Paul, Christ’s Slave
Romans 1:1 -- Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God
I. Meet Saul, the Killer
a. When we first see Paul, the author of half the New Testament, he is called by another name – Saul
i. Like many whose encounter with God changed their name, so is Saul
ii. Abram became Abraham
iii. Jacob became Israel
iv. Simon became Peter
b. Grace has such a transforming power that it changes the identity, character, and name of these men
c. Acts 7:58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.
d. Acts 8:1 And Saul approved of their killing him.
e. The book of Romans is written by an author that we know as a saint, apostle and father of the church
f. But the early church had the history of knowing him in his pre-grace state
g. God’s grace was so scandalous poured out on the greatest enemy of the church, a murderer of the first martyr Stephen
h. Paul calls himself the chief of sinners because of his past sins
i. It would be like if the great terrorists names of today (Bin Ladin, Khadafi, Ahmejinidab, were saved)
j. We should consider no one outside the reach of grace
k. Maybe what our generation needs is a Saul type conversion to shake the nations with the grace of God
II. Saul is Converted
a. Acts 9
i. Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest
ii. and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
iii. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
iv. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
v. “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
vi. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
vii. The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.
viii. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
ix. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
x. In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” "Yes, Lord,” he answered.
xi. The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
xii. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
xiii. “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.
xiv. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
xv. But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
xvi. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
xvii. Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
xviii. Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,
b. God gave Saul a vision of Ananias coming before he spoke to Ananias – trusted his servant
c. Ananias asked the Lord “I have heard many reports. . . .” Are you sure?
d. God’s shocking grace that disturbs even those who are His channels with whom He saves!
e. This story is retold by Saul/Paul many times and has many Roman guards, centurions, and governors shaken by grace
III. Saul Begins to Preach
a. Saul’s radical transformation changes him from murder to evangelist overnight
b. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
IV. Saul Escapes Conspiracy to Kill Him
a. But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
V. Church Fears to Accept Saul
a. This grace was so shocking, that the church thought it was a ploy from Saul to gain access to kill more of them
b. Grace that was unbelievable to the church
c. Thank God for the Barnabas that can take the risk to embrace dangerous grace!
d. When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
VI. Barnabas Brings Saul to the Church at Antioch
a. Barnabas not only brings Saul to Jerusalem, but sees his gift of leadership for the church at Antioch
b. Acts 11:25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
VII. Saul Sent from Antioch For Missions
a. Acts 13:2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
VIII. In Cyprus
a. Paul blinded the sorcerer Elymas who was distracting his preaching to the proconsul Sergius Paulus
IX. In Pisidian Antioch
a. The Jewish leaders were jealous and the Gentiles were glad that God "had made a light for the Gentiles to bring salvation to the ends of the earth"
X. In Iconium
a. With signs and wonders great numbers believed. There was a plot to stone them, so they left to Lystra & Derbe.
XI. In Lystra
a. A lame man being healed, caused the locals to try to worship Paul & Barnabas. After Jews came from Antioch and persuaded the crowd to stone Paul and drag him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples prayed for him, he got up.
b. Many believe that this is when Paul had the experience where he was caught up to the third heaven and shown great mysteries that were too wonderful to utter
XII. Judas & Silas sent from Jerusalem Council with Paul & Barnabas
a. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
XIII. Paul & Silas go through Syria & Cilicia while Barnabas & John Mark separate
a. Paul has a vision of a man of Macedonia and goes there to preach the gospel
XIV. Paul & Silas Preaching Philippi and Lydia is saved
a. Paul casts the demon ut of a fortune-telling girl and her owners realized they money-maker was gone and dragged them into the market place, they are stripped & beaten and thrown in the Philippian jail
XV. In Thessalonica, there was a mob
XVI. In Berea, there was great faith and study of the scripture
XVII. In Athens, Paul preached of "the unknown God"
XVIII. In Corinth
a. The Lord told Paul “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
b. It is at this time in his journey, that most scholars believe that Paul wrote the book of Romans
c. Paul had not yet visited Rome or the church in Rome
d. Paul had planted churches in many port cities that were trading hubs of the 1st century
e. Paul had also won many Roman centurions to the faith
f. Many of these believers were from Rome and that is why Paul is able to send greetings to dozens of Roman believers in the 16th chapter of the book
XIX. In Ephesus, a riot because of the idol "Diana of the Ephesians"
XX. Paul is arrested in Jerusalem, preaches to the Jews and they try to kill him
XXI. Paul is transferred to Governor Felix in Caesarea
XXII. Paul is sent to Rome, and is in a storm for 3 weeks and shipwrecked on Malta
XXIII. Paul preaches, under Roman Guard in Rome without hindrance for 2 years
XXIV. Paul finishes his journey
a. According to tradition, Paul is in a Roman prison, to be executed by Nero on the chopping block
b. Paul, with the chopping block before him, writes to Timothy “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
XXV. A Slave of Jesus Christ
a. Yet with all the impressive resume that Paul had –
i. THE APOSTLE to the Nations
ii. Outside of Jesus Christ, the most influential person in the history of the church
iii. The author of half the New Testament
iv. His study under the feet of Gamaliel, a leader of first century Israel
v. Revelations of heavenly things that were too great for him to pen “eye has not seen, neither has ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man”
vi. Brilliant theologian and writer, whose writings would be studied by the greatest minds of two millennia
b. He introduces himself to the church at Rome as “SLAVE OF JESUS CHRIST”
i. One who does not have a will for his life, but is subject to the will of his owner/master
ii. It is the word used in Deuteronomy of a slave who has the option to be set free, but chooses to live a life for his master
1. “I do not want to leave you," because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, then take an awl and push it through his ear lobe into the door,”
c. When someone introduces themselves, it is the first thing they say that is the top of their mind about their identity
i. Governor, Vice President of Sales, General Overeer, Pope, Cardinal, Mayor
ii. Paul takes the great title “a slave of Jesus Christ” – as the core foundation of his identity
iii. He had a life of hate & murder but was arrested by grace
iv. He has now given over his will to the will of the Master and takes joy in being owned by the Savior
v. Philippians 3:7 “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ”
