Paul, Silas and Timothy - to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace and peace to you. 1 Thessalonians 1:1 New International Version

The background to this letter is that Silas had been with Paul when he set off to take the gospel into the world. At a city called Derbe Paul had invited a young man named Timothy to join them. They then went to a city called Philippi and there Paul and Silas (who were the main spokesmen) were arrested, beaten and put in prison. But God miraculously burst open the prison doors and the terrified city officials let them go. We're told what happened next in Acts Chapter 17.

They went through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to a city called Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. Paul went to the synagogue service and for three weeks used the Scriptures to reason with the people and explain the prophecies which proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said to them: “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.” Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women.

But some of the Jews were jealous. They gathered troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, looking for Paul and Silas to drag them out to the crowd. But, not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers  and took them before the city council. There they shouted: “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world, and now they are here disturbing our city, too! And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They're all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus.” The people of the city and the city council were thrown into turmoil by this accusation, so the officials forced Jason and the other believers to post bond, before releasing them. That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas on to a city called Berea.

Is there anything in that account that is perhaps an indication of what we should also expect as we try to tell others about Jesus Christ?

We see that some were persuaded by Paul's explanation of how Jesus fulfilled so many Old Testament prophecies. But others totally rejected the message and became enraged when they saw people leaving their own group to join Paul, Silas and Timothy. This still happens today. While some are merely indifferent to the message, others become angry when people drop out of their social circle because they have seen the need to repent of sin and seek God's forgiveness. What was the accusation made against this new group of Christians in the city of Thessalonica?

They were accused of being traitors against Caesar because they preached that Jesus Christ is King! I'm pretty sure Paul had not said anything about Caesar at all. He would've simply taught how Jesus was the Messiah, the one whom God has made Lord. But that's a message that people with authority in the world find threatening. The truth of God's word is a challenge to their agenda. It was certainly a challenge to people like Hitler and the Nazi's, and also to the leaders of the Communist revolutions in Russia and China. And it's a big challenge today to leaders who are pushing their anti-God agendas throughout the world. Christians in the West may have to be prepared to experience the same persecution as those in the East have faced for many years.

Paul and Silas had already experienced flogging, arrests, prison, ridicule and being run out of town. But what is the greeting they extended to the Thessalonians? (vs 1 above).

Grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what ultimately belongs to anyone who has made Jesus Christ King of their life. As we tell people in our towns and cities of King Jesus some, by God's grace, will be persuaded to believe. But many will scoff, and some will become hostile. But God's grace and peace will be with us in every situation - just as it was with Paul, Silas and Timothy.