“Hello. My name is … Paul/Saul
By Rev. Dr. Jerry Schmoyer jerry@schmoyer.net
http://india.christiantrainingonline.org/
Tribe of Benjamin
Giscala in Galilee (G-Grandfather left)
TARSUS
FATHER – MOTHER
EDUCATION
LANGUAGE GREEK LATIN ARAMAICHEBREW
TENTMAKING
Holy Land REAL “homeland” (heart there)
BAR MITZVA at 13 – to Jerusalem # 1
JERUSALEM # 1 Visit sister & aunt /GAMALIEL
Jesus – Mishna, Gemerra, Targum
Inside struggles: pride (ego), lust
RETURN TO TARSUS (early 30’s)
Leader Synagogue, Tentmaker BARNABAS
APPEARANCE Athletic short ugly
MARRIAGE son Timothy depression
SUPERNATURAL EVENTS
(not ready face God!) DARK EARTHQUAKE
JERUSALEM # 2 Escape new challenge
Heard @ JESUS hated Nicodemus, Jos
PETER & John, Pentecost HS changes
SPIRITUALLY EMPTY law bondage
HAD IT ALL, DIDN’T SATISFY (APPLY)
Family rich, important, loving
Education finest in Greek and Hebrew
Careers 1) tentmaker 2) rabbi
Sanhedrinpower & prestige young age
Perfect in religion – outwardly sinless
Future all ahead of me – HP
STEPHEN – good friend (mellow & abrasive)
same syn. – he peace, debate, lost, stoned
PERSECUTION – took inner frustrations out
Temp, zeal, pain, purposeless, empty
HORRIBLE SCENES:
Killed, heard gospel, witnesses – joy/peace!
DAMASCUS donkey trip (4 days)
THOUGHTS gilt, empty, no peace, doubts, sad
CONVERSION
LIGHT – Shekinah Glory -yesight
MAN – “why persecuting me?”
I BROKE – surrendered, peace! –
(APPLY)GOOD NEWS BAG
BLIND 3 days -Stephen
SATISFACTION – (APPLY)CHANGE BAG
TRAINING
ARABIAN DESERT 2
BOUNCED AROUND Dama Jeru Tarsus
Father, flogged – Syria & Cilicia
COMPLETE CHANGE – Outwardly Inwardly
MINISTRY
ANTIOCH – strong church there (Ben Hur)
1 MJ Asia Minor 1 1/2 yrs
Barnabas & Mark (quit early on)
Bar-Jesus on Paphos
Zeus & Hermes in Lystra
GALATIANS written – Christian Liberty
JERUSALEM COUNCIL Don’t have to be a Jew
2 MJ Asia Minor & Greece 2 1/2 yrs
Split with Barnabas, took Silas
Lydia in Philippi, 1st church in Europe
“Unknown God” in Athens
Corinth 1 1/2 yrs – Gallio
Wrote: I & II Thes
3 MJ Asia Minor & Greece 4 yrs
Ephesus 2 1/2 yrs (Demetrius, SonsSceva)
Troas – Eutychus
Corinth caused many problems!
Wrote: I, II Cor, Romans
NEW LIFE IN CHRIST! (APPLY)
Make true, deep friends
See God answer prayer
Many hardships, near-death experiences
Rejection by Jews and some believers, too.
Hurt: little contact with father, etc.
cut off from inheritance, Sanhedrin, etc.
Peace, satisfaction, meaning inside
struggle: do things in my strength, ego
(fight with Barnabas @ Mark)
THORN IN FLESH to stay close to God`
IMPRISONMENT (always wanted to go to Rome)
offering to Jerusalem ARREST, 5 yrs prison
Jerusalem – Caesarea Felix, Festus, Agrippa
Rome – shipwreck on the way
WroteEph Col, Phile, Phil
HARD: not in control, old, pain
God satisfies, found contentment (APPLY)
FINAL MINISTRY – 5 years
RELEASED
EPHESUS with Timothy, who stayed there
MACEDONIA, PHILIPPI (favorite church)
Wrote I TIMOTHY
EPHESUS – visited area churches
SPAIN (2 yrs) mIssionary – Jews rebellion
OTHER TRAVELS, wrote Titus
DEATH
ARRESTED in Ephesus (Macedonia) fall 67
ROME different this time Paul came
Fire, Nero
PRISON worse, public enemy # 1
only Luke risked life & stayed in Rome
miss Timothy and Mark
ready to die & be with Jesus, work done
content with how life had gone
TRIAL # 1
Alexander Coppersmith testified – acquitted
II TIMOTHY final words 2 Tim 4:6-8 (read)
TRIAL # 2
Before Nero (at end of his life – terrible)
Cp cont Paul, Nero
ATTITUDE: II Tim 1:8-12 2:8-13 4:6-8
EXECUTION SITE: Spring, 68 AD
beyond city walls, small group, soldiers
citizen, so not tortured like Peter & wife
tied to stake, scourged, beheaded
Mid-June Nero died
Sept 2, 70 AD Jeru fell
PETER: write I, II Peter, killed with wife
JOHN: wrote last, lived longest
CONCLUSION
Don’t see me as a SUPERSAINT
Sinner like you: lust (APPLY)
ego, pride, insensitive, critical, perfection
God’s grace chose & used me
Don’t see my life as GLAMOROUS
Lost wife and son – father & friends
career, inheritance, etc.
