This is part of the Crossroads programme offered by the South African Theological Seminary. It is the fourth lesson in the CR survey of the New Testament, discussing the life of Paul.

2. New Testament
4. The Life of Paul

3. Lesson Outline
1. Pattern
2. Preview
3. Preliminaries
4. Preparation
5. Pioneering
6. Prison
7. Pastoring and Passing

4. Pattern

5. J. Robert Clinton’s Model
God working
in you
God working
through you

6. Preview

7. Preview of Paul’s Life
Converted
Commissioned
Captured
Cleared
Condemned

8. Preliminaries

9. Preliminaries
1. The Lord used his Ancestry

10. Preliminaries
1. The Lord used his Ancestry
2. The Lord used his Background

11. Preliminaries
1. The Lord used his Ancestry
2. The Lord used his Background
3. The Lord used his Citizenship

12. Preliminaries
1. The Lord used his Ancestry
2. The Lord used his Background
3. The Lord used his Citizenship
4. The Lord used his Dialects

13. Preliminaries
1. The Lord used his Ancestry
2. The Lord used his Background
3. The Lord used his Citizenship
4. The Lord used his Dialects
5. The Lord used his Education

14. CONVERTED
At this point Paul was

15. Acts 9:3-4
Verses 3-4
As he neared Damascus
on his journey, suddenly a
light from heaven flashed
around him. He fell to the
ground and heard a voice
say to him, “Saul, Saul,
why do you persecute
me?”
Verses 5-6
‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul
asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom
you are persecuting,’ he
replied. ‘Now get up and
go into the city, and you
will be told what you must
do.’

16. Acts 9:15-16
But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a
chosen vessel of mine to bear my name
before Gentiles, kings, and the children of
Israel. For I will show him how many things
he must suffer for my name’s sake.’

17. Preparation

18. Preparation
1. He shared his
testimony
He began telling people what
had happened to him, how
Jesus Christ had appeared to
him and saved him, that Jesus
was the Christ.
Acts 9:20, ‘At once he began to
preach in the synagogues that
Jesus is the Son of God.’

19. Preparation
1. He shared his
testimony
2. He studied
theology
Paul withdrew to a
secluded place to rethink
his theology (Gal. 1:15-
18). He was destined to
become the greatest
theologian, entrusted with
spelling out the
significance of Christ’s life
and work.

20. Preparation
1. He shared his
testimony
2. He studied
theology
3. He served as a
tentmaker
After his three years of study
and reflection, Paul returned
home to Tarsus and seems to
have worked for about 10
years as a tent-maker.
Acts 11:25, Then Barnabas
went to Tarsus to look for Saul.

21. Preparation
1. He shared his
testimony
2. He studied
theology
3. He served as a
tentmaker
4. He supported as a
teacher
Acts 11:25-27, ‘Then Barnabas
went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he found him, he
brought him to Antioch. So for
a whole year Barnabas and
Saul met with the church and
taught great numbers of
people. The disciples were
called Christians first at
Antioch.’

22. COMMISSIONED
At this point Paul was

23. Acts 13:2-3
As they ministered to the Lord and fasted,
the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me
Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I
have called them.’ Then, having fasted and
prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent
them away.

24. Pioneering

25. Pioneering
Three missionary journeys
Mission 1: AD 48-49, Acts 13-14
Mission 2: AD 50-52, Acts 16-18
Mission 3: AD 53-57, Acts 19-21

26. Pioneering
1. He preached Christ

27. Pioneering
1. He preached Christ
2. He planted churches

28. Pioneering
1. He preached Christ
2. He planted churches
3. He parented congregations

29. Pioneering
1. He preached Christ
2. He planted churches
3. He parented congregations
4. He penned correspondence

30. CAPTURED
At this point Paul was

31. Prison

32. Prison
1. He worshipped the Lord

33. Prison
1. He worshipped the Lord
2. He witnessed to the lost

34. Prison
1. He worshipped the Lord
2. He witnessed to the lost
3. He wrote letters

35. Prison
1. He worshipped the Lord
2. He witnessed to the lost
3. He wrote letters
4. He worked with leaders

36. CLEARED
At this point Paul was

37. Pastoring and Passing

38. Pastoring and Passing
1. He was released from prison

39. Pastoring and Passing
1. He was released from prison.
2. He revisited his churches.

40. Pastoring and Passing
1. He was released from prison.
2. He revisited his churches.
3. He was rearrested in Rome.

41. Pastoring and Passing
1. He was released from prison.
2. He revisited his churches.
3. He was rearrested in Rome.
4. He was received into glory.

42. 2 Timothy 4:6-8
For I am already being poured out as a drink
offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I
have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,
I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me
the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and
not to me only but also to all who have loved His
appearing.

43. Conclusion

44. Key Lessons
1. The things in your life over which you have
no control are not accidents.
2. God is more concerned about working in you
than about working through you.
3. God's timing is perfect, but is slower than our
expectations.

45. Key Lessons
4. We are called to ‘preach Christ’!
5. We need to trust that God is in control of our
lives even when things look bleak.
6. We should keep a vision of eternity ever
before us.