PAUL A MAN OF SORROW

PAUL A MAN OF SORROW

PAUL IS POSSIBLY ONE OF THE GREATEST AUTHORS AND HEROES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. HE WROTE A MAJORITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT LETTERS. IN ADDITION, HIS LETTERS HAVE SET THE STAGE FOR WHAT WE CALL THE CHRISTIAN WALK OR RACE WE ARE IN. THIS IS A MAN OF CONVICTION, OF FAITH AND A PILLAR OF STEADFASTNESS. HE MAY WELL BE THE GREATEST MAN OF THE NEW TESTAMENT EXCEPT JESUS IN HOW HE SHAPED THE WAY WE THINK. OH YES, ALL OF HIS WRITINGS CAME FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT, BUT THIS MAN LIVED WHAT HE WROTE. EVEN AS HE APPROACHED DEATH, ALL HE COULD THINK ABOUT WAS MAKING SURE ALL THE CHURCH'S WERE STRONG. TO UNDERSTAND HOW JESUS INTENDED US TO LIVE, WE MUST LOOK AT PAULS LIFE.

ORIGINALLY FROM TARSUS AND ORIGINALLY CALLED SAUL. WE SEE HIM FIRST AS A YOUNG MAN. AN ENEMY OF THE CHURCH, YET ZEALOUS FOR THE JEWISH FAITH, OR AT LEAST WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE JEWISH FAITH. STEPHAN HAS JUST MADE HIS DEFENSE BEFORE THE COUNCIL IN JERUSALEM, THE SANHEDRIN. THE VERY BODY THAT CONDEMNED OUR LORD TO DEATH. THEY WERE ABOUT TO DO THE SAME TO STEPHAN. DRAGGING HIM OUTSIDE THE CITY GATE TO STONE HIM AS WAS THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAW OF MOSES FOR ONE WHO BLASPHEMED. THEY LAY THERE CLOAKS OR OUTER GARMENTS AT THE FEET OF A YOUNG MAN CALLED SAUL. THIS WOULD GENERALLY INDICATE THAT HE WAS A WITNESS AGAINST STEPHAN. WHEN THEY HAD FINISHED THEIR EVIL DEED ACTS 8:1 TELLS US THAT SAUL WAS IN HEARTY AGREEMENT WITH THE DEATH OF THIS MAN. THIS BEGAN THE FIRST REALLY ORGANIZED PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH. AND PAUL WAS THE SPEARHEAD OF THE ATTACK. ACTS 8:3 SAYS HE RAVAGED THE CHURCH DRAGGING OFF CHRISTIANS FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE AND PUTTING THEM IN PRISON. THIS WORD RAVAGE IS NO LIGHT PERSECUTION. HE WAS LIKE A HUNGRY ANIMAL SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR. HE WAS DEDICATED TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CHURCH.

PAUL WAS BREATHING THREATS AND MURDER AGAINST THE CHURCH AND WENT TO THE HIGH PRIEST (ACTS 9:1) AND ASKED LETTERS FROM HIM TO GO TO DAMASCUS AND IF HE FOUND ANY THAT WERE OF THE WAY (CHRISTIANS) HE COULD BRING THEM BACK IN CHAINS TO JERUSALEM. THIS MAN WAS ON A MISSION, AND HE ENJOYED WHAT HE DID. HE WAS A PHARISEE AND SO A STICKLER FOR THE LAW AND THE TRADITIONS OF THE PHARISEES. HE FELT JUSTIFIED FOR WHAT HE WAS DOING BECAUSE HE FELT THE CHRISTIANS WERE A SUBVERSIVE AND ANTI JEWISH SECT. GOD WOULD SURELY PROTECT HIM ON THIS RELIGIOUS QUEST FOR GOD. THE HIGH PRIEST AGREES OF COURSE TO THE LETTERS AND SAUL IS ON HIS WAY. HE WILL BRING BACK MANY OF THE WAY AND THUS MAKE A PLACE FOR HIMSELF ON THE SANHEDRIN AND A PLACE OF RESPECT IN THE EYES OF THE COUNCIL. WHAT HE DID NOT COUNT ON, WAS THAT HE WAS FIGHTING THE VERY GOD HE CLAIMED TO BE SERVING.

