The Life and Labours of Paul by Reg Piper

An imprint of Anglican Youthworks PO Box A287 Sydney South NSW 1235 Australia Phone: (02) 8268 3344 Email: sales@cepstore.com.au Web: cepstore.com.au Published August 2016 Copyright Anglican Youthworks 2016 © Reg Piper This book is copyright. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism and review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this book may be reproduced by any process without the express permission of the publisher.

Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc. National Library of Australia ISBN: 978-1-925041-93-4 Managing editor: Cassandra Cassis Theological editor: Guangyao Un Map designer: Rob Appleby

CONTENTS Introduction x Some dates for Paul’s life and ministry 1 EARLY YEARS AND MINISTRY

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Map 1 Day 1

4 5

Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9

Saul’s early years and ministry Hebrew of Hebrews Philippians 3:2–11 Persecutor of the Church 1 Timothy 1:12–17 God’s chosen instrument Acts 9:1–22 Preacher of the revelation Galatians 1:6–24 Preacher in the apostolic tradition 1 Corinthians 15:1–11 Preacher from Holy Scripture Acts 17:1–15 Missionary in Damascus and Arabia Acts 9:10–25 Missionary in Jerusalem Acts 9:26–30; 22:17–21 Missionary in Cilicia and Syria 2 Corinthians 11:23–27; 12:1–10

7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21

FIRST MISSIONARY VENTURE

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Map 2 Day 10

24 25

Paul’s first missionary venture Ambassador for Antioch Acts 11:27–30; Galatians 2:1–10 Day 11 Missionary in Cyprus Acts 12:25–13:12 Day 12 Missionary in Pisidia Acts 13:13—14:7 Day 13 Missionary in Lycaonia Acts 14:8—15:1

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27 29 31

Day 14 Apostle to the Gentiles Galatians 2:11–16; 3:10–14 Day 15 Champion of grace Acts 15:1–21

33

SECOND MISSIONARY VENTURE

37

Map 3 Paul’s second missionary venture Day 16 A decisive, Spirit-led strategist Acts 15:35—16:10 Day 17 Missionary to Philippi Acts 16:11–40 Day 18 Missionary to Macedonia Acts 17:1–10 Day 19 Missionary to Athens Acts 17:16–34 Day 20 Missionary to Corinth Acts 18:1–22 Day 21 Pastor to the Thessalonians 1 Thessalonians 4:13—5:6

38 39

THIRD MISSIONARY VENTURE

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Map 4 Paul’s third missionary venture Day 22 Missionary to Ephesus Acts 19:8–20 Day 23 Pastor to Corinth 1 Corinthians 9:15–23 Day 24 Pastor to Achaia 2 Corinthians 5:11—6:2 Day 25 Collector for the Jerusalem poor 2 Corinthians 9:1–15 Day 26 Would-be apostle to Spain Romans 15:14–33 Day 27 Preacher of God’s grace Galatians 2:11–21 Day 28 Expounder of the gospel Romans 3:21–26 Day 29 Pilgrim to Jerusalem Acts 21:3–16

52 53

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35

41 43 45 47 49

55 57 59 61 63 65 67

Day 30 Pastor to the pastors Acts 20:16–38

69

PRISONER OF ROME

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Map 5 Day 31

Paul’s transportation to Rome Defendant in Jerusalem Acts 22:1–24 Day 32 Defendant in Caesarea Acts 26:1–32 Day 33 Survivor of a shipwreck Acts 27:1–44 Day 34 Prisoner under house arrest Acts 28:11–31 Day 35 Pastor to the Lycus Valley Philemon 8–20; Colossians 1:15–21 Day 36 Pastor to the province of Asia Ephesians 3:7–13 Day 37 Pastor to the church at Philippi Philippians 1:27—2:17

72 73

FINAL YEARS AND MARTYRDOM

87

Map 6 Day 38

Paul’s final years and martyrdom Mentor to Titus Titus 2 Day 39 Mentor to Timothy 1 Timothy 4:6–16 Day 40 Strategist for the gospel 2 Timothy 4:1–8

