A CHRISTIAN LIKE PAUL

(II Timothy 4:1-8)

INTRODUCTION

Paul a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28), he was taught of by Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). He had been a major enemy to the Church (Acts 8:1-4) in his persecution of Christians. Paul stated in Galatians 1:13-17 that God graciously saved him and commissioned him.

PAUL’S FINAL DAYS

He pens II Timothy in About AD 67 and died about AD 68 when he was beheaded in Rome by Nero.

KJV 2 Timothy 4:1-8

1. I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

2. Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

3. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

5. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

6. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

KJV 2 Timothy 2:3-4

3. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

KJV 2 Timothy 2:15

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

PAUL’S WORKING DAYS

He had four missionary journeys.

He is credited with the writing of Romans, I and II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I and II Thessalonians, I and II Timothy, Titus, and Pilemon.

That is 13 Epistles. Letters of reubukement, encouragement, testimony, teaching, exhortation, and love. Paul was a father in inspiration to many workers for the Lord. As we find in his epistles to Timothy his words were counted as many yet they were few. His points are clear and his stand just.

PAUL SUFFERED PERSECUTION

KJV Colossians 1:24-29

24. Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

25. Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

26. Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

27. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

28. Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

29. Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

KJV 2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

KJV 2 Timothy 3:12

12. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

ALL IS GOOD IF GOOD IS ON YOU SIDE

KJV Romans 8:28-31

28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 

31. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

PAUL IS HUMBLE TO CHRIST BEING THE HEAD

KJV 1 Corinthians 1:12-15

12. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

13. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

14. I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

15. Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.

KJV Ephesians 3:7-21

7. Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

8. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

9. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

10. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

11. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

13. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

14. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

18. May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

19. And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

21. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
 

PAUL WAS SAVED 

HEARD

BELIEVED

CONFESSED ACTS 9:1-18, 22:6-16, AND 26:12-18

REPENTED 

BAPTIZED
 
 

DO NOT BE LIKE KING AGRIPPA IN ACTS 26:28 AND BE ALMOST PERSUADED. LET PAUL BE YOUR EXAMPLE TODAY AND BE SAVED.
 

Copyright 1999 by Brian Yeager may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.


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