Paul, The Missionary

Introduction

About 14 books of the New Testament were written by Paul. Paul was undoubtedly one of the most-used people ever selected by Christ for the spreading of the Gospel. We have all heard about many of the things Paul said, but how much do we know about Paul the person?

Today I want to provide you this sermon in a Bible Study format, to talk to you about what the Bible says about the life and person of Paul.

1. Background Information

Paul, the apostle, was originally known as Saul. Not to be confused with Saul the king. He was Roman citizen, born at Tarsus, in the province of Cilicia…that would be a city in Modern day Turkey. (Act 22:3). Though he was born in Tarsus and was a Roman citizen, he was born of Israelite parents of the tribe of Benjamin. So he was both Roman and Israelite.

He was raised and trained to be a very strict Pharisee and was zealous for his religion.

The Bible tells us that he had a sister, and she had a son, but beyond that, the Scriptures seems silent on the matter. I am not sure whether or not Paul was married. His teaching gives the impression that he was single or he was married but was no longer…maybe his wife died. But I can't tell for certain about his marital affairs..

2. Other Important Information

Paul’s first appeared in the Bible at the stoning of the deacon Stephen. He was a member of the Jewish council that consented to the death of Stephen. That same council tried to suppress and exterminate Christianity out of their region.

Acts 6:8–9 KJV 1900

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

Acts 6:15 KJV 1900

And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

Acts 7:58–8:1 KJV 1900

And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Saul continued to make problems for the church as he sought to destroy it. He believed that Christianity was the wrong way and any who followed after it was blaspheming and therefore worthy of death.

Acts 8:3–4 KJV 1900

As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

Later in Paul’s life, as he reflected on his past, he said:

Acts 26:9–11 KJV 1900

I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

3. Saul's conversion:

Paul’s testimony of conversion is recorded in Acts 9:1-19 and retold later in Acts 26. The Scriptures records how he was on a rampage to persecute Christians in the city of Damascus. It was on that journey that he met the Lord then shortly afterwards got baptized.

In verse 6, Paul had asked God to reveal His will for him and God revealed it later through a man named Ananias. God’s will for Saul was for him to take the name of Christ to the nations…become a missionary.

It wasn’t until Acts 13, that he was called Paul.

4. Paul’s Missionary Journeys

Paul’s first missionary journey is found in Acts 13 and 14. He and Barnabas set sail with John Mark as their helper from about 46 to 48 A.D. and their first stop was the island of Cyprus. After they left Cyprus, they made their way to Perga where John left them to go back to Jerusalem. They went from there to Antioch.

In Antioch, they went to the synagogue and began preaching; many received them and what they taught and urged them to continue on, even following them in order to learn more. But they were forced to leave when persecution broke out against them. They then traveled to Iconium and taught in the Jewish Synagogue where a great number of Jews and Gentiles converted to the faith. But again, other Jews stirred up trouble for the two missionaries. They left sometime after arriving because a plot against their lives arose.

Next was Lystra and Derbe where the Galatian church was planted. While they were there they got mistaken for gods. After Paul healed a crippled man, the city erupted, claiming that Barnabas was Zeus and Paul was Hermes. This greatly distressed both of them, so they went out into the masses to set the record straight and tell them the Gospel message, but as they were doing this, the crowds were won over by Jews trying to cause trouble for Paul and Barnabas. As a result, Paul was stoned, almost to death. The very next day he and Barnabas went to Derbe.

Upon arriving in Antioch, they called the church together and reported everything God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too. And they stayed there with the believers for a long time. Acts 14:27-28

After a time of preaching in Derbe, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Attalia, then they returned to the church in Antioch where they first set sail from and spent some time there before heading out a second time.

During his missionary journeys, Paul wrote multiple letters that became known as the epistles. And during Paul’s first missionary journey he wrote a letter to the church in Galatia which was his first epistle and is known as the book of Galatians in the Bible.