88 89

SERMON OUTLINES AND QUESTIONS

96

Following days 1–4 Following days 5–10 Following days 11–16 Following days 17–22 Following days 23–28 Following days 29–34 Following days 35–40

75 77 79 81 83 85

91 93

97 99 101 103 105 107 109

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INTRODUCTION Sometimes it is good to have a sustained time to reflect on how we are walking with God. Jesus did it after his baptism in a major way by fasting for 40 days. During his busy ministry he frequently withdrew from the crowds to keep aligning himself with the Father’s will. Many churches have suggested the season of Lent be used for such reflection by us, and these readings, comments, and prayers have been designed for that period. The 40 days of Lent begin on Ash Wednesday and conclude on the Saturday before Easter. Sundays are not included in the 40 days.

The readings may, of course, be used at other times.

During this period I invite you to reflect on how God graciously shaped Paul as an apostle of Christ Jesus and how, thus taught, he expounded God’s love in his ministry and letters.

It will be an exercise in which we shall try to take seriously Paul’s exhortation to ‘follow my example as I follow the example of Christ’ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

In order to trace his history and life we shall refer to Paul’s letters and Luke’s Acts of the Apostles. Because Luke details Paul’s extraordinary decade of ministry in which he established churches in the Roman provinces of Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia and Asia and because many of Paul’s letters belong to this ministry, we shall be able to construct his activity and thinking in this period.

Luke does mention in passing that Paul served in Jerusalem, Judea, Arabia, Syria and Cilicia before this extraordinary period and then finishes his history with Paul alive and still under house arrest in Rome prior to his martyrdom. We do not, therefore, have the same certainty in tracing his history and placing the remaining letters during these periods.

There is, however, more information available than appears at first sight and this together with some reasonable conjecture can give us a possible, and, in many cases, probable history of events.

For those who would like to examine the evidence in detail and the reasons for their conclusions, I recommend FF Bruce’s Apostle

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of the Free Spirit as well as Paul Barnett’s Missionary of Jesus and A Short Book About Paul: A Servant of Jesus (not yet published).

While these books require some serious thinking, they are persuasive. They furnish the background to much that is written in this book.

The format adopted in this book is a designated Bible reading for each day, a comment on the reading and a suggested application sometimes in the comment but always embodied in the prayer. In the final section of the book there are questions that can be used for personal reflection or discussion groups, and sermon outlines that could be used in churches that would like to provide an integrated program of personal devotions, discussion groups and Sunday preaching.

I hope you find this book helpful in attempting to read Paul’s ministry and letters in the context of his life and times and by so doing come to a surer mind in trying to understand and do the will of God to God’s glory.

Reg Piper 15/6/2016

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SOME DATES FOR PAUL’S LIFE AND MINISTRY EARLY YEARS AND MINISTRY

5 17 33 33–35 35 35–46

Born in Tarsus Moved to Jerusalem Met by the Lord Jesus Served in Damascus and Arabia Served in Jerusalem Served in Cilicia and Syria

FIRST MISSIONARY VENTURE

46 47–48 48 49

Met with James, Peter and John in Jerusalem Served with Barnabas in Cyprus and Galatia Wrote to Galatia Participated in Council of Jerusalem

SECOND MISSIONARY VENTURE

49–52 50

Served with Silas in Macedonia and Achaia Wrote letters to Thessalonica

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THIRD MISSIONARY VENTURE

52–55 55–56 55–57 57 57

Served in Ephesus Wrote letters to Corinth Served in Macedonia, Illyricum and Achaia Wrote to Rome Carried collection to Jerusalem

ROMAN IMPRISONMENT

57–59 59–60 60–62 60–62

Imprisoned in Caesarea Transported to Rome Detained under house arrest in Rome Wrote to Philemon, Colossae, Ephesus and Philippi

CONCLUDING MINISTRY AND YEARS

63–65 63–65 65

Served in the Aegean and Spain (?)

