Finding Jesus Journey

It is as if Paul lives in the sun and knowledge of the world, baring that burden while others in society live in darkness with slight sliver of light from the moon believing they know the world to its full extent when in reality they are blind and in the dark. This affects Paul since he possess ideas from another point of view that others have no clue about. This is important because without the knowledge that Paul posses, he would be like his none the wiser parents, which would affect the story a great deal. For example, on page 152, Paul tells his friend, “Don’t do this. Don’t come in here with attitude.” Paul knows how to adapt to the places around him and knows that by accepting the facts and the brunt of the blow, they will accept him begin to

Though Jesus was sinless and undeserving of death, he offered himself as a sacrifice in atonement for all sin (Invitation to World Religions, pg.418). Paul was always emphatic in maintaining that salvation cannot be earned by “works”, whether humans’ effort to obey the commandments in the Torah or excellent work in general. Instead, he taught that the salvation made possible by Christ’s sacrifice is a gift, the ultimate expression of God’s love and grace. Salvation is given to those who respond to God’s grace in faith, the conviction that God has acted through Jesus Christ to amend for human sin. Although Paul was very clear in teaching that salvation depends on God’s grace and the individual’s turning to God in faith, he did not dismiss the importance of works (Invitation to World Religions, pg.419). For Paul, faith does more than bringing salvation; it unites the believers with Christ in a “newness of life”. He believed that the spirit lives in believers and brings them into union with God. As a divine presence within, the spirit encourages the growth of spiritual virtues, the greatest which is love and makes all Christians one in the church often called “the body of Christ”.

Paul’s letter to the Romans can be broken down into four major sections. Within each of these sections there is a single compelling issue. Within the context of these respective issues, several interpretive questions can be answered through the interpretative process. These answers help us to understand how to apply the spiritual principals to our lives, as well as, help us compel other individuals to apply these spiritual principles within their lives.

Paul was the most prominent apostle in the early Church because he was so effective at forming Christian communities.

Our source of knowledge of the apostolic work of Paul comes first from the Book of Acts. The epistles written by Paul serve to further our knowledge of his mission. These letters were written to churches that he had founded or churches that were known to him. Luke’s account of Paul introduces us to the basic facts about this important biblical figure. A more complete understanding of Paul’s journeys can be gleaned from his letters. These epistles were written almost at the time they occurred and they comprise some of the earliest works contained in the New Testament.

Paul experienced a transformation which altered his self-understanding and the way he employed his many gifts. Paul’s mission was to preach and teach the gospel of Jesus the Christ to the Gentile nations. (Acts

St. Paul wasn’t always a holy man. He once was a man who persecuted Christians, but when he saw a vision of Jesus, his whole life turned around and made him one of the key contributors to the success of the Church. St. Paul represented the four marks of the church every day of his life after his sudden conversion. The main teachings he lived by, which are the four marks of the Church, were one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. As he followed these morals, he spread them all over the world. His preaching is one of the main reasons the Church thrives today and has so many members. He set an example for new Christians to act as he traveled the world.

Introduction: In these few verses Apostle Paul exhorts and directs Christians how to behave themselves in the spiritual warfare with the enemies of their soul; And to the exercise of several Christians grace, which he propose to them as so many pieces of spiritual armor , to preserve and defend them in the conflict. The apostle encouraged them about their duty.

When Paul was moving from location to location he provide the people that he was mentoring with the information to become successful. As a matter of fact, the same information that Paul was giving to the people of the early church