Participants: Tony Moore
Series Code: IFP
Program Code: IFP000020
|
01:36 It has been my privilege and pleasure to take you on
01:39 this journey in the footsteps of the great apostle Paul. 01:42 I trust that your understanding of the world of which 01:45 he lived, has been both deepened and broadened. 01:48 I pray that your faith has been enriched as you have 01:51 traced his journey. 01:53 In this final episode, we want to review where 01:56 we have been and then to examine the legacy 01:59 of this great apostle. 02:01 From his birth place in Tarsus, which was the residence 02:04 of Mark Anthony in the center of Stoic philosophy, 02:07 to the great city of Jerusalem where he was sent to 02:10 complete his education, being schooled at 02:13 the feet of Gamaliel. 02:14 We have traced his journey to the ancient city of 02:16 Damascus, this emerald green oasis in the midst of the 02:20 Syrian Desert which is the oldest continuing inhabited 02:24 city in the world. 02:26 Here he saw a vision of Jesus and was converted, 02:28 being baptized in the river. 02:31 When things got to hot in the city, he escaped by being 02:34 let down through a window, in the wall, 02:36 in a leather basket. 02:38 Then we followed Paul up to Antioch, the third largest 02:42 city of the Roman empire. 02:43 This is where members of the sect called 'The Way' were 02:47 first called Christians. 02:49 He joined Barnabas here in a teaching ministry and from 02:51 this city he was sent out on three missionary journeys. 02:54 We have traced his journey through the provinces of 02:57 Asia, Macedonia and have visited Roman colonies in 03:00 Pisidian Antioch and Philippi. 03:03 And we have explored the great city of Thessaloniki 03:06 where he planted a church, and to whom he wrote two 03:09 letters, the first of which is considered to be the 03:11 first piece of the New Testament. 03:14 Then we followed him to Athens, the intellectual and 03:18 cultural center of the ancient world. 03:21 Where he proclaimed the gospel in the synagogue and 03:24 on Mars Hill. 03:27 Then we on to Corinth, the great Roman city that was 03:31 25 times the size of Athens. 03:34 Paul lived here for a year and a half and the gospel 03:37 penetrated the darkness of this immoral city, 03:40 reaching all levels of society, including the director 03:44 of public works, Erastus whose inscription we noted 03:48 in the plaza of a theater. 03:51 We have followed Paul's footsteps to the fabulous city 03:54 of Ephesus in Asia minor where there was a great riot 03:58 in the theater and a tremendous revival in the 04:01 hearts of the people. 04:02 Of course we have followed his footsteps on this road. 04:06 The most important road to Rome of all, the Appian way. 04:10 That connected the capital city with the major port down 04:13 on the bay of Naples at Potts Wally. 04:16 Yes Paul sailed many places by ship. 04:18 We visited some of the finest sports in the Roman empire. 04:21 Including Caesarea, built by Herod the great himself 04:25 and named after his patron Augustus Caesar. 04:29 In addition we went down to Seleucus Piraeus, 04:32 the Port of ancient Antioch. 04:34 Paula Barbara sailed from this port on their first 04:37 missionary journey out to the island of Cyprus. 04:41 Then we went to that picturesque port Attaleia, 04:45 that beautiful spot to where he came on 04:47 the coast of Pamphylia. 04:49 And we visited the beautiful port of Alexandria in Troas 04:54 from which Paul sailed on multiple occasions. 04:57 Then we went down to the beautiful village of Assos with 05:01 those lovely temple of Athena dominating the hillscape. 05:05 Then we went over to Nicopolis, a fine port in Macedonia. 05:10 Then we visited the great port of Corinth. 05:13 The twin harbored city with the Port of Cenchraea 05:18 on the Aegean, and the Port of Lycian on the Adriatic. 05:21 And of course we have been down to Potts Wally there 05:25 in modern Naples where Paul sailed when coming to the 05:29 great city of Rome. 05:30 Paul was the most prolific author of the New Testament. 05:34 Penning at least 13 of the 27 books. 05:37 He wrote 9 letters to churches, 4 letters to individuals 05:41 and they believe he also wrote the letter to the Hebrews. 05:45 Paul was the most prolific author of the New Testament 05:49 one of the impact of his teachings down 05:51 through the centuries. 05:53 While countless millions have been blessed by his 05:55 teachings, some questioned his teachings about the role 05:59 of women and also the holding of slaves. 