Theme: God’s Promises
Title: Apostle Paul Testimony
Text: (2 Corinthians 11:23-28)
Introduction: Paul’s Sufferings as an Apostle
- Was put in prison over and over
- Faced death over and over
- Received 39 lashes from the Jews 5 times
- Was beaten with rods 3 times
- Was stoned one time
- Was shipwrecked 3 times
- Was weary and in pain often, without sleep
- Was often hungry and thirsty, cold and naked
- And was continually concerned about the spiritual health of all the churches
President J. F. Kennedy (in a speech to the Convocation of the United Negro College Fund on April 12, 1959) once remarked that when written in Chinese, the word “crisis” is composed of two characters
- One represents danger
- The other represents opportunity
Every crisis is, at the same time, an opportunity. Crises are often caused by unexpected difficulties
- Many right now are facing crises
- Many having unexpected difficulties in your personal life
- There are many difficulties in our nation, in the world
- Also, there are difficulties in the churches, many pastors and members are dying throughout the church world wide
As Christians, how do we respond to times of trouble or crisis?
Worriedness (anxiety, fear)
- (Philippians 4:6-7) 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Contentment (happy, glad, satisfied)
(Philippians 4:12-13) 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Peace
- (2 Thessalonians 3:16) 16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all
Assurance of Salvation (promise, guarantee)
(Romans 10:9-13) 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”
12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.
13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[g]
The Apostle Paul could get along happily because he could see life from God point of view in crisis
- He focused on what he was supposed to do, not what he felt he should have
- Paul had his priorities straight
- He was grateful for everything God had given him
- He had detached himself from the nonessentials so that he could concentrate on the eternal
Conclusion: One of the greatest fears of humanity is death; however, it cannot harm the child of God.
Donald Grey Barnhouse (one of America’s leading Bible teachers in the first half of the 20th century) When his wife died to cancer, he had to explain the death to his three young children.
Seeking to comfort his children who were grieving the loss of their mother, Barnhouse saw a large truck on the highway, and an analogy was brought to mind. Barnhouse asked his children, “Would you rather be run over by that truck or its shadow?” His oldest daughter replied, “By the shadow. The shadow cannot hurt you.” Barnhouse told his children, “Your mother has not been overridden by death, but by the shadow of death. That is nothing to fear.”
- Death is only a shadow it can’t hurt a Christian, there is nothing to fear
- The apostle Paul face death many times
- And in (Philippians 1:21) For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain
King David tells us when face adversity or crisis
- He stayed in God’s presence, He will not fail us or abandon us, stay confidence, don’t lose hope, be comfort by His Holy Spirit
- He saw God’s power, many are giving their hearts to the Lord right now
The Apostle Paul’s tell us when facing adversity or crisis
- Philippians says, “Don’t worry, His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And, we can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
- He tells the Corinthians church in (2 Corinthians 4: 7-18) 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
- The apostle Paul was focus on what he was supposed to do, not what he felt he should have
- Paul had detached himself from the nonessentials so that he could concentrate on the eternal
(2 Corinthians 11:23-28) NLT
23 Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.
24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day drifting at sea.
26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.
27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.
