THE APOSTLE PAUL

Pastor Jerry Rockwell

 

 

THE APOSTLE PAUL

Acts 7:51-60

Introduction: A preacher of days gone by made a statement that is a good introduction to our study today. He was James Stalker, a Scottish Free Church Preacher, Evangelist, and Theologian. He wrote: 

There are some men whose lives it is impossible to study without receiving the impression that they were expressly sent into the world to do a work required by the juncture of history on which they fell. The story of the Reformation, for example, cannot be read by a devout mind without wonder at the providence by which such great men as Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and Knox were simultaneously raised up in different parts of Europe to break the yoke of the papacy and republish the gospel of grace. 

The history of the church in the Bible could serve as a template for demonstrating how men called by God can make a significant contribution to the spiritual needs of men, women, and children. We are familiar with men of the Old Testament, such as Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and many others. When we come to the New Testament, the story continues as God calls men to do His will and accomplish what He has in store for humanity. The New Testament begins with the miraculous event of Jesus Christ's virgin birth. When God wanted to provide salvation for mankind, he chose His “only begotten son, Jesus Christ. It says in John 1:18 (KJV) No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. Closely associated with the coming of Jesus Christ and the initiation of His ministry was John the Baptist. Few can dispute his significance. Some have pointed out that God called two men in history to accomplish what God wanted to do (and will) for humanity, and that was redemption. They were Moses of the Old Testament and the Apostle Paul of the New Testament. These two men had the task of leading men to learn to trust Him for many things, but, above all, for salvation and eternal life. With that in mind, we want to show how God uses men from interesting backgrounds to lead men, women, and children to trust God for deliverance from the curse of sin brought on by the sin of the first man, Adam. This study today is about the second man, the Apostle Paul, who, like Moses, had a less-than-stellar background and life. Moses would not have been chosen by mankind to lead a people because he had killed a man and, by today’s standards, should have been executed or at least spent the rest of his life in prison. The Apostle Paul had an interesting background as well. We are not privileged to know much about him until he was a grown man, and his life before God introduced him in scripture is vague at best. This study will attempt to demonstrate this great personality and how God used him to initiate the life of the church. 

