Praying Paul's Letters: Lesson 1

Pastor’s Bible Class

Thomas Road Baptist Church

Praying Paul’s Letters

Dr. Elmer L. Towns

Lesson 1

February 24, 2008

A. WHO WAS PAUL?

1. Tentmaker. What was his father’s occupation? Acts 18:1-2.

2. Tarsus. Where was Paul born? (Turkey)

3. Legalistic. What can be said of his background? “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, concerning the law, a Pharisee” (Phil. 3:4).

4. Best Training. What was his education? “Brought up at . . . the feet of Gamaliel” (Acts 22:3).

5. Hated Christians. “I persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering into prison, both men and women” (Acts 22:4).

6. High Rank. “Went to the High Priest and desired of him letters . . . bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2).

7. Saw the Physical Jesus. “Though we have known Christ after the flesh” (II Cor. 5:16).

8. Converted on the Damascus Road.

9. Preached Immediately. “Straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues” (Acts 9:20).

10. Separated to learn. “I went away into the desert of Arabia” (Gal. 1:17, LB).

11. Taught by God. “By revelation He (God) made known unto me the mysteries” (Eph. 3:3). “I neither received it of man . . . but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:12).

12. Was not taught by apostles. “After three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter . . . but other of the apostles saw I none” (Gal. 1:18-19).

13. 10 years learning how to minister. “The brethren . . . sent him home to Tarsus” (Acts 9:30).

14. Ministry to Antioch. Barnabas “brought him (Paul) unto Antioch . . . and a whole year they assembled themselves with the church” (Acts 11:26).

15. His name changed from Saul (Hebrew, to ask) to Paul (Greek), why?

· Paul did a miracle (13:11-12)

· Minister to Gentiles

· God’s anointing

16. Should Paul have been the 12th apostle, not Matthias?

Matthias

- Chosen by lots (1:26)

- Number 11

- Embarrassed by Judas

Paul

- Jesus said 12 (Luke 22:30)

- Paul had revelations

- Paul wrote 13 N.T. books

- Paul advanced the church

B. WHY PAUL WROTE LETTERS

1. To impart New Truth or Revelation. “The dispensation of the grace of God which was given me to you” (Eph. 3:2).

2. To refocus ministry and energy. “Preach the word, be in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering” (II Tim. 4:2).

3. To correct wrong doctrine. “Please don’t be upset and excited dear brothers, by the rumors that the day of the Lord has already begun (II Thess. 2:2, LB). Thessalonians believed the Tribulation had begun.

4. To correct wrong living. “It sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet for your communion service . . . divisions among you . . . gets drunk” (I Cor. 11:17-18, 21, LB).

5. To teach or reinforce doctrine. “I declare unto you the gospel . . . that Christ died for our sins . . . and that he was buried, and that he arose again on the third day” (I Cor. 15:1-4).

What Christians had:

· Memory

· Indwelling Christ and Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:26).

· Tradition “Stand fast and hold the traditions which you have been taught.”

6. To compliment and reinforce. “You became examples to all in Macedonia . . . from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth . . . your faith toward God has gone out” (I Thess. 1:7-8).

7. To comfort the hurting. “Comfort one another with these words” (I Thess. 4:18).

8. To train and equip. “The things that those hast heard of me among many witness, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall teach others also” (II Tim. 2:2, KJV).

The 2 x 2 principle = Great Grandchildren

Paul

Timothy

Faithful one

Others

9. Personal concerns. “Prepare me a lodging” (Philemon v. 22) “The cloak . . . bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments” (II Tim. 4:13).

10. To warn. “He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself . . . for this cause many are . . . sickly . . . and many sleep” (I Cor. 11:29-30).

C. WHAT WOULD PAUL WRITE TO YOU? (CONTINUED)

1. You are perfect in God’s sight, justified. “So now we have been made right in God’s sight by faith in His promises, we can have real peace with Him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Rom. 5:1, LB).

2. You stand in Christ as He stands in the presence of the Father (Eph. 2:4-10).

3. Christ indwells you. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:26).