Paul the Prisoner of Jesus Christ Remember My Bonds Paul the Prisoner of Jesus Christ

Paul the Aged Prisoner Paul spent two years in a Roman prison, c. A.D. 60-63 (Acts 28:30-31; Eph. 6:20; Phil. 1:7, 13-14; Col. 4:18; Philemon 10) Paul was aged at this time (Phile. 9) Paul suffered tribulations (Eph. 3:13), conflict (Phil. 1:30), and sufferings (Col. 1:24)

Paul the Aged Prisoner We can learn from Paul’s doctrine What can we learn from Paul himself? How do you handle adversity? What is your response to trouble? Do you become a better Christian or worse?

Paul the Aged Prisoner Praising the Lord “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3) “unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus…” (Eph. 1:21)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Praising the Lord “Now unto our God and Father be the glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Phil. 4:20)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Praying for others “cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers” (Eph. 1:16) “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father…” (Eph. 3:14)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Praying for others “I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy” (Phil. 1:3-4)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Praying for others “We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you … For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you” (Col. 1:3,9) “I thank my God always, making mention of thee in my prayers” (Philemon 4)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Preaching the Word “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things (Eph. 3:8-9)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Preaching the Word “and on my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Eph. 6:19-20)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Preaching the Word “Now I would have you know, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the progress of the gospel; so that my bonds became manifest in Christ throughout the whole praetorian guard, and to all the rest … I am set for the defense of the gospel” (Phil. 1:12-14, 16)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Preaching the Word “whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God, even the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: whom we proclaim...

Paul the Aged Prisoner Preaching the Word “…admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ; whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily” (Col. 1:25-29)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Preaching the Word “Continue stedfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving; withal praying for us also, that God may open unto us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds; that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak” (Col. 4:1-4)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Preaching the Word “whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the gospel” (Philemon 13)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Personal in care “But that ye also may know my affairs, how I do, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts” (Eph. 6:21-22)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Personal in care “even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:7-8)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Personal in care “Yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for your sake. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, yea, and abide with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith; that your glorying may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again” (Phil. 1:24-26)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Personal in care “Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all: and in the same manner do ye also joy, and rejoice with me” (Phil. 2:17-18)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Personal in care “I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful” (Phil. 2:28) “Not that I seek for the gift; but I seek for the fruit that increases to your account” (Phil. 4:17)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Personal in care “For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, even Christ” (Col. 2:1-2)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Personal in care “For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ” (Col. 2:5)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Personal in care “whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts; together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things that are done here” (Col. 4:8-9)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Personal in care “But if he hath wronged thee at all, or oweth thee aught, put that to mine account; I Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it: that I say not unto thee that thou owest to me even thine own self besides” (Philemon 18-19)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Positive in attitude “according to my earnest expectation and hope…” (Phil. 1:20) “therein to be content … I can do all things in him that strengthens me” (Phil. 4:11-13) “I am filled” (Phil. 4:18)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Positive in attitude “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church” (Col. 1:24)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Positive in attitude “For I had much joy and comfort in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother” (Philemon 7)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Positive in attitude “Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my heart in Christ. Having confidence in thine obedience I write unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say. But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted unto you” (Philemon 20ff)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Progressing in faithfulness “Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Pattern to believers “according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing shall I be put to shame, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death” (Phil. 1:20)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Pattern to believers “because to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer in his behalf: having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me” (Phil. 1:29-30)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Pattern to believers “Brethren, be ye imitators together of me, and mark them that so walk even as ye have us for an ensample” (Phil. 3:17) “The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Phil. 4:9)

Paul the Aged Prisoner Praising the Lord Praying for others Preaching the word Personal in care Positive in attitude Progressing in faithfulness Pattern to believers