Sabbath: Paul: MIssion and Message
Read for This Week’s Study: 1 Cor. 1:22-24, 1 Tim. 6:12, 2 Tim. 4:7, 1 Cor. 15:12-22, Acts 15:38-41.
Memory Text: Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus
(Phil. 3:13-14, NKJV).
Drawing on Old Testament prophetic messages,
Image © Lars Justinen Goosalt.com
Jewish history, and the life and teachings of Jesus, Paul developed the Christian concept of salvation history, all centered on the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Because of his cultural background in both Judaism and in Greco-Roman society, Paul possessed sufficient insights to allow him to lift the gospel out from the complexity of Hebrew civil, ritual, and moral practices of Jewish life and make it more accessible to a multicultural world.
Paul’s 13 letters to the believers applied faith to their lives. He touched doctrinal as well as practical topics. He counseled, encouraged, and admonished on matters of personal Christianity, relationships, and church life. Nevertheless, throughout his letters his main theme was Jesus Christ and Him crucified
(1 Cor. 2:2).
Paul was not only a man of letters. He also became known as the apostolic missionary par excellence, witnessing to the gospel from Syria to Italy, perhaps even to Spain. Within a decade Paul established churches in four provinces of the Roman Empire.
This week we will take a look at Paul—both his mission and his message.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 19.
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Pauls Mission Was To preach the good news not only to the Hebrews but also to the gentiles and the whole world
Paul’s message first impacted/influenced his own life, and so his mission though beset by difficulty and opposed by Satan (2 Corinthians 11:23-28) was never optional to him. He was sold as a slave to Jesus (1 Corinthians 7:22, 23) and if his master had work to be done he was on the job.
Motivated by love, the apostle was true to duty and unwavering in his commitment to spread the gospel. He was an example of faithfulness. Sincerity marked his life.
Still Paul was not perfect from the beginning (Romans 7:17-20). More important than his level of perfection at any point was the direction in which he was headed (Philippians 3:12-14). His was not a false piety or even human goodness on display with the supposed intent of winning converts. He acknowledged he was chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15, 16) and meant it.
There are those who may casually declare themselves to be chief of sinners, but take offense if others should affirm or suggest this to them. Some will publish their supposed humility abroad thinking such declaration will win the favor and admiration of others (John 7:18).
These may gain human applause, but the truly humble do not consider themselves righteous, and certainly do not proudly, even if quietly endorse their own piety as measured against fellow sinners.
Having no burning desire to be seen as good the poor in spirit do not mind getting a bad name or even appearing unrighteous if Christ will gain for it. Like Paul, their life is hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).
Those being perfected ever sense a need to become more like the Savior. Conscious of Christ’s presence and seeing themselves in the light of Calvary they lament their lack of goodness and despise every fault in their own lives (Isaiah 6:5; Luke 5:8). They long to be perfectly whole and keep pressing toward the mark of godliness and godlikeness (Philippians 3:14).
May the Lord richly bless you for your continuous comments! Never lose sight of the fact that you are doing God's work for winning souls.
Praise the LORD that through His power and enabling Paul was able to show us how the LORD's Everlasting Covenant was for all of us irrespective of our background. He showed us that Jesus is the Messiah and fulfilled all the promises to the patriarchs and prophets, that the true Israel are the children of the LORD by faith and not by genealogy.
we need to poses the same charater like that of paul for us to be able to preach the message to the whole world.through the holy spirit managed to reach the whole world
We may not be called to preach to the whole world. God's mission for us may be for us to witness to someone close to home. Some of us are searching for "big" tasks when God has asked us to to a little job that we really want to dismiss as too small.
I am blessed that the Holy Spirit saw fit to linger enough for me to give in and pick up His word. I am a sinner as well , who needs deliverance from the sins I partake so that I too can be a willing and ready messenger for Him. Keep me and my family in prayer.
Jesus sought me in my status and now happy serving in my smaller ways.
If we can't get out of our comfort zone we will never fulfill the will of God!
We weren't created to reach inward, we were created to reach outward!
When we help others, we minister to Jesus!
Your greatest reach is when you stretch yourself beyond where you are right now!...Paul did so do we!
Paul's multicultural orientation made the mission of Christ a success so he not only reached the Jews bit the Gentiles as well.
He had the first hand experience with the message he was preaching.
Christians we have a big task of Withnessing for Christ