1

Catholicism Week 10St. Peter and St. Paul Part 2

St. Paul is the second of the Catholic essential players that Bishop Barron teaches us about this week. He was born in Tarsus in Asia Minor as part of Jewish families that were scattered throughout different parts of the world generations ago. He lived in a Jewish ghetto, which was simply a Jewish neighborhood or section of the city, also made up of a large populations of Greek decedents in other sections of Tarsus. His birth name was Saul, pronounced Sha-ul in Hebrew, and at some point, he became a Roman citizen, giving him intimate knowledge of all three of the dominate cultures of his time, Jewish, Greek, and Roman. He would have had a well-rounded classical education in Tarsus, but his real passion came from his Jewish roots and his study of the Torah, beginning at a very young age. He eventually became a student of Rabbi Gamaliel, the most respected rabbi of his time, requiring Saul, probably in in early teens, to move to Jerusalem. By his early twenties Saul had become radicalized, and now was willing to take up violence against all those the threatened Orthodox Judaism, especially the Jewish sect called Christians. He would later call himself a Pharisee of the Pharisee’s, willing to commit murder in order to irradiate the enemies of Israel.

The idea of a carpenter from Nazareth claiming to be the Messiah, and the Son of God, shamefully dying on a Roman cross was beyond imagination and outright heresy, it had to be stamped out. The first time Saul is mentioned in the Bible was at the stoning of Stephan, Acts 7:54–58 (RSV2CE) 54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth against him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and

2

the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together upon him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Later on, Saul went from watching the violence to initiating it, Acts 9:1–2 (RSV2CE) 1

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 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. Bishop Barron pointed out how dangerous Jesus was to many of the radicalized Jews, his followers had to be stamped out, or Judaism might be wiped off the face of the earth. Jesus’ name and his followers were spreading through out the world, something had to be done, even if they had to resort to murder. Saul’s radicalization is very much like radicalized Islamist today, with the level of violence we see against Christians today, but also violence against Jews as well. Tragically, ever since ancient times, it is the Jews that were considered dangerous, they had to be dealt with, wiped off the map if need be. Most of us here this morning, believe or not, are beginning to be considered dangerous to the secular, atheistic culture we live in today. The name of Jesus and his followers are becoming dangerous once again to the status quo, and many Christians are paying the ultimate price for following Jesus in our time.

Saul’s conversion not only changed his life, but this one conversion changed the whole world. Acts 9:3–7 (RSV2CE) 3 Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him. 4 And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting; 6 but rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

3

Bishop gets very excited about this painting, and he sees more going on in the eyes of this horse than I do…but I do love his Catholic passion for religious art. He then mentions that Saul, now Paul spent three years in Arabia right after his conversion, what was he doing?

Galatians 1:15–18 (RSV2CE) 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days.

I am also convinced, like Bishop, that Paul took three years to try and get his arms around what just happened to him. And I am glad he took that many years to get some things straight. It took Jackie and I ten years to complete our journey into the Church, and then another two years and a master’s in theological studies to prepare us to start teaching the Catholic faith, and we are

4

still learning. Paul made the amazing claim that he was personally taught by Jesus himself, Galatians 1:11–12 (RSV2CE) 11 Brethren, I would have you know that the gospel which was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Paul is known as the very first theologian in the Church, and his letter to the Romans, has been the focus of countless theologians down through the ages.

Some have spent a lifetime trying to grasp what Paul probably learned in three years in Arabia. I like what Bishop said about Paul’s conversion, a word that that is somewhat confusing, Paul did not covert to another religion, he profoundly realized in the dust and the blinding light on the road to Damascus, that Jesus Christ, the carpenter from Nazareth was in fact the long-awaited Jewish Messiah. What I am sure took a while for Paul to grasp was why Jesus had to die on a Roman cross. I am equally sure that Jesus meticulously took Paul through all those prophesies that were clearly written in Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Isiah concerning the suffering Messiah that was to come.