06:02 Many people are troubled by passages like 06:05 1 Corinthians 14. 06:25 Why would Paul say that women must remain silent in the 06:29 church, and if they any question to wait until they got 06:32 home to ask their husbands? 06:34 Do you remember where Paul was sending this letter? 06:38 To the church of Corinth, that fabulous city there on 06:41 the edge of the Aegean and Adriatic, with the twin harbors. 06:45 Do you remembered the mountain Acrocorinth that towered 06:49 above the city? 06:50 Do you recall what temple dominated that site? 06:54 Yes it was a temple of Aphrodite. 06:56 Remember there were over 1000 pagan priestesses who were 07:00 actually 1000 temple prostitutes who practiced their 07:05 religion in the city of Corinth 07:07 every evening they would make their way down from the 07:10 summit and come in to the city to ply their trade and 07:13 practice their religion of immorality. 07:15 Paul wanted a clear distinction between the worshipers 07:19 of Aphrodite and the worshipers of the Christian church, 07:23 and so he said they should not speak in the church. 07:27 In addition he said, as the law also teaches, 07:30 Paul was Jewish through and through. 07:33 In the synagogue there was a clear distinction between 07:36 men and women, as a matter of fact orthodox means 07:41 separated, an Orthodox synagogue men and women are 07:45 separated, they sit in separate sections. 07:48 In ancient times they often would have women sitting at 07:53 the rear of the synagogue behind a veil 07:56 called the gallery. 07:58 Can you imagine the confusion in the church, 08:01 or in the synagogue if a woman wanted to ask her 08:04 husband a question and she shouted, honey, can you ask 08:07 him what he means by that? 08:09 It would have been very confusing, Paul said instead 08:13 let her ask her husband when she goes home. 08:16 Yes there were clear distinction in both society and 08:20 in Judaism between men and women. 08:23 This was reflected in the writings of Paul. 08:27 In addition Paul did not want there to be any confusion 08:31 about the worship of Aphrodite, in the city of Corinth, 08:34 and the worship of Jesus Christ in the church. 08:37 Some have also been concerned about Paul's legacy 08:40 regarding slavery, did he encourage the holding of slaves? 08:44 Many people questioned verses like Colossians 3:22. 09:04 Did Paul actually endorse slavery? 09:07 Again we need to examine the cultural context of the times, 09:11 at this time less than one third of the people were 09:14 living in the Roman empire were actually citizens. 09:16 Slaves counted for many of the professional classes including 09:20 tutors and physicians. 09:23 Paul did not do a direct frontal attack on this popular 09:27 practice of the Roman empire. 09:28 But he did tell Christian slaves to honor their masters 09:32 as if they were honoring the Lord. 09:35 And he wrote to a Christian slave owners, that they should 09:39 treat their slaves justly and fairly for they too are 09:43 subject to their Master, the Lord of heaven. 09:46 In Rome Paul met a runaway slave named own Onesimus. 09:50 Onesimus was converted and became a follower of Jesus 09:54 and ministered to the needs of Paul. 09:56 Paul sent Onesimus back to his owner Philemon in Asia. 10:01 The penalty for a runaway slave was execution. 10:06 Death, how did Paul instruct Philemon to treat this 10:11 runaway slave Onesimus? 10:35 Can you imagine turning upside down a social 10:37 order like that? 10:38 Paul says don't have your runaway slave executed, 10:41 don't even have him beaten, instead receive him back 10:45 again, not as a slave but it's a dear brother in Christ. 10:49 While Paul did not directly attack the issue of slavery 10:52 in the Roman world, he did lay out principles that would 10:56 ultimately lead to it's abolition. 10:58 While some Christians have used the writings of Paul 11:02 to justify the holding of slaves, he actually said in 11:06 his day to treat them as brothers. 11:09 He even instructed Christians slaves and their masters 11:14 to eat from the same table when they 11:16 shared the Lord's supper. 11:18 While some hardhearted Christians can misuse the 11:21 writings of Paul to justify the oppression of women and the 11:25 holding of slaves as personal property, 11:27 Paul was not teaching that. 11:30 As a matter of fact, when he broke to the church of Galatia, 11:33 he put into that letter a ticking time bomb that would 11:37 ultimately turn the social order upside down. 11:40 He wrote in Galatians 3:26. 