ON THE WAY TO DAMASCUS, A BLINDING LIGHT APPEARS IN HIS WAY. HE IS THROWN FROM HIS HORSE AND LAYS ON THE GROUND. A VOICE ERRUPTS FROM THE LIGHT "SAUL, SAUL WHY DO YOU PERSECUTE ME?" PAUL IS STUNNED, WHO ARE YOU LORD? "I AM JESUS, WHOM YOU ARE PERSECUTING, BUT RISE UP AND ENTER THE CITY, AND IT SHALL BE TOLD TO YOU WHAT YOU MUST DO" NOW PICTURE THIS. YOU KNOW JESUS WAS A FRAUD, A BLASPHEMER. YOU KNOW HE DIED AND THAT HE WAS BURIED. OH SURE, HIS DESCIPLES SAID HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD, BUT YOU KNOW THAT WAS A FARCE. BUT WAIT, THIS VOICE FROM THE LIGHT. HE SAID HE WAS JESUS. HOW COULD THAT BE? IT MUST BE A TRICK. BUT THE LIGHT WAS REAL ENOUGH; IT KNOCKED ME OFF MY HORSE. HEY GUYS, DID YOU HEAR THAT, DID YOU SES THE LIGHT? WE HEARD THE VOICE BUT WE SAW NOTHING. WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOTHING, IT WAS SO BRIGHT I AM NOW BLIND. WHAT A TIME THAT MUST HAVE BEEN. IT WAS CLEAR TO SAUL THAT THIS WAS NO ORDINARY LIGHT AND CERTAINLY NO ORDINARY VOICE. WE ARE TOLD HE DID EXACTLY WHAT THE VOICE TOLD HIM AND HE WENT INTO THE CITY.

FOR THREE DAYS HE SAT IN A ROOM. EATING AND DRINKING NOTHING. JUST SITTING IN HIS DARKNESS AND PRAYING. COULD I HAVE BEEN WRONG ABOUT THIS JESUS. COULD I HAVE BEEN WRONG ABOUT WHO THE MESSIAH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. COULD I HAVE BEEN THAT WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING I WAS EVER TAUGHT. LORD ARE YOU THERE. CAN I HAVE AN ANSWER, WHAT IS TO BECOME OF ME.

BECAUSE OF THE PERSECUTION THAT SAUL HAD BEGUN, A DISPERSION OF THE BELIEVERS HAD SENT THEM TO ALL THE SURROUNDING DISTRICTS, INCLUDING DAMASCUS. AND THERE WAS A DESCIPLE THERE CALLED ANNINIAS. THE LORD APPEARED TO HIM AND SAID "ARISE AND GO TO THE STREET CALLED STRAIGHT, AND INQUIRE AT THE HOUSE OF JUDAS FOR A MAN CALLED SAUL FROM TARSUS, FOR BEHOLD HE IS PRAYING, AND HE HAS SEEN IN A VISION A MAN CALLED ANNINIAS COME IN AND LAY HANDS ON HIM, SO THAT HE MIGHT REGAIN HIS SIGHT" NOW SAUL WAS NO STRANGER THE THE CHURCH IN DAMASCUS. LORD, I HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS GUY. HE HAS AUTHORITY TO BRING US ALL TO JERUSALEM IN CHAINS. HE HAS BEEN DOING THIS VERY THING LORD. I AM AFRAID OF THIS MAN. BUT THE LORD REASSURES ANNINIAS "GO; FOR HE IS A CHOSEN INSTRUMENT OF MINE, TO BEAR MY NAME BEFORE THE GENTILES AND KINGS AND THE SONS OF ISRAEL, FOR I WILL SHOW HIM HOW MUCH HE MUST SUFFER FOR MY NAMES SAKE"

