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Looking for Paul

JLG

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6) Looking for Paul

Acts 14

- In Iconium they teach in the synagogue of
the Jews and many become believers both Jews
and Greeks!

- But some Jews influence the people of the
nations against the brothers!

- So they spend considerable time speaking
with boldness and perform signs!

- So a division occurs for or against the
apostles!

- When the people of the nations and the
Jews make an attempt to treat them insolently
and stone them, they flee to the cities of
Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe and to the
surrounding country!

- There Paul cures a man whose feet are
crippled and the man begins to walk!

- As a consequence, the crowds believe they
are gods!

- They start calling Barnabas Zeus and
Paul Hermes since he is taking the lead
in speaking!

- But they explain they are just men!

- Then Jews arrive from Antioch and Iconium
and persuade the crowds and they stone Paul
and drag him outside the city, imagining that
he is dead!

- But he gets up and enters the city!

- The next day he leaves with Barnabas for
Derbe!

- They teach there then return to Lystra,
Iconium and Antioch!

- There they strengthen the disciples and
appoint elders!

- Then they keep on their trip!

- Thus events accelerate and many events
occur!

- Paul is definitely a chosen vessel!

- Paul seems to be on a high-speed train!

- He is doing an incredible job!
 

JLG

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7) Looking for Paul

Acts 15

- A discussion occurs about the necessity
for the Christians to get circumcised to
be saved!

- Thus some men have a discussion with
Paul and Barnabas so they decide to go to
Jerusalem to the apostles and elders
regarding this issue!

- Thus we are told about the apostles but
also the elders!

- Like Jesus, the apostles make sure they
have successors!

- Those who speak in favor of circumcision
are former Pharisees!

- It is hard for men to get away from man’s
tradition!

- They mix God’s word with man’s tradition!

- Peter clearly explains that God made no
distinction between Jews and people from
the nations!

- Both groups received holy spirit!

- Then Barnabas and Peter relate
the many signs and wonders that
God had done through them among
the nations!

- So they decide that circumcision is
not necessary!

- But all the Christians have to abstain
from things polluted by idols, from
sexual immorality, from what is strangled,
and from blood!

- It can’t be more precise or simpler!

- End of the story!

- Well, the apostles and the elders and
the whole congregation decide to send
chosen men from among them to Antioch,
along with Paul and Barnabas to tell about
the decision!

- In Antioch there is a discussion between
Paul and Barnabas because Barnabas wants
to take John who is also called mark with them!

- Paul disagrees because John left them go
to Pamphylia!

- As a consequence, they decide to separate,
Barnabas taking Mark and Paul Silas!

- We see two faithful servants of God who
don’t have the same opinion!

- As a consequence, they decide to separate!

- After that, they both keep doing a good job
serving God!

- Nothing bad indeed!

- The important is to keep serving God
the best way possible!
 

JLG

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8) Looking for Paul

Acts 16

- Paul wants Timothy to accompany him!

- He circumcises him because of the Jews!

- They are told where not to go!

- Through a vision, Paul is told to go to
Macedonia!

- As a consequence, her masters take Paul
and Silas to the rulers bec ause they have
lost their hope of profit!

- Paul and Silas are put to prison and a
great earthquake occurs!

- Thinking that the prisoners have
escaped, the jailer wants to kill himself!

- He finally listens to Paul and washes
their wounds!

- He and his household get baptized!

- Finally Paul and Silas are released!

- Paul gets through many troubles
all the time!

- He could have been killed on many
occasions!

- During a big part of human history,
it was normal to kill his religious
opponents to get rid of them!

- Of course, it had nothing to do with
God!

- On the contrary, it showed how many
religious leaders were connected with
the devil!

- The question is is there a big difference
today?

- They did it with Jesus so they would
do it with faithful servants of God!

- And Paul is definitely an incredible one!

- When he realized he was wrong, at the
same time he started teaching about Jesus
and God’s word!

- Usually normal people have trouble turning
away from man’s tradition!
 

JLG

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9) Looking for Paul

Acts 17

- As usual, Paul gets into each synagogue
of the Jews in the cities he goes through!