He wrote to encourage the Galatians and bring truth to them because they were being choked out by a false understanding of the Gospel that taught that you needed Christ plus the Law to be saved.

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey

While Paul was in Antioch, men were coming and preaching that the Gentiles must be circumcised so he with other church leaders were appointed to go to Jerusalem to address this issue. After this was settled, Paul proposed a second missionary journey to Barnabas, to go visit and strengthen the believers and churches they had planted during the first missionary journey.

This, however, did not go as planned.

Barnabas and Paul had a very sharp disagreement about whether or not to bring John, who had deserted them during the first journey, and in the end, they went their own separate ways––Barnabas bringing John along, and Paul, Silas.

Paul’s second missionary journey lasted from 49 to 52 A.D. and is recorded in Acts chapters 16-18. Paul and Silas first came to Derbe and Lystra where they met Timothy, who they decided to bring with them on their journey. They traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia and eventually on to Troas where Paul had a vision in the night calling him and his companions to travel to Damascus and preach the Gospel there. He intentionally avoided Asia as the Holy Spirit would not allow him to go there and preach.

That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there. Acts 16:9-10

During their time in Damascus, Paul once again faced much opposition but in spite of this, they planted the churches in Philippi and Thessalonica. Once they reached Macedonia, they met a woman named Lydia in Philippi who converted to the faith. During their stay with her in Philippi, they went out and were followed by a young girl who was demon-possessed.

After some time of this girl shouting and causing trouble, Paul finally cast the demon out of her, which then caused the crowds to stir up against them and led to their imprisonment. In the night, however, an angel of the Lord came and set them free, and as a result, the jailer was saved.

They went on to travel through Thessalonica, Brea, Athens, Corinth, and Ephesus, then to Jerusalem and finally back to Antioch for a short time. During his journeys, he went to the synagogues in every city and reasoned with the Jews.

All along the way, Paul understood the culture he was stepping into and thus entered in with a strategy, conscious of the culture’s traditions. In chapter 17, Paul begins reasoning with the Greek philosophers, speaking to them in the way that they were familiar with and would receive which led to the conversion of many Greek philosophers.

Paul made a stop in Corinth, then Ephesus, and then made his way back to Antioch. The Book of Acts tells us that he spent some time there before setting out for his third journey.

While he was traveling from country to country on his second missionary journey, Paul wrote 1st and 2nd Thessalonians. He wrote this letter to the church of Thessalonica because he had to leave them in the midst of persecution and was not there to walk through it with them. The first letter was to urge them on through the persecution, and the second letter was addressing fears of having already missed the second coming of Christ.

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

After his visit to Antioch, Paul traveled again to the region of Galatia and Phrygia, with the intent of strengthening his brothers and sisters in Christ. His third missionary journey lasted from 53 to 57 A.D. and is found in Acts chapters 18:23-21:14.

Paul’s third missionary journey was a longer trip than the previous two, and he spent his time shoring up the churches he had planted on his first two journeys. Acts tells us that he spent a significant portion of his time in Ephesus, about 2-3 years. And while he was there he encountered some disciples who had not heard the full Gospel message or the Holy Spirit. So he told them of Christ’s death and resurrection and placed his hands on them and then they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesus went through a great revival during Paul’s time there, he performed many miracles, signs, and wonders, and the people were to Christ in great numbers.

When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. Acts 19:17-20

In response to this great revival, a riot broke out in the city against Paul because their way of life was being threatened by the Gospel. A silversmith who made shrines of Artemis was angered because of his loss of business, so he stirred up the city into a state of rage and confusion. It took several hours before the city clerk was able to quiet them down.

Paul then met with the disciples in Ephesus and encouraged them, said goodbye, and left for Macedonia, accompanied by Sopaterm Aristarchus, Secundus, Galius, Timothy, Tychicus, and Trophimus. They visited the churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea before he made his way to Corinth after a short time there, Paul sought to go back to Syria but was stopped short when he discovered a plot against his life.

