Today we begin studying a new book together, and it is indeed one of the most exciting yet. We are looking at the words of Paul the apostle of Jesus Christ who once was an adversary to the gospel, but became one of the strongest proponents in history for the spreading of the good news. The book of Acts gives us the story of Paul the apostle who was once known as “Saul of Tarsus”. Saul was against Christians. He was born a Jew yet had Roman citizenship because of his father. He was a member of the Sanhedrin which was seventy ruling members of the Jewish faith. There is much more to be written about Paul, yet suffice it to say that he hated Christians. We read in Acts chapter nine and verses one and two:
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Saul was so adamantly opposed to Christians that he desired permission to capture them, arrest them, and bring them back to Jerusalem. There are a lot of people who live this way, but God Almighty who is so loving and caring will often interrupt their lives just as he did Saul's. We read further in chapter nine of Acts verses three through six:
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecute thou me? And he said, Who art you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you persecute: [it is] hard for you to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt you have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what you must do.
This mighty Jewish leader who once was so against Christianity now became a Christian. Now this is a rare incident when God Almighty came to meet with one man in such a dramatic way, but it changed Paul's life forever. From this time forth Saul's life changed. His name changed to Paul, (his given Roman name), and his purpose was now to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with as many people as he could. We are reading his words today, and in the book of Philemon, Paul became what is known as an intercessor or one who prays for or pleads on the behalf of another. Paul is an apostle at this point in his life and has been instrumental in starting many churches among the Gentiles or non-Jewish people. One of those churches was in a city called Colosse. While he ministered in Colosse, he met a man named Philemon, and it is to Philemon that our book for study has been written. Paul wrote in verse one:
Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy [our] brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,
The book of Philemon is a personal letter to one individual, Philemon. When letters were written at this time, the “salutation” was generally put at the beginning. The writer, in this case Paul, first identified by whom the letter was written, then usually there was a greeting of some sort, the body and purpose of the letter, and a benediction at the end. Paul begins his letter to Philemon with his name and his description, and because of time constraints we will look further into his opening description tomorrow.
Next time we will look further into the opening lines of Paul to Philemon, so read it again, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow...there is more...
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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