The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: Personal

  • Paul’s Opportunity

    “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”

    Acts 26:28

    The following tells of one time when Paul gave his personal testimony of when Jesus called upon him, and Paul answered that call, trusting in Christ. Recognize a simple pattern.

    • Paul briefly reminded them of the sinner he was,
    • He spent time explaining the specific call Jesus made to him,
    • He told of his personal response,
    • Then the particular job Jesus gave to Paul to accomplish with his life.

    This is a good basis for anyone to use who will give a personal testimony. A personal testimony of when Jesus called upon one’s heart is pivotal in witnessing to someone else.

    When given the opportunity, Paul gave his personal testimony before the rulers:

    • Paul briefly reminded them of the sinner he was:

    “4. My manner of life from my youth, … that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: 7. … For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. 8. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? 9. I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. 11. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities” (Acts 26:4-11). Paul acknowledged that he was a sinner. He even worked against the spread of the Gospel message.

    • He spent time explaining the specific call Jesus made to him:

    “12. Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13. At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. 14. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 15. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said,I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17. Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:12-18). While Paul was yet in sin, Jesus called upon him to be saved (“sanctified by faith that is in me”).

    • He told of his personal response:

    “Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19). Paul was obedient to the call. He was saved.

    • And then the particular job Jesus gave to Paul to accomplish with his life:

    “20. But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. … 22. Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: 23. That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles” (Acts 26:20-23). Even though many wanted to kill Paul for obeying God’s command to go and tell the Gentiles about Jesus, Paul never quit.

    We then read the response of Festus. “24. And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. 25. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness” (Acts 26:24-25). Art beside thyself means “to be mad; to rave; a person who speaks and acts in such a way that they appear to others as being out of their mind.” Mad means “to rave as a maniac; madness; insanity.” Festus just thought Paul was out of his mind – crazy. Or did he? Festus did not treat Paul as a prisoner who was crazy. It is very possible that Festus felt the conviction of this Truth Paul declared, and he did not want to admit this Truth.

    • And then Paul invited Agrippa to respond to the Gospel message:

    “26. For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. 27. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. 28. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:26-28). What was Agrippa’s response? “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (see Acts 26:28). Instead, he rose up and went aside, agreeing that Paul had done nothing worthy of death – or even bonds (means “without freedom”).

    Jesus called Paul, he believed and was saved, and then God sent him to preach Jesus – primarily to the Gentiles. He even spoke to rulers. His testimony of believing in Jesus allowed him to be a witness for Jesus so they could know how to be saved. His example is a good formula for anyone to use who will give their personal testimony of the time they trusted in Jesus. A personal testimony of when Jesus called upon one’s heart is pivotal in becoming a witness for Jesus.

    Have you ever shared your personal salvation experience with anyone else?

    How To Be Saved

  • A Personal Testimony

    “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
    John 14:6

    There was a very religious man, a Pharisee, named Saul. He witnessed an amazing defense of the Gospel Message of Jesus by Stephen that ended in Stephen’s death. When Saul heard of this new “way,” he actively sought to stop it. Although this may have sounded commendable, he was wrong in his thinking. Saul set out to persecute this new way, putting people in prison (see Acts 8:3). However, in reality, see what this caused: “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).

    Saul received special permission to go to Damascus to bring any of “this way,” bound to Jerusalem. As he went, he saw a great light and heard Someone call out his name. When Saul asked who it was, he found out it was Jesus, the one whom Saul was persecuting. When he heard from Jesus, Himself, Saul had much to consider. Jesus told him, to go to the city and wait (see Acts 9:6b). Saul went to the city and waited. “And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink” (Acts 9:9).

    The Lord sent a certain disciple named Ananias to see Saul. Saul received his sight, and more importantly, he received Jesus into his heart and life. Soon, he was no longer called Saul, but Paul. He became a voice preaching the truth of Jesus. He recorded much of the New Testament for us to read today.

    Later, when he was given the opportunity to share just what had happened to him before a great crowd of people (who wanted to kill him), see how he did this.  

    • Paul briefly reminded them of the sinner he was,
    • He spent time explaining the specific call Jesus made to him,
    • He told of his personal response,
    • Then, he told of the particular job Jesus gave to Paul to accomplish with his life. 
    • Paul briefly reminded them of the sinner he was:

    “1. Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you … 3. I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. 4. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. 5. … and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished” (Acts 22:1-5). Gamaliel was a doctor of the Law of Moses, and he had at one time been Paul’s teacher. Remember Paul was one of the religious leaders that had hated the Christians. Before Jesus called Paul, Paul persecuted any who believed or taught of “this way.” “This way” in verse 4 refers to what Jesus had said in John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”  Jesus is The Way. 

    • He spent time explaining the specific call Jesus made to him & he told of his personal response:

    “6. And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. 7. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 8. And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. 9. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. 10. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. 11. And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus. 12. And one Ananias, a devout man … 13. Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. 14. And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. 15. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.” (Acts 22:6-15). 

