Looking for Paul

[JLG]

Acts 20

Paul goes to Macedonia and Greece and back to Macedonia instead of Syria because of a plot organized by the Jews. In Troas, during a meal, Paul makes a speech till midnight and a young man falls asleep and falls from the third story and dies. But Paul throws himself on him and embraces him and brings him back to life. So they sail and Paul wants to go to Jerusalem for the festival of Pentecost. But sooner or later he can expect imprisonment and tribulations. Knowing that he won’t be able to come back to Ephesus, he meets the elders in Miletus where he encourages them to stay faithful and warns them about the coming of oppressive wolves and they pray together.

- When Paul speaks about tribulations, he knows what it means!

- He has lived through tribulations!

- And through all his letters, he keeps warning the disciples about the coming tribulations and the oppressive wolves!

- Oppressive wolves will come and look for their own interests and modify Jesus’ message!

- He knows that hard times are coming and tribulations and oppression!

- But Jesus told the same before his death!

​

 

[JLG]

Acts 21

Paul sails again and arrives at Tyre. He stays 7 days with the disciples. All the disciples tell Paul not to go to Jerusalem. When they arrive at Cesarea, a prophet goes to Paul and tells him that he is going to be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem and he will be given to the people of the nations. The disciples try to stop him but Paul goes to Jerusalem. Many Jews have become believers but they say that Paul teaches an apostasy telling the Jews among the nations not to circumcise their children or to follow the customary practices. When Paul is in the temple some Jews try to kill Paul and the commander of the army take soldiers and army officers because of the confusion and goes to them. When they see the soldiers they stop beating Paul. And the commander orders Paul to be bound and taken to the soldiers’ quarters because of the disturbance. Then Paul starts to speak to the commander. And after getting the permission from the commander, he speaks to the crowd.​

- Before going to Jerusalem, Paul knew what was going to happen to him!

- But he was ready!

- So first he is beaten by the Jews who want to kill him!

- Then the Roman commander arrives!

- He asks permission to speak to the crowd!

- We are going to listen to his message!

- Nobody can stop Paul speaking about God’s kingdom!

- Since the day he was chosen by Jesus, he has been teaching people about God’s kingdom!

- And he knew he had to suffer many tribulations!

 

[JLG]

Acts 22

Paul tells about his history and how he used to persecute the Way. Then he has a vision of Jesus resurrected and becomes blind before recovering his sight. God chooses him to be a witness to all men of the things he has seen and heard. He speaks about the murder of Stephen. But the Jews raise their voices against Paul. So the commander orders Paul to be brought into the soldiers’ quarters to be interrogated under scourging. Then Paul asks the army officer if it is lawful to scourge a Roman who has not been condemned. And the military commander becomes afraid because Paul is a Roman. The next day, he releases Paul and assembles the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin with Paul to know what Paul is being accused by the Jews.

- Paul speaks boldly to the crowd!

- He is not afraid!

- he defends himself in front of the military commander!

- He knows he works for God!

- And he represents him!

- He has been chosen for that!

- Not for a peaceful life!

- He knows he will get into trouble again and again!

- But he is faithful!

- And that’s the most important thing for him!​

 

[complete]

Paul said:-
'I have learned, in whatsoever state I am,
therewith to be content.
I know both how to be abased,
and I know how to abound:
every where and in all things I am instructed
both to be full and to be hungry,
both to abound and to suffer need.
I can do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth me.'
(Php 4:11b-13)

Praise God!

 

[JLG]

Acts 23

Paul speaks in front of the Sanhedrin. Knowing that there were half Sadducees and half Pharisees, he presents himself as a Pharisee and son of Pharisee and being judged because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead. And a dissension arises between them so the military commander decides to bring Paul into the soldiers’ quarters. The following night the Lord appears to Paul telling him that he will bear witness in Rome. The Jews want to kill Paul who escapes an organized ambush. So the military commander sends Paul to Felix the governor in Caesarea with many soldiers to prevent any attempt.

- As usual, the Jews try to kill their religious opponents, in this case Paul!

- They can’t bear being challenged!

- Jesus tells Paul he will go to Rome to bear witness!

- It shows us what happens when people have no arguments!

- But it leads nowhere!

- It only shows your inability to defend your faith!

- We remember how the Pharisees and Sadducees did against Jesus!

- And Jesus went on accusing them with more strength and powerful arguments!

- Thus you show to whom you look like by your behavior!

- Like Jesus or like the Pharisees and Sadducees!

- Many of them were paid with the destruction of Jerusalem!

