hotcoffee
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1 Thessalonians 2: 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7 Instead, we were like young children[a] among you.
a.1 Thessalonians 2:7 Some manuscripts were gentle
If we go back to Mark 6:7-13 and Luke 9:1-6, we learn that when Jesus sent His Disciples out to spread the word, He told them:
“Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town."
So when the Apostles weren't going into Thessalonica to turn a profit. They weren't asking the people of the church at Thessalonica to cover their costs. They weren't telling them that their generosity was wonderful. The Disciples were going into the town and telling the people the good news of Salvation. It was God's work.
Because they were doing God's work, the Holy Spirit moved the people of Thessalonica to feed the Disciples and offer them shelter. When the Disciples left, they didn't pack up gold or food. They left there with the clothes on their back and the sandals on their feet.