health – much time in prison
All I have is what Jesus gave me
I gave it all up for Him But really gave up NOTHING!
I gained everything (APPLY)
Never regretted all I lost, gave up for Jesus
It never satisfied – but HE DOES!
ONLY JESUS SATISFIES! COLORING BK
HAD IT ALL, DIDN’T SATISFY (APPLY)
Family rich, important, loving
Education finest in Greek and Hebrew
Careers 1) tentmaker 2) rabbi
Sanhedrinpower & prestige young age
Perfect in religion – outwardly sinless
Future all ahead of me – HP
PAUL’S LIFE DRAMA
CHILDHOOD
“Hello. My name is …
NAME Paul, Latin name
Saul (Jewish name) home & synagogue
ANCESTRY Tribe of Benjamin
Giscala in Galilee (G-Grandfather left)
TARSUS 1/2 million (WORLD MAP)
prosperous self-governing city-state
farming, mines (silver, lead, copper)
center of finances and education
FATHER Pharisee
Tentmaker (long black wool from local sheep)
Wealthy
Burgess of Tarsus
Roman citizen – proud privilege
MOTHER Sickly, not involved in childhood
Died having sister when I was grown
Sister raised by aunt in Jeru.
EDUCATION Home main education
Synagogue Memorize Heb vowels, accents
By 13 mastered Jewish hist, poetry, prophets
PHOTOGRAPHIC MIND natural & developed
LANGUAGE GREEK fluent from infancy, main language
LATIN working knowledge
ARAMAIC common Jewish home language
HEBREW scholarly knowledge of OT
TENTMAKING Humble, busy , appreciate work,
for Caravans, nomads, armies
Weave cloth, shuttle back & forth Mind free
RELIGION Holy Land REAL “homeland” (heart there)
Tarsus: Baal worship, immorality, persecution
HOME haven to live life of piety (stern, focus on externals)
EARLY LIFE
BAR MITZVA at 13 – to Jerusalem # 1
With father & older friend (my 1st trip, his last)
Phoenician trader ship,
Mountains, valleys, semi-desert seen
JERUSALEM # 1 Visit sister and aunt
Gamaliel (not as strict as Shammai)
Jesus before at 12 – Gamaliel bared mentioned it
Jesus a little older than me – never met
Eyes saw same sights, songs, even at same time
Rabbi training long & hard –
Mishna, Gemerra, Targum
Outstripped contemporaries with giftedness
Memory, logical mind, creative, analyzing
Few close friends – expect too much of self & others
Outside lived in perfect obedience
Others: impress others, hypocrisy
Paul: do right for right reason
Inside struggles: pride (ego), lust
RETURN TO TARSUS (early 30’s)
Leader in Synagogue, taught Scriptures
Tentmaker (with BARNABAS)
APPEARANCE Athletic, strong, good shape
-5′, broadsholdered
prematurely gray, bald
close-knit eyebrows & thick beard
Long crooked nose
Nearsighted from reading, study
Friends said I was ugly – enemies repulsive
MARRIAGE light of my life, new meaning
SON born, filled empty void in life
Epidemic, prayed to YHWH, both died – take me!
Virtually adopted Timothy as replacement son
Deep depression many months, never get out of it
SUPERNATURAL EVENTS (not ready to face God!)