​

 

[JLG]

Acts 24

The high priest Ananias with some elders and a public speaker Tertullus present their case against Paul to the governor Felix. The Jews also join in the attack. Then Paul answers. So he tells he hasn’t done anything wrong. Felix wants the military commander to come before taking a decision. So Paul is under arrest but given some freedom and his people are allowed to attend to his needs. Some days later, Felix come with his wife Drusilla who is Jewish to listen to Paul about Jesus. But hearing Paul, Felix becomes frightened and stop the discussion. Then he speaks with Paul from time to time, hoping that he will give him money. But after two years Felix is succeeded by Porcius Festus and he leaves Paul in custody to gain favor with the Jews.

- Well, we hear about corruption and human justice!

- Paul as usual defends his faith!

- But he stays in custody for two years having done nothing wrong!

- The Jews are corrupted!

- The Romans are corrupted!

- In time, they would pay for it as their world would be completely destroyed!

- It takes time but you get what you deserve!

- Let’s use the time left to prepare ourselves for what comes next!

- It’s always better to be prepared for what’s next even if it is unimaginable!

- But who could have imagined what we live today!

- We need to see things happened to realize it!

​

 

[JLG]

Acts 25

The Jews ask Festus to send Paul to Jerusalem so they can kill him along the road. But he refuses and asks them to bring some men in power among them to come with him and accuse Paul if he has done something wrong. So they accuse Paul but they can’t prove what they say. Paul says he hasn’t done anything wrong. Then he appeals to Caesar. So he is sent to Rome. King Agrippa gives a visit to Festus and he asks for hearing Paul. Festus is looking for something to write to Caesar about Paul.

- The Jews keep going straight away with their bad actions!

- So far away from God!

- Political leaders, religious leaders same unfair fight against God!

- What a culpability!

- No way to escape!

- And they never listen to warnings!

- No regret!

- God’s law!

​

 

[JLG]

Acts 26​

Paul defends himself in front of King Agrippa. He explains that he used to be a Pharisee. He explains how he went against the disciples of Jesus and then how Jesus appeared to him. So he keeps bearing witness to the Christ. Then Agrippa says that Paul could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.

- Once again Paul has to defend himself in front of important people!

- And he keeps doing it as usual!

- And they find nothing against him!

- And he will have to go to Rome to speak in front of Caesar!

- And he will do the job!

- Because he has been CHOSEN for that!

 

[JLG]

Acts 27

So Paul starts his trip to Rome. Once he warns the officer of a shipwreck if they take the boat meaning merchandises would be lost and people would die. But the army officer doesn’t listen to Paul but to the pilot and the shipowner. But a big storm occurs. After three days of a violent storm, everybody loses hope but Paul tells them to keep hope and stays aboard. Then Paul tells everybody to eat. After that, they throw everything overboard. Finally they leave the boat and reach the beach.

- Quite an interesting story!

- Paul tells the army officer what to do!

- He doesn’t listen!​

- When getting into trouble, he finally listens to Paul and everybody is saved!

- Usually people prefer to listen to man’s word or tradition, they make the bad choice and they pay the consequences!

- The Israelites did the same, they made the bad choice and they paid the consequences!

 

[JLG]

Acts 28

- Paul arrives at Malta!

- He says that the people shows them extraordinary kindness!

- A viper fastens itself on Paul’s hand!

- The people think he is a murderer!

- But Paul shakes the creature off into the fire and suffers no harm!

- So the people think he is a god!

- They are finally welcomed by Publius the principal man of the island and get hospitality for three days!

- Publius’ father is sick and Paul cures him!

- Thus the people of the island bring those who are sick to Paul and he cures them!

- And they offer many gifts!

- They spend three months on the island before sailing again!

- When Paul arrives in Rome, he is permitted to stay by himself with the soldier guarding him!

- Three days later, Paul calls together the principal men of the Jews!

- And he tells his history to them!

- So they accept to hear from him saying that it is spoken against Jesus’ sect everywhere!

- Then Paul speaks to many Jews about the Kingdom of God!

- Some begin to believe!

- Finally, Paul says the time has come to teach the nations about God’s kingdom!

- And Paul stays in his own rented house for two years!

- And during this time he tells all the people who come to see him about God’s kingdom!

- Thus Paul follows Jesus and the Apostles’ example by spending his time curing people and teaching them about God’s kingdom!

- He first talks to the Jews and then to people from all nations!

 

[JLG]

Acts 8

Saul puts Christians living in Jerusalem in prison.