At the end of three years, it seems clear Paul was chomping at the bit to go do what Jesus had called him to do, go preach the gospel to the whole world. The entire second half of the Book of Acts is all about a possessed Paul now full of the life of Jesus Himself, powerfully proclaiming the gospel to whoever would listen, in city after city, town after town, village after village, traveling

thousands of miles on foot and over the ocean, turning the world up-side-down. Here is one example.Acts 9:26–31 (RSV2CE) 26 And when he had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and

5

declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, 29 preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists; but they were seeking to kill him. 30 And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 So the Church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied.

Here is his first missionary journey…

There are many scriptural references that tell us Jesus came to us from heaven in the fulness of time…and it begs the question why did Jesus come during the age of the Roman Empire? It is a fair question, but as I look at the maps of Paul’s missionary journeys, and the spread of Paul’s letters to the churches all over the

6

world, I am not sure that could have happened before the genius of Roman roads that were constructed to reach every part of the world. When you put it in that context, it makes tremendous sense, Jesus came at the fulness of time. And thanks to the Roman roads, his followers took his message to the whole world.

7

Paul eventually ended up in Athens and I love to read this account of his time there. Acts 17:16–32 (RSV2CE) 16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the market place every day with those who chanced to be there. 18 Some also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers met him. And some said, “What would this babbler say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he preached Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took hold of him and brought him to the Are-opagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is which you present? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears; we wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the

foreigners who lived there spent their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new. 22 So Paul, standing in the middle of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and

everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they should seek God, in the

8

hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us, 28 for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ 29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the Deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, a representation by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead.” 32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, “We will hear you again about this.”

Resurrection was the stumbling block for many, as it is today. Jesus can be tolerated by many in our generation until you start claiming that He was raised from the dead. But that was always Paul’s message, and why not, it was the resurrected Jesus that he met on the road to Damascus that day. Listen to what he preached in Corinth, 1 Corinthians 15:3–8 (RSV2CE) 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

1 Corinthians 15:14 (RSV2CE) 14 If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:16–17 (RSV2CE)

9

16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

1 Corinthians 1:20–24 (RSV2CE) 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Don’t miss what Bishop is saying here, what God did with Jesus on that cross makes no sense to this world, mankind could never have come up with this plan. Messiah on the cross was a stumbling block to the Jews, and just plain stupid to the Gentiles. Only the genius of a loving God would come and die for us on a cross, and simultaneously defeat death, hell, and the grave. Only God could have come up with a babe in the manger, and the Son of God on the cross…raised from the dead three days later. That’s plain foolishness…amen, and that’s why most of the world missed it. That’s why most of the world still misses it…but trust me they are preparing themselves for a rude awakening.

The key to understanding Paul letters is to focus on one very important two world phrase…”in Christ”. Paul uses that phrase over and over; I did a search in my Bible program and it came up over 60 times just in the letters of Paul to the various churches. Paul picked it up from Jesus, John 14:18–20 (RSV2CE) 18 “I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

10

Paul gets it, Jesus “in us” is something Paul called dunamis in the Greek, the same word that we get dynamite from. What is Paul saying, Jesus “in me”, and in you, is like a spiritual stick of dynamite, true power within each of us just waiting to go off. It is potential power that can make things happen, but it needs a trigger, a detonator to unleash the power.

Jesus in you is waiting for one thing to “go off” inside of each and every one of us…faith. Faith, real faith, not token faith or timid faith, faith that gives your whole life over to Jesus, when that happens…step back Jack…you can turn your entire world upside. To take that one step further, if we are living “in Christ” and Jesus is “in us”, that means we are living and having our whole being in the love that God is. The love that God is, is the power to change our world.

1 Corinthians 13:4–13 (RSV2CE) 4 Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; 5 it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; 10 but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. 13 So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Dunamis is the love-power of God inside of you this morning, just waiting to explode into action. All the good works that you and I will ever do in this life, if it not empowered by God’s love, it is worthless. We are the body of

11

Christ today, this day, we are His eyes, His hands, His touch, His feet, His wisdom, and His strength…13 So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.