Acts one

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

1 Timothy Chapter 1

- I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who imparted power to me, because he considered me faithful by assigning me to a ministry, although formerly I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an insolent man. Nevertheless, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and with a lack of faith.

- Paul speaks about his past life!

- He says he was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an insolent man!

- He doesn’t make any difference between others and himself!

- When he has to speak about his past life, he employs strong words!

- He doesn’t look for excuses!

- Then he speaks about his ignorance and his lack of faith!

- In fact, he didn’t have the right knowledge!

- He was under influence!

- He used to follow man’s tradition rather than God’s word!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Titus Chapter 2

- You, however, keep on speaking what is consistent with wholesome teaching. Let the older men be moderate in habits, serious, sound in mind, healthy in faith, in love, in endurance.

- Keep on speaking!

- Paul speaks to all the disciples without exceptions!

- All have the same responsibility to speak!

- They can’t shut up!

- About the older men he says!

- Moderate in habits: it seems to be good for everybody!

- Serious: we all should be serious!

- Otherwise how can we defend our faith!

- Sound in mind: to have a healthy mind which means being well educated!

- Healthy in faith: we must build up our faith!

- Our faith must be alive meaning we must be active and not passive!

- Healthy in love: we must show our love to others!

- Healthy in endurance: we must keep maintaining our faith and a good spirit !

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Hebrews Chapter 2

- That is why it is necessary for us to pay more than the usual attention to the things we have heard, so that we never drift away.

- We must pay attention to God’s word!

- And for that we need to read it and study it and speak about it!

- That’s the only way to keep it alive!

- If we don’t pay attention to it, we are going to forget it!

- And Thus God will also forget us!

- If we care for it constantly, God will do the same with us!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Romans Chapter 1

- Just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a disapproved mental state, to do the things not fitting. And they were filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and badness, being full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice, being whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, schemers of what is harmful, disobedient to parents, without understanding, false to agreements, having no natural affection, and merciless. Although these know full well the righteous decree of God—that those practicing such things are deserving of death—they not only keep on doing them but also approve of those practicing them.

- If we want to please God we must turn away from:

- Unrighteousness!

- Wickedness!

- Greed!

- Badness!

- Envy!

- Murder!

- Strife!

- Deceit!

- Malice!

- Whisperers!

- Backbiters!

- Haters of God!

- Insolent!

- Haughty!

- Boastful!

- Schemers of what is harmful!

- Disobedient to parents!

- Without understanding!

- False to agreements!

- Having no natural affection!

- Merciless!

- Such a long list!

- Human history is full of that!

- Better prepare oneself!

- Because with God’s kingdom, there won’t be any Moses to avoid destruction!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

1 Corinthians Chapter 1

- However, to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because a foolish thing of God is wiser than men, and a weak thing of God is stronger than men.

- Christ is the power of God!

- Christ is the wisdom of God!

- He acts according to his Father’s will!

- In comparison, man is nothing!

- Today’s world is the evidence!

- And the evidence is growing and growing!

- Nothing to be proud of!

- On the contrary!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Galatians Chapter 1

- After that I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. But I was personally unknown to the congregations of Judea that were in union with Christ. They only used to hear: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now declaring the good news about the faith that he formerly devastated.” So they began glorifying God because of me.

- Paul’s reputation was preceding him!

- And what a reputation!

- Because when people know you in such a way, it is hard to accept the idea that someone has gone the opposite!

- It means that Paul was doing an incredible at the service of Jesus!

- It also shows the importance of a good reputation even if the world is crazy!

- But above all a good reputation in front of God, that’s what is more important!