Acts 9

Saul asks the high priests letters to the synagogues in Damascus to put more Christians in prison. Now Paul is traveling to Damascus. Suddenly Jesus appears to him saying: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Then Jesus tells him to go to the city and he will be told what to do. And he is blind. He is brought into Damascus. Ananias is told to look for Saul. In a vision, Jesus tells Ananias that Saul is a chosen vessel to bear Jesus’ name to the nations. Then Ananias lays his hands on Saul who recovers his sight. And Saul gets baptized. He stays some days in Damascus with the disciples. And immediately in the synagogues he begins to preach about Jesus. And people are astonished because they know he was arresting Christians. Now the Jews want to kill him. So the disciples help him escape the city lowering him in a basket.

- The apostles chosen by Jesus were trained by him during his stay on earth!

- They needed a lot of time to catch his message!

- Paul was of another kind!

- He was well taught about the law of Moses!

- First he saw Jesus in a vision!

- Second all at once he started teaching Jesus’ message!

- Third he had to teach the nations!

- He was sincere and Jesus put him back on the right track!

- And he thought he was right but he was wrong!

- We need to remember that and never forget it!

 

[JLG]

Acts 9

In Jerusalem Barnabas leads Paul to the apostles and Paul explains them what happened in Damascus. In Jerusalem Paul speaks boldly in Jesus’ name. And some Jews want to kill him. So the brothers bring him down to Caesarea and sends him off to Tarsus.

- Jesus knew what he did when he chose Paul!

- When Paul started to speak about Jesus, nobody could stop him!

- Only death!

 

[JLG]

3) Looking for Paul

Acts 11

A great famine occurs. The disciples send relief to the brothers living in Judea by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

Acts 12

Barnabas and Saul fully carry the relief work in Jerusalem and they return and take along with them John who is also called Mark.

- Here we are told that Barnabas and Saul work together!

- We can remember that Barnabas is well known!

- Some Christians may still be afraid of Paul!

- For the moment, when we are told about Barnabas and Saul, Barnabas always comes first!

- We can also say that it is a period of apprenticeship for Paul even if Paul is able to defend Jesus’ message by himself!

- The apostles and the disciples learn quite fast that they can trust Paul so they give him responsibilities!​

 

[JLG]

4) Looking for Paul

Acts 13

- Here we are told about Barnabas, Symeon, Lucius, Manaen and Saul!

- Paul comes last in the list of disciples!

- The holy spirit says to set aside Barnabas and Saul for the work to which he has called them!

- They go to Cyprus and in Salamis they teach the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews!

- There the proconsul Sergius Paulus calls for Barnabas and Saul. There is also Elymas the sorcerer who opposes them!

Then Saul also called Paul becomes filled with holy spirit and speaks against Elymas who becomes blind for some time!

- Then the proconsul, on seeing what has happened, becomes a believer, for he is astounded at the teaching of God!

- Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and arrive at Perga in Pamphylia!

- There we see Paul being filled with holy spirit!

- There we see Paul taking the lead in speaking!

- There we see Paul striking Elymas!

- There the writer tells about Paul and his companions!

- It is as if we could see Saul turning into Paul in direct!

- The apprenticeship belongs to Saul and the leadership belongs to Paul!

 

[JLG]

5) Looking for Paul

Acts 13

- They go to Antioch in Pisidia!

- In the synagogue on the sabbath day, Paul speaks about Jesus.

- And the following Sabbath!

- And many people come so the Jews are filled with jealousy and they begin blasphemously contradicting the things Paul is saying!

- Paul and Barnabas boldly answer them that now they would turn to the nations!

- The Jews provoke persecution against Paul and Barnabas!

- Now Paul is definitely the leader!

 

[JLG]

6) Looking for Paul

Acts 14

- In Iconium they teach in the synagogue of the Jews and many become believers both Jews and Greeks!

- But some Jews influence the people of the nations against the brothers!

- So they spend considerable time speaking with boldness and perform signs!

- So a division occurs for or against the apostles!

- When the people of the nations and the Jews make an attempt to treat them insolently and stone them, they flee to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country!

- There Paul cures a man whose feet are crippled and the man begins to walk!

- As a consequence, the crowds believe they are gods!

- They start calling Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes since he is taking the lead in speaking!

- But they explain they are just men!

- Then Jews arrive from Antioch and Iconium and persuade the crowds and they stone Paul and drag him outside the city, imagining that he is dead!

- But he gets up and enters the city!

- The next day he leaves with Barnabas for Derbe!

- They teach there then return to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch!

- There they strengthen the disciples and appoint elders!

- Then they keep on their trip!

- Thus events accelerate and many events occur!

- Paul is definitely a chosen vessel!

- Paul seems to be on a high-speed train!

- He is doing an incredible job!

 

[JLG]

7) Looking for Paul

Acts 15

- A discussion occurs about the necessity for the Christians to get circumcised to be saved!

- Thus some men have a discussion with Paul and Barnabas so they decide to go to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders regarding this issue!

- Thus we are told about the apostles but also the elders!

