no no no no
:
the complete triumphant story of Paul
:
the Apostle of Christ
:
six years have now passed since the
:
miracle of the Virgin Mary brought into
:
the world a dark olive skinned Jewish
:
baby
:
this baby would grow into a man who
:
through his philosophy and actions would
:
alter the very course of history he
:
would shift the tides of times to bridge
:
the gaps between the past present and
:
the future
:
undoubtedly he would stand as the most
:
significant figure to have ever graced
:
this Earth weaving an eternal story of
:
Salvation with his life death and
:
Resurrection
:
yet a little over kilometers to the
:
north another baby boy enters the world
:
unlike the miracle baby of the Virgin
:
Mary this child does not hold that
:
distinguished title of Savior or Messiah
:
however his influence will forever
:
transform the course of events his
:
impact will not arise from personally
:
embodying the Eternal story of salvation
:
but from sharing the story as well as
:
from showing all people the power and
:
Redemption embodied in the story of
:
Jesus
:
this baby’s name was Saul But as time
:
unfolds he will grow and rise to become
:
one of the most influential inspiring
:
and polarizing figures of his time and
:
Beyond his Fame will become only second
:
in significance to the story of the man
:
he dedicates his life to retelling and
:
sharing
:
Saul was born in Tarsus the city
:
situated in modern-day turkey had fallen
:
under Roman rule years before Saul
:
was born
:
Saul was a Roman citizen while it is not
:
clear how he acquired his Roman
:
citizenship it is likely that Saul’s
:
grandparents possessed land before
:
Rome’s colonization of Tarsus as was the
:
custom owning land within Roman
:
territory bestowed Roman citizenship
:
upon the landowners and their offspring
:
allowing them certain privileges
:
including maintaining and observing
:
local traditions and cultural practices
:
as the capital of silicea Tarsus thrived
:
as a hub of trade affluence and
:
knowledge it had one of the greatest
:
universities in the Known World which
:
was rivaled only by Athens it was in
:
this bustling City that Saul Spends His
:
formative years benefiting from his
:
Roman citizenship and the vast
:
opportunities it provided
:
like every other inhabitant of the city
:
Saul was born into a Jewish Family his
:
father a tent maker and a Pharisee
:
taught his trade and beliefs to his son
:
over years around the age of
:
approximately in A.D Saul’s father
:
took him to study under Gamaliel a
:
high-ranking Pharisee and an old family
:
friend
:
it is important to note that not just
:
anyone could study under the esteemed
:
Gamaliel he was one of the most
:
brilliant legal minds of his time
:
in A.D Saul started his training as a
:
Pharisee the Pharisees are a sect of
:
first century Judaism primarily
:
consisting of the middle class they were
:
tasked with interpreting the law for all
:
Jews within their ranks approximately
:
Pharisees were chosen to sit on the
:
Sanhedrin the highest Council on
:
Jerusalem law the Sanhedrin wielded
:
tremendous influence over all aspects of
:
Judaism any legislation passed by the
:
Sanhedrin became binding law for all
:
Jews regardless of their location
:
Saul studied under Gamaliel for eight
:
years before eventually returning to
:
Tarsus to serve in the local synagogue
:
not long after he received a
:
life-changing message he has been
:
nominated by Gamaliel to join the
:
esteemed Sanhedrin Council
:
filled with a mix of passion and
:
excitement Saul sets off from Tarsus to
:
Jerusalem to begin his membership of the
:
council it was the journey he had been
:
looking forward to for a long time
:
however upon his return to the city he
:
discovered a lot has changed he learned
:
of a newly established Jewish sect that
:
had taken the City by storm the
:
followers of the new Faith are devoted
:
to a Man from Nazareth claiming to be
:
God incarnate among humanity and here to
:
fulfill the very prophecies Saul knows
:
so well
:
the followers of the Nazarene even refer
:
to themselves as the way as if the
:
Sanhedrin could no longer provide the
:
way and serve as The Guiding Light for