- On the sabbath he teaches the people
about the Christ.

- Many become believers!

- The Jews get jealous!

- They don’t find Paul!

- They take Jason and some brothers
to the city rulers who protect them
before letting them go!

- By night Paul and Silas are sent to
Beroea!

- The Jews accept God’s word carefully
examining the Scriptures daily to see
whether these things are right!

- Many become believers!

- The Jews from Thessalonica come
after Paul! Silas and Timothy go to
Athens to meet Paul!

- Paul teaches in the synagogue and in
the marketplace with anyone who wants
to speak with him!

- Some philosophers take him to the
Areopagus to speak with him.

- Paul teaches them about God and
about Jesus who was resurrected!

- Some become believers!

- Paul gets into trouble because the Jews
are jealous of him!

- They try to kill him as usual!

- He always escape and goes to other cities!

- And each time he keeps teaching people
about God and Jesus!

- Wherever he is, Paul always speaks boldly!

- He is never afraid of anybody!

- Thus he is definitely a chosen vessel!

- And an exceptional one doing an incredible
work!

- He never stops!

- What an incredible example!
 

JLG

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37) Looking for Paul

Acts 18

- In Corinth, Paul makes tents with a Jew
named Aquila!

- He teaches in the synagogue every sabbath!

- He persuades Jews and Greeks!

- When Silas and Timothy arrive, Paul increases
his teaching activity!

- But the Jews oppose him!

- So he turns to the people of the nations!

- Many become believers!

- Paul has a vision of the lord telling him
not to be afraid and keeping speaking about
the word!

- He stays in Corinth for a year and six months!

- The Jews bring Paul in front of the proconsul
Galio who tells them it has nothing to do
with him!

- They bring him before Sosthenes the
presiding officer of the synagogue and
begin beating him!

- He is finally released!

- Paul sails away for Syria!

- In Ephesus, he teaches in the synagogue!

- Then he keeps on his trip!

-Paul has quite a routine, apparently a
dangerous one as the Jews always try to
kill him!

- That’s why he must often hurry and go
to other cities!

- There we see the difference between
Paul who speaks and live according to
God’s word and the Jews who speak and
live according to the devil!

- They belong to two different worlds
which are easy to differentiate but
apparently as usual the majority is blind!

- It has always been so and it is not going
to change!

- That’s why we are where we are and each
time it is worse!

- Paul is incredibly efficient and
hard-working!

-Jesus knew what he was doing when he
chose him!
 

JLG

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38) Looking for Paul

Acts 19

In Ephesus he meets some Christians who were baptized only in John’s baptism and have not received holy spirit and they don’t know anything about it. So they are baptized in the name of Jesus. Then Paul lays his hands on them and they receive holy spirit and they begin speaking in foreign languages and prophesying. And Paul teaches in the synagogue for three months and because of the opposition of some Jews, he finally gives talks daily in the school auditorium of Tyrannus. Thus for two years, all those who live in the province of Asia hear the word of Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. And God keeps performing extraordinary powerful works through the hands of Paul. Thus even cloths and aprons touched by Paul could cure people. So many become believers but it goes against those who make profit through false gods. And they fill threatened by the Christians. Paul wants to defend himself in front of the people but the disciples refuse saying it is too dangerous. Finally the situation calms down.

- Paul ‘s teaching is too efficient and too many people become Christians!

- It goes against the interest of many both Jews and Greeks!

- Some Christians who had only received John’s baptism are finally baptized in the name of Jesus!

- After that Paul lays his hands on them!

- After that they receive holy spirit!

- And they start speaking in foreign languages and prophesying!

- So once again everything is well organized!

- And Paul has to lay his hands on the Christians so they can finally receive holy spirit!

- Something not to forget because it tells a lot about the importance of Paul for God and Jesus!
 

JLG

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39) Looking for Paul

Acts 20

Then Paul travels to Greece. As usual the Jews try to kill him. During one of his long talk at night, Eutychus falls asleep and falls down from the third story and dies. But Paul resurrects him. Then Paul is in a hurry because he wants to arrive in Jerusalem on time for the festival of Pentecost. He is telling the brothers that he knows he won’t see them again because the holy spirit keeps telling him that imprisonment and tribulations are waiting for him. He tells the elders to pay attention to shepherd the congregation of God. He warns them that after him wolves will enter in among them and will not treat the flock with tenderness and they will corrupt God’s word. Thus Paul gives them his last will.