ANNINIAS AS AN OBEDIENT SERVENT OF OUR LORD, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS AFRAID, DID WHAT HE WAS TOLD. HE GOES TO SAUL AND TELLS HIM, THE LORD WHO APPEARED TO YOU ON THE ROAD SENT ME. AND HE WANTS YOU TO REGAIN YOUR SIGHT AND BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND IMMEDIATELY THE SCALES FELL FROM HIS EYES, HE REGAINED HIS SIGHT AND WAS BAPTIZED. FROM THIS POINT ON WE SEE ONE OF THE MOST DRAMATIC CONVERSIONS IN ALL OF SCRIPTURE. THIS ONE WHO FIRST PERSECUTED THE CHURCH WITH A VENGENCE NOW BECOMES A DEDICATED AND STEADFAST FOLLOWER OF THE WAY. DEDICATED DOES NOT COME CLOSE TO HIS NEW ATTITUDE TOWARD CHRIST. AS FEIRCE AS HE WAS AN ENEMY THAT IS HOW FEIRCE OF AN ALLY HE NOW BECAME. NOW I KNOW I HAVE GONE INTO SOME DETAIL SA TO HIS CONVERSION, AND YOU MAY BE ASKING WHAT THIS HAS TO DO WITH BEING A MAN OF SORROW? WELL IT IS THE SAME REASON OUR LORD IS CALLED A MAN OF SORROW AND THE SAME REASON WE SHOULD BE SORROWFUL. MORE ON THAT LATER.

PAUL HAD HIS SALVATION, HE COULD KICK BACK NOW AND RELAX, AND ENJOY ALL THE BLESSINGS GOD HAD IN STORE FOR HIM, YEAH RIGHT. REMEMBER GOD'S WORDS TO ANNINIAS? "I WILL SHOW HIM HOW MUCH HE MUST SUFFER FOR MY NAMES SAKE, AND THAT HE IS TO BRING THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES, THE KINGS AND THE SONS OF ISRAEL. THERE WILL BE NO REST YET. GOD HAD THE REST OF SAULS LIFE PLANNED OUT FOR HIM. PAULS APPOINTMENT BOOK WAS FILLED. NOT EVEN HE, I DON'T THINK REALIZED TO WHAT EXTENT GOD WOULD USE HIM. ACTS 9:19-22 TAEELS US HE REGAINED HIS STRENGTH AND SPENT TIME WITH THE DESCIPLES. HE IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL IN THE SYNAGOGUES. TO THE POINT WHERE SOON AFTER THE JEWS STARTED TO PLOT HIS DEATH. NOW THAT IS CONVERSION. BUT THAT IS NOT WHY HE WAS A MAN OF SORROW.

SAUL HAD TO BE SNEAKED OUT OF THE CITY BY LOWERING HIM IN A BASKET OVER THE CITY WALL TO SAVE HIM FROM DEATH. HE RETURNS TO JERUSALEM TO BE WITH THE APOSTLES BUT THEY ARE AFRAID LIKEWISE AND STAY AWAY FROM HIM. A MAN NAMED BARNABAS HOWEVER TAKES HOLD OF HIM AND BRINGS HIM TO THE APOSTLES AND EXPLAINS HIS CONVERSION. EVEN HERE IN THE CITY THAT KILLED OUR LORD AND WHERE SAUL APPROVED OF THE DEATH OF STEPHAN, HE TALKS BOLDLY OF JESUS. AGAIN TO THE POINT WHERE THEY WANT TO KILL HIM AND HE MUST BE SENT TO CEASEREA AND FINALLY TO TARSUS. FROM THAT POINT THE CHURCH ENJOYED PEACE FOR A WHILE AND INCREASED. GOD WORKS WONDERFULLY, DOES HE NOT?