Paul then retraced his steps back through Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, stopping in Troas where he stayed for seven days. Led by the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem, and eager to be there for Pentecost, Paul bypassed Ephesus knowing that he would need to stay there longer than he had time, so he called for the Ephesian elders to come and meet him in Miletus.

This meeting was a difficult one for all the disciples and elders because Paul knew he was saying goodbye for the last time.

When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship. Acts 20:36-38

None of Paul’s journeys were easy or without persecution, but his journey to Jerusalem was nothing but pain and difficulty. In about 55 A.D. Paul made his way to Jerusalem where he would be “bound hand and foot by the Jews and given over to the Gentiles (Acts 21:10).”

After Paul had received a prophecy that he would be persecuted in Jerusalem, the people whom he was staying with at Caeserea pleaded with him not to go, but Paul refused to stay.

Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” Acts 21:13-14

So on he went, and this concluded his third and final missionary journey.

While in Ephesus on his third trip, Paul wrote 1st and 2nd Corinthians in about 53-55 A.D. to the people of Corinth. In these two letters, he addressed some false doctrines that were being taught, as well as some specific concerns they had brought to Paul’s attention.

Paul’s Proposed Fourth Missionary Journey

After Paul arrived in Jerusalem, he was quickly met by men who sought to destroy him. He was beaten, falsely accused, imprisoned, transferred from one place to the next, shipwrecked, held under house arrest, all in the course of around 4 years.

After Paul entered the Jewish Synagogue for the first time to teach, he was immediately met with opposition by the Jews. They incited a riot so violent and chaotic that Paul was arrested and carried off by two soldiers for his own safety.

Paul later discovered a plot against his life and brought it to the commander’s attention and was then transferred to Caesarea where he was imprisoned for two years––58 to 60 A.D. Finally Festus planned to transfer Paul back to Jerusalem to be put on trial there, but before this happened, Paul appealed to Caesar and was transported by ship to Rome.

It was during this journey to Rome that Paul was shipwrecked and experienced many difficulties before finally making it to Rome in 60 A.D. where he was under house arrest for two years.

It is hard to say for sure whether Paul went on a fourth missionary journey or not, and some count his trip from Caesarea to Rome as his fourth, as he ministered to many people along the way. Others, however, believe that his letters to Timothy point to Paul being imprisoned in Rome two times, and it is after the first release that he embarked on a fourth journey, possibly to Spain, though there isn’t solid evidence for this.

Nevertheless, we know that during Paul’s imprisonment he wrote many of the epistles, which are actually known as the prison epistles: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.

5. Paul's Health Problems:

In Galatians 4, Paul gives us further insight into his health problems:

Galatians 4:13–15 KJV 1900

Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

Paul faced much hardships as he served the Lord but those things did not deter him.

2 Corinthians 11:23–28 KJV 1900

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

Paul was willing to give away all the worldly wealth and physical strength he had if it would bring the Corinthians closer to him:

2 Corinthians 12:15 KJV 1900

And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

The Bible tells us that Paul was a tentmaker....a builder. I don’t know if he knew this trade before he started to serve the Lord or he learned this trade to help him serve The Lord, but either way, he used his trade to serve The Lord. As he travelled and preached the Word of God, he also worked to care for his own financial needs. He didn’t sit around and wait for the people to care for him. While the Bible teaches that the churches should take care of their ministers, Paul did not wait for them to do it before he decide to serve the Lord. Money was not an issue for him to do what God called him to do. He was willing to go, money or not, because his eyes were on the higher eternal prize. It was God who called him and sent him…not the church or anyone else.

He was willing to give everything, including his life, for Christ and His work to be magnified.

Philippians 1:20–21 KJV 1900

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Philippians 3:7–8 KJV 1900

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

When Paul came to the close of his life, he made a very powerful statement that I hope many of us can say when our time comes:

2 Timothy 4:7–8 KJV 1900

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.