DARKNESS 12 noon on
EARTHQUAKE, light back 3 pm
JERUSALEM # 2 Escape memories, reminder
Empty, need new challenge
Heard @ upheaval @ JESUS & res. – fight it!
live: street of tentmakers
work: leading PHARISEE
hated Nicodemus, Jos Armiathia
Sanhedrin member, privileges
SPIRITUAL YEARNINGS
Searching for real meaning, purpose
Judaism, harder I tried more empty I felt
Stopped struggling for peace
Law, tradition empty, crushing bondage
PETER leader (and John)
Change: fear to courage
PENTECOST, Holy Spirit difference
OVER REACTION Took it out on those attacking Judaism
-Me fighting same thing within
HAD IT ALL, DIDN’T SATISFY
Family rich, important, loving
Education finest in Greek and Hebrew
Careers 1) tentmaker 2) rabbi
Sanhedrin power & prestige at unheard of young age
Perfect in religion – outwardly sinless
Future all ahead of me – “another Gamaliel”, HP
STEPHEN – good friend (mellow & abrasive) same syn.
he found peace I sought, me jealous
grasped full implication @ Jesus = Messiah
take away all I had left – Judaism
me only one able to debate him, but lost
I had him put to death, oversaw it!
PERSECUTION – took inner frustrations out on others
-Choleric temperament
-Zeal for God from upbringing
-loss of wife & son hurt
-no goal, purpose, meaning
-spiritually empty, jealous of their peace
HORRIBLE SCENES: burst into homes & synagogues
old men, women, children, beaten, imprisoned, killed,
Contact with Gospel -infiltered services
-defense they offered
Eye-witnesses memorized Jesus’ words
Great phy pain didn’t take away their peace joy
DAMASCUS last chance to stop their flood, growth, spread
Large Jewish population (20,000 of the 150,000)
4 day trip north (150 miles)
DONKEY TRIP thru Galilee, Golan Heights, Mt Hermon
THOUGHTS: Guilt, emptiness in mind, no peace
Doubts about success of mission
Sorrow of pain causing
Something @ these Christians….
CONVERSION
LIGHT greater than sun – Shekinah Glory (all fell down )
affected eyesight – lifetime reminder (Jacob’s hip)
MAN about my age – “why persecuting me?”
knew who he was, but had to make sure
“Who are you” “I am Jesus”
In a second that seemed like an eternity I knew
He loved those I was persecuting -He loved me!
I BROKE – surrendered
No matter about my old theological arguments
what others would think
what I was giving up in Judaism
I was wrong, He was right
Sweet peace flooded over me!
Surrendered my life at that moment
Not just accept salvation for when I die
Made Him Lord & Master of my life now!
WORDLESS BOOK – PLAN OF SALVATION
(children look at, check out bag)
How many of you have accepted Jesus as Savior?
BLIND 3 days (thought it’d be forever)
humble, helpless, not in control
plenty of time to think
Stephen a time bomb that detonated in mind
Guilt, remorse & peace, grace
healed, baptized, preached
SATISFACTION
had now what $, power, prestige didn’t give
SUBSTITUTES TODAY: (CHANGE BAG these in, come out empty)
Adults? car, boat, home, $
Teens? popularity, clothes, music, dating
Children? fun, friends, things
TRAINING
ARABIAN DESERT 2 years – Learn to Depend on God
BOUNCED AROUND next few years
Damascus
Jerusalem
Tarsus – told father – rejected (my mind not right)
synagogue leaders had me scoured 5 times
(underminded health, bowlegged)
had to break from family, Judaism
Syria & Cilicia
COMPLETE CHANGE
Outwardly things went from top to bottom
Inwardly things went from bottom to top
MINISTRY
ANTIOCH – strong church there (Ben Hur)
Took offering to bel in Jeru because of famine
1 MJ Asia Minor 1 1/2 yrs
Barnabas & Mark (quit early on)
Bar-Jesus on Paphos
Zeus & Hermes in Lystra
GALATIANS written – Christian Liberty
JERUSALEM COUNCIL Don’t have to be a Jew to be bel.
2 MJ Asia Minor & Greece 2 1/2 yrs
Split with Barnabas, took Silas
Lydia in Philippi, 1st church in Europe
“Unknown God” in Athens
Corinth 1 1/2 yrs – Gallio
Wrote: I & II Thes @ Jesus Coming Back
3 MJ Asia Minor & Greece 4 yrs
Ephesus 2 1/2 yrs (Demetrius, Sons of Sceva)
Troas – Eutychus
Corinth caused many problems!
Wrote: I Cor – Worldly Wisdom
II Cor – A Godly Ministry
Romans – Salvation
NEW LIFE IN CHRIST!
Make true, deep friends
See God answer prayer
Many hardships, near-death experiences
Rejection by Jews and some believers, too.
Hurt: little contact with father, etc.
cut off from inheritance, Sanhedrin, etc.
Peace, satisfaction, meaning inside
struggle: do things in my strength, ego
(fight with Barnabas @ Mark)
THORN IN FLESH to stay close to God`
IMPRISONMENT
Took large offering to Jerusalem for bel there.
