CC FT WORTH // CALLED & SET APART // THE LIFE OF PAUL

WHY IS APOLOGETICS IMPORTANT?

WHY DO WE GO TO CHURCH?

WHY DO WE READ OUR BIBLES?

WHY DO WE MAKE BIBLICALLY BASED DECISIONS?

Beliefs are choices. First you choose your beliefs. Then your beliefs become choices.

“Belief determines behavior.” - Zig Ziglar

FRIENDS

This world is an everchanging mold

Think about the trends

In Fashion

Skinny Jeans were cool for about 10 years

Now its baggy pants again, like when I was 12.

Music

EDM was underground, now its all the rage

Classic Rock is dead, but wait Greta Van Fleek is bringing it back

Social Media

Facebook started it

Instagram made it better

Snapchat went nuts

Tik Tok took Over

What’s next?

So what happens when the mold is not just pushed on the exterior but on the interior

What happens when it not only effects Fashion, Music, and Social Media

But it begins to effect your behaviors.

What happens then?

If we truly believe what Zig Ziglar said

That means that not only have our behaviors changed

But maybe also our beliefs.

MY GOAL TODAY IS TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHO YOU ARE IN LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL.

QUESTION: IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN TODAY, WHO ARE YOU IN JESUS NAME?

WHAT IS YOUR TITLE IN LIGHT OF THE KINGDOM?

DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER PAUL THE APOSTLE?

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HIM?

WHICH BOOK OF PAUL’S DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE RICHEST?

Paul went on three Missionary Journeys, before arriving in Rome

On his second missionary journey, Paul wrote to the Church in Rome from Corinth.

A lot had happened with this church.

The Church was founded in the Early 30’s

9-18 months after Jesus had shown himself to over 500 witnesses.

This Church was a Mixed group of people, but predominantly Christian Jews

As these guys and gals begin to live out the Gospel in Rome

They begin to see the need for laborers

So they begin to invite more Jews to migrate over to Rome

However, in 49 AD Emperor Claudius began to take notice of their impact on the culture

Being upset about the Jewish Influx

He expels all of the Jews from Rome

In 54 AD Emperor Claudius dies, and the Jews begin to trickle back into Rome

By now, the Church was predominantly Gentile

Paul’s letter to the Romans is not just a Theological Treasure Chest

It was written to create a strong bond of unity between the two people groups.

In doing so, He is also laying down some very strong foundational statements

Truths that set into place the things we believe about the God of the Bible,

Which therefore result in Christian Behaviors that set precedence for the whole world

LET’S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW HE IDENTIFIES HIMSELF:

Romans 1:1 NKJV

1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God

Now question, did this happen overnight?

Was he a bondservant his whole life?

Was he in Children’s Ministry as a child?

WHAT IS A BONDSERVANT?

A Doulos

A Willing Slave of Jesus Christ

Why does Paul refer to himself with this specific word?

Could it be that he knew the what was happening in Rome?

Could it be that Paul knew that there were over 6 Million slaves in Rome at the time he wrote this?

Could it be that Paul is trying to build a bridge with Roman Slaves who had heard the Gospel? People he wanted to minister to?

Or maybe he wanted to set precedence?

Maybe he wanted to let everyone know what he was about.

We must remember

Paul had never been to Rome

He may have known a few believers there, but not many.

AS PAUL IS TRYING TO BUILD CREDIBILITY WITH HIS AUDIENCE

HE NOT ONLY CALLS HIMSELF A SERVANT OF CHRIST

HE CALLS HIMSELF AN APOSTLE

This title is a little more aggressive

It clues us into the relationship Paul had with Jesus

For Paul to call himself an apostle is to proclaim what Jesus had commissioned him to do.

He understood what that meant.

In saying this Paul was leaning into something that was said of him by God to another believer.

WHAT DO I MEAN?

LET’S LOOK AT PAULS LIFE PRE-JESUS

Paul, aka Saul of Tarsus, was a man who was very zealous for the things of God

The God of the Old Testament and Paul were on good terms

Paul was killing the game when it came to Passion, Holiness, and Righteous Living.

Philippians 3:4–6 NKJV

4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

But While Paul was learning the backend of Jewish Leadership

Surrounded by the Echelon of Jewish Thinking

This story takes a solid turn for the worst.

While Paul was mastering Jewish Ministry

The very Word that he knew so well manifested itself in the form of a Galilean

Though Paul knew the God of the OT, he was having a rough time with Jesus and His followers.