12:07 Paul had prayed this traditional Jewish prayer every day. 12:11 God I thank you that I am not a Gentile, I thank you that 12:15 I am not a slave, and I thank you that I am not a woman. 12:18 Now he takes this traditional prayer and turns it upside 12:21 down that by saying in Jesus Christ there is no 12:23 distinction between Jews and Gentiles, between male and 12:29 female, between slaves and citizens. 12:32 He says that in Jesus Christ there is a oneness 12:36 of all people, and this oneness alternately would 12:40 destroy the distinctions of racism and bigotry 12:44 and the oppression of women. 12:46 Yes throughout the Roman Empire there was only one place 12:50 where citizens and slaves, were Jews and Gentiles, where 12:54 men and women could come together as equals, as one. 12:57 That was at the table of our Lord Jesus Christ to 13:01 remember the Last Supper. 13:03 Paul was exalting the role of slaves, exalting the role 13:09 of women, exulting the roles of Gentiles, saying that 13:14 when we are in Christ we are all one. 13:16 There is level ground at the foot of the cross. 13:19 Paul teaches the oneness of all, the brotherhood of all. 13:23 Some people have accused Paul of supporting unjust 13:28 societies, indeed in Romans 14, he said to honor the King. 13:32 God has established the governments for the good of the 13:36 people, the Roman world was a very rough world, 13:39 a very difficult world. 13:41 Infanticide was practice here in the city of Rome and 13:45 throughout the empire. 13:46 If you did not have a child did not want it you simply 13:48 discarded the baby, the infant, by tossing it into the ditch. 13:52 In time slaves would come by and pick up your baby and 13:56 raise the baby, not as their own, but as their slave. 14:00 Some have thought that Paul was endorsing the practices of 14:05 the empire, but Paul was not. 14:07 He simply was saying that God has established the King 14:11 as a role of authority to govern society. 14:14 Therefore pray for the King, Paul did not try and lead 14:19 a revolt against the Roman empire, but he put in the 14:23 principles of the oneness of humanity, of the dignity of 14:28 every individual would ultimately break 14:30 the bonds of the empire. 14:35 Paul was the most cosmopolitan of all the apostles. 14:38 He was New Testaments most traveled men and yet there are 14:41 very few cities in this world that give honor to him. 14:44 Although Paul was sent out on three missionary journeys 14:48 from the church of Antioch, this cave church is not known 14:51 today as St. Paul's Church, it's known today at St. Peter's 14:54 Church, and although Paul planted the church 14:57 there in Thessaloniki and sent two letters to it. 15:00 It is not known today as the city of Paul, for Demetrious 15:05 is the patron bishop of that city. 15:08 Although Paul proclaimed the Gospel on Mars Hill, 15:11 before the Areopagus, or the supreme court, today he is not 15:16 the patron saint of Athens. 15:18 That honor goes to Dionysius, the Areopagite. 15:22 Although Paul traveled to create and proclaimed the 15:25 Gospel there, it is Titus who is known as the Bishop of Crete. 15:30 Although Paul lived for three years in the city of Ephesus, 15:34 this city today honors John by the great Basilicas. 15:39 Although Paul came to this city of Rome, and although he 15:43 was arrested and imprisoned here twice, and although he 15:47 was martyred outside the walls, this city is not known 15:50 to be the city of Paul, is known to be 15:53 the city of St. Peter. 15:57 There seems to be a general lack of respect for Paul 16:00 today in the world. 16:02 Although he planted the Gospel throughout the Roman 16:05 world, although he wrote letters to churches throughout 16:07 the Roman world, there are very few places 16:10 that give honor to him. 16:12 Perhaps it is because he was so well-traveled that no one 16:16 lays claim to him, perhaps that was part of God's plan. 16:20 He does not belong to any city, for in reality he belongs 16:23 to them all, this is the legacy of Paul. 16:27 He put Christianity on the map of the Roman world and 16:31 its impact is still being felt today. 16:34 We come here to the Church of the Scala Sancta, or the 16:39 Holy Stairs, reported to be the very stairs that Jesus 16:43 ascended after his condemnation by Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. 