- A good reputation in front of men is secondary!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Ephesians Chapter 2

By this undeserved kindness you have been saved through faith, and this is not of your own doing; rather, it is God’s gift. No, it is not a result of works, so that no one should have grounds for boasting. We are God’s handiwork and were created in union with Christ Jesus for good works, which God determined in advance for us to walk in them. Therefore, remember that at one time you, people of the nations by fleshly descent, were the ones called “uncircumcision” by those called “circumcision,” which is made in the flesh by human hands. At that time you were without Christ, alienated from the state of Israel, strangers to the covenants of the promise; you had no hope and were without God in the world. But now in union with Christ Jesus, you who were once far off have come to be near by the blood of the Christ. For he is our peace, the one who made the two groups one and destroyed the wall in between that fenced them off. By means of his flesh he abolished the enmity, the Law of commandments consisting in decrees, in order to make the two groups in union with himself into one new man and to make peace, and to reconcile fully both peoples in one body to God through the torture stake, because he had killed off the enmity by means of himself. And he came and declared the good news of peace to you who were far off, and peace to those near, because through him we, both peoples, have free access to the Father by one spirit. So you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens of the holy ones and are members of the household of God, and you have been built up on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, while Christ Jesus himself is the foundation cornerstone. In union with him the whole building, being harmoniously joined together, is growing into a holy temple for God. In union with him you too are being built up together into a place for God to inhabit by spirit.

- The Israelites had God but they didn’t deserved him!

- Now all men can have God but they must deserve him!

- Otherwise we can’t have him!

- If we walk according to his ways n ot to man’s ways!

- We can be blessed thanks to Jesus because he died for us!

- That’s why we must not turn away from him because he will also turn away from us like the israelites!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Philippians Chapter 1

- This is in harmony with my eager expectation and hope that I will not be ashamed in any respect, but that with all freeness of speech Christ will now, as always before, be magnified by means of my body, whether through life or through death.

- Paul was working for Jesus!

- He was entirely working for Jesus!

- He was filled with Jesus’ mission both in his heart and mind!

- he had no other desires!

- His life was complete with it!

- It was not a part-time job!

- It required a lot of energy!

- A lot of concentration!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Colossians Chapter 1

I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and I am undergoing the tribulations of the Christ that are yet lacking in my flesh in behalf of his body, which is the congregation. I became a minister of this congregation in accord with the stewardship from God that was given to me in your behalf to preach the word of God fully, the sacred secret that was hidden from the past systems of things and from the past generations. But now it has been revealed to his holy ones, to whom God has been pleased to make known among the nations the glorious riches of this sacred secret, which is Christ in union with you, the hope of his glory. He is the one we are proclaiming, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in union with Christ. To this end I am indeed working hard, exerting myself with his strength that is operating powerfully within me.

- We must be worthy of the sacred secret which is Christ in union with us, the hope of his glory!

- And we must reveal it!

- We must proclaim it!

- We must teach everyone!

- Because the workers are few and the harvest is great!

- And we must work hard!

- And not be lazy!

- There is no room for laziness!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Thessalonians Chapter 2

In fact, you know that we never used flattering speech or put on any false front with greedy motives; God is witness! Nor have we been seeking glory from men, either from you or from others, though we could be an expensive burden as apostles of Christ.

- No flattering speech!

- No greedy motives!

- No glory from men!

- Just looking for understanding better and increasing our knowledge of God’s Word and trying to do God’s will!

- No more no less!

- Just what he asks from us!

- Not what men want us to do!

- God’s way is simple, man’s way is twisted!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

1 Timothy Chapter 1

- This instruction I entrust to you, my child Timothy, in harmony with the prophecies that were made about you, that by these you may go on waging the fine warfare, holding faith and a good conscience, which some have thrust aside, resulting in the shipwreck of their faith. Hymenaeus and Alexander are among these, and I have handed them over to Satan so that they may be taught by discipline not to blaspheme.

- Waging the fine warfare!

- And all soldiers are required to fight this warfare!

- Holding faith and a good conscience!

- Without them we won’t last and we won’t be of any help or use!

- And in this case we will good to nothing!

- Thus useless!

- Do we want to be useless for God?

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Titus Chapter 2

- Likewise, let the older women be reverent in behavior, not slanderous, not enslaved to a lot of wine, teachers of what is good, so that they may advise the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sound in mind, chaste, working at home, good, subjecting themselves to their own husbands, so that the word of God may not be spoken of abusively.

- Indeed good advice for both men and women!

- Be reverent in behavior!

- Not enslaved to a lot of wine!