As he was on the way to Damascus, letters of permission-to-persecute in hand

Jesus confronts Saul,

Acts 9:1–19 NKJV

1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” 13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” 17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. 19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

When Paul was blind, hadn’t eaten in days

Still pondering everything that Jesus had told him on the road to Damascus

God Himself, sends someone who is scared, to confirm to Paul the reason for His Salvation

Notice how God tells Ananias that Paul is a:

Chosen Vessel

Name Bearer

One who will minister to Gentiles, Kings, and Israelites

One who will suffer for the name of Jesus

It is a complete paradigm shift for Paul

Had Paul prayed the sinners prayer?

Had Paul recieved the Holy Spirit?

Had Paul memorized John 3:16?

But God saw him with Divine Potential

Potential to change the World

Known by God, where the works that Paul would do even when Paul was fighting against the Lord

SLIDE: WHO IN YOUR LIFE IS JUST LIKE PAUL?

THINK ABOUT IT FOR A SECOND:

Someone who is actively persecuting Christians

Someone who is actively against the Will of God

Someone who may know it all

Someone who is zealous for the things of God, but whose practice is Jesus-less.

SERIOUSLY, YOU KNOW SOMEONE LIKE THIS?

Sometimes it is us

Sometimes it is our friends, family members, or co-workers

HERE IS A QUESTION FOR YOU:

SLIDE: ARE YOU WILLING TO BE THEIR ANANIAS?

Are you willing to go share what God thinks about them?

Are you willing to go speak life into them

When everyone else is counting them out

Will you invest in them

Will you reiterate the truths of the Bible to them

Will you do what everyone else is scared to do?

THIS WAS MY WIFE AND MY BUDDY JEREMIAH

These two never gave up on me

Constantly reshared the Gospel with me

Answered every one of my questions

I believe I was 19 when I started working at THE RESTAURANT

I remember training Jeremiah

I remember when Carol and her friend came in and asked for an application

I also remember being dead in my sins

After working with them

Realizing they were different

Wondering why they relentlessly invited me to Church

Wondering what they saw in Me

3 years later, at age 22, I surrendered my life to the Lord

They were my Ananias

I AM WILLING TO PUT MONEY ON THE FACT THAT GOD IS REMINDING YOU OF SOMEONE RIGHT NOW.

SOMEONE WHO THE WORLD HAS COUNTED OUT

SOMEONE WHO NOBODY BELIEVES IN

SOMEONE WHO MAY SEEM LIKE YOUR ENEMY

SOMEONE YOU MAY BE SCARED TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH

SOMEONE WHO IS JUST LIKE SAUL OF TARSUS

BUT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE PAUL, A BONDSERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST.

PAUL WAS CALLED TO BE AN APOSTLE, SEPARATED TO THE GOSPEL OF GOD

You want to know something crazy

The word Pharisee has the same root of Separated

The Pharisees were called the “Set Apart”

Prior to Acts 9 Paul was Set Apart to the Law

Now Paul was Set Apart to the Gospel of Jesus Christ

WHEN GOD CALLS YOU TO SOMETHING, HE SOMETIMES CALLS YOU AWAY FROM ANOTHER THING.

FOR PAUL IT WAS A DEPARTURE FROM RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE LAW, TO THE IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS FOUND IN JESUS.

Some of us need to make this change

Some of us need to shift our idenity

We need to go from priding ourselves in what we do for God

To boasting in all that God has done for us.

PAUL NEEDED TO MAKE THIS SHIFT

PAUL NEEDED TO PIVOT HIS WHOLE IDENTITY TO TAP INTO A GREATER PERSPECTIVE.

He needed to leave one identity in order to grab hold of another

He needed to revisit the scriptures

To read the Bible for the first time again

To inhale scripture and exhale doxology

To breathe in his promises and exhale action.

To consume Jesus and bear an abundance of fruit

FRIENDS, CHRIST, HAS GIFTED US WITH A SPECIFIC, UNIQUE, AND BEAUTIFUL CALLING

ONE THAT POINTS TO JESUS IN EVERY WAY.

ONE THAT GIVES GLORY SOLELY TO HIM.

SO, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS THIS, ARE YOU WILLING TO GIVE UP SOMETHING IN ORDER TO GAIN EVERYTHING THAT CHRIST HAS FOR YOU?

ARE YOU WILLING TO LET GO OF THE COMFORT, IN ORDER TO THRIVE IN THE UNKNOWN?

Paul was blind for a few days

He didn’t know what was ahead of him

But he knew it didn’t look like the past

Imagine revisiting his calling

Imagine revisiting what Jesus said in the Gospels

Mark 8:35 NKJV

35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

PAUL HAD TO LOSE THE TITLES

PAUL HAD TO THROW AWAY HIS RESUME

PAUL HAD TO PUT AWAY ALL OF HIS PRIDE

IN ORDER TO BE A BONDSERVANT OF CHRIST.

WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO DO THAT COMPLIMENTS THIS NARRATIVE?