When passions run high things get loud!
Passions were running high in the city of Thessalonica concerning the new teaching about Jesus Christ.
The loudest voice wins, right??
Yelling, protesting, angry … the mob rioted and stormed the meeting place of the brand-new Christians in Thessalonica, looking to drag their pastor out!
But their pastor, Paul was not there.
So they grabbed the leaders of the brand-new Christians, and dragged them before the city officials, shouting accusations, yelling, protesting! “The crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil.” – Acts 17:8
The loudest voice sure seems to work.
Paul fled the city of Thessalonica at nighttime, and went south to the city of Berea. I guess the loudest voice won – right??
The rioters and protestors heard that Paul was in the city of Berea. So they travelled south to the city of Berea too … to protest! “When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.” – Acts 17:13
“The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast … The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens.” – Acts 17:14-15
It looks like the loudest voice won.
The pastor was driven completely out of the area.
The protestors got their way, right?? The message about Jesus Christ was stopped – right??
No … not at all. Because the loudest voice doesn’t always win.
Shortly after these things happened, Paul wrote a letter to the brand-new Christians in the city of Thessalonica. These brand-new Christians were still living in a city surrounded by loud voices and passionate anger against the message of Jesus.
Paul writes to his small congregation:
“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands … so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
The loudest voice doesn’t always win.
Time itself has silenced the loud angry protestors of Thessalonica. But their pastor’s letter still speaks loud today … 2,000 years later. Instructions to live a quiet peaceable life and to mind one’s own business.
The loudest voice doesn’t always win.
Paul, their pastor continues:
“Live in peace with each other. … Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:13, 15
The message of peace, though seemingly drowned out by the angry, shouting protestors, is in fact actually louder! The message of peace is so loud that it is still heard 2,000 years later. The message of peace is so loud that it is heard all around the globe, with the letter to the Christians in Thessalonica (which is in our Bible) being translated into languages all around the world!
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Be joyful always.”
“Pray continually.”
“Give thanks in all circumstance.”
“Avoid every kind of evil.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22
The loudest voice doesn’t always win. Encouragement wins. Joy wins. Faithfulness in prayer wins. Thankfulness wins. Righteousness wins.
How?? The loudest voice is so overwhelming! The loudest voice drowns everything else out!
Peace feels lost and drowned out by the shouts of the loudest voice!
Encouragement and joy?? They seem so fragile compared to the shouts of the loudest voice!
What can quiet thankfulness do against the loudest voice??
“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. … The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
God is greater than the loudest voice!
The God of peace will triumph over the loudest voice.
The God of peace who calls his followers to peace … will through peace triumph over the loudest voice.
The God of peace who calls his followers to encouragement and joy … will through encouragement and joy, triumph over the loudest voice.
The God of peace who calls his followers to thankfulness … will, through thankfulness, triumph over the loudest voice.
God is the God of peace. He is faithful! And he will triumph!