NOW FOR 4 CHAPTERS IN ACTS WE SEEM TO LOOSE TOUCH WITH SAUL. HE HOWEVER CLEARS THIS UP FOR US GALATIANS 1:17-18 TELLS US HE WENT TO ARABIA AND DAMASCUS FOR THREE YEARS TO BE TAUGHT BY THE LORD, ALL THAT HE SHOULD KNOW THEN HE WENT TO JERUSALEM. WHAT REALLY WENT ON FOR THAT THREE YEARS WE DO NOT KNOW, BUT WHATEVER IT WAS IT CREATED A MAN SO FULL OF DESIRE TO PREACH CHRIST, IT BOGGLES THE MIND. FROM ANTIOCH THE CALL GOES OUT FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT, SET APART FOR ME BARNABAS AND SAUL, FOR THE WORK WHICH I HAVE CALLED THEM. THOSE WHO THINK THE CHRISTIAN LIFE DOES NOT ENTAIL WORK ARE HARD FAST TO EXPLAIN THIS VERSE AWAY. WE ARE CALLED FOR THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT. WE MAY NOT KNOW WHAT THE WORK IS, BUT WE MUST ANSWER WHEN CALLED. SAUL WAS READY, HE DID NOT KNOW FOR WHAT, BUT HE WAS READY TO GO WHEREVER HE WAS SENT. THE TRAINING WAS OVER, ALL THE PREPARATION WAS FINISHED IT WAS NOW TIME TO PUT IT INTO ACTION. THIS WAS DEFFINATELY NOT WHY HE IS A MAN OF SORROW.

THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF SAULS FIRST MISSIONARY TOUR. HE WAS DIVINELY CALLED AND COMMISIONED ACTS 13:1-4. BARNABAS AND JOHN MARK ACCOMPANIED HIM. HE PREACHED IN CYPRUS 13:4-12. HE THEN SAILED TO PERGA WHERE MARK LEFT HIM 13:13. HE PREACHED IN ANTIOCH (in pasidia) AND WAS REJECTED BY THE JEWS THERE 13:14-15. HE WAS REJECTED IN ICONIUM 13:51,52 & 14:1-5. HE WAS STONED IN LYSTRA 14:6-20. HE THEN WENT TO DERBE 14:20-21 AND RETURNED TO ANTIOCH IN SYRIA 14:21-26. REPORTED TO CHRISTIANS ABOUT HIS WORK 14:27-28. HE PARTICIPATED IN THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL 15:2-22 AND HAD TO REBUKE PETER FOR HIS INCONSISTENCY GALATIANS 2:11-21. THIS WAS A WHIRLWIND TOUR AND HAD ITS DEFINATE UPS AND DOWNS. YES MANY CAME TO CHRIST, BUT THOSE WHO WOULD KILL HIM HOUNDED HIM ALL ALONG THE WAY. HE ALSO HAD LOST MARK TO A LOSS OF COURAGE, AND I AM SURE THE STONING WAS NO PICNIC. THIS HOWEVER WAS NOT WHY HE WAS A MAN OF SORROW.

