This Week's Study

This Week's Study

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          1                         2                       3
1. The Yearning of Yahveh (Old Testament)
   2. The Yoke of Yeshua (4 Gospels)
   3. The Yeast of Yerushalaim (Acts to Revelation)

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Paul who?

That obnoxious little Pharisee, who viciously persecuted the church, who was knocked to the ground near Damascus, who was stunned by the scolding of the risen Christ, and who was transformed to a passionate advocate of the Way he had tried to eradicate—that’s the one we’re talking about: Paul of Tarsus.

It is not obvious how Luke’s book, the Acts of the Apostles, synchronizes with the letters of Paul. In the next few studies we will detect small clues that may help us solve the puzzle.

1. Paul was born as Saul into a Jewish family of Tarsus in Cilicia (Acts 22:3).

2. His father was a Roman citizen and a Pharisee from the tribe of Benjamin (Acts 22:27-28, 23:6, Phil. 3:5).

3. As a child, Saul learned the trade of tent-making (Acts 18:3).

4. Saul apparently went as teenager to live with his sister in Jerusalem to study under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3, 23:16).

5. He watched and condoned the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:58, 8:1).

6. He became a fanatic persecutor of Christians (Acts 8:3, 9:1-2, 22:4-5, 26:9-11).

7. Unknowingly, he was used in this capacity by God, who inspired the fleeing Christians to disperse the gospel wherever they went, thus accelerating the growth of the church (Acts 8:1-4).

What messages can we retrieve from Paul’s early life?

	Although Tarsus was far from mainstream Judaism in Jerusalem, God prepared Paul to be an important instrument in His plan for humanity. Birth-place and birth-family do not disqualify anyone for a meaningful career.
	Paul later used his rights as a Roman citizen to protect him against injustice. Paul’s knowledge of the Old Testament he had gained as Pharisee helped him to explain the relationship between the old and the new dispensation to the church of all centuries. Past and present experiences prepare us for future challenges. Even Paul’s tent-making skill came in handy when he had to preach the gospel free of charge.
	Watching Stephen’s mob-execution undoubtedly made a deep impression on the young fanatic (Acts 22:20). When Paul was stoned on his first mission journey (Acts 14:19-20), an ordeal he survived by God’s grace, he knew how Stephen must have felt. In his second letter to the Corinthians (6:4-10, 11:22-28), he listed his sufferings for Christ as proof of the authenticity of his message.
	Paul despised himself for persecuting the church of Christ when he was a young fanatic Pharisee. He calls himself “the worst of sinners” (1Tim.1:12-15). However, instead of drowning in self-blame, he used this negative of his life to highlight the positive of God’s grace. If the worst of sinners could find mercy, then nobody is too vile to be saved.
	Questions: Is there something in your past that holds you back from committing yourself to Christ? Do you use your great sin as an excuse for not accepting Jesus as your Savior? Have you thought that your hometown or family is so insignificant that you will never be a success? Gideon also tried this excuse unsuccessfully (Judges 6:14-16). When looking back, can you see how one phase of your life prepared you for the next?
	NEXT WEEK: The dirty part of Paul's life -- the worst of sinners.

Click here for studies of past weeks

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