Wrote to Titus and Timothy Martyred in Rome

The dates above are AD and are suggested by either Paul Barnett or FF Bruce. Some dates would be disputed by conservative scholars but for the sake of simplicity these dates have been assumed. By these dates the ministry of Jesus would have been 28–30 AD.

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EARLY YEARS AND MINISTRY DAY 1

·· Saul was born at Tarsus. ·· He moved to Jerusalem, perhaps at 12 years of age.

DAY 2

·· He persecuted Christians, perhaps at 30 years of age.

DAY 3

·· He set out to persecute Christians in Damascus. ·· The Lord Jesus met him on the way.

DAYS 4, 5, 6

·· The Lord Jesus revealed the gospel to Saul.

DAY 7

·· Enemy Saul then became Christ’s ambassador. ·· He preached three years in Damascus and Arabia.

DAY 8

·· He returned to Jerusalem and preached for 15 days. ·· Jesus told him to go to the Gentiles. ·· Christians sent him to Tarsus via Caesarea.

DAY 9

·· Saul missioned in Cilicia and Syria for 11 years. ·· He then joined Barnabas in Syrian Antioch.

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MAP 1 SAUL’S EARLY YEARS AND MINISTRY

CILICIA

Tarsus •

• Antioch

CYPRUS

SYRIA

MEDITERRANEAN SEA • Damascus

Caesarea •

ARABIA

• Jerusalem

JUDEA

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H EBR EW OF H EBR EWS

DAY 1 READ PHILIPPIANS 3:2–11 We get to know Paul through his letters and Luke’s history of the early church. While we read of his early life only incidentally to the main story line of the New Testament, we can put together a brief sketch of how he viewed it in later years.

Saul was born to Jewish parents in the culturally significant city of Tarsus, in Syria. His father was a citizen of Tarsus and probably a leather worker from whom his son learned the trade.

His father was also a Roman citizen. Saul inherited this privilege and also adopted the Roman name of Paul (Acts 13:9; 18:3; 21:39; 22:28).

His parents were probably conservative for they knew their descent from the tribe of Benjamin and ensured that their child was circumcised on the eighth day as set out in Old Testament law. The Jewish name they chose for him was the tribal name of their famous ancestor King. Saul had at least one sister (Acts 23:16). It is probable that the family spoke Aramaic, the Jewish language, at home, and Greek, the world language, in the city.

This would account for Paul’s fluency in both languages (Acts 21:37–40).

In his youth, most likely around 12 years of age, Saul was taken to Jerusalem where he was enrolled in the school of Gamaliel, a leading rabbi. There he flourished. He enthusiastically embraced the strict and supernatural traditions of the Pharisees. In fact he was so enthusiastic he surpassed his peers in his zeal for God and kept the law without fault. By the time he was a young man, he was known for his aggressive loyalty to Judaism and given authority to persecute Christians not only in Jerusalem but also in Damascus. (Acts 22:3–5). He was a Hebrew of the Hebrews!

Despite his outstanding ability, his privileged status, his study of the Scriptures, his scrupulous keeping of the law and his eagerness to defend the Jewish tradition, he did not know the

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God he professed to worship. He believed he had to win God’s favour by keeping God’s law and he strove to do this with great vigour. It was not until the risen Lord Jesus met him that he would understand that God offered his favour freely to all who would receive it by faith.

In today’s Bible reading, Paul was about 50 years old and under house arrest. He looked back on his early years with grief at his ignorance and arrogance. He summoned the strongest language to renounce the pride he had in his status and achievements and declared that he now threw himself entirely on the mercy of God in Christ for his righteousness.

A PRAYER Almighty God, as you had mercy upon Paul so we pray your mercy upon us. Forgive us for any parading of religious or moral good works before you as if they might win your favour toward us. We pray that our only boast before you will be the righteousness we have received through Christ. Amen.