- Paul knows what’s going to happen to him!

- And he tells the disciples about it!

- And he knows what will happen after his death!

- So he tells them to be careful!

- In fact, there is nothing new!

- It was so through all the events told in the Bible!

- God’s word has always been perverted and it will be so till the end!

- The devil is working hard!

- And many men help him!

- But Paul was definitely by God’s side!
 

JLG

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40) Looking for Paul

Acts 21

In Tyre, the disciples tell Paul not to go to Jerusalem but he has to go. In Caesarea, a prophet named Agabus says that Paul will be tied and given to the people of the nations. So once again the disciples beg Paul not to go but he must go there. Rumors have spread among the Jews about Paul so he has to explain himself in front of the Jews. But when Paul is in the temple, Jews from Asia seize him and they try to kill him but the commander of the army stops them and takes Paul into custody. And Paul asks the commander to speak to the crowd.

- Paul keeps teaching God’s word whatever happens!

- And many things happened to him!

- On many occasions, the Jews tried to kill him!

- And he was beaten and stoned!

- But he kept speaking boldly about God’s word and about Jesus!

- And he was decided to obey God on any occasion till his death, always speaking boldly before authorities or crowds!
 

JLG

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- May I ask a question to everybody ?

- I will let people time!

- Then I will answer too!

- There is no trap!

- WHAT IS ALL THE BIBLE ABOUT EXCEPT THE FACT THAT IT IS GOD’S WORD ?

- There may be different answers depending on the elements we have!

- If nobody answers, there is no problem !

- I won’t either !
 

JLG

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41) Looking for Paul

Acts 23

- Paul speaks in a way to divide the Pharisees
and the Saduceans!

- Fearing for Paul’s security, the commander
has Paul brought to the soldiers’ quarters!

- At night Paul has a vision in which the Lord
tells him that he will go to Rome!

- The Jews want to kill Paul so they ask the
commander to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin!

- Paul is being told of the conspiracy!

- Then the commander is informed of the
conspiracy!

- So he sends Paul with many soldiers to Felix
the governor!

- Then Felix wants to listen to Paul and his
accusers!

- Paul keeps speaking boldly!

- And the Jews keep trying to kill him!

- But they will never succeed because Paul’s
mission is not finished!


- And he must go to Rome!
 

JLG

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41) Looking for Paul

Acts 22

So Paul speaks to the Jews telling about his
history and about Jesus. But the Jews start
to shout so the commander takes him into
the soldiers’ quarters and interrogate him
under scourging to know exactly what’s on.
Then Paul asks the army officer if it is lawful
to scourge a Roman who has not been
condemned. So the army officer goes and asks
the commander who is afraid because Paul is a
Roman by birth. So the next day he has Paul stand
among the chief priests and the Sanhedrin.

- At first, Paul can speak!

- After some time, the Jews do everything to
prevent him to speak!

- Then he is scourged!

- Then the commander wants to know exactly
what’s on so he assembles Paul and the high
priests and the Sanhedrin!

- Paul is always ready to defend himself and his
faith before anyone!

- The Jews do their best to prevent him and want
to kill him!

- As they have no real arguments against Paul,
they try to make noise to stop him!

- And if it was possible, they would kill him!

- That’s what we call savages and their father is
the devil!

- Paul is not afraid of dying!

- He has filled his mission for God!
 

JLG

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43) Looking for Paul

Acts 24

So Felix listens to the accusers and Paul. And
Felix decides to wait for the commander to
come to take a decision. Paul is kept under
arrest but given some freedom. Later he asks
Paul to speak about the Christ in front of him
and his wife who is Jewish. So Paul has various
occasions to speak to Felix who expects Paul
to give him money for his freedom. But after
two years Felix is replaced by Porcius Festus.

- As usual we are told about corruption:
corruption about the Romans and about the Jews!

