Paul's Great Cause
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Text
Text
Main Idea
Main Idea
Paul’s cause was the spreading of the gospel through the establishment of local churches. The organism of the body of Christ (the uniting of Jew and Gentile through faith in Christ) was unknown in times past, it was deliberately hidden. But now the mystery had been revealed, God has a purpose and a plan in this age and it is his Church!
The church is not something to casually attend as your time and schedule allow. It is not something to garnish your life with as you see fit. It is not simply a place to go when you have nowhere else to turn. It is a cause worthy of your commitment! It is a cause worthy of your life!
Introduction
Introduction
Paul has just finished explaining the mystery of the body of Christ, the Church. This unified body of both Jew and Gentile was evidently very important to Paul. You can see this in chapter 3 as he refers to it as a “cause”.
When you hear a man like Paul describe the truth of the church this way it might cause your mind to travel back to a young man by the name of David and his encounter with the Philistine named Goliath.
Narration of that story and the climax of when David concludes “is there not a cause”?
And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
How dare Goliath mock the true and living God, something must be done!
He had a cause!
Or perhaps you might think of the man named Nehemiah. He was burdened for the condition of his homeland so he presented the problem to the king and was allowed to go and carry out his mission of rebuilding those walls that surrounded Jerusalem. It wasn't long before he faced opposition by Sanballet and Tobiah. His response is legendary:
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
He had a cause!
Declaration: Paul had a cause and it showed up in his life
Preposition: What are we living for? .....Whatever it is, it will be evident in our life!
Transition: There are three elements (or pieces of evidence) to Paul’s cause that I want us to notice:
I. For the cause Paul was a Prisoner (v.1)
I. For the cause Paul was a Prisoner (v.1)
“for this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles”
Why was he a prisioner?
Who was he a prisioner for?
II. For the cause Paul was a Preacher (v.7)
II. For the cause Paul was a Preacher (v.7)
“Whereof I was made a minister.....that I should preach among the Gentiles”
Preaching is not just standing up and saying words with authority
Ministry is revieving God’s grace and then taking that grace to a place where you can give it to someone else
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
given me- toward you!
III. For the cause Paul was a Prayer Warrior (v.14)
III. For the cause Paul was a Prayer Warrior (v.14)
“For this cause I bow my knees”
Conclusion
Conclusion
If you really look at Paul’s cause you will see it is really God’s cause. Paul deserted his own cause to take up another. It was not something he initially desired, it was something God called him to do!
Another thing you might notice about this cause was that it was all about the people whom God had called Paul to minister to. He was a prisoner for them, he was a preacher for them and he was a prayer warrior for them.
His life was really all about others. Which is really what ministry is all about…what the Christian life is all about!
Paul’s Cause…reaching others through the revealed mystery of the local church!
Paul’s cause is our cause! Its the only cause! Its the only reason why we are still here! Its the only reason why God has not raptured us out of here!
What are you doing with you life for the cause?