PAUL: BACKGROUND AND CALL

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Adapted from : www.fustero.es Lesson 11 for September 12, 2015

Background:• Biography. Who was Paul?• Personality. What type of person was

Paul? Call:

• Goal. What was the purpose of his call?

• Mission. What was the fruit of his call?

• Diversity. How did he face his mission?

This week we’ll study several aspects of Paul’s life:

WHO WAS PAUL?

He was born in Tarsus, Cilicia. He

was a Roman citizen. (Acts 22:3,

28).

He belong to the tribe of

Benjamin (Phil. 3:5).

He was a Pharisee like

his father (Acts 23:6).

He grew up in Jerusalem. He was disciple of Gamaliel (Acts

22:3).

He was a member of the Sanhedrin, so he was

married. Nevertheless, he no longer was when he

wrote his letters (AA, p. 92; 1Co. 7:8).

He had at least a sister and a nephew

who lived in Jerusalem (Acts

23:16).

He was a tentmaker (Acts 18:3).

“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.” (Acts 22:3)

Paul was a person of great convictions and zeal. Before his conversion:

He supported the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58).He persecuted the Church (Acts 8:3).He threatened to kill the disciples (Acts 9:1).He organized a raid against Christians in Damascus (Acts 9:2).After his conversion

he showed he was:

Just (Phil. 3:6). Hard worker (2Tes. 3:7-8). Contrite (1Tim. 1:16). Tough (2Co. 11:23-33). Humble (1Co.15:9).

WHAT TYPE OF PERSON WAS PAUL?“For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be

called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am…” (1 Corinthians 15:9-10)

“Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.”

(2 Corinthians 11:22-31)

Paul had to defense himself from the Judaizers who tried to slander him before the church in Corinth. He then described

himself this way:

WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF HIS CALL?“But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 26:16-18)Jesus considered Paul a new Moses. Moses delivered

the Hebrew people from the Gentiles so they could do God’s will. Paul went to the Gentiles so they could do God’s will too (Romans 15:19).Jesus called him so His message could reach everyone. In order to fulfill his call, Paul had to:

Open their eyes. Turn them to light. Free them from the power of

Satan. Tell them how to receive

forgiveness. Help them to get an eternal

inheritance.

“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2)Paul’s mission involved three main aspects:

Preaching Jesus Christ.• Paul always exalted the cross

of Christ above all (1Cor. 2:2).

Planting churches.• He planted a church in every

city he visited (Titus 1:5).

Feeding the Church.• He nourished the Church and

corrected mistakes with his letters (1Cor. 14:37).

WHAT WAS THE FRUIT OF HIS CALL?

“And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without

law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law.” (1 Corinthians 9:20-

21)Paul’s mission was clearly multicultural. He had to preach the Gospel to both Jewish and Gentiles. Therefore, he adapted to the culture around him when sharing the Truth.He had to convince the Jews of accepting the Gentiles in the Church without imposing any cultural custom. He even reprimanded Peter of putting the unity of the Church at risk because of cultural reasons (Galatians 2:11-16).Paul was a Pharisee; he knew both the Scriptures and tradition. He could distinguish essential from subsidiary; eternal truth from cultural and religious elements.

HOW DID HE FACE HIS MISSION?