:
the Jewish people Saul obviously
:
appalled and outraged by the existence
:
of this new movement derogatorily
:
labeled them zealous blasphemers he
:
initiated a fierce campaign within the
:
Sanhedrin to combat their dangerous
:
ideology
:
why do you hate pizza so much because
:
his claims are ridiculous
:
he did more than that he sought out and
:
interrogated the early followers who
:
were ordinary people including fishermen
:
who lack formal education he questioned
:
the source of their Authority
:
challenging the very Foundation upon
:
which their beliefs rest he hoped that
:
he could make them change their views
:
and ways however nothing he did worked
:
Saul along with his contemporaries
:
admonished the disciples strictly
:
forbidding them from proclaiming Jesus
:
as the long-awaited Jewish Messiah
:
however the disciples ignored the
:
warning consequently when one of the
:
nazarene’s followers a man named Stephen
:
was apprehended Saul urgently calls for
:
an emergency council meeting they asked
:
Stephen to retract his Declaration of
:
faith and belief in Jesus but the young
:
man would not bulge instead he publicly
:
proclaimed the messiahship of Jesus
:
Chris as the only begotten Son of God
:
this open Defiance provoked Saul to an
:
uncontrollable rage as a symbolic just
:
he tore his cloak signaling his disgust
:
for Stephen the young follower of Jesus
:
the rest of the Sanhedrin did the same
:
thing they cast their cloaks at Saul’s
:
feet picked up stones and began to haul
:
it at Stephen as Saul stood by and
:
watched members of Jerusalem’s highest
:
Council responsible for upholding the
:
Law and Order committed the act of
:
murder against Stephen a disciple of
:
Jesus Christ this incident shook the
:
early church causing its members in
:
Jerusalem to flee back to their homes
:
fearing for their lives
:
but that was only for a while it was not
:
long before they were back on the
:
streets proclaiming Jesus as the
:
long-awaited Messiah several months
:
passed as the Sanhedrin engages in
:
heated debates they deliberated on the
:
most effective strategy to stop the
:
fast-growing movement started by the
:
Nazarene then finally they resolved to
:
enact a law that prohibits people from
:
participating in this radical New
:
Movement they set a severe penalty of
:
immediate arrest and Punishment
:
the stiff penalty was enough to
:
discourage some but many continued to
:
flaunt the law after enacting the law
:
for it to be effective it had to be
:
enforced throughout the city and who
:
better to lead this all-important task
:
than their very own Saul of Tarsus why
:
not Saul
:
here is a man born and raised in the
:
familiar terrain of Tarsus and possessed
:
a deep knowledge of the roads the
:
council heard that the followers of
:
Jesus were in Damascus preaching the
:
gospel Saul was quickly dispatched to go
:
after them
:
on receiving the assignment Saul
:
prepared and embarked on the Fateful
:
three-day Journey from Jerusalem to
:
Damascus a journey that will not only
:
transform the course of his own life but
:
that will reshape the path of human
:
history forever
:
as Saul was traveling on the road
:
alongside a small Council of servants
:
and peers engaging in serious
:
theological discussions presumably an
:
extraordinary event happened
:
he was struck by a blinding light that
:
leaves him in a state of complete
:
blindness as reported in Acts chapter
:
Saul heard an unseen voice saying Saul
:
Saul why do you persecute me struggling
:
to make sense of the encounter Saul asks
:
who are you Lord
:
the resounding reply comes I am Jesus
:
whom you are persecuting rise and enter
:
the city and you will be told what you
:
are to do
:
the men accompanying Saul stood
:
speechless and stunned they clearly
:
heard the voice but could not see where
:
it was coming from
:
Saul Rose from the ground his eyes were
:
open but he could not see
:
Guided by his companions he was led by
:
the hand into Damascus for three days he
:
remained blind unable to eat or drink
:
at the end of three days a man named
:
ananias who is aware of Saul’s past
:
persecution of the followers of Jesus
:
upon Divine instruction reluctantly
