1. PAUL: APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES
Lesson 1 for October 1, 2011

2. SAUL OF TARSUS Who was Saul?
(Acts, 22: 3; Philippians, 3: 5-6)
He was Jewish by birth (Benjamite) and he belonged to the sect of the Pharisees; an irreproachable keeper of the Law of Moses. He was instructed by rabbi Gamaliel. He was a zealous persecutor of the Church.
Why was Saul a zealous persecutor of the Church?
Because as a Pharisee, he waited for the political redemption of Israel and he couldn’t accept a Messiah that was executed like a criminal.
For him it was totally inconceivable that a crucified and therefore accursed person (Dt. 21: 23) could rise from the dead.
Moreover, Christians did not give much importance to the Torah, making Jesus the center of their preaching and, according to Saul; they were getting in the way of God’s plan for Israel.
Therefore, he wanted to purify Israel from that religious corruption, so he could help in preparing the future coming of the Messiah.

3. SAUL AND STEPHEN
He agreed that Stephen should be condemned to death, and he kept the clothes of those who were stoning him.
What is the connection between Saul and Stephen’s death? (Acts, 22: 20)

4. “Learned Jews from the surrounding countries were summoned for the purpose of refuting the arguments of the prisoner. Saul of Tarsus was present and took a leading part against Stephen. He brought the weight of eloquence and the logic of the rabbis to bear upon the case, to convince the people that Stephen was preaching delusive and dangerous doctrines; but in Stephen he met one who had a full understanding of the purpose of God in the spreading of the gospel to other nations… After the death of Stephen, Saul was elected a member of the Sanhedrin council in consideration of the part he had acted on that occasion”
E.G.W. (The Acts of the Apostles, cp. 10, pg. 98, 102)

5. What part did Saul play in the subsequent persecution of Christians in Jerusalem? (Acts, 8: 3; 22: 4; 26: 9-11)
SAUL THE PERSECUTOR
He went house to house, dragging off believers, putting them into prison and forcing them to blaspheme. When they were killed, he cast his vote against them.
“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts, 26: 9)
He asked the priests for permission to arrest the believers in the synagogues of Damascus and bringing them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
How far was Saul willing to go in his persecution zeal? (Acts, 9: 1-2; 22: 5)

6. What changes took place in Saul since then?
SAUL’S CONVERSION
How did the extraordinary conversion of Saul take place? (Acts, 9: 1-18; 22: 6-21; 26: 12-19)
While he was going to Damascus, Jesus appeared to Saul to ask him why he was fighting against Him.
The “goad” Jesus referred to alluded to all the times that the Holy Spirit had worked in Saul’s heart since the death of Stephen.
What changes took place in Saul since then?
He decided to stop fighting against the Spirit of God. During the next three days of blindness, Saul understood his spiritual blindness and decided to follow Jesus since then.

7. “The faith of Saul was severely tested during the three days of fasting and prayer at the house of Judas, in Damascus. He was totally blind, and in utter darkness of mind as to what was required of him. He had been directed to go to Damascus, where it would be told him what he was to do. In his uncertainty and distress he cried earnestly to God”
E.G.W. (The story of Redemption, cp. 37, pg. 271)

8. SAUL AND ANANIAS
He was afraid to visit Saul, since he knew Saul was a persecutor of the Church. Nevertheless, he obeyed Jesus’ order and placed his hands on Saul, healing him. He informed him that his mission was to carry the Gospel to the gentiles, and he urged him to baptize.
How did Ananias react when he was ordered to visit Saul? (Acts, 9: 10-18; 22: 12-16)
“In the record of the conversion of Saul important principles are given us, which we should ever bear in mind. Saul was brought directly into the presence of Christ. He was one whom Christ intended for a most important work, one who was to be a “chosen vessel” unto Him; yet the Lord did not at once tell him of the work that had been assigned him. He arrested him in his course and convicted him of sin; but when Saul asked, “What wilt Thou have me to do?” the Saviour placed the inquiring Jew in connection with His church, there to obtain a knowledge of God’s will concerning him”
E.G.W. (The Acts of the Apostles, cp. 12, pg. 120)

9. PAUL’S MISSION
What did Saul do after he was baptized? (Acts, 9: 19-30; 22: 17-21; Galatians, 1: 17-21)
He preached in the synagogues of Damascus.
He retired to Arabia for some time.
He came back to Damascus to preach. His brothers lowered him through the wall to escape from a plot against him.
Three years after his conversion, he went to Jerusalem and talked to Peter and James.
He received a vision in the Temple and he was told to leave Jerusalem and preach the Gospel to the gentiles.
He retired to Tarsus after visiting Syria and Cilicia.

10. How did Saul begin to preach to the gentiles? (Acts, 11: 19-26;13: 1-4)
During the persecution that began in Jerusalem after Stephan’s death, some believers fled to Antioch and they preached to the Greek who converted after hearing the Gospel. That’s how the first gentile church was born.
When that news arrived to Jerusalem, they sent to Barnabas to support the Work there.
Barnabas went to find Saul so he could help him in preaching in Antioch. They preached together to the gentiles there for a whole year.
While Barnabas and Saul were in Antioch, the Holy Spirit separated them so they could begin new churches among the gentiles.

11. How was that conflict resolved? (Acts, 15: 2-4, 6)
PAUL AND THE JUDAIZERS
What did the Judaizers teach that was opposite to what Paul and Barnabas were preaching? (Acts, 15: 1, 5)
They were saying that the gentiles could not be saved if they didn’t circumcise nor keep all the Law of Moses. However, Paul opened the doors of the church to the gentiles, only based in the faith in Jesus.
How was that conflict resolved? (Acts, 15: 2-4, 6)
All the disputing parties were called before a Council that was held in Jerusalem. They reached an agreement of not imposing the Jewish customs to the gentiles.
Despite that agreement, the Judaizers kept generating doctrinal problems in churches during Paul’s life.
That’s the main reason why Paul wrote the epistle to the Galatians.

12. “Therefore… I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision”
Acts 26:19
Listen God’s voice talking to you.
Obey Him and accomplish your mission.