I Thessalonians 2

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I Thessalonians 2:4, On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 

The authors start out chapter two by discussing their motives for preaching the Gospel message.  They have pure motives and have no desire to trick people into becoming converts, which must have been an issue in the day.  Gaining converts at any cost suggests manipulation and the desire to look successful before others.  But their main concern was pleasing God, not people.  That does not mean that the Gospel message isn't pleasing to people, because it certainly is, but that wasn't their main reason for sharing it.  God had called them to this and they were being obedient. 

Unfortunately, throughout the course of history, Christians haven't always had such pure motives in sharing the Gospel.  Evangelism has often occurred with a Bible in one hand and a sword in the other.  I think Paul, Timothy, and Silas, would be appalled at how far people representing the Christian faith have gone to simply gain converts, without concern for the hearts of people.  As twenty-first century believers, we get to stand on the shoulders of those who witnessed well and those who made a terrible mess of it.  And yet, we are still called to share the Gospel with others with pure motives.  Guided by the Holy Spirit rather than our own prideful motivations, we are called to share the source of our hope.  Just as Paul and friends write in this chapter, our core motivation must be to please God.  It's great if other people are pleased as well with the message, but that isn't our primary purpose.  It's simply all about Jesus.

Let's pray...Lord Jesus, How much we mess things up!  We have not been good ambassadors for you.  We have allowed pride, greed, and sin of all kinds to seep into the church and lead people away from you.  God, I pray that we will have pure motivations.  Give us courage to share the Gospel message with pure and sincere intentions that are pleasing to you.  In Your Name, Amen.