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P E R S E C U T O R O F T H E C H U RC H

DAY 2 READ 1 TIMOTHY 1:12–17 The Jewish leadership had consistently and then violently opposed the ministry of Jesus. This was despite his authoritative teaching and extraordinary miracles. Finally they pronounced Jesus guilty of blasphemy and forced the Romans to crucify him for treason. His death, however, did not solve their problem.

Jesus rose, and his disciples began to preach his resurrection. So they too had to be silenced.

The Jewish leadership adopted a campaign of jailing, beating and threatening the apostles with death. A very significant voice was raised against this strategy. Their highly respected Rabbi Gamaliel, Saul’s teacher, advised a wait-and-see approach.

Perhaps God was in this movement (Acts 5:33–40)!

The young man Saul disagreed with his teacher’s counsel and when he was elevated into positions of authority he summoned all his energy to destroy the church. He was enraged that these followers of Jesus were undermining the law and traditions of God’s people, Israel. With great zeal he set about imprisoning and beating, and then even voting for their death in Jerusalem and beyond (Acts 22:19–20; 26:9–12).

But Saul was offended by something even worse. Christians were determined blasphemers! At the heart of the apostles’ teaching was a crucified Christ. This was blasphemy! God’s law clearly taught that those who died on a tree were accursed. That meant Jesus Christ was accursed. To call the Christ accursed was as blasphemous as you could get, and such blasphemers should incur death (Deuteronomy 21:23).

However, Saul’s determined hostility had an inherent problem for him. He would be confronted with Christian testimony constantly. The words and demeanour of victims like Stephen could not be erased from his mind (Acts 6:8—8:1).

Even his kinsmen, Andronicus and Junia, had become believers

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(Romans 16:7). Continuing down the path of actively persecuting Christians, the Lord likened him to a donkey stubbornly ‘kicking against the goads’ (Acts 26:14).

It was this deliberately violent enemy, Saul, whom the Lord Jesus chose not only to forgive but also to commission as his ambassador to the nations. And why? Today’s reading tells us.

Paul wrote that it was to demonstrate that God saves people by his pure mercy (1 Timothy 1:15–16). My mate Mick got it right when he said, ‘I have done a few bad things in my life’—and he certainly had—‘but I am not as bad as that Paul, and if God can forgive and save him then he can forgive and save me’.

A PRAYER Holy God and heavenly Father, thank you for forgiving and saving Paul despite his terrible past life. Thank you for so assuring us that you can, will and do forgive and save us despite the shame of our former life. Amen.

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G O D ’ S C H O S E N I N S T RU M E N T

DAY 3 READ ACTS 9:1–22 When Gilbert West and 18th century parliamentary colleague, Lord Lyttleton, decided to demolish Christianity, they chose to discredit both the resurrection of Christ and Paul’s conversion.

They had their targets right. The foundation of Christianity is indeed the resurrection, and Paul wrote much of the New Testament.

Today’s reading is the first of Luke’s three accounts of Christ’s appearance to Saul (Acts 22:1–21; 26:1–23). We read how the Lord Jesus met Saul on the way to Damascus, how his glory blinded Saul for three days, how his voice accused Saul of persecuting him and how he told Saul to continue to Damascus for further instruction. Saul obeyed and began to pray and fast for three days.

The scene then shifted to Damascus and to Ananias. We read how the Lord told a protesting Ananias to heal Saul’s blindness, how the Lord informed him that Saul was his chosen instrument to preach him before nations, kings and Jews and how Saul would suffer much in fulfilling his commission. Saul heard Ananias’ words, was baptised and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus—it appeared—had already been shaping Saul. He was a Hebrew of Hebrews and fluent in Aramaic. He was a Roman citizen and fluent in Greek. He had a powerful intellect and passionate personality. He was well taught in the Old Testament and immersed in the traditions of the Jews. He had been prepared for this hour.

