Love burned in his heart, and his joy in the Lord
brimmed full and bubbled over, and at midnight, in the damp,
dark, loathsome dungeon, he and Silas, his comrade in service and
suffering, "prayed and sang praises unto God." God answered with
an earthquake, and the jailer and his household got gloriously
converted. Paul was set free and went at once to Thessalonica,
where, regardless of the shameful way he had been treated at
Philippi, he preached the Gospel boldly, and a blessed revival
followed with many converts; but persecution arose, and Paul had
again to flee. His heart, however, was continually turning back
to these converts, and at last he sat down and wrote them this
letter. From this we learn that--
1. He was a _joyful_ preacher. He was no pessimist, croaking
out doleful prophecies and lamentations and bitter criticisms. He
was full of the joy of the Lord. It was not the joy that comes
from good health, a pleasant home, plenty of money, wholesome
food, numerous and smiling friends, and sunny, favouring skies;
but a deep, springing fountain of solemn, gladdening joy that
abounded and overflowed in pain and weariness, in filthy, noisome
surroundings, in loneliness and poverty, and danger and bitter
persecutions. No earth-born trial could quench it, for it was
Heaven-born; it was "the joy of the Lord" poured into his heart
with the Holy Spirit.
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