WHY PAUL? NORTHSIDE 3/24/2010; BREA 6/22/2011

Eph. 3:8 “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ.”

Gal. 2:8-9 “(For He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.”

Rom. 15:16 “To be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, that my offering of the Gentiles might become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”

The Big Question  Why Didn’t God Call One Of The Other Apostles To Be The Apostle To The Gentiles?

The Answer

Hebrew Latin Greek

The Answer What Would An Apostle To The Gentiles Encounter?

 Idolatry…Both Roman and Greek.  Philosophy & Worldly Education.  Greco-Roman Culture Spread Throughout The Empire.  Greco-Roman Ideology & Politics.  Jewish Tradition.  Jewish/Hellenism.

The 12 Apostles…Why Not?  All Were Galilean Jews (Act. 1:11; 2:7).  All of Their Lives Were Spent In Canaan.

Why Paul?  Tarsus of Cilicia  Meeting Place of East & West.  Educational Center  A Greek City With Roman Influence  Where Did Paul Go When He Grew Up? Why?

 Is There Any Evidence That Tarsus Helped Paul With His Apostleship?  Acts 17:16-21  Acts 17:27-28  Col. 2:8  1 Cor. 1:22

 What Else Is Significant About Paul Even Though He Was A Jew? He Was Also A _______.  Acts 22:25-28  Acts 16:36  Acts 25:10-11

 What Helped Paul With The Jewish Side of Things?  Acts 21:39-22:3  Phil. 3:4-6  Gal. 1:13-14  Acts 23:6

 So You See, Paul Was The Perfect Jew For The Job.  Grew Up As A Jew In A Significant Gentile Town.  Advanced In Judaism In Jerusalem.  He Had Background In All 3 Worlds.