Now was the time for God to reshape Saul internally. Until now God’s law had been at the heart of his thinking. Righteousness by keeping the law had been the aim of his life. Defending Judaism, the temple and the law had been the passion of his ministry. In fact he was so zealous that he had jailed, beaten and even agreed to the judicial killing of Christians because they threatened to undermine Judaism. He was the fearsome enemy of Christians

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and ignorant of the God he purported to serve.

But the grace of God in Christ prevailed over the rage of Saul.

Humbled by the light and voice of Christ, he was converted in heart and redirected in ministry. Christ now became the centre of his thinking. Righteousness by faith in Christ became the aim of his life. Preaching Christ and his forgiveness became the passion of his ministry. Suffering and finally being martyred in promoting God’s love in Christ would be the mark of his ministry (Philippians 3:2–11; 1 Timothy 1:12–16).

When Lyttleton completed his research he changed his mind.

He wrote, ‘The conversion and apostleship of St Paul alone, duly considered, was of itself a demonstration sufficient to prove Christianity to be a divine revelation’.1

A PRAYER Thank you Father for revealing the Lord Jesus to Saul. Thank you that in your mercy you made your enemy your friend and your persecutor your apostle. We pray for such mercy upon us so that we might be your friends and ambassadors. Amen.

1. Bruce, FF 1977, Apostle of the Free Spirit, Paternoster Press, Exeter, p. 75.

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P R E AC H E R O F T H E R E V E L AT I O N

DAY 4 READ GALATIANS 1:6–24 Paul was emphatic that he did not receive the gospel from another human or supernatural being but directly from the Lord Jesus himself on the way to Damascus. It was, therefore, God’s gospel, and although Paul would come to understand it more profoundly as time passed, it never changed for it was the only gospel. We note four aspects of this gospel.

Firstly, Paul preached that Jesus is Lord. When Paul asked the heavenly voice, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ the voice replied, ‘I am Jesus’. This is the heart of his gospel. When Paul wrote to the church at Rome he asserted, ‘If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved’. Furthermore, he would write to the Corinthians, ‘No-one can say, “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 9:5; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 12:3).

Secondly, Paul preached that salvation is by grace and not by works of the law. Paul never ceased to wonder that although he jailed, beat and persecuted Christians, the Lord Jesus chose him to be his ambassador to the nations, kings and Israel. It was by an act of sheer mercy on Christ’s part that he was a chosen instrument in God’s plan for the salvation of his people. He was the example of the faithful saying, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (Acts 9:1–2, 15; 1 Timothy 1:15).

Thirdly, Paul preached that by faith there is union with Christ.

When the Lord Jesus questioned Paul about persecuting him, he meant that Paul was persecuting Jesus’ disciples. Anyone who harmed a Christian harmed Christ because of the union between Christ and his people (Acts 9:1–5). Later Paul would write of Christians as ‘in Christ’ and as ‘Christ in them’. When he wrote Colossians and Ephesians he described believers as having died with Christ, having been raised with Christ, being seated with Christ now and appearing with Christ in glory when he appears

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(Colossians 2:12–13; 3:1–4; Ephesians 2:5–6).

Fourthly, Paul preached that God created the light of life in people’s hearts. Christ met Paul by a ‘great light from heaven’.

This revelation was a revelation ‘in him’ as well as ‘to him’ (Acts 22:6–7; Galatians 1:16). This conviction never left Paul. Later, when writing to the Thessalonians, he called believers ‘children of light’. To the Corinthians he wrote that it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give ‘the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ’ (1 Thessalonians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 4:6). God’s life is a life in the light.

This is the gospel Paul preached in Damascus and throughout his ministry till his martyrdom in Rome.

A PRAYER Thank you heavenly Father for revealing to our apostle and to us that Jesus is Lord, that salvation is by grace alone, that believers are united with Christ and that your life is a life lived in the light. As Jesus received and grew in those truths, so we pray may we. Amen.