IF YOU READ AVTS 15:36 TO 18:22 YOU WILL SEE THE EVENTS OF HIS SECOND MISSIONARY TOUR. MARK WANTED TO COME ALONG BUT PAUL WOULD NOT HAVE IT AND AS A RESULT LOST THE COMPANIONSHIP OF BARNABAS. HE TOOK SILAS INSTEAD. HE REVISITS AND STRENGTHENS THE CHURCH'S AT SYRIA, CILICIA, DERBE AND LYSTRA. YES THE SAME PLACE HE WAS STONED. HE MEETS AND TAKES TIMOTHY ALONG WITH HIM. HE IS LED BY THE SPIRIT AS TO WHERE TO GO AND RECEIVES THE MACEDONIAN VISION. LUKE WHO WE CAN SEE BY THE TERM "WE" AS LUKE IS WRITING THE ACCOUNT JOINS HIM. HE ENTERS MACEDONIA AND CONVERTS LYDIA AT PHLIPPI. THERE HE IS THROWN INTO JAIL AND CONVERTS HIS JAILER AND HIS FAMILY. HE HAS TO USE HIS ROMAN CITIZENSHIP TO GET OUT OF TROUBLE. HE PREACHES AT THESSALONICA AND IS WELL RECEIVED BY THE BEREANS. HE LEAVES SILAS AND TIMOTHY THERE TO ESTABLISH THEM AND GOES TO ATHENS. IN GREECE HE PREACHES ON MARS HILL. FROM THERE HE GOES TO CORINTH AND MEETS AQUILA AND PRISCILLA. HE REUNITES WITH TIMOTHY AND SILASAND WRITES HIS LETTERS TO THE THESILONIANS. THE CHURCH IN CORINTH IS ESTABLISHED. HE STOPS BRIEFLY AT EPHESIS ON HIS WAY TO SALUTE THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM AND RETURNS TO ANTIOCH IN SYRIA. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A BUSY MAN HERE. DOORS WERE OPEND AND DOORS WERE CLOSED. HE LOOSES BARNABAS AS A COMPANION BUT GAINS SILAS, TIMOTHY AND MAKES NEW FRIENDS. EVEN ALL THIS AND HIS TIME IN JAIL DID NOT MAKE HIM A MAN OF SORROW.

HIS THIRD MISSIONARY TOUR IS RECORDED IN ACTS 18:23 TO 21:14. AS WAS HIS HABIT HE RETURNS TO GALATIA AND PHRYGIA TO STRENGTHEN THEM AND GIVES DIRECTIONS FOR A COLLECTION TO BE TAKEN UP FOR THE JERUSALEM CHURCH. HE SPENDS THREE YEARS IN EPHESIS AND HAD TO BE SAVED FROM AN ANGRY MOB WISHING TO KILL HIM. IT WAS HERE THAT HE PROBOBLY WROT GALATIANS AND FIRST CORINTHIANS. HE GOES TO TROAS BUT FAILS TO MEET TITUS. HE FINALLY DOES HOOK UP WITH HIM IN MACIDONIA WHERE HE WRITES THE SECOND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS AND SENDS TITUS TO DELIVER IT. HE TRAVELS EXTENSIVELY AT THIS POINT AND VISITS GREECE AND CORINTH AGAIN. HERE HE WRITES THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS. HE RETURNS THROUGH MACIDONIA AND PREACHED A LONG SERMON IN TROAS. HE GIVES HIS FAREWELL SPEECH TO THE EPHESIAN ELDERS AT MALTA. HE ARRIVES IN CEASEREA AND IS WARNED BY AGABUS OF HIS FATE AWAITING HIM IN JERUSALEM. IT IS NOT GOOD WHAT IS WAITING, BONDS AND DELIVERENCE TO HIS ENEMIES AND POSSIBLE DEATH. BUT THIS IS NOT WHY HE IS A MAN OF SORROW.