    • And then the particular job Jesus gave to Paul to accomplish with his life:

    Paul (Saul) was saved when Jesus called him, and he responded to that call. However, God had a job for him to do. “18. And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. … 21. And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles” (Acts 22:17-21).  Jesus called Paul, he believed and was saved, and then God sent him to preach Jesus – primarily to the Gentiles.

    This is a good basis for anyone to use who will give their testimony of the time they gave their heart and life to Jesus. Spend time understanding how to simply share. A personal testimony of when Jesus called upon one’s heart is pivotal in witnessing to someone else. 

    Have you ever shared your personal salvation experience with anyone else?

    How to be Saved

  • Lesson 13 (Lesson 52): Jesus in the Old Testament: Jesus our Friend

    Key Verse

    “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”  John 15:13

    Read the Key Verse with your class.  Ask your students if any of them have friends.  What characteristics make someone your friend? (i.e.: dependable, good listener, kind, always there, etc.)  Read today’s memory verse to your class.  Ask if any of them have a friend like that.  Would they, themselves, be the kind of friend that would lay down their life for another person?  The best friend in the world we could ever have is Jesus.  Today we will look at Jesus’ prayer in the garden on the night he was arrested.  Have them pay attention to what was on Jesus’ heart and mind as we read His prayer in the garden the night before He died on the cross.

    Summary:  We have been studying the five Personal Books of the Old Testament.  As we have learned, these books dealt with individuals’ very personal experiences with God.  We have been able to see some serious heart issues as these individuals sought to know and understand God better.  In studying them, we should now understand how very personal of a God we serve.  When these men cried out for answers, God answered.

    If you remember last week, we learned of a perfect love and compared it to a Christian’s love with God.  Just as God loved us and sent His Son, Jesus, we are to love Him with all of our hearts.  If our students can learn to love Jesus with all of their hearts, then their hearts will be prepared to one day love a man or a woman.  Remember, Christians are the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25:  “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”.  Compare this thought to today’s memory verse.)

    Today we will see the heart of Jesus revealed as He prayed in the garden on the eve of his arrest and crucifixion.  Just as the men who wrote the Personal Books laid their hearts open and bare for us to read about, Jesus’ prayer revealed the deepest and innermost thoughts of His heart.  Notice how He first dealt with himself, then his disciples He would be leaving behind, and finally with those who hadn’t believed upon Him yet – many of which hadn’t even been born yet (that is you and me.)  After this great prayer, we then look back at Psalm 22 which foretold of Jesus’ suffering death upon the cross, realizing Jesus knew He was about to lay down His life for His friends.  This is the greatest picture of a friend (see today’s key verse).  Jesus is the greatest friend because He gave up His life for me (and anyone who would believe).

    Just as we have been learning how to relate to God as the men who recorded the Personal Books, Jesus is our ultimate example of one who was not afraid to make His petitions known to God – knowing He would answer.  He is also a perfect example of the kind of friend we are to be to others.  Remember, the people He prayed for were the same people He gave His life for – His friends.

    Encourage your students to bring their Bibles and use them!

    Emphasis:  Jesus is our ultimate example of the kind of friend we are to be – willing to give all.

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 52 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 52 – Volume 1 Children’s Reinforcement Worksheet

     

    Ideas for children:

    Stickers always work well with children. Often times I watch Wal-Mart or Oriental Trading Company for specials or deals on things I can use for crafts for Sunday School (i.e. foam sheets, Bible Story scene stickers, crowns, stick on jewels, construction paper, etc.).  I keep a stash and when I need something, I go search in my stash!  Pinterest always has great ideas!

    You could have a coloring sheet that goes with the lesson.

    One idea for today’s lesson:  For today’s lesson give your students a blank piece of paper.  Have them write down some of their friend’s names.  Once they have finished this, have them think of something specific that they can pray about for each friend. (Examples:  maybe their friend is sick, or maybe they are on vacation, or maybe they are not very truthful and need prayer, maybe they have a friend who is especially mean to others and need prayer to help them be kinder, etc.)  Over all, encourage them to see needs in their own hearts and lives and the lives of others for which they can pray  Children, too, need to learn the importance of prayer.  And they will be encouraged and blessed as they see a prayer that they have written down answered!

     

    Mural idea:

    Refer to the wall in your classroom that has become a mural.

    By now your class should be in a groove as to the direction and areas in which they need to focus and work on to improve their Christian lives.  Use this knowledge to help you address specific areas in each lesson that your class can discuss and share as you add new things to your mural.  Continue to watch as your class grows in their knowledge of not only God’s Word, but areas in their lives that can be corrected, drawing them closer to the Lord.

    Have them each add anything else they may have brought to add to the wall.  Encourage everyone to participate.