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P R E AC H E R I N T H E A P O S T O L I C T R A D I T I O N

DAY 5 READ 1 CORINTHIANS 15:1–11 When writing to churches in Galatia, Paul was adamant. The Lord Jesus revealed the gospel to and in him when Jesus met him on the Damascus road. This gospel is summarised as follows: people must believe Jesus is Lord; believers are saved by grace not works of the law; believers are united with Christ; God has shone the light of life into the believer’s heart. Paul received this gospel directly from the Lord. There was no intermediary— human or supernatural. He preached this gospel in Damascus and Arabia over three years (Acts 9:3–6; Galatians 1:11–17).

When writing to churches at Corinth a decade later, Paul was equally strong. He reminded Corinth of the gospel he had preached among them. It was the gospel he had received from the apostles. This gospel could be summarised as follows: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; he was buried; Christ was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures; Christ appeared to many eyewitnesses, among whom Paul named Peter and James. When Paul returned from Damascus to Jerusalem he received this gospel from the apostles, especially Peter and James. He preached this gospel in Corinth over 18 months (Acts 9:26–30; Galatians 1:18–24).

The question then is: Did Paul receive the gospel by the revelation of the Lord Jesus on the Damascus road or from the tradition of the apostles, Peter and James, on his return to Jerusalem? Paul would answer that the message revealed to him and the message he received were the same. Later when Paul met with the Jerusalem leadership of James, Peter and John, after a decade of preaching his revealed gospel in the regions of Cilicia and Syria, the Jerusalem leadership could see no incompatibility either (Galatians 2:1–10). The words may be different but the message is the same—God’s gospel is that God saves us through the Lord Jesus.

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Can we say that the essence of the gospel is the received gospel from the apostles but the revealed gospel was the gospel personalised for Paul, both to meet his situation and also to prepare him for his ministry in God’s great plan of saving his people? If this is so, should we not then reflect on how the Lord Jesus has met us and how, in that meeting, he has shaped us for our unique role in the saving of his people? Could 1 Thessalonians 1:4–8 be true of us?

A PRAYER Heavenly Father, thank you that we have heard that Jesus Christ has died for sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to Scripture, and that he appeared to many witnesses. Thank you that this gospel came to us not in word only but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. We pray that we may so live for Christ and speak his gospel with our personalities and our gifts and in our situation that the gospel of Christ might be trumpeted forth everywhere. Amen.

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P R E AC H E R F RO M H O LY S C R I P T U R E

DAY 6 READ ACTS 17:1–15 When Saul, the Pharisee, began his journey to Damascus he revered the Old Testament as Holy Scripture. When Saul, the apostle, was led into Damascus after meeting the Lord Jesus he still revered the Old Testament as Holy Scripture, but the way he read it was life-shatteringly different. Previously it had focused his attention on the law. Now it focused his attention on Jesus.

For three days he prayed as he adjusted to his radical new reading of the Scriptures (Acts 19:9, 11–12, 17–19).

An alert Saul could have noted this difference earlier. The risen Jesus taught his disciples over his 40 days of resurrection appearances that he had fulfilled Scripture. The apostles, in their preaching, followed Jesus’ pattern of proving how he had fulfilled Scripture. Stephen’s preaching had impressed Saul, as years later he could remember the outline of Stephen’s defence before the Sanhedrin and the Scripture he quoted. Like the proverbial donkey, however, Saul kept kicking against the goads to his own hurt. Now he thought differently (Luke 24:44–49; Acts 2:14–42; 7:1–53; 26:14).

One example of his rethinking was the cross. Saul found the idea of a crucified Christ a stumbling block (Greek word is skandelon). The law stated clearly enough that ‘a hanged man is accursed by God’. Jesus was therefore under God’s curse and it would be blasphemous to call him the Christ—unless you came to understand, as Paul did, that Christ had become a curse to save the believer. Christ’s death on the tree (cross) redeems believers from the curse that everyone is under because they cannot keep the law perfectly (1 Corinthians 1:23; Deuteronomy 21:22–23; Galatians 3:10–14).

