Lessons From the Life of Paul

Bryant Wright JFBC June 16
Man Missionary Martyr
Lessons From the life of Paul
Clay was preaching at Shannon Baptist in Columbia SC).

Galatians 1:11 - 2:1
Everyone has a story. Most like to hear the testimony of others. Paul's story has 3 parts.

1.  Paul begins with before his conversion.

Acts  22:3 he was a Jewish blueblood, raised in Tarsus in Turkey. Goes to Jerusalem as a 12 year old. Many are Jewish by ethnicity. Paul was one of the few zealous Jews.

V 4-5 so zealous that he wanted to persecute the early Christian church…members of The Way. They were heretics in Paul's eyes. He went to the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem saying he would go to Damascus to round up the Christians. This led to his conversion. God had great plans for Paul's life…Inside his mother's womb. Gal 1:13

2. Acts 22:6 God appears to Paul on the road to Damascus. Paul was temporarily blinded by God's greatness…symbolic of the spiritual darkness that Paul was in. Paul had to be stunned to learn that everything he had stood for was wrong.

3. God sent Anniaus, who was scared due Paul's reputation. 

Acts 22:14 Paul's life after his conversion. He was called to preach to the Gentiles. First commanded to be baptized, to be cleansed from the sins of his former life.

Gal 1:16 not by human intervention, but by direct revelation from Jesus. This Paul poured out in the letters he wrote to the churches in the New Testament. The Jewish religious leaders considered Paul to be a traitor and ran him out of town. He returned to Tarsus, the wilderness, and 3 years later back to Damascus.

V 21. At first he was an unknown. A tent maker. He had been serving in the church in Antioch, a long time of spiritual growth.

Acts 15 He went to Jerusalem to the council to determine practices of the church…14 years later.

Are there 3 parts to your story? Few if any have a conversion story like Paul. But we all need to grow spiritually, closer and closer to Christ in preparation for the work Gad has planned for your life.

What can we learn from how Paul shares the gospel in Acts 26?
1. Paul shares the gospel through his conversation experience. Acts 26:8, 18, 23
2. He focuses on the resurrection (v 22-23).
3. He is not deterred (v 24-25).
4. Paul uses reason and persuasion. V 6-8 & 25-26. You know the law and the prophets.
5. He calls for a decision. V 27 You have to close the deal. Ask"what's preventing you from accepting Jesus?" You only have a short time to speak with people. You must build a relationship first. Paul appealed to Caesar, as he must preach the gospel. You can be relational without having a relationship. God can work in a short period of time. It's not me, but God.
6. He expresses his desire that may be saved. v 29. It's okay if they think you are crazy. They'll know that you are passionate.

Acts 9:15 Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

This past weekend millions of Muslims make their pilgrimage to Mecca. The Hajj pilgrimage began Friday. There have been reports of Jesus appearing to Muslims as they make that journey. Pray for many of these dreams and visions to take place in these days.

Measured by career WAR, LEFTY GROVE [SABR Bio] is the greatest left-handed pitcher ever. Grove's career War is 106.8. The other top lefty hurlers are Randy Johnson (101.1), Warren Spahn (100.1), Eddie Plank (90.9), and Steve Carlton (90.2). Grove was the most recent left-handed pitcher to win thirty games in a season, with 31 in 1931 for PHA. Jimmie Foxx's first major league hit at the age of 17, came while pinch-hitting for Grove, in the 8th inning 01-May-1925.