:
prayed for Saul miraculously his vision
:
was restored once again he could see
:
perhaps for the first time in his life
:
he truly understood with Clarity the
:
true nature of God as the scriptures
:
recounts after ananias’s prayers
:
immediately something like scales fell
:
from his eyes and he regained his sight
:
then he rose and was baptized in taking
:
food he was strengthened for several
:
days Saul remained with the disciples in
:
Damascus gathering strength and learning
:
from their Fellowship after some time he
:
went to Arabia and then returned once
:
again to Damascus afterward he began his
:
ministry proclaiming the messiahship of
:
Jesus in the synagogues and boldly
:
declaring him to be the son of God
:
those who heard Saul’s Proclamation were
:
astounded they asked is this not the man
:
who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem against
:
those who called upon this very name has
:
he not come here with the purpose of
:
bringing them bound before the chief
:
priests
:
nevertheless Saul continued to grow in
:
spirit and in strength he continued to
:
confound the Jews residing in Damascus
:
with his passionate and compelling
:
proclamations that Jesus was indeed the
:
long-awaited Christ but the Jews did not
:
stay confounded for long
:
after some time they have had enough of
:
Saul’s blasphemy and decided that he
:
must be stopped they decided on a plan
:
to kill him they monitored the gates day
:
and night waiting for his arrival to
:
execute their plan but Saul and the
:
followers of Jesus in the city became
:
aware of their plot without wasting time
:
they whisked Saul away
:
under the cover of Darkness they took
:
him through an opening in the city wall
:
and lowered him in a basket to safety on
:
the other side of the wall
:
that is how Saul escaped the first
:
attempt of his life as disciple of Jesus
:
there will be many more to come
:
after a span of three years Saul made
:
his way back to Jerusalem
:
in the holy city he sought counsel from
:
Peter and James engaging in intense
:
discussions for days concerning the
:
resurrection and the life and identity
:
of Jesus Christ
:
Saul was excited to be among the
:
Believers those who saw and lived with
:
Jesus while he was on Earth
:
yet Saul’s homecoming was far from
:
welcoming the Sanhedrin had caught wind
:
of his arrival and his preaching they
:
were not happy with him
:
fearing the potential backlash and
:
revenge against Saul the apostles
:
decided to send him back to his hometown
:
of Tarsus they thought he would be safer
:
in the familiar environment of the city
:
that is how Saul departed Jerusalem and
:
spent the next three years in Tarsus the
:
city of his birth while Paul was away in
:
Tarsus Apostle Peter received a powerful
:
Revelation as he gazed Skyward in a
:
dream a sheet descended from the heavens
:
bearing a multitude of clean and unclean
:
animals Peter was confounded by the
:
vision until God showed him the meaning
:
of the symbolic vision
:
God told Peter that it means the
:
Gentiles were to be welcomed into the
:
Salvation offered by Jesus Christ armed
:
with this newfound Revelation Peter and
:
the other Apostles decided to send one
:
of the faithfuls Barnabas to Antioch his
:
mission was to help nurture and guide
:
the burgeoning Gentile church that had
:
taken root in the city Antioch is the
:
city where the word Christian denoting
:
the followers of Jesus Christ was first
:
used realizing his limited knowledge of
:
the city Barnabas recognized the need
:
for a capable companion he promptly
:
sought out Saul a man well versed in
:
Hellenistic culture to assist in
:
nurturing the emerging community
:
until now news of Jesus Christ had
:
primarily spread through the accounts of
:
Travelers who had journeyed to Jerusalem
:
heard the good news and returned to
:
their homes
:
however after a year of guiding the
:
Antioch Church Saul and Barnabas
:
received a Divine calling to proclaim
:
the message of Salvation and Redemption
:
embodied in Jesus Christ to the Gentile
:
cities scattered throughout the known
:
world
:
they believed that by establishing local
:
churches the global kingdom of God would
