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2 Timothy – Gospel Passion and Urgency Resounding Out of a Roman Dungeon! (1 of 9)
Saul to Paul: Zealous Persecutor to Passionate Missionary
Acts 8:1-3, 9:1-25, 16:1-5, Galatians 1:23
We’re beginning a new series focusing on the New Testament letter of 2 Timothy.
2 Timothy 1:1-2 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”
A lot is contained in the names: Paul and Timothy. The Apostle Paul wrote to his longtime and deeply trusted missionary partner and friend, Timothy. As Paul wrote this letter he was imprisoned in Rome and he didn’t expect to be released.
Paul was painfully aware that he didn’t have much time and he wrote with an appropriate urgency. The reality of imprisonment stands behind everything.
2 Timothy 1:8 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God...”
2 Timothy 2:8-9 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!”
2 Timothy 4:21 (ESV) –
“Do your best to come before winter.”
The story of Paul who was formerly Saul is the story of God miraculously turning a zealous enemy and persecutor of Christians into a passionate missionary.
Galatians 1:23 (ESV) –
“He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
1. Before meeting Jesus, Saul strongly opposed followers of the Way (or Christians). He violently persecuted and imprisoned followers of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (ESV) –
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures...”
After His resurrection Jesus appeared to His disciples over 40 days, proving the historical fact of His victorious resurrection. Then He commissioned His disciples and sent them outward as His witnesses with the Gospel message.
Acts 1:8 (ESV) –
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:9-11 (ESV) –
“...when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Jesus commissioned His disciples to be His witnesses beginning in Jerusalem and spreading out to the ends of the earth. They were still in Jerusalem at the beginning of Acts 8.
Acts 8:1-3 (ESV) –
“And Saul approved of his execution.
And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.”
Acts 8:1 (ESV) –
“And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”
Jesus sent His disciples outward (with the Gospel) and what got them moving was persecution. God is in control, the Gospel spread according to His perfect plan even when evil men tried to stop it.
John 14:6 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”
Saul’s efforts to destroy the church actually fueled the spread the Gospel and all of this brings us to Saul’s plan to take persecution on the road – from Jerusalem to Damascus.
2. Jesus stopped Saul on the road to Damascus. Saul the persecutor became a preacher of the Gospel message he had violently opposed.
Acts 9:1-25 (ESV) –
“But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
“Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.
“For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
“When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.”
Saul had severely persecuted Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem and his plan was to find and imprison any followers of Jesus that he could locate in Damascus. His zeal as a persecutor led him to travel from Israel to Syria and Jesus stopped him in his tracks.
Acts 9:3-6 (ESV) –
“Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
Acts 9:13-14 (ESV) –
“But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
Acts 9:15-16 (ESV) –
“Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
God chose Saul to spread His Word widely, a call that included suffering. Saul immediately became a preacher of the Gospel message he had violently opposed.
Acts 9:19-20 (ESV) –
“For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”
Saul personally experienced the reality of persecution. He faced what he had done to others.
Acts 8:3 (ESV) –
“But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.”
Acts 9:23-25 (ESV) –
“When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.”
God can reach anyone! We mustn’t give up on those who currently oppose the Gospel. It some cases those who oppose the Gospel will make powerful missionaries.
Considering how Saul was saved should move us to consider our own stories. Ask – What’s my story? How did I meet Jesus and receive Him as my Savior and Lord? What circumstances led me to respond to Jesus and cross from death to life?
Considering this ought to move us to ask – Am I saved? Have I personally surrendered my life to Jesus Christ?
Remember that God can (and does) reach those who are opposed to the Gospel. Seeing God’s awesome power displayed ought to motivate us to pray fervently for those who are lost.
3. The Lord transformed Saul into Paul. A zealous persecutor became a passionate missionary who boldly and with tremendous sacrifice preached the Gospel throughout the Mediterranean world.
Galatians 1:23 (ESV) –
“He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
Acts 13:1-2 (ESV) –
“Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
In Acts 13-28 we read about four extended journeys around the Eastern Mediterranean. Paul and his companions traveled from city to city preaching the Gospel and planting new churches. On his second missionary journey Paul picked up Timothy and called him to join him.
Acts 16:1-5 (ESV) –
“Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.”
The Gospel spread like wildfire and new churches were begun in different cities around the Mediterranean. The names of many of the books of the New Testament refer to congregations in cities where Paul planted churches.
Ephesians 1:1 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus...”
Philippians 1:1-2 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The book of Acts concludes with Paul under house arrest in Rome.
Acts 28:30-31 (ESV) –
“He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.”
Paul was a missionary even when he was imprisoned for Christ and it was during this imprisonment that he wrote the letter of Philippians which has the resounding theme of joy.
Philippians 4:4 (ESV) –
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”
Paul was released and did additional ministry in the Eastern Mediterranean including on the island of Crete. We know this from Titus and 1 Timothy. We also know from Romans that he wanted to go farther west to what we know as Spain but we don’t know if he made it.
At some point, he was rearrested and was being held in Rome and it was during this final imprisonment that he penned 2 Timothy while he awaited a martyr’s death by the order of the Roman emperor Nero.
Knowing his time was short, Paul wrote an urgent and passionate letter to his close friend and trusted ministry associate. The letter asks Timothy to come quickly.
2 Timothy 4:6-7 (ESV) –
“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Read 2 Timothy and as you read watch and listen for Gospel passion and urgency. Remember the background that’s contained in the names: Paul and Timothy.
The story of Paul who was formerly Saul is the story of God miraculously turning a zealous enemy and persecutor of Christians into a passionate missionary and considering this reality should cause us to marvel at the awesome power of God.