- And Paul keeps speaking boldly about God’s
word and about Jesus!

- Time changes but corruption stays!

- And faithfulness too but not for the majority!

- Faithfulness is a rare jewel or a precious stone
or gold!
 

JLG

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44) Looking for Paul

Acts 25

- So once again the Jews are planning an
ambush against Paul!

- But he refuses and he wants to hear about
Paul and his accusers!

- Finally Paul appeals to Caesar!

- Thus the governor decides to send him to
Caesar!

- Then king Agrippa visits the governor and
he wants to listen to Paul!

- But the governor doesn’t know what to say
in his letter to Caesar because he has nothing
against Paul!

- So the history is repeating again and again
and Paul keeps defending himself before
whoever listens to him!
 

JLG

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45) Looking for Paul

Acts 26

- Thus Paul speaks in front of Agrippa!

- And once again those who listen to him
find nothing against him!

- So he could have been released!

- But he appealed to Caesar!

- Thus he will go to Caesar!

-What a patience from Paul!

- All the time he has to repeat the same again
and again!

- And the Jews are never tired of trying to kill
him and accuse him!


- What a strong will from Paul!
 

JLG

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46) Looking for Paul

Acts 27

During the trip to Rome, Paul warns the army
officer that the ship and many lives will be lost
if they keep traveling without waiting. But the
army officer doesn’t listen to Paul and the ship
and people are lost. There is a violent storm and
people lose hope to save their lives. But Paul has
a vision in which an angel tells him that everybody
will be safe because of Paul but they must cast
ashore on some island. Some sailors try to escape
but Paul tells the army officer that if everybody
doesn’t stay on board nobody will be saved. So the
army officer prevent the sailors to escape. Finally
Paul tells the men to eat to get strength. And they
beach the ship. And the army officer prevents the
soldiers to kill the prisoners because he wants to
bring Paul safely through. Finally all are brought
safely to land.

- Really interesting because Paul tells the men
exactly what to do to survive!

- At first the army officer doesn’t listen to Paul!

- But finally, seeing how things occur, he follows
exactly what Paul says!

- Even if he was wrong at first, then he made the
right choice!

- On the contrary, men usually prefers man’s
tradition to God’s word!

- They usually make the wrong choice like the
Israelites!

- So then it is normal for them to pay the price!

- Paul was wrong and when he was told by Jesus,
he changed his mind and his way of doing things!

- He wasn’t told twice!

- With humanity, they don’t care!

- The more they pay, the more they keep in the same direction!


- How intelligent they are!
 

JLG

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47) Looking for Paul

Acts 28

- In Malta, Paul cures many people!

- So they receive many gifts!

- Finally Paul arrives in Rome and he is permitted
to stay by himself with the soldier guarding him!

- Paul speaks before the principal men of the Jews!

- They haven’t received any letters against him!

- So they think it proper to hear from Paul about
his beliefs!

- So they arrange a day and many people come
to listen to Paul!

- Some begin to believe what Paul says!

- And Paul says that God’s salvation has been
sent out to the nations!

- And till his death, he will keep speaking
about God’s word and about Jesus!

- Nobody will be able to stop him!

- Definitely a chosen vessel and a precious and
excellent one!
 

JLG

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48) Looking for Paul

Acts 8

- We see Saul who fights against Jesus’ disciples!

- He puts them into prison (men and women)!

Acts 9

- He goes to Damascus where he wants to do the
same!

- Going to Damascus, he sees a light from heaven
flashes around him!

- He also hears Jesus’ voice asking him why he is persecuting him!

- Jesus’ voice also tells him to go to the city and
he will be told what to do!

- He can’t see anymore!

- Ananias is sent to Saul to make him see again!

- Jesus tells Ananias that Saul is a chosen vessel
to him to bear his name to the nations!

- So Ananias lays his hands on Saul who can see
again!

- Saul stays few days with the disciples!

- And immediately in the synagogues he begins
to preach about Jesus!

- And he keeps on acquiring more and more power
and is confounding the Jews who live in Damascus,
as he proves logically that this is the Christ!

- Thus he becomes too dangerous for the Jews who
try to kill him!