16:48 Legend has it that the Helena, mother of Constantine, 16:51 brought these stairs to the city of Rome 16:53 in the 4th century. 16:55 We have come here to examine the enduring impact of 16:58 Paul's legacy, for in the 16th century a Roman Catholic 17:02 Monk came from Germany to this city seeking peace in 17:06 his heart and assurance in his soul. 17:08 As he ascended the stairs upon his knees, doing an act 17:13 of penance, much like these modern worshipers, 17:15 a verse flashed into his mind written by Paul to this 17:19 city over 1500 years earlier. 17:22 The righteous will live by faith, as that text flashed 17:27 into his mind it rocked his soul. 17:30 Martin Luther discovered that indeed righteousness did 17:33 not come as an act of penance, but it came as a 17:37 free gift from God. 17:39 Let me read to you the verse found in Romans 1:17. 17:57 Yes righteousness is received as a free gift from God 18:00 and is an act of faith. 18:02 This was the key that unlocked the writings of Paul in 18:05 the mind of Martin Luther. 18:07 He rose from his knees and went forth to proclaim the 18:10 powerful good news that we are saved by grace through 18:13 faith in Jesus Christ alone. 18:16 What is the legacy of the apostle Paul? 18:19 Righteousness does not come as an act of penance instead 18:23 it is a free gift of God to those who believe. 18:27 This gift of God results in reconciliation between 18:32 God and the believer. 18:34 Yes it brings peace to the heart and assurance to the 18:38 soul, unfortunately these modern worshipers have not 18:41 yet understood the message of Paul that he sent to this 18:44 church over 1900 years ago. 18:48 When we accept this gift of faith, we find peace with God. 18:54 It does not matter if you are a Jew or Gentile, 18:57 it does not matter if you are slave or citizen, 19:00 it doesn't matter if you are a male or female, 19:03 we find peace with God and our lives are transformed. 19:07 This is the enduring legacy of the apostle Paul, 19:10 the clarity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 19:13 What is the legacy of the apostle Paul. 19:16 The legacy of Paul was changed lives, it doesn't matter 19:20 who you are, or what you have done. 19:23 No one is too great of a sinner to be beyond 19:27 the grace of our God. 19:29 You remember when we visited the city of Corinth? 19:32 Paul wrote a letter and he mentions how great the 19:36 power of the Gospel is. 19:38 We read about it in 1 Corinthians 6:9. 20:11 We mentioned two inscriptions discovered at the 20:13 theater of Corinth, one was inscribed 'for the girls'. 20:16 A reference to the Temple prostitutes, many of whom 20:20 were touched by the power of the Gospel. 20:22 Then we saw the inscription of Erastus in the theater. 20:26 Erastus was the city treasurer, or director of public 20:31 works of this great Metropolis at Corinth. 20:33 This man of business in stature was also converted. 20:37 His life was changed as he became a follower of Jesus. 20:41 Paul wrote to the church at Rome from Corinth. 20:44 Erastus sends his greetings to the church here in Chapter 16. 20:56 The legacy of the apostle Paul is changed lives. 21:00 The Gospel penetrated all levels of society. 21:08 What is the legacy of the apostle Paul? 21:10 Change lives that experience the peace and assurance 21:14 that comes from being reconciled with God through 21:18 faith in Jesus Christ. 21:20 We have come here to the Abbey of the Three Fountains 21:24 to examine another aspect of the enduring legacy of Paul. 21:28 That changed lives can be filled with hope in the face 21:33 of adversity, we have followed Paul's footsteps 21:36 for over 13,000 miles. 21:39 He had faithfully followed wherever his Lord Jesus had 21:42 led throughout the Roman empire and now his Lord led to 21:46 this place outside of the walls of Rome. 21:49 It was a place of execution in the first century. 21:53 From Paul's first letter to his last, he constantly 21:57 emphasized the theme of hope. 22:00 This is his enduring legacy. 22:03 In his first letter he sent to the Young church there 22:07 in Thessaloniki, he wrote to encourage them to be filled 22:11 with hope in the face of adversity. 22:14 He wrote in chapter 4:13. 