INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• As we are closing in on the end of our series, “The Story,” I pray that we are starting to be aware that as we live in the lower story, a story at times filled with chaos, confusion, struggles, sickness, and injustice, there is an UPPER STORY!
• The Upper Story is God’s plan along with God’s plan for your life. A plan that will exist long after we leave this earth to be with Him.
• God is using His Upper Story to oversee the lower story, and even when it seems that all is lost, God’s plan is not laid in ruin.
• Living in the lower story can be stressful and difficult because we do not always understand the “why’s” and how’s” of God.
• As we look at the final days of Paul’s ministry, we can gain some insights from Paul that will help us to be able to endure until the end, and not only can we endure, but we can be victorious and joyful in the process.
• Life can be a joy when we grasp that we are a part of God’s Upper Story.
• When you examine the life of Paul, one would think that since Jesus called Paul to His service that the path would be made smooth for Paul. But for the most part it was far from smooth.
• When you look at your life and think that God has abandoned you or does not care for you, we need to take a peek at the life of Paul.
• Never forget that Good is ALWAYS in pursuit of you and really that is the theme of the Bible.
• Let’s turn to the book of 2 Corinthians, we will begin our journey this morning in chapter 11, verse 23-29 as Paul describes some of the issues he faced while serving Jesus!
• SLIDE #2
• 2 Corinthians 11:23–29 (NIV) 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
• SLIDE #3
• From this passage we see that…
SERMON
I. Paul had a dynamic life that was not without difficulties.
• From this passage we see that life was not easy for Paul as he served the Lord. When I have seen so many servants of the Lord today abandon their call because someone was mean to them makes me feel bad for them.
• In the passage I shared with you, Paul tells of his tumultuous life!
• Look at the list of things he went through as he was striving to serve Jesus!
• Prison, flogged, exposed to death, 5 times he received 39 lashes from the Jews, 3 times beaten with rods, pelted with stones, shipwrecked x3, spent a night and day on the open sea.
• He was exposed to dangers from the Jews, and gentiles alike! Gone without sleep, gone hungry, thirsty, been cold, naked.
• AND on top of that, he faced the daily pressure of his concern for the church!
• O.k. at what point would you have abandoned ship? The stoning? The lashes?
• The hunger? MAYBE THERE
• How much person take?
• Paul was so active in his service, he just kept on serving no matter what.
• How easy would it have been to rationalize at any point that maybe he was mistaken in his calling based on the circumstances he was continually facing!
• Paul walked in the major cities of the known Roman world. He was relentless in his pursuit of following his calling!
• Paul also had to make a living while doing all he did for Jesus. And we tire if we are called to do a couple things to serve the Lord.
• Paul always seemed to stay focused. When he was put in prison, he would witness to the guards chained to him.
• While in prison, Paul wrote what we call the Prison Epistles, the books of Philemon, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians.
• Paul’s blessing was that he never got over that the living Jesus met him, changed him and called him to serve.
• Paul, the man who by his own words was zealously persecuting the church was a spokesman for God’s grace, grace was one of the favorite themes of Paul.
• The Damascus road changed him forever, and Paul experienced the grace he so freely shared with everyone in his path!
• When we think about our own lives, I know some have been through some very rough waters. The question we face is this, “How do we stay faithfully serving Jesus even when our lower story seems like a shipwreck?”
• I have seen way too many people fade away when their lower story got complicated. Paul’s lower story looked pretty rough, and his got rough as a direct result of his service to Jesus!
• Let’s see if we can gain some insight that will help us to be able to stay strong, faithful, and full of joy as we strive to live for and serve Jesus!
• SLIDE #4
II. Paul’s secret for dealing with life.
• Being rejected and often left for dead, how did Paul face the severe challenges in his life?
• We need to know the answer for some of us are rejected by our families for following Jesus. Some think we are crazy for believing in Jesus.
• Some feel the isolation that comes from being devoted to Jesus. We all have storms of some kind—relational, financial, and personal.
• While in prison, Paul wrote the book of Philippians. Look at what he says about life!
• SLIDE #5
• Philippians 4:12–13 (NIV) 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
• Paul relied on the strength of Jesus to get him through all the issues he faced, on his own, he could not have endured, through Jesus, there was nothing he could not endure.
• His secret was Jesus!
• Remember, he wrote these words while in PRISON for his faith!
• SLIDE #6
• Philippians 1:21–23 (NIV) 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
• Paul realized that HIS life was not about HIM, it was about Jesus, the reason for this is the fact that Paul KNEW eternity with Jesus awaited him!
• Paul anchored his life to a hope out of this world! He trusted his life into the hands of God!
• He could have easily gotten tangled up in any ONE of the troubles he faced and given up, but he did not.
• WE can identify with Paul because many times we feel like nothing in life is going right.
• HAVE YOU EVER FELT THAT WAY?
• Paul was so torn because he could not wait to be with Jesus, and that is where he wanted to be, yet he knew his mission was for the benefit of other people!
• He knew that as long as he had breath, he would be serving the Lord!
• The secret of being able to be content, to being able to stay strong and faithful, and full of joy is KNOWING WHO YOU SERVE AND WHO YOU BELONG TO!
• When you put what you face, no matter how difficult it is, in the context of heaven, it just does not seem as difficult!
• How can a guy who went through what Paul endured write such a thing as..
• SLIDE #7
• REMEMBER HE IS IN PRISON FOR HIS FAITH!
• Philippians 4:6–7 (NIV) 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
• I know it is hard to let go of anxiety, there is a lot of uncertainty in life, but when we keep our hearts of Jesus, we can experience peace in the midst of turmoil!
• That peace Paul speaks of will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus!
• When your faith is more than academic, as your relationship grows with Jesus, you too will be able to experience the awesome peace Jesus offers!
• This lead to the final trail in our journey today!
• SLIDE #8
III. Paul’s life ended very well.
• Tradition says that Paul was beheaded sometime around AD 67 while Nero was ruling Rome.
• Now how can one’s life being ended by losing their head be considered ending well?
• This would not be my favorite way to exit this life, but for Paul, life ended well because he got to be with his Lord!
• Last week we read a passage I want to revisit. Paul writes this while in prison, he knows his time is short!
• SLIDE #9
• 2 Timothy 4:6–8 (NIV) 6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 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.
• In the text, a drink-offering was a cup of wine that was poured on the sacrificial victim at the conclusion of the sacrifice.
• Paul saw his whole ministry as a sacrifice he was offering up to God.
• In Philippians 2:17 Paul uses the same phrase during his first Roman imprisonment when it was possible he was going to be martyred, in that verse he said IF I AM POURED OUT, in this passage the if is gone and Paul knows his time to go home is near!
• As he was writing this letter the legal process that would result in his death is already being carried out.
• His martyrdom would be like a drink offering, the conclusion of his life of sacrifice! (Gareth Reese- Timothy & Titus- page 525)
• Paul’s life ended well because he fought the good fight, he finished the race, he kept the faith.
• His time was approaching to claim his inheritance!
• By the way, Nero committed suicide in AD 68 when the senate was coming after him, his life did not end will well.
CONCLUSION
• There are no Saint Nero Cathedrals. People do not name their sons Nero. Lots of people are named Paul.
• Who are the real difference-makers in the world? Not the spot-light seeking, attention-craving celebrities.
• It is the ordinary Paul’s & Paula’s, the church, who are making a difference for all eternity.
• Only the church has been given the story of grace.
• Are you fighting the good fight?
• Are you finishing the course?
• Are you running the race?
• Does God have you?
• The Book of Acts still continues and it is the story of our local church. Are you ready to give it all to Jesus?