- So the disciples help him to escape by night in a
basket!

- Barnabas comes to his aid and leads him to the
apostles in Jerusalem!

- There again he speaks boldly in the name of the
Lord!

- There again the Jews try to kill him!

- So the disciples send him to Caesarea and Tarsus!

- Thus we can see that Jesus uses two strategies!

- When he was on earth, he chose people he could
train personally!

- And he did it during all the time of his mission on
earth!

- He had to teach them everything through a
progressive teaching!

- But they didn’t understand till his death!

- Of course, after his death, they received
holy spirit!

- But it took a lot of time!

- When Jesus left the earth, he could train
another disciple!

- So he chose Saul or Paul who had a good
knowledge as he was trained as a Pharisee!

- Unfortunately his knowledge couldn’t prevent
him to choose the wrong way!

- So Jesus had to put him on the right way!

- And it is incredible to think that he didn’t
lose time!

- He didn’t argue about man’s tradition he had
received from the Pharisees!

- All at once he started to preach in the name of
Jesus!

- But it was much more than that!

- It was a real race against the clock of corruption!

- And it started when Jesus died and it was worse
after the death of all the apostles!

- They mixed man’s tradition with God’s word as
Jesus told them!

- And when it became the religion of the Roman
empire, then you had religion and politics business
together in a disastrous melting-pot!

- And in fact, Paul did an incredible work among the
nations!
 

JLG

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49) Looking for Paul

Acts 12

- Barnabas and Saul did a good job in Jerusalem!

- After that they took John also called Mark with
them!

Acts 13

- Wherever they go it is always the same simple
story!

- First they do an incredible work teaching in the synagogues!

- Second many people become believers!

- Third The Jews become jealous and they try to
kill them!

- Fourth they have to move to another city!

- In Cyprus, the proconsul became a believer!

- In Antioch in Pisidia, it was there that Paul
decided to turn to the people of the nations
because of the attitude of the Jews!

- At first, Barnabas was the leader but soon
Paul took the lead!
 

JLG

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50) Looking for Paul

Acts 14

- In Iconium they did a good job!

- Then because of the Jews, the city was divided in
two parts!

- The Jews tried to treat them insolently and stone
them!

- So they went to other cities!

- It is often the case today!

- There are people who do the same!

- They have no arguments but they do as if they
knew everything whereas they don’t know anything!

- It is always interesting to exchange arguments!

- But sometimes people should go back to school
or read more seriously the Bible!

- In fact, the more you read the bible, the more
you get to know!

- And we also learn a lot by exchanging ideas!

- Because then we have to look for more
information!

- In this chapter, the people even take Paul and
Barnabas for gods!

- But then Jews coming from Antioch and Iconium
persuaded the crowds and they stoned Paul and
dragged him outside the city, imagining that he
was dead!


- After that, they went on their trip!
 

JLG

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51) Looking for Paul

Acts 15

- Here something new happened!

- Some disciples who are Jews teach the
disciples about the necessity of getting
circumcised according to the custom of
Moses!

- There we see the difference between
such men and Paul!

- They want to mix man’s tradition!

- Thus there happened a dissension and
disputing by Paul and Barnabas with these
men!

- So Paul and Barnabas and some men of
the others go to Jerusalem to the apostles
and elders regarding this issue!

- Take note that for Paul it was clear that
is no more circumcision for the disciples!

- And Peter explained that people from the
nations became disciples and received holy
spirit without being circumcised!

- That was the point, a logical one!

- And Peter asked them additionally: “So
why are you now making a test of God by
imposing on the neck of the disciples a yoke
that neither our forefathers nor we were
capable of bearing?”

- And Barnabas and Paul related the events
in connection with people of nations becoming
disciples!

-
What was the conclusion for the disciples:
they should abstain from things polluted by
idols, from sexual immorality, from what is
strangled, and from blood.


- they sent people with Paul and Barnabas
to tell the disciples to Antioch about the decision
which was taken in relation with circumcision!

- In Antioch, Paul and Barnabas separated because
Barnabas wanted to take John with them whereas
Paul disagreed!


- Then Paul took Silas with him!
 
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