- Like Jesus, the apostles make sure they have successors!

- Those who speak in favor of circumcision are former Pharisees!

- It is hard for men to get away from man’s tradition!

- They mix God’s word with man’s tradition!

- Peter clearly explains that God made no distinction between Jews and people from the nations!

- Both groups received holy spirit!

- Then Barnabas and Peter relate the many signs and wonders that God had done through them among the nations!

- So they decide that circumcision is not necessary!

- But all the Christians have to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood!

- It can’t be more precise or simpler!

- End of the story!

- Well, the apostles and the elders and the whole congregation decide to send chosen men from among them to Antioch, along with Paul and Barnabas to tell about the decision!

- In Antioch there is a discussion between Paul and Barnabas because Barnabas wants to take John who is also called mark with them!

- Paul disagrees because John left them go to Pamphylia!

- As a consequence, they decide to separate, Barnabas taking Mark and Paul Silas!

- We see two faithful servants of God who don’t have the same opinion!

- As a consequence, they decide to separate!

- After that, they both keep doing a good job serving God!

- Nothing bad indeed!

- The important is to keep serving God the best way possible!

 

[JLG]

8) Looking for Paul

Acts 16

- Paul wants Timothy to accompany him!

- He circumcises him because of the Jews!

- They are told where not to go!

- Through a vision, Paul is told to go to Macedonia!

- As a consequence, her masters take Paul and Silas to the rulers bec ause they have lost their hope of profit!

- Paul and Silas are put to prison and a great earthquake occurs!

- Thinking that the prisoners have escaped, the jailer wants to kill himself!

- He finally listens to Paul and washes their wounds!

- He and his household get baptized!

- Finally Paul and Silas are released!

- Paul gets through many troubles all the time!

- He could have been killed on many occasions!

- During a big part of human history, it was normal to kill his religious opponents to get rid of them!

- Of course, it had nothing to do with God!

- On the contrary, it showed how many religious leaders were connected with the devil!

- The question is is there a big difference today?

- They did it with Jesus so they would do it with faithful servants of God!

- And Paul is definitely an incredible one!

- When he realized he was wrong, at the same time he started teaching about Jesus and God’s word!

- Usually normal people have trouble turning away from man’s tradition!

 

[JLG]

9) Looking for Paul

Acts 17

- As usual, Paul gets into each synagogue of the Jews in the cities he goes through!

- On the sabbath he teaches the people about the Christ.

- Many become believers!

- The Jews get jealous!

- They don’t find Paul!

- They take Jason and some brothers to the city rulers who protect them before letting them go!

- By night Paul and Silas are sent to Beroea!

- The Jews accept God’s word carefully examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things are right!

- Many become believers!

- The Jews from Thessalonica come after Paul! Silas and Timothy go to Athens to meet Paul!

- Paul teaches in the synagogue and in the marketplace with anyone who wants to speak with him!

- Some philosophers take him to the Areopagus to speak with him.

- Paul teaches them about God and about Jesus who was resurrected!

- Some become believers!

- Paul gets into trouble because the Jews are jealous of him!

- They try to kill him as usual!

- He always escape and goes to other cities!

- And each time he keeps teaching people about God and Jesus!

- Wherever he is, Paul always speaks boldly!

- He is never afraid of anybody!

- Thus he is definitely a chosen vessel!

- And an exceptional one doing an incredible work!

- He never stops!

- What an incredible example!

 

[JLG]

10) Looking for Paul

Acts 18

- In Corinth, Paul makes tents with a Jew named Aquila!

- He teaches in the synagogue every sabbath!

- He persuades Jews and Greeks!

- When Silas and Timothy arrive, Paul increases his teaching activity!

- But the Jews oppose him!

- So he turns to the people of the nations!

- Many become believers!

- Paul has a vision of the lord telling him not to be afraid and keeping speaking about the word!

- He stays in Corinth for a year and six months!

- The Jews bring Paul in front of the proconsul Galio who tells them it has nothing to do with him!

- They bring him before Sosthenes the presiding officer of the synagogue and begin beating him!

- He is finally released!

- Paul sails away for Syria!

- In Ephesus, he teaches in the synagogue!

- Then he keeps on his trip!

-Paul has quite a routine, apparently a dangerous one as the Jews always try to kill him!

- That’s why he must often hurry and go to other cities!

- There we see the difference between Paul who speaks and live according to God’s word and the Jews who speak and live according to the devil!

- They belong to two different worlds which are easy to differentiate but apparently as usual the majority is blind!

- It has always been so and it is not going to change!

- That’s why we are where we are and each time it is worse!

- Paul is incredibly efficient and hard-working!

-Jesus knew what he was doing when he chose him!