:
flourish their Vision extended Westward
:
reaching as far as Spain in pursuit of
:
their mission they Enlisted the help of
:
John Mark
:
although the initial missionary journey
:
may seem modest The Experience helped
:
Saul’s identity and the collective
:
identity of the Christian church
:
the group embarked from solely a
:
bustling Port City in Antioch and set
:
sail for Cyprus it was there that a
:
Roman Proctor named sergius paulus
:
embraced Christianity
:
this was a major breakthrough for the
:
early church realizing the potential for
:
greater Outreach by adopting a more
:
Hellenistic name like their Newfound
:
convert Saul officially changed his name
:
to Paul of Tarsus after departing Cyprus
:
they aimed for Persia in pamphilia
:
however they encountered formidable
:
opposition along the way the situation
:
was so bad that John Mark had to
:
withdraw from the mission for fear for
:
his life he later returned to Jerusalem
:
undeterred Paul and Barnabas pressed on
:
venturing further north to another city
:
named Antioch but this time in presidia
:
it was in presidia that Paul delivered a
:
powerful sermon in a Jewish synagogue
:
however facing staunch resistance once
:
again he made the decision to redirect
:
his preaching exclusively to the
:
Gentiles leaving the Jewish audience for
:
the time being
:
their Journey continued from Antioch of
:
pasidia heading east to Iconium where
:
they confronted yet another wave of
:
opposition they were faced with the
:
threat of being stoned to death they
:
fled to lystra this marked a turning
:
point in their mission after witnessing
:
the miraculous healing of a crippled man
:
in Jesus name the Gentiles mistook
:
Barnabas for Zeus and Paul for Hermes
:
the Greek gods but the local Jewish
:
leaders were not amused they thought
:
Paul and Barnabas have encouraged the
:
blasphemy by their actions they sought
:
to Stone Paul and nearly succeeded
:
[Music]
:
Paul and Barnabas escaped from lystra
:
and sought refuge in Derby where they
:
found respite and preached the gospel
:
returning along the northern route they
:
visited the more receptive churches in
:
Antioch of posidia before eventually
:
reaching Italia
:
upon their return to Antioch they found
:
certain disciples from Judea who had
:
arrived at their church and were
:
insisting that the Gentile converts must
:
adhere to the law of Moses as well as
:
undergo circumcision to be considered
:
true Christians
:
this generated a serious debate Paul and
:
Barnabas resolved to take the matter to
:
the apostles in Jerusalem a journey they
:
undertake between and A.D under
:
the guidance of apostle James who
:
presided over the Jerusalem Council
:
Peter John and the other apostles who
:
chose to remain in Jerusalem engaged in
:
a passionate debate concerning the
:
significance of the law of Moses for the
:
Gentiles
:
this discussion would resonates
:
throughout the New Testament on this
:
crucial Day James and the apostles sided
:
with Paul affirming that Gentile
:
Believers need not adhere to specific
:
Jewish customs in order to follow Jesus
:
Christ the cross of Jesus Christ had
:
achieved what we could not accomplish by
:
the Fulfillment of the law
:
no longer were Gentiles obliged to
:
observe the law but rather they were to
:
Express gratitude and reverence for the
:
god of Israel
:
filled with excitement over this
:
liberating decision Paul and Barnabas
:
returned to Antioch in that same year
:
they resolved to embark on another
:
missionary journey spreading the good
:
news among the Gentiles however an
:
unexpected disagreement arose between
:
the two missionaries remember that John
:
Mark had for fear for his life left an
:
earlier Mission he embarked on with Paul
:
and Barnabas while Barnabas forgave John
:
Mark and was willing to include him on
:
the new Journey Paul viewed him as a
:
liability and refused his participation
:
heavy discussion ensued however both
:
Paul and Barnabas could not agree on the
:
issue consequently Paul parted ways with
:
Barnabas and embarked on his second
:
missionary journey alongside Silas and a
:
young man named Timothy the plan for
:
this second Journey mirrored the first