ACTS 21:15 TO 26:32. HE ARRIVES IN JERUSALEM AND IS WELCOMED BY THE CHURCH THERE. HE IS FALSELY ACCUSED OF BRINGING A GENTILE INTO THE TEMPLE AREA, A CRIME PUNISHABLE BY DEATH AND HAS TO BE RESCUED FROM THE MOB BY THE ROMANS. HE THEN DEFENDS HIS ACTION BEFORE THE JEWISH COUNCIL. THEY DO NOT WANT TO HEAR IT AND TRY TO KILL HIM WHERE HE IS RESCUED AGAIN AND SENT TO CEASEREA. HE DEFENDS HIMSELF BEFORE FELIX THE ROMAN PROCURATOR. DURING HIS DEFENSE HE PREACHES AND WITNESSES TO FELIX AND DRUSILLA HIS WIFE. HE IS IMPRISONED FOR TWO YEARS. THE JEWS THEN BRING CHARGES BEFORE FESTUS AND THEY WANT PAUL TURNED OVER TO THEM. PAUL AS A ROMAN CITEZEN APPEALES TO CEASER WHICH IS HIS RIGHT. AND DEFENDS HIMSELF BEFORE AGRIPPA WHERE HE AND FESTUS AGREE TO SEND PAUL TO ROME IF THAT IS WHAT HE WANTS. HE PROBOBLY COULD HAVE GONE FREE HAD HE NOT APPEALED TO ROME. BUT THIS IS NOT WHY HE IS A MAN OF SORROW.

ACTS 27:1 TO 28:31. PAUL IS LOADED IN TO A BOAT AND SAILS FROM CEASERIA TO CRETE. THE SHIP IS TOSSED BY A STORM BUT IS ASSURED BY THE LORD THAT NO LOSS OF LIFE WILL OCCUR. THE SHIP IS WRECKED BUT ALL ON BOARD ARE SAVED. THEY HOLD UP ON THE ISLE OF MALTA FOR A WHILE AND THEN ON AGAIN TO ROME. HE IS REJECTED BY THE JEWS IN ROME. HE IS KEPT UNDER HOUSE ARREST THERE FOR TWO YEARS WHERE HE WRITES EPHESIANS, PHILIPPIANS, COLOSSIANS AND PHILEMON. SURVIVING A SHIPWRECK AND SPENDING SO MUCH TIME IN PRISON HAS TO WEIGH HEAVY ON ONES MIND. YOU EVEN MAY START TO THINK IS THIS ALL WORTH IT, AND YET THIS IS NOT WHAT MADE PAUL A MAN OF SORROW.

HE WAS FINALLY RELEASED FROM THIS FIRST ROMAN IMPRISONMENT (PHIL 1:25, PHIL 2:17,24 AND 2 TIMOTHY 4:16-17). HE THEN WRITES FIRST TIMOTHY AND TITUS AND VISITS MACIDONIA AND OTHER CHURCH'S 2 TIM 4:20. HE WRITES 2 TIMOTHY FROM ANOTHER ROMAN PRISON 2 TIM 1:8 AND 2 TIM 4:6-8 AND SENDS HIS FINAL NEWS AND GREETINGS IN 2 TIM 4:9-22. WHERE WE HEAR NO MORE ABOUT THIS SPECIAL MAN. ONE CAN ONLY ASSUME HE MET A MARTYR'S DEATH IN ROME. AS A ROMAN CITEZEN THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT BY BEHEADING, BUT THIS IS CONJECTURE FOR THE SCRIPTURES ARE SILENT ON THIS MATTER. THIS WAS A MAN WHO SUFFERED MUCH FOR HIS LORD AS JESUS HAD TOLD ANNINIAS BACK IN ACTS 9. HE ALSO APPEARED BEFORE THE GENTILES, KINGS AND SONS OF ISRAEL ALSO FORTOLD THERE. HE WAS BEATEN, STONED, FLOGGED, SHIPWRECKED AND IMPRISONED MANY TIMES. SURELY THIS IS WHY HE IS A MAN OF SORROW. NOT AT ALL. IN FACT IF YOU READ ALL HIS LETTERS YOU FIND HE GAINED STRENGTH FROM ALL OF THIS. HE COUNTED DEATH AS GAIN FOR CHRIST. HE CONSIDERED HIMSELF HONORED THAT THEY WOULD TREAT HIM AS THEY DID HIS SAVIOR. PAUL WAS A MAN WHO WALKED IN CHRIST AND THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE KNEW IF THEY HATED JESUS THEY WOULD HATE HIM. " I COUNT IT ALL JOY" WAS HIS RESPONSE. JOY, I THOUGHT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A MAN OF SORROW.

