The Road To Damascus, September 22, 2009

Paul's 1st Missionary Journey
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
7:22 PM
Acts 13: 4-12
Significant Experience:
Paul is invited to share the Gospel with the Governor but a false prophet "Bar-Jesus" tries to interfere.
How Paul handled the situation:
#1: Bold! Stands up against the false prophet. The result: the Governor becomes a disciple of Christ
Principals:
Deut 18: 9-14
Stand up for our faith
Do not get involved with the occult or any form

Acts 13: 13-14
Significant Experience:
John Mark left Paul and Barnabus and went back home (Jerusalem)
How Paul handled the situation:
No explanation. Also no complaint or recorded effort to keep him. More importantly, they continue on.
Principals:
Keep on keeping on
Keep focused on serving God - the greatest purpose
Don't camp out on discouragement

Acts 13: 15-43
Significant Experience:
Paul sees an open door to preach and runs with it. The result is he reached many people.
How Paul handled the situation:
Paul was ready for the opportunity and prepared to follow through.
Principals:
Be ready for open doors and not be afraid to walk through it.

Acts 13: 44-52
Significant Experience:

How Paul handled the situation:

Principals:


Acts 14: 1-20
Significant Experience:

How Paul handled the situation:

Principals:


Acts 14: 21-28
Significant Experience:

How Paul handled the situation:

Principals:

The Road to Damascus Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

The Necessity of Solitude, Quietness, and Obscurity

7:15 PM
Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people. - Richard Foster

Thoughts:

• Limited to Western Culture?
• We might be leading this.
• Is deeper more important?
• Is deeper not more intelligent in and of itself?
• Is it more a matter laziness?
• Is laziness causing lack of depth?
• It is not saying we don't need intelligent or gifted people but more of a balance with depth.

Causes of lack of depth:

• Technology
• Texting
• Flexi-space work
• Convenience

What is depth:

• Thoughtfulness
• Wisdom
• Seeing the big picture
• Not caught up in the details
• Don't sweat the small stuff
• Meaningful relationships
• Opposite of shallow

Traits of a deep person:

• Active listener
• Say meaningful things
• Slow to speak
• Can experience a connection with them.
• May be more open with others
• Introspective
• Good self-awareness

Galatians 1: 10-17

• Paul was self-evaluating
• Everything Paul was, was undercut, he was new person and needed to bring it all to terms.
• Paul has an incredible confidence partly because he had taken time to reconcile with himself.
• We need to spend time with ourselves so we don't sacrifice that relationship just as other relationships require time.

3 lessons from discussion:

• Instead of speeding up, slow down and re-think
• Instead of talking more, be quiet and reflect.
• Instead of seeking a place of power, be still and relax.

The Road to Damascus Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

4 Lessons on Faith

1. Surprises are always part of God's leading. (Hebrews 11:8)
2. Surprises intensify our need for faith.
3. Stepping out in faith always results in further clarification of God's plan.
4. Obedience always stimulates growth. (Psalm 1).

Ananias Tuesday, March 24, 2009 Acts 9:10-12

What do we know about Ananias

• Was not a superhero
• He was disciple
• Not an Apostle
• Was considered a layman

May have been a church leader in Damascus
Was ready and willing to be used by God

• Acts 22:12
• Was a Godly man and well respected by the Jews of Damascus
• Acts 23:2
• Not the same as the High Priest Ananias

Acts 9: 13-14
What does Ananias know about Saul

• Frightening
• He knew that Saul kills people like him
• He would have known Saul's position
• He knew that Saul was en route with a license to arrest every believer

Acts 9:15-16
How does God deal with Ananias?

• He commands him
• There is an aspect of reassurance - "Saul is my chosen instrument."
• Compare with God and Moses at the burning bush:
• God promised to be with Moses
• Christ promised the Holy Spirit to be with us
• We sometimes don't want to go where God leads "kicking against the goads."
• But God deals with us, as he did Moses and others:
• Persistent / consistent
• Patient
• Like a parent to a child
• God provided tools, proofs, comforts, etc. - Grace
• Grace is how God deals with us

Acts 9:17-19
How could have/did Ananias treat Paul?