:
to revisit the churches they had
:
established on their initial trip
:
however they decided to venture further
:
west to troas departing from Antioch
:
they Revisited the churches in lystra
:
Iconium and Antioch of pasidia with the
:
intention of extending their reach into
:
bithynia however unexpectedly through
:
divine intervention they were led to
:
trois instead
:
while sleeping at their camp in trois
:
Paul abruptly awoke to find himself on
:
the shores of the Port City beholding a
:
man across the waters in Macedonia
:
beckoning to him
:
recognizing this as a message from the
:
spirit of God Paul understood that a new
:
chapter awaited them
:
the following day the missionaries
:
embarked on their Journey towards
:
Apollonia a port city in the northern
:
corner of Greece accompanying them was
:
their friend and writer Luke diligently
:
gathering information for his book they
:
trekked northward from Apollonia
:
reaching Philippi after a half Day’s
:
Journey it was in Philippi that Paul and
:
his companions experienced imprisonment
:
for the first time it was not a pleasant
:
experience as you would imagine ancient
:
city prisons were wretched and cruel
:
places wreaking of dampness and
:
resembling horse stables often they were
:
mere holes or caves dug in the Heart of
:
the City
:
Paul and Silas even in prison continued
:
to pray praise and sing joyfully for God
:
heard their prayers and the Holy Spirit
:
moved in and rendered the gates of the
:
prison open
:
this miracle was so evident that even
:
the jailers were converted to Jesus
:
Christ departing from Philippi they
:
arrived in Thessaloniki causing such a
:
commotion that they had to make a hasty
:
night escape to Berea
:
from Berea they set sail to Athens a
:
city that surely held great anticipation
:
for Paul
:
however their stay there was brief Paul
:
delivered his renowned sermon on the
:
areopagus but was met with ridicule
:
prompting their quick departure to
:
Corinth in Corinth they settled for a
:
year and a half during which time Paul
:
composed his letters to the church in
:
Thessaloniki after one year and a half
:
in Corinth they embarked on a sea
:
Journey making stops at centria and
:
Ephesus before finally returning to
:
Jerusalem though the journey was
:
significantly longer it enabled the
:
spreading of the Gospel message even
:
further yet Paul’s work was far from
:
complete
:
he planned for a third missionary
:
journey setting out for it a year later
:
in A.D
:
at this point Paul is nearing the age of
:
surpassing the average lifespan of
:
many of his Brethren by almost a decade
:
as he departs from his home base in
:
Antioch little does he realize that he
:
will never return yet as he will later
:
write to live is Christ and to die is
:
gain in approximately A.D he sets out
:
from Antioch revisiting all the churches
:
in Asia Minor before embarking on a
:
direct Westward trajectory his first
:
significant stop is Ephesus where he
:
invested three arduous years at the
:
church he had established two years
:
earlier many remarkable events unfolded
:
within this church
:
Paul composed his renowned letters to
:
the Corinthians
:
urging them to support the relief
:
efforts for the famine stricken
:
Jerusalem at the time he also dispatched
:
missionaries from Ephesus to the
:
churches in colossi and laodixia which
:
the Visionary John will later address in
:
his writings through extraordinary
:
Miracles and impactful sermons Paul led
:
many people to Jesus Christ continuing
:
his journey Paul proceeds to throw us
:
where his late night sermon
:
inadvertently causes a young boy to fall
:
from a window resulting in his death
:
Paul raises the boy from the dead
:
solidifying his place among the
:
illustrious Biblical characters we read
:
about today
:
departing from troas he traveled through
:
Macedonia and Ikea composing his letter
:
to the Roman Church and addressing the
:
galatian church along the way
:
however eventually his extensive
:
four-year Journey Drew to a close Paul
:
concludes his travels with one final
:
stop in the small Port City of melitus
:
preferring not to return to Ephesus he
:
summons the leaders of the Ephesian
