Life of Paul

1 Cor 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

What comes to your mind when you hear apostle Paul?

Saul → Paul :

1. the zealous persecutor
2. the blind 'waiter'
3. the apostles to the gentiles aka the bond-servant of Lord Jesus Christ!

Character of Paul: (Can we identify it with Christ?)

• A God-fearing man: put God first
• A man of vision & revelations: asking the Lord for directions
• A man dead to flesh and living in the Spirit!
• A man who trusted 100% in the Lord – did not put confidence in his abilities!
• A man of prayer: come empty-handed to the Lord and receive from Him and impart it to others!!
• A man of principles – blameless/ righteous / always content with what he'd.

Impact on church:

• Zealous apostle for Christ – to the Jews as well as to the gentiles
• Served with pure conscience before the Lord (Act 23:1)
• Wrote 13 (14 counting Hebrews) NT books
• He laboured as a tent-maker to support himself & others.

Introduction of Saul

Act 7:58 And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 8:¹ Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.... ³As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

Act 22:19 "So I said, Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You.

Act 26:9-12 ⁹"Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰"This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. ¹¹"And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. ¹²"While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

Act 22:3 "I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city (Jerusalem) at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers' law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.

Act 23:6 But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!"

Act 26:4-5 ⁴"My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. ⁵They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee."

Act 9:1 ¹Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ²and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. ⁴Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" ⁵And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads." ⁶So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

Saul the blind: Waiting on the Lord for direction

Act 26:15-18 ¹⁵"So I said, Who are You, Lord?' And He said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. ¹⁷I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, ¹⁸to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'

Act 9:8- ⁸Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. ¹⁰Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." ¹¹So the Lord said to him, "Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. ¹²"And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight."

9:¹³ Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴"And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name." ¹⁵But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. ¹⁶"For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake."

9:¹⁷ And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." ¹⁸Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. ¹⁹So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

Apostle Paul: Bond-servant of the Lord

Act 9: ²⁰Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. ²¹Then all who heard were amazed, and said, "Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?" ²²But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Gal 1:¹⁰ For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. ¹¹But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. ¹²For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Bond-servant (slave) - a life of servant-hood

Apostle Paul outlines his job description for servant-hood: “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.” The ordinary employee has rights but a slave does not. An employer/employee relationship leaves the servant free to lead a private life (marry, choose friends...). - we should change our attitude from that of the hireling to become bond-slaves. We shouldn’t have a conditional employment contract with God!

Gal 1: ¹³For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. ¹⁵But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, ¹⁶to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, ¹⁷nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Act 9:23 ²³Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. ²⁴But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. ²⁵Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.

2 Cor 11:32-33 ³²In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; ³³but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

Note His calling to serve came by grace and God used Paul even before his conversion to disperse the believers who were flocking together in Jerusalem! (Act 1:8, 4:32, 8:1)

1 Tim 1:13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

Gal 1:¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. ¹⁹But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother. ²⁰(Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)

Act 9:26-30 ²⁶And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. ²⁸So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. ²⁹And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. ³⁰When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

Act 22:17-18, 21 ¹⁷"Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance ¹⁸"and saw Him saying to me, Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.' … ²¹"Then He said to me, Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.' "

Gal 1:²¹Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²²And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. ²³But they were hearing only, "He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy." ²⁴And they glorified God in me.

Gal 2:¹ Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me.

2:² And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.

Gal 2:7-14 ⁷But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter ⁸(for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), ⁹and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do. ¹¹Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; ¹²for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. ¹³And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. ¹⁴But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, "If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?

• Advocated for gentiles to be accepted
• apostles to the gentiles
• fought legalism/hypocrisy of the Jews
• even against Peter, but Peter took it well!

2 Pet 3:15 ¹⁵and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, ¹⁶as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

People as well as demons testified about him!
Act 17:6 "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.”

Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?"

Man of vision:

Act 20:18-35 ¹⁸ And when they [the elders of the church in Ephesus] had come to him, he said to them: "You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, ¹⁹"serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; ²⁰"how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, ²¹"testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. ²²"And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there,²³"except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. ²⁴"But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. ²⁵"And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. ²⁶"Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. ²⁷"For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. ²⁸"Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. ²⁹"For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. ³⁰"Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. ³¹"Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. ³²"So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ³³"I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. ³⁴"Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. ³⁵"I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

To die is Gain! How did he know?!

Phil 1:21-23 ²¹For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²² But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. ²³For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

When Paul’s apostleship was challenged, he uses his suffering and sacrifice as the basis of his defense. Paul says “as a fool” that trials and tribulations authenticate, verify and vindicate his ministry. (2 Cor 11:22-28) ²²Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. ²³Are they ministers of Christ?; I speak as a fool; I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. ²⁴From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; ²⁶in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among FALSE brethren; ²⁷in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness;²⁸besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

Resurrected back from dead!

Act 14:19-20 ¹⁹Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. ²⁰However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

2 Cor 12:1-10 ¹It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: ²I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago; whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows; such a one was caught up to the third heaven. ³And I know such a man; whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows; ⁴how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. ⁵Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. ⁶For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. ⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. ⁸Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Phil 3:8 count all things loss

3:4-8 ⁴though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: ⁵circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; ⁶concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. ⁷But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ⁸Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

Paul was a human – his short comings! He boasted about them! Chief of sinners: 1 Tim 1:15

Rom 7:18-25 ¹⁸For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. ¹⁹For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. ²⁰Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. ²¹I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. ²²For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. ²³But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵I thank God; through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. (+ 2 Cor 12:9-10 above)

Humility (mind of Christ Phil 2:1-6)

Phil 4: 11-13 → learning to be content

4:11-13 ¹¹Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: ¹²I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Phil 2:17 → poured out as a drink offering: Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

Preached with fear & trembling! → not good in speech (?!)

1 Cor 2:1 ¹And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. ²For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. ³I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Eventhough treated as gods & chief speaker!

Act 14:11-18 ¹¹Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!" ¹²And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. ¹³Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.

Contention with Barnabas → the reason ? [looking back after hands on plow → Lk 9:62]

Act 15:36-41 ³⁶Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing." ³⁷Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. [Mark is Barnabas' cousin (Col 4:10)] ³⁸But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia (Act 13:13), and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; ⁴⁰but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. ⁴¹And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Circumcised Timothy but not Titus?! Is there partiality ? [not a jew/gentile! Rom 14 no dispute over doubtful things!]

Act 16:1-3 ¹Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. ²He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. ³Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.

Gal 2:3 Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

Meditation:

1. How much effort do I take to imitate Christ?
2. Which changes do I need to incorporate for a better walk with the Lord?

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Page History: Last revised on 31 May 2013

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