What happened when Paul preached Christ crucified in those pagan cities?
Paul’s preaching of Christ crucified in those pagan cities caused people to turn from their idols and become believers. Their faith was so staunch that they were willing to be martyred by the hundreds; they never wavered, did not give up, panic, or run. This happened by the power of God when the Gospel was preached.
Les explains that Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth were abject pagan idolater cities whose people knew nothing of the God of creation and were morally rotten. He notes how morally corrupt most cities in the Roman Empire were. Into that environment, Paul walked with no pleasant appearance and nothing physically going for him, and all he did was preach Christ crucified. Those people turned from their idols and became believers, so staunch in faith that they were willing to be martyred by the hundreds. They did not waver, give up, panic, or run. Les says it was the power of God when the Gospel was preached, and he thinks it is the same way today.