:
church to meet him there
:
it was here Paul revealed a plan to
:
travel back to Jerusalem both he and the
:
Ephesian leaders understood that this
:
will ultimately end up in his arrest and
:
death
:
of course the Ephesian Council of church
:
leaders advising against Paul’s return
:
to Jerusalem however his mind was made
:
up after a while amidst tears they
:
ultimately surrendered to allow God’s
:
will to Prevail thus Paul set off on his
:
journey towards his inevitable death
:
upon his arrival in Jerusalem the
:
atmosphere was as tense as he had
:
foreseen the Sanhedrin was incensed by
:
his departure from Judaism and his
:
preaching to the Gentiles they accuse
:
him of advocating for the abandonment of
:
the law of Moses and disregarding the
:
Lord’s commands
:
Paul denied these allegations however
:
his appeal and denial of the their
:
charges made no difference Paul was
:
arrested again
:
from Jerusalem Paul was transported to
:
the coastal city of caesarea Paul had
:
access to study materials writing
:
supplies and preaching resources yet
:
instead of engaging in these activities
:
he opted for a much needed rest in
:
contemplation for a significant period
:
of time he eventually appealed to be
:
sent to Rome
:
around A.D Festus assumes the role of
:
procurator over the Council of Judea he
:
received Paul’s appeal ultimately Paving
:
the way for his journey to Rome
:
this journey is marked by no less
:
trouble than his previous Ventures he
:
endures shipwrecks storms snake bites
:
and several confrontations by A.D
:
Paul arrives in Rome where he spends the
:
final year of his life under house
:
arrest however this period of seclusion
:
and rest served as a catalyst for his
:
prolific work he writes renowned letters
:
such as Colossians Ephesians Philippians
:
and Philemon
:
within the confines of his house arrest
:
he assumed the role of a pastor
:
answering inquiries addressing issues
:
and resolving complex theological
:
challenges that plagued the early church
:
after a year under house arrest Caesar
:
orders Paul’s release and he embarked on
:
a journey back to Macedonia
:
he spends several months traveling
:
throughout Macedonia and Asia Minor
:
visiting and encouraging the churches he
:
had established years ago
:
during this time he composed his first
:
letter to Timothy and his letters to
:
Titus
:
however in A.D Nero ascends to the
:
Roman throne and everything changed it
:
is difficult to underestimate the
:
profound impact that Nero had on the
:
first century church although his name
:
may not be explicitly mentioned in the
:
Bible his presence looms large Nero’s
:
ruthless acts such as burning Christians
:
alive for his Twisted entertainment
:
instigated much of the persecution
:
referred to in letters like James and
:
revelation
:
many scholars even view him as the
:
archetypal embodiment of the Beast
:
described in the Book of Revelation
:
some would say his brutal and fervent
:
opposition to Christianity could explain
:
why his name is conspicuously absent
:
from the biblical text
:
when the great fire engulfed Rome in
:
A.D Nero seized the opportunity to lay
:
blame on the followers of the Jesus the
:
growing sect that had emerged across his
:
vast Empire he accused Paul The
:
prominent advocate for the Gentile
:
Christians of setting the fire to the
:
city
:
consequently Paul was arrested for the
:
final time it was during this
:
imprisonment that he wrote his power
:
letter known as second Timothy soon
:
after he was bound led to the
:
Executioner’s block and beheaded under
:
the direction of Nero sometime between
:
and A.D
:
Paul is one of the finest men the world
:
had ever known
:
his hair whitened by toil for the
:
betterment of humanity and the glory of
:
God
:
Paul’s Legacy and his message
:
reverberates throughout world even today
:
thank you for watching before you go and
:
appeal from us please subscribe like and
:
share this video
:
let us know what you think of this video
:
we are not perfect if we have made a
:
mistake please be kind in your brotherly
:
correction God bless you may the name of
:
the Lord Jesus Christ be praised forever
:
and ever amen