• Would be inclined to be bitter/rude
• Would have a bone to pick
• Would be afraid or timid?
• First word out of his mouth is Brother - this reflects the Christian attitude.
• What does this teach us?
• This is like the climax to the Christian story.
• Themes of forgiveness, grace, love, new beginnings, true brotherhood.
• We have leave anger aside
• We have to keep focus on our real goal on Earth
• Only a Christian has the ability to genuinely forgive and simultaneously rejoice at the conversion of a man who had once been our personal enemy.

The Road to Damascus Wednesday, February 18, 2009 7:18 PM

More about Saul:

• Saul hunted "The Way" in Damascus
• Saul was likely physically strong or intimidating
• Saul got letters approving his man hunt
• Saul was "obsessed"
• Saul whipped people in the synagogues
• Saul wanted to kill these people
• Saul was "chasing" The Way
• Saul's actions were with intent
• Acts 22:3-5
• Acts 26: 9-11
• Galatians 1:13-14
• Acts 9:1-9

-These make up Paul's testimony.

Notes about the road to Damascus

• Powerful
• Traumatic
• A light
• The companions heard but did not see.
• Jesus spoke in Aramaic
• Compare to Acts 22:6-11, clarifies the people with Paul did not understand the voice
• Paul refers to Jesus as "Lord"
• Scholars disagree on which "Lord" or "lord" is used.
• At the time Saul truly believed he was doing all that he should be doing.
• But why did Saul respond with such calm and respect?
• Acts 26:12-14
• Paul "kicked against the goads"
• Paul responded humbly and maybe with a sense of relief.

Why Saul went to Damascus

• He was chasing "The Way"
• Was driven by an intent to murder
• An agent of chaos?

May I Introduce You to Saul of Tarsus Wednesday, January 21, 2009 6:45 PM

What do we know about Paul

• See timeline on the left
• Paul was Saul
• Pharisee
• Christian killer
• Ministry to the Gentiles
• Roman citizen
• Educated in Jewish law
• Had a vision from God
• Clear mission
• Not influenced by others
• Road to Damascus
• Wanted to meet the other Apostles
• Was in prison by his own fault
• Wrote much of the New Testament
• Wrote "Prison Epistles"
• Wrote to various churches
• Was present at the stoning of Steven
• Was very Christ-centered
• Was not one of the 12 disciples
• Did not meet Christ until after the resurrection
• Was not married - chose to not be
• Paul's writings have specific "bents"
• Paul will state his opinion in his writings
• Paul was on the Sanhedrin
• Paul upheld the letter of the law and then did a 180 after his conversion in embracing freedom.
• Paul was circumcised
• Paul took 3 years in Arabia after his conversion to consider it all.
• Born 5 AD
• 35 AD Conversion
• 46 AD 1st Missionary Journey
• 57 AD Romans written
• 59 AD 4th Missionary Journey
• 60 AD Prison Epistles written
• 62 AD Released from prison
• 67 AD Died

The context of Saul

• The Way was at work
• Battle between the old "law" and The Way. A large group of people "the apostles" and their followers are trying to put the Pharisees out of business.
• "lay" people are challenging the religious authority, and its catching on.
• The religious response is to, censor, imprison, kill, flog, etc.
• Christ just died and rose again
• The church is just starting
• Still under Roman law

What do we know of Gamaliel

• He speaks, the leaders listen
• Was Saul's mentor
• Highly respected
• Why does he stop the killing of the apostles?
• Does not want to offend the Roman government.
• No indication that he wants to protect the apostles
• Trusts that they will kill themselves or else there is truth to what they are doing.
• Seems to think for himself
• Distinguished member of the high council

What characteristics might Saul have gotten from his life as Saul and from Gamaliel?

• Outspoken
• Not a "group think" kind of guy
• Not afraid to be bold
• Knows how to infiltrate
• Knew where to go and how to get around
• Got to know the leaders of "The Way" the apostles perhaps.
• Learned critical thinking
• Picked-up some wisdom
• His knowledge of Roman law came in handy
• His expertise of "the law" proves critical to his ministry
• Had learned a different approach when compared to others
• Learned speaking and debate skills
• His reputation gave him the ability to spread his ministry as is confirmed in Galatians.
• He is already familiar with the arguments he will run into.

Biblical principals from Saul's life

• Our past experiences and knowledge is just as important, and sometimes more, after we know Christ as they were before.
• God can choose anyone and use them for incredible things.
• Our passions and drivers (spiritual gifts) of old do not need to be thrown away or replaced, but realized, redirected, and fulfilled in Christ.