Everywhere Paul went preaching the gospel he encountered opposition. In Philippi he and Silas were thrown into prison and in Thessalonica they had to flee by night to avoid an angry mob. Yet they continued to preach boldly regardless of the dangers they encountered (1 Th 2:2). Paul explains the reason for this continued boldness in the face of rejection to the brethren in Thessalonica:
“For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts” (1 Th 2:3-4).
If Paul was seeking to please men, his preaching would have been considered a failure. He could have been more successful by conforming his message to whatever error the crowd wanted to hear. He could have gained popularity by appealing to the selfish lusts of men. The hypocrisy and deception of false teachers were much more successful in this way. However, pleasing men was not Paul’s goal.
Above all else, Paul wanted to please God in his preaching. He expressed this desire to the brethren in Galatia: “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Gal 1:10). A true servant of Christ is not concerned about being accepted by the world, but only being accepted by the Master.
God was interested in Paul’s heart and not just how many people he was able to baptize. Even if Paul’s preaching was rejected by all, simply proclaiming the good news would bring glory to his Master. Our stewardship of the gospel is what matters to the Lord, not our popularity. God’s message has never been popular among the world and only error, impurity, or deceit can make it otherwise.
So, as we seek to spread the gospel to the world around us we must remember who we are seeking to please. We must not allow the rejection of men to discourage us. Obeying our Master should be our primary concern. Remember God’s command to Ezekiel: “Go to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether they listen or not, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD’” (Ezek 3:11). God is glorified in evangelism whether we are accepted by men or not.
The seed of God’s word must be sown on the wayside, rocky, thorny, and good soil alike. If we are truly practicing “sower evangelism” we are going to encounter a lot of rejection, just like Paul and his companions. Nevertheless, just like them, we must continue to boldly preach the word as good stewards of the gospel. Eventually the seed will find the good soil as it did in the hearts of the Thessalonian brethren. Is not worldly rejection and opposition a small price to pay for the salvation of a soul? “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain” (1 Th 2:1).