Falsely arrested, imprisoned 5 years
Jerusalem – taken out to save life
Caesarea – Trial by Felix, Festus, Agrippa
Rome – shipwreck on the way
Wrote Ephesians – In Christ
Colossians – Christ is Supreme
Philemon – Christian Courtesy
Philippians – Joy
HARD: me not in control of anything at all
others taking over ministry, me out of picture
age, health limited me although wanted to do as before
God satisfies, found contentment & peace in Him
FINAL MINISTRY – 5 years
RELEASED because Jews didn’t press charges
Not God’s will for me to die yet.
EPHESUS with Timothy, who stayed there
MACEDONIA, PHILIPPI (favorite church)
Wrote I TIMOTHY encourage Timothy to stay
EPHESUS – visited area churches (7 of Rev 2-3)
Laodicea, Heirapolia, Colossae
SPAIN (2 yrs)
Missionary mindset, go to new place, now follow others
Jewish rebellion- word reached me in Spain!
CRETE to visit Titus
hard work among churches there
MILETUS w/ Trophimus, Ephesian Paul accused of taking into the temple. Trop sick & stayed there
EPHESUS with Onesiphorus & Timothy
oppose heretical teachers
TITUS written – advise & encouragement
TROAS, left cloak, books & parchments
CORINTH stayed with Erastus, former treasurer
NICOPOLIS – winter there and reach out to area
Tychicus and Artemas there with him
MACEDONIA & GREECE
final place of ministry
nice to see Philippi churches again!
DEATH
ARRESTED in Ephesus (Macedonia) fall 67
paid informers turned Paul in – Alexander the coopersmith
charged with instigating Roman Ch to burn Rome
ROME different this time Paul came
Physically changed by fire
Emotionally changed by crazy Nero
PRISON much more severe, no freedom
public enemy # 1
isolated – lonely (Demas forsook Paul)
only Luke risked life & stayed in Rome, miss Timothy and Mark
ready to die & be with Jesus, work done
content with how life had gone
TRIAL # 1
Alexander the Coppersmith testified against Paul
God miraculously delivered me, acquitted!
WROTE II TIMOTHY final words
2 Timothy 4:6-8 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
TRIAL # 2
Before Nero (at end of his life – terrible)
Nero: all $, power, etc., miserable inside
Paul: nothing outside, peace & joy in – Only Jesus satisfies!
Found guilty, condemned to death
ATTITUDE: II Tim 1:8-12 2:8-13 4:6-8
EXECUTION SITE:
beyond city walls
small group of curious watching
many soldiers, make sure Christians not attack
citizen, so not tortured like Peter & wife
tied to stake, scourged, beheaded with sword
Spring, 68 AD
Mid-June Nero died
Sept 2, 70 AD Jeru fell
PETER: write I, II Peter, killed with wife
JOHN: wrote last, lived longest
Matthew suffered martyrdom by being slain with a sword at a distant city of Ethiopia.
Mark expired at Alexandria, after having been cruelly dragged through the streets of that city.
Luke was hanged upon an olive tree in the classic land of Greece.
John was put into a caldron of boiling oil, but escaped death in a miraculous manner, and was afterwards banished to Patmos.
Peter was crucified at Rome with his head downward.
James the Greater was beheaded at Jerusalem.
James the Less was thrown from a lofty pinnacle of the temple, and then beaten to death with a fuller’s club.
Philip was hanged up against a pillar at Heiropolis in Phrygia.
Bartholomew was flayed alive.
Andrew was bound to a cross, where he preached to his persecutors until he died.
Thomas was run through the body with a lance at Coromandel in the East Indies.
Jude was shot to death with arrows.
Matthias was first stoned, and then beheaded.
Barnabas of the Gentiles was stoned to death by the Jews at Salonica.
Paul after various tortures and persecutions, was at length beheaded at Rome by the Emperor Nero.
Peter crucified upside down in Rome, wife martyred also
CHURCH GROWTH
Continues today
CONCLUSION
Don’t see me as a SUPERSAINT
Sinner like you:lust
ego, pride
insensitive, critical – Mark
perfectionist
God’s grace chose & used me
Don’t see my life as GLAMOROUS
Lost wife and son
father & friends
career, inheritance, etc.
health
much time in prison
All I have is what Jesus gave me
I gave it all up for Him
But really gave up NOTHING!
I gained everything
Never regretted all I lost, gave up for Jesus
It never satisfied – but HE DOES!
ONLY JESUS SATISFIES!
What are you looking for for satisfaction?
Family fine, but no matter how nice, rich, not it
Education may be great, not the answer
Career OK, not satisfy
Power, prestige empty
Perfect in religion, outwardly sinless
Future promise great, still empty