day 4 is entitled “You Don’t Need a Pulpit.”

“Champion figure skater, Paul Wylie is a cum laude Harvard graduate

(smart guy) and a born-again Christian. His mother always wanted him to be a minister, but he has decided to study law. He believes he does not possess the gifts required for pastoral ministry. But he insists – rightly so – that whether he is performing on the ice or reading in the library of Harvard Law School, he can serve his Savior Jesus Christ.

“‘I think that every Christian is called to be a minister in their place of work,’ he says. ‘So I try to be a minister wherever I am. When people come up to me and ask questions, I tell them the truth.’

“Indeed, whether we are figure skaters, law students, homemakers, mechanics, realtors, nurses, bankers, students or have some other job, we can serve Jesus Christ. The Bible does not assign the task of ministry only to those who are recognized officially as pastors. Every believer is spiritually equipped for some kind of service. And we are each called to share about what Jesus is doing in our lives.

“We do not have to stand behind a pulpit (beside a pulpit) to function

as ministers for our Savior. We don’t have to go a foreign mission field or climb a mountain. The task of ministering and the privilege of serving and sharing have been assigned to everyone who has been born again.”

We don’t know what is going on with our family, friends, business associates and co-workers or fellow student. We do not know how they will be affected by a God-filled sharing. We are called to cast it out and let God’s Holy Spirit do the rest of the work. If you and I don’t share; if we don’t tell and invite – Who will? If God wants us to do something, or say something, God will give us the strength and courage and words, despite any obstacles that may come our way. So be bold – Be audacious for our Savior.