Another example was Abraham. Abraham was the father of Jews. Jews, like Abraham and Moses, were circumcised and kept God’s law. When, however, Paul re-read the scripture under

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Christ’s influence he noted Genesis 15:6. It was not Abraham’s keeping of the law, but his faith that God reckoned to him as righteousness. Other conclusions followed. Paul realised that Abraham’s circumcision had occurred after his faith.

Abraham thus became father of those who have faith, whether circumcised like the Jews or uncircumcised like the Gentiles, and so circumcision was not a requirement for salvation. He also noted that God gave Moses the Law 400 years after he gave the covenant promise Abraham believed. This also meant that law keeping would not replace faith as the means of attaining righteousness before God (Genesis 15:3–6; Romans 4:1–5, 9–12; Galatians 3:17–18).

God had shone in Saul’s heart on the Damascus road to motivate him to re-read and then preach the Scriptures as God’s plan of salvation focused on Christ’s death and resurrection. This became his life’s work and is illustrated in today’s Bible reading.

A PRAYER Blessed Lord who has caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning, grant that we may read it rightly as being fulfilled in Christ so that by its teaching, reproving, correcting and training us in righteousness we might become complete people of God equipped for every good work. Amen.

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M I S S I O N A RY I N DA M A S C U S A N D A R A B I A

DAY 7 READ ACTS 9:10–25 Saul, zealous champion of the Jewish faith, was led into Damascus, blinded and humbled. The Jesus whom he thought to be the great blasphemer he now knew to be the Lord; the salvation that he thought could be won through keeping the law he now knew could only occur through God’s grace; and the disciples of Jesus whom he once thought to be destroyers of true religion, he now knew to be the chosen ones. No wonder he set himself to prayer and fasting for three days (Acts 9:1–9, 11)!

The encounter with Jesus had shattered his old life, and a new creation emerged. The way he now read the Scriptures needed a seismic shift.

A greater surprise was yet to come! Ananias, a Damascus believer, also had a revelation from the Lord Jesus. Ananias welcomed Saul as a brother and explained that Saul was the Lord’s chosen instrument to carry Jesus’ name to Israel, kings and the nations—and that this would involve much suffering.

Ananias then introduced Saul to other disciples in Damascus and they spent several days together.

Saul sprang into action. With authority from Jerusalem he threw himself into addressing the synagogues in Damascus where he was met with amazement! Instead of denouncing Jesus and his followers, Saul proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God. The Jews were confused, and debate followed. The more the Jews dialogued, the more powerful Saul’s arguments became. He confounded his opponents and kept proving that Jesus was the promised Christ (Acts 9:20–22).

Luke recorded this mission lasted ‘many days’ and that the Jews were aroused to such hostility that they plotted to kill Saul (Acts 9:23–25). Paul, writing later to the Galatians and Corinthians, gave more detail. The ‘many days’ were three years.

Saul also wrote that he extended his Damascus mission into the

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Nebatean kingdom of Aretas IV with such vigour that it aroused murderous hostility. In consequence the Ethnarch responsible for the welfare of Aretas’ citizens in Damascus collaborated with the Jews to kill Saul at the city gates.2 Saul confessed that his friends helped him escape by the humiliating experience of being lowered over the city wall by night in a basket (Galatians 1:15–18; 2 Corinthians 11:30–33).

We are not apostles, but when Jesus reveals himself to us he also calls us to serve him with our special experiences, personalities and situations. We would do well to follow the apostle’s example of quick obedience.

A PRAYER Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you shaped and met Paul, so that he received your gospel, was saved and became apostle to the nations. Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you shape and meet us, so that we might receive your gospel, be saved and become your ambassadors. Assist us to be as ready to obey and take our share of suffering as the apostle was. Amen.

2. Bruce, FF 1971, 1 and 2 Corinthians: New Century Bible Commentary, HarperCollins Distribution Services, UK, pp. 244–245.

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