Good Opposition  1 Thessalonians 2:2-3

Paul uses the opposition against him as evidence that he is not using the Gospel for personal gain.  The opposite is happening in that the more he speaks the Gospel message the more opposition and persecution he experiences.  Therefore, it is impossible that he is using the Gospel for his own gain.  We need to take a lesson from Paul and realize that opposition is actually a good thing, for it reveals who is speaking truth and who is not.

Entrusted with the Gospel  1 Thessalonians 2:4-6a

Paul points out that the Gospel message he preaches is not created by man but entrusted to him by God.  God chose Paul before he was born and changed him from being the hunter and killer of Christians to the leading evangelist of his day.  This could only be explained by supernatural power.  He was chosen by God and his message was given by God.

Personal Convictions  1 Thessalonians 2:6b-9

Paul has a personal conviction about earning his own way while ministering.  He normally does not receive pay from the church he is preaching in.  This personal conviction comes from God and helps to protect the churches that Paul started.  We need to be aware that our personal convictions are given to us by God for His kingdom, at the same time we need be careful not to get upset when others have different convictions than ours.

Fathers  1 Thessalonians 2:10-12

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they were witnesses to the way he and his companions lived their lives while they were with them.  Their lifestyle proved they had no ulterior motives or intentions other than leading them to Christ.  He also uses another family analogy, that of the good father, to remind them of how he treated them while he was with them.

The Very Words of God  1 Thessalonians 2:13,

                                      1 Corinthians 1:18-25

When the Thessalonians heard Paul's message of the Gospel they accepted it as the very words of God, not some message created by man.  That same distinction is what divides all mankind into two groups today:  those who believe the Bible contains the Words of God and therefore accept it as the inerrant, infallible, absolute Truth of God and those who see it as a man made book that is flexible and needs to be adapted to the current culture.  The Bible itself is very clear that it truly contains the Words of God, therefore, it is not flexible and does not need to adapt to man's ideas and culture.