The Freedom to Tell and Believe

13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind 16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last! 

(I Thessalonians 2)
Harsh, but true.  The Jews had tried to shut Jesus up, then shut the Apostles up, and did the same everywhere the Gospel went.  From God's perspective, that is the greatest injustice ever: to try to keep people from hearing the Best News ever, and to tell those who did hear it to not believe and be transformed by it. But this missionary band did tell, the Thessalonians did believe, and by so doing they became a part of the Church of God from every people group and place.  Judgment will come upon those who try to stop God's plan of "tell and believe", but ultimately it will not succeed: God's people will be freed.