WOW! I GUESS HE REALLY WAS NOT A MAN OF SORROW. OH SURE HE HAD HIS DOWN TIMES. MARK LEAVING HIM WAS A BLOW. BUT WE FIND HIM LATER AS ONE OF THE FEW WHO STAYED WITH PAUL IN HIS PRISON DAYS AND PAUL SAYS HE WAS AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO HIM. SURE THERE WAS THE TIME IN PRISON, BUT HE CONVERTED THE PHILIPPIAN JAILER AND HIS FAMILY, GOT TO PREACH TO FESTUS AND HIS WIFE ANND EVEN WITNESS TO HIS PRISON GUARDS. MANY IN ROME CAME TO KNOW THE LORD DUE TO HIS FAITHFULNESS EVEN UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. IT WAS THE DECENDANTS OF THESE EARLY ROMAN BELIEVERS THAT BROUGHT ROME TO ITS KNEES BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD. YES THE JEWS HATED HIM AND WANTED TO KILL HIM. BUT MANY CAME TO KNOW THE MESSIAH THEY HAD WAITED SO LONG FOR, BECAUSE OF HIS TEACHING IN THEIR SYNAGOGUES. HOW MANY CHURCH'S WERE ESTABLISHED THROUGH HIS MINISTRY? HOW MANY YOUNG MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL WERE ESTABLISHED AND LATER STRENGTHENED BY HIS TEACHINGS AND EXHORTATIONS, MYSELF INCLUDED. HOW MANY FALSE DOCTRINS WERE NIPPED IN THE BUD OR DIVERTED BECAUSE OF HIS SOUND DOCTRIN?

HOW HE MUST HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED BY THOSE WHO SOME HOW DID NOT GET WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO TELL THEM. MANY A MINISTER TODAY GAINS STRENGTH FROM THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF PAUL IN DEALING WITH THEIR OWN DIFFICULTIES AND CONGREGATIONS. WE IN OUR OWN LIVES HAVE TROUBLE TRYING TO SEE GOD'S PLAN FOR OUR LIVES. WE SEE DOORS SHUT, OPPORTUNITIES THAT DO NOT MATERIALIZE AND WONDER, WHAT DOES GOD WANT. WE LOOK AT PAUL AND KNOW THAT IN HIS TIME HE WILL SHOW US. BUT WE MUST BE READY TO ACT WHEN THE CALL COMES. BE PATIENT, FOR HE WILL CALL. HE WILL OPEN THE DOORS AND SHOW THE WAY. IN HIS TIME, NOT OURS. EVEN BEFORE PAUL HAD STARTED ON HIS LIFES JOURNEY FOR THE LORD, JESUS KNEW WHAT HE MUST SUFFER AND DO. PAUL JUST HAD TO WAIT FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES TO PRESENT THEMSELVES. FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET SURRENDERED TO THE WILL AND GUIDENCE OF OUR LORD (both christian and non christian alike) THIS IS A MAN WHO CAN INSPIRE EVEN THE COLDEST HEART OR THE MOST MISGUIDED AMONG US. YES WE ARE AFRAID SOMETIMES TO DO WHAT WE KNOW IS RIGHT, AS MARK WAS, BUT WHAT AN ENCOURAGEMENT BARNABAS MUST HAVE BEEN TO HIM. WHAT A TURNED AROUND LIFE FOR CHRIST WE SEE LATER IN PAULS LIFE. DRAW FROM HIS EXAMPLE. DRAW FROM THE STRENGTH CHRIST HAD FOR HIM AND FOR YOU ALSO. DRAW FROM HIS COURAGE EVEN IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION AND THREATS OF DEATH. AND LIKE PAUL, IN YOUR DIFFICULTIES, PRAISE GOD AND "COUNT IT ALL AS JOY"


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