- Teachers of what is good!

- Advise both men and women to love their partner!

- Love their children!

- To be sound in mind!

- Chaste!

- To be working at home!

- Good!

- We are not really seeing that in today’s society!

- On the contrary!

- We are really far away from what God wants us to be to be in harmony with him and to live in a better world!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Hebrews Chapter 2

For if the word spoken through angels proved to be sure, and every transgression and disobedient act received a punishment in harmony with justice, how will we escape if we have neglected so great a salvation?

- Every transgression of the Israelites was punished but on time!

- And God’s time is not man’s time!

- This must serve as a warning for us!

- If we neglect such a great salvation!

- We have a responsibility, we must show ourselves worthy of such a salvation!

- Otherwise there won’t be any salvation!

- Thus we have to act when it is still time!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Romans Chapter 2

- Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are, if you judge; for when you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things.

- As we are men, we are all sinners!

- Thus we can’t judge others except God and Jesus!

- As a matter of fact, we are all ready to judge others and it easy to do it without knowing the real facts!

- It happened in the bible!

- It happened in human history!

- It is happening today!

- So we should be careful if we want to look like God and Jesus!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

1 Corinthians Chapter 2

- So when I came to you, brothers, I did not come with extravagant speech or wisdom declaring the sacred secret of God to you. For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and him executed on the stake. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling; and my speech and what I preached were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might be, not in men’s wisdom, but in God’s power.

- No extravagant speech!

- There is no need for great speakers but people who speak with their hearts and according to their acts!

- Not like the Pharisees who say but don’t do!

- In weakness!

- We can make mistakes but we must use them to become stronger in faith and in defending it!

- We don’t need persuasive words of wisdom!

- Simply God’s word!

- With a demonstration of spirit and power!

- The more we study and read god’s word, the more we make it ours and the more we fill it inside ourselves!

- The more we can see things the more we can speak about it!

- But if we are not accustomed to it, we won’t be able to speak about it!

- No men’s wisdom but God’s power we can get through the Bible!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Galatians Chapter 2

- Then after 14 years I again went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas, also taking Titus along with me.

- Interesting!

- Paul only again went up to Jerusalem after 14 years!

- Because he had a special mission!

- He was the apostle of the nation!

- Jesus specially chose him for this mission!

- Except for the problem in relation to circumcision, he didn’t go back to Jerusalem and to the apostles!

- It is something to think about!

- He was by himself!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Ephesians Chapter 3

- For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you, the people of the nations - if, really, you have heard about the stewardship of God’s undeserved kindness that was given to me for your sakes, that by way of a revelation the sacred secret was made known to me, just as I wrote previously in brief.

- Paul was a prisoner of Christ Jesus!

- He was ready to become a prisoner!

- He was ready to to go to prison!

- Because of the sacred secret he had to transmit to the nations!

- In fact, he was ready to anything and especially to die!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Philippians Chapter 1

- For in my case, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

- Paul was ready to live according to God’s word!

- He was also ready to die!

- Dying meaning not to fight to keep demonstrating his faith to God!

- it was done by dying!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Colossians Chapter 2

- For I want you to realize how great a struggle I am having in your behalf and in behalf of those at Laodicea and in behalf of all those who have not personally seen me.

- It was indeed an incredible missions!

- With incredible dangers!

- And all the time!

- He had no rest!

- Danger could come from anywhere!

- At any time!

- From outside and inside!

 

[JLG]

Looking for Paul
Where does it come?
How does it grow?

Thessalonians Chapter 2

- On the contrary, we became gentle in your midst, as when a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. So having tender affection for you, we were determined to impart to you, not only the good news of God but also our very selves, because you became so beloved to us. Surely you remember, brothers, our labor and toil. We were working night and day, so that we would not put an expensive burden on any one of you, when we preached the good news of God to you.

- Gentle like a nursing mother tenderly caring for her own children!

- Having tender affection!

- That is a sign!

- How to recognize those who come from God!

- Not the wolves!

- Of course, it is rare in this commercial and artificial and selfish world!

- Thus everybody has to make efforts and work on oneself!