22:26 A member of the Young church at Thessaloniki had died. 22:30 The church was devastated, but Paul wrote to them that 22:33 they might be informed and filled with hope. 22:36 What is the basis of that hope? 23:06 Paul wrote to the Thessalonians and thus to us all about 23:10 this blessed hope, when we believe in Jesus by faith 23:13 we will have peace with God and no longer never have 23:17 to be afraid of death. 23:19 This teaching is the enduring legacy of the apostle Paul. 23:23 Paul wrote five letters, or five epistles from the city 23:26 of Rome during his imprisonment. 23:29 These letters contain some of the most wonderful, precious 23:33 passages is to be found in our Bible today. 23:35 When Christians would be martyred in the Circus Maximus, 23:39 or in the far reaches of the Roman empire, they would 23:43 recall Paul's faithfulness, how he followed his Lord 23:47 here to this place of execution. 23:49 They would remember his words written to the church at 23:52 Philippi, though I want to honor my Lord whether by my 23:56 life, or by my death. 23:58 They would recall his words sent to the 24:01 church in Corinth, listen. 24:22 Yes Paul's life was filled with problems and difficulties. 24:26 He was beaten and mistreated, he was unjustly condemned 24:31 and sentenced to death, here outside the walls. 24:34 Yet his life was tempered with hope, he believed that 24:39 death was not the only end, that there was more. 24:43 Standing in this very special place, I am reminded of 24:47 Paul's legacy that can best be summarized in the last 24:52 letter that he penned. 24:53 He said it to his son in the Gospel Timothy. 24:56 We read about it in chapter 4. 25:25 What was the legacy of the apostle Paul? 25:27 The clarity of the Gospel, when we accept Jesus Christ 25:31 by faith, we experience peace and 25:35 reconciliation with God. 25:37 What is the legacy of apostle Paul? 25:40 That no one is too great a sinner to be reached 25:42 by the power of the Gospel, and such were some of you. 25:45 What is the legacy of the apostle Paul? 25:48 The blessed assurance that death is not final. 25:51 There will be a sure and certain event of the 25:54 resurrection of the dead when Jesus Christ 25:57 returns the second time. 25:59 Martin Luther, like countless millions of people 26:02 experience the peace that comes from surrendering 26:05 oneself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 26:08 Countless millions of Christians down through the ages 26:12 have found comfort and assurance from the writings of 26:16 Paul about the blessed hope. 26:18 My question to you, at this very special spot, 26:23 and the end of our journey, have you experienced the 26:27 peace that comes from surrendering your life to the 26:32 Lordship of Jesus Christ? 26:34 Have you consciously and intentionally surrendered 26:38 your life to Him? 26:39 You too can have this peace, all you have to do is 26:44 surrender to Him, it doesn't matter who you are or 26:48 what you have done, and 'such were some of you'. 26:54 Have you experienced the blessed hope, the hopeful 26:59 assurance that death is not the end? 27:03 You see the reality is that we are all traveling in a 27:07 very sure and certain direction toward the grave. 27:11 But Paul wrote that we might have hope, hope that goes 27:15 beyond this old world. 27:18 Yes you can have peace and you can have hope if you will 27:22 surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus. 27:25 In this very special spot where Paul's earthly journey 27:29 ended, I want to encourage you to pray with me just now. 27:34 Father in heaven, in this very special spot where Paul's 27:38 earthly journey came to an end, we want to thank You for 27:43 the testimony of his life, how he faithfully followed You. 27:47 Give us a heart that wants to follow you completely 27:51 and fully and may we experience the joy like Paul 27:55 had of following wherever You go, no matter what the cost, 27:59 is my prayer in Jesus name, Amen. 28:02 Well it has been a very special joy to travel in the 28:05 footsteps of Paul and I want to thank you for joining 28:08 me in this very special series. 28:10 I want to encourage you to continue following in the 28:14 footsteps, not of Paul the apostle, but of Jesus Christ 28:18 Himself, one day soon and very soon I hope that we can 28:22 meet there by the throne of God. 28:24 Perhaps to talk with Paul, perhaps to reminisce about 28:28 this series that we have shared together. 28:29 Well from here at the Abbey of the Three Fountains, 28:33 outside the city walls of Rome, I want to wish you 28:37 God's blessing and God's speed. |
Revised 2014-12-17