Subject: S> Lessons that Paul Learned Date: Sun, 03 Dec 2000 06:16:30 -0600 From: Grady Scott To: jwwhite7@juno.com Brethren, Been awhile since I posted a sermon. Will try to do better!!! Here is one I am planning, Lord willing, to preach today. Ask for an attachment copy if you desire. - Grady THINGS THAT PAUL LEARNED INTRODUCTION: Youth and being young has been virtually elevated to a religious rite in this country. No one wants to be old, nor do they want to listen to those who are old. But there is great value in listening to the lessons learned by those who have lived a full life with its’ experiences. This is one reason why the Bible says that we should honor those who are older. Today we are going to listen to the voice of someone who had a number of experiences and was in the later part of his life, the apostle Paul. BODY I. PAUL LEARNED THAT ALL THINGS WILL EVENTUALLY WORK OUT WELL FOR CHRISTIANS. 1:12 A. Paul’s circumstances actually turned out for good. 1. Philippians 1:12-18 2. Notice that Paul’s was imprisoned in Rome, kept against his will. As well, there were some “brethren” believing that they would add to Paul’s troubles by their preaching Christ. But instead of these two facts being a negative, they were a positive! a. People in Caesar’s official household were seeing the powerful message of Christ through Paul captivity! b. Even in the preaching of those who had impure motive for that preaching, Christ was still being preached! B. We should learn a lesson from this. 1. God is going to make sure that things work out for good for us, if we are faithful. 2. Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." 3. This doesn’t mean that every event in our lives is good, but what it does mean that God, in a overall sense, is guiding the brush strokes of the canvas of every faithful child of God. One brush stroke may not seem very pretty, but taken all together, form a lovely painting of our lives! 4. How could Joseph know that his being cast into a prison was going to be the means of him being elevated to second ruler in all Egypt? How could Daniel know that his being cast into a den of hungry lions would turn out to have him elevated to a place of high authority in Persia and the destruction of his enemies? How could Stephen know that his being stoned might very well have contributed to the conversion of the Apostle Paul? How did the all know? They trust God to work all things out! II. PAUL LEARNED TO BE HAPPY. A. He learn how to always be happy. 1. Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" 2. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 "Rejoice always," B. Happiness is not a matter of shifting emotion, but lasting happiness is dependant on a person’s relationship with God. 1. Proverbs 16:20 "He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he." 2. Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law." 3. Romans 5:2 "through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." 4. Happiness is a choice! It is not an emotion, for those are fleeting, but it is a result of a sense of mental satisfaction based on our relationship with God. a. “You can’t roller skate in a buffalo heard, you can’t roller skate in a buffalo heard, you can’t roller skate in a buffalo heard, but you can be happy if yer a mind too! Just knuckle, and buckle down, and do it! do it! Do it!!” III. PAUL HAD LEARNED TO BE GENTLE. A. Paul knew that gentleness was a character trait that all Christians should strive for. 1. Philippians 4:5 - "Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand." 2. He could be gentle, in spite of the fact that so man tried to persecute him, from both without and within the body of Christ. B. The New Testament encourages us to be gentle in our attitude toward others. 1. 2 Timothy 2:24 - "And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient," 2. Titus 3:2 - "to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men." 3. James 3:17 - "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." IV. PAUL LEARNED TO DEPEND ON GOD. A. Paul had to trust God to get him through the troubles of life. 1. Philippians 4:6 - "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;" 2. Paul gave the way to depend on God, through prayer and suplications, with thanksgiving. 3. Acts 27:25 ""Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me." B. Divine promises concerning trusting God. 1. Psalms 37:5 "Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass." 2. Proverbs 29:25 "The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe." 3. 2 Timothy 1:12 "For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day." V. PAUL LEARNED PEACE OF MIND. A. He learned the secret that all men and women search for - Peace of Mind. 1. Philippians 4:7 "and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." 2. Colossians 3:15 "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." B. Jesus promised peace of mind for his people. 1. John 14:27 ""Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." C. The Christians has peace through our relationship with the Lord. 1. Romans 5:1 - "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," VI. PAUL LEARNED TO THINK ON GOOD THINGS OF LIFE. A. Paul learned the value of filling his mind on good and wholesome matters. 1. Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things." B. Listen to these admonitions concerning our thoughts. 1. Psalms 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer." 2. Isaiah 55:7 "Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon." 3. Romans 12:2 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." 4. 2 Corinthians 10:5 "casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ," C. Why is this so important? 1. Proverbs 23:7 "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, But his heart is not with you." CONCLUSION: Paul could have grown bitter, like many men who have experienced a number of “bad things” in life. But he didn’t! He learned how to grow closer to God. May we learn as much, and early in life!