  1. 1.The Beginnings. When you “Google” the phrase “the Apostle Paul,” you get some interesting data. One thing they say is that Saul was born in 5 b.c. in Tarsus, which is now in Turkey. The date of 5 b.c. is speculation, but the place is verifiable. When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, he was accused of teaching things contrary to the Law and they claimed he two Greeks (Gentiles) into the Temple area. The crowd had the intention of killing Paul but the chief captain of the Roman band took soldiers and centurions took him and commanded him to be bound and carried into the castle. Paul explained chief captain that he was a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia (Acts 21:39) and proceeded to ask permission to speak to the crowd. He was given permission (Acts 21:40) and when the mob became silent Paul spoke to them in Hebrew (Acts 21:40). He announced to them in Ac 22:3 (KJV) I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. He announced his birth and background to them. Paul mentions that he taught by Gamaliel who is mentioned two times in Acts.
  2. 2.GAMALIEL AND SEMINARY. The two times he is mentioned in Acts he had something to say about the “apostles” in Acts 5:34 and Acts 22:3 (seen earlier). The event in Acts 22:3 Gamaliel was a teacher of the Law of God in the Old Testament. The matter in Acts 5:34 is when the apostles (they are named except Peter) were performing “many signs and wonders” (Acts 5:12) and they were magnified by the people and multitudes were “added to the Lord” (Acts 5:13-14). Needless to say the authorities, the High Priest and the Sadducees, were “filled with indignation” (Acts 5:17). The apostles were captured and placed into the “common prison” (Acts 5:18). During the night the apostles were released from the prison by an “angel of the Lord” (Acts 5:19) and in told in Ac 5:20 (KJV) “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.” The next section of Acts 5:21-27 tells of how the Jewish leaders discovered that the prison doors were secure (vs. 23) and the apostles were in the temple “teaching the people” (vs. 25). The men are questioned by the High Priest and reminded them of the prohibition they placed on the apostles about preaching. Peter replied in Acts 5:29 (KJV) “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” The High Priest and the Sadducees took counsel to put the apostles to death. They it says in Acts 5:34-39 (KJV) “34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; 35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. 36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.” Gamaliel was not just a teacher of the Law but evidently exercised much wisdom. The point here is that this man was one of the major figures among the Jewish leaders and highly respected. Paul was educated and given instruction by him. Today, we would probably say Paul had a “ThD” (Doctor of Theology degree).
  3. THE APOSTLE PAUL AND HIS BEGINNING. The first verse says in Galatians 1:1 (KJV) Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead. Paul was an apostle not by any means other than the commission by God/Jesus Christ as depicted in Acts 9. The first time Saul (his Jewish name) is found in the biblical narrative was at the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7:58 (KJV) And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. Stephen had angered the synagogue leaders who had sought to silence him because he was being so effective in reaching the lost and many had turned to Christ. The initially planned to have him silenced and had “suborned” some men to help them dispose of Stephen. The word “suborned” (Acts 6:11)has an interesting definition. The internet gives this meaning to the word: “to be secretly bribed, persuaded, or induced by someone to commit an illegal act, particularly to lie or commit perjury in a court of law.” Their motive was evil from the beginning. They accused Stephen of “blasphemous words” (Acts 6:11), “stirred up the people” (Acts 6:12), and set up “false witnesses” (Acts 6:13). The high priest then asked a question of Stephe “Are these things so?” This initiated a lengthy sermon by Stephen which took them through much of the Old Testament and history of Israel (Acts 7:2-53). We are told in Acts 7:54 (KJV) When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. Next thing they did was stone Stephen (Acts 7:59-60). The very next chapter introduces the reader to a man by the name of “Saul. . .was consenting unto his death” Acts 8:1). This verse also indicates there was “a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem” (Acts 8:2). The rest of Acts 8 describes activities of the apostles and the church. This chapter gives the story of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch when Philip shared him the gospel from Isaiah, and he was baptized. The next chapter, Acts 9, brings “Saul” [Paul] back into the story where he was “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (vs.1). He sought letters from the high priest that he might use it to give to the synagogues in Damascus where he might find people “of the way” (vs. 2) and bring them bound to Jerusalem for trial. This is the beginning of the conversion of the man by the name of Saul as he traveled on the Damascus Road with the goal of doing away with people of “the way.”
  4. PAUL’S ENCOUNTER WITH GOD. The murder of Stephen by the Jewish synagogue leaders was by stoning which ends in Acts 7:60. The very next verse reveals some important information when it says in Acts 8:1 (KJV) “And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.” We read in Ac 7:58 (KJV) “And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.” Then we read in Acts 8:1-3 (KJV) “1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.” Then in Ac 9:1-2 (KJV) “1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.” These verses demonstrate that this man, Saul, was a man determined to eradicate the world of these people who were preaching “Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38; 3:6; 4:10; 8:12 et al). Little did he anticipate what was about to take place and change his life for eternity. Acts 9:3-22 records the conversion of Saul the Jew. The first time we encounter him being called “Paul” is Ac 13:9 (KJV) “Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.” The name “Saul” is recorded 26 times in the book of Acts. The name “Paul” is recorded 126 times in the book of Acts. “Saul” was his Jewish name and “Paul” was his Christian name.

The Transition from Jew to Christian. Acts 9:3-22 is the account of Paul’s conversion. It was rather dramatic to say the least. Being on the road to Damascus to bring believers in the Lord Jesus Christ “bound unto Jerusalem” (vs. 2). This was a serious process. When Paul was before Agrippa being examined by the Roman leaders, was able to give testimony, he informed them about his activities persecuting the people who became known as Christians (Acts 11:26). He told Agrippa in Acts 26:9-12 (KJV) “9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. 11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. 12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests.” The encounter with God in Acts 9 was rather dramatic. Here is the narrative of the process:

  1.  Near Damascus: Acts 9:3, the light shining around him from heaven.
  2.  Falling to the Earth Dialogue with God: Acts 9:4-7. The voice of God from heaven, vs. 4; Paul’s question, vs. 5; God’s instructions, vs. 6; the men with Saul, vs. 7; Saul’s blindness and led to Damascus and for three days and three nights he did not eat or drink, vs. 8-9.
  3. In Damascus with Ananias: Acts 9:10-22. This passage gives an account of the ransformation which took place in Saul. The process is amazing. Note the following:
  1. Ananias’ reluctance: vss. 10-17.
  2. “Brother Saul,” vss. 17-20
  3. Saul’s conversion, vss. 17-18.
  4. Saul’s transformation, vss. 19-22.
  5. The Jewish response, vss. 22-23.
  6. Barnabas enters the story, vss. 27-30. 
  7. Postscript, vs. 31.
  1. Saul at Antioch, Acts 11.25; 12:24-25; 13:1-2. THE MISSION PROCESS BEGAN.

pastedGraphic.png