Use Your Past to Build Your Future

Paul -

Highlights• Joel 2 – Restore• 2 Cor 1 – Comfort• Colossians 4 - Redeem

Introduction• Saul/Paul• Paul’s Zeal• Paul’s Redemption

Saul / Paul• Saul (Hebrew) / Paul – (Greek)• Education (Acts 22:3)– Jerusalem – Gamaliel (Acts 7:57)– Tarsus (Ac 9:11; 21:39; 22:3)– “Received by revelation” (Gal 1:12; 2;

Eph 3:3)

Paul’s Zeal• Destroying the church– (Acts 7:58; 8:3; 9:1-2)– [Saul!] Why do you persecute me (9:4)?

• Conversion–Meet “Christ crucified and risen!”–What part is “converted”?

Paul’s Zeal• Four features– 1. Actively persecuted Christians– 2. Changed through revelation– 3. Contact Ananias in Damascus– 4. Immediately called to gentiles

Paul’s Zeal• Paul’s Timeline– Damascus – three years–Went to Jerusalem – 15 days– Tarsus – unspecified time (10 yrs)– Antioch – 1 year

• Conflict with Peter– Galatians 2:11-14– Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) (14 yrs)

Paul’s Redemption• Redeem “the Law”– The Law and Grace

• Redeem his Education– Gamaliel– Phariseeism

Paul’s Redemption• Redeem racism (Jew/gentile)• Redeem his zeal–Missionary journeys– “how much he must suffer” (Ac 9:16)

Application• Joseph – redeem his dream• Moses – redeem his leadership• Paul – redeem his world view• You and Me – Ephesians 5:15-17