Saul of Arabia & A Holy Hold-Up

Children’s Sermon

Take time to think and be still…maybe a sand timer as an illustration? Or water thing from Schlitterbahn

Scripture

Galatians 1:13-22 - I’m certain you’ve heard about my prior life in Judaism. I persecuted God’s church and was hell-bent on destroying it. I was a Jew’s Jew! I was far more zealous and advanced than many of my peers. But God, even before my birth, had called me for a very special work through his grace. After meeting Christ, who called me to preach among the Gentiles, I did not immediately set about to meet as many people as I could. Nor did I go to Jerusalem and consult with the apostles. Instead, I went into Arabia and then returned again to Damascus. After a period of three years I did then go to Jerusalem to visit Peter and stayed with him fifteen days; seeing no other apostles except the Lord’s brother James. I’m telling you the truth here! Then I went into the region of Syria and Cilicia and was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea who were following Christ.

Engage

I was talking recently with a woman here in Angelo about a young person in the community who had a fair amount of challenge growing up. They had to grow up much more quickly than many young people is probably the best way to phrase it. Praise the Lord, this young adult has decided to not let challenges of the past cut off a bright future. From what I understand, they’re smart and have very lofty goals. I’m excited to watch from afar and root for them. The woman said, however, “the only problem is they want to do it ALL now.” I’d bet this ambition will mostly serve them well, but with some caveats…The life of Saul/Paul is so informative and relevant for us. In many ways, Saul was like this young man…But, Saul’s life teaches us the principle that:

God may use hold ups to perform holy honing

Encounter

There’s a great scene in the movie Shawshank Redemption where the character Brooks, after almost an entire lifetime incarcerated, is released on parole. He experiences cars and other advances for the first time after his parole. One of the things he says in a letter back to his friends at Shawshank is that, “the world went and got itself in a big darn hurry...”

After Saul/Paul’s miraculous encounter with the risen Christ, what might our expectations have been for his new life? He does go on to Damascus and does a little preaching and meets some of the disciples. But, then, we might’ve expected Paul to start preaching, traveling, and rapidly building the Christian church among the Gentiles. But, hold up. He does not get to that great calling right away. Perhaps Paul wasn’t quite ready. Regardless, he takes a detour. A LONG detour.

God may use hold ups to perform holy honing

First, Saul / Paul goes to Arabia. The desert. And, probably, to Mt. Sinai. Why? You might astutely remember that the desert wilderness of Arabia was where Elijah fled from Jezebel. Or, you might remember Jesus and his temptation in the wilderness. God can speak to anyone anywhere but the desert, and mountains, and Mt. Sinai are trustworthy places to go and hear from God. Paul certainly went to spend time in prayer and reflection. He had the spirit of a zealot, not unlike Elijah or Phinehas of the OT. So, instead of just going hog wild…he pauses, he holds up…to go and confirm the calling God was placing on his life. This wasn’t a short hold. As the Scripture says, the total of his time in Arabia and Damascus, where he returns, is around three years. Likely 33-36 AD. You could say this time was when Paul turned in his old commission as a zealous Pharisee and received a new one…plain, profound, powerhouse bringing the gospel to the Gentiles.

After Damascus, he goes to Jerusalem for a 15 day visit with Peter and Jesus’ brother James. Again, we don’t really know exactly what happened here. But, we know the result. Perhaps they weren’t ready for God’s calling to Paul. Perhaps Paul still wasn’t quite ready. Perhaps his encyclopedic knowledge of Judaism and his fiery gospel preaching was stirring up too much trouble and the young church didn’t want a bunch of attention drawing the Romans…all too happy to squash anything that might disrupt their precious peace like a bug. The result, then, was that the young church leaders escorted Paul to the docks and put him on a boat back to southern Turkey, and then to Tarsus.

Then, another, even longer hold up. We know virtually nothing about the TEN years Paul spent back in / near his home of Tarsus. But, again friends, God may use hold ups to perform holy honing…And we know the results of Paul’s honing during this time. Plain, profound, power in spreading the gospel.

But back to the ten years…how does it seem God used this to hone Paul? Well, we must assume Paul earned a living making tents. It was his family business and an industry closely associated with Tarsus. Also, as I described a few weeks ago, Tarsus was a bustling, cosmopolitan, worldly place with all kinds of people passing through. It may have even been a token of status to say you bought a tent in Tarsus…something like you might say today that you bought an rug in Persia or Iran., or boots in Mexico.

So, a tentmaker in a bustling city full of travelers…do you begin to sense how God likely used this time? Paul, working with his hands, undoubtedly had a bunch of time to think. And pray. And study Scripture. And, converse with all sorts of people from all over the world. Jews, Gentiles, you name it. I can only imagine the faith and gospel conversations that were held in a small workshop during those years. These ten years of hold up were certainly not wasted by God. They undoubtedly prepared Paul for almost all he would face in his church building and encouraging phase to come.

I suppose Paul could’ve gone on living in Tarsus the rest of his life…Ah, but God. He receives a visitor that would send his life on a whole new course. Well, not new really, but fulfilling the old call he’d received thirteen years prior…but, more about that next week. A cliffhanger!

Empower

I’ve heard a lot of stories like Paul’s over the years talking to preachers. Preachers who knew earlier in life they were called by God…but spent time running from that calling, or were in some other ways distracted for a time. STORY OF HAROLD DALY. Truthfully, I think I was called by God in middle school at camp…but took a long detour before returning to church and even longer to enter ministry. Yet, that time wasn’t wasted either. Sometimes, friends, the answer from God is to wait…sometimes we create the waiting ourselves, or others do because of their sins or their fears. But no matter what hold ups you have in your life, God can use that time for holy honing…it’s important to not give up, abandon hope, settle, or, worst of all, abandon faith in Jesus...

The Bible is full of all sorts of stories of delay…the Israelites, Jacob, even Jesus…waiting until God’s right time to start his public ministry.

Satan likes to speak into delay and encourage disbelief, questioning, etc. Often times he succeeds. I wonder how much greatness has been squashed by Satan due to that great old lie, “I’m too old…or, I’ve failed at everything else, I’m just a failure...”

There is a man that in many ways I feel like I know, though we’ve never met. He had some long delays as well. He was born the son of a minister and tried his hand at education, then ministry. His first years in ministry were disappointing…including a nearly disastrous missionary ministry in America. He didn’t receive confirmation from the Spirit of his salvation until he was 35 years old. He didn’t begin the method, and even then reluctantly, of ministry that would make him and his ministry both famous, and infamous in certain circles, until age 39. Delays, delays…but nothing wasted. That man is John Wesley, the founder and early leader of the people called Methodist. We’re going to be looking at some ways to get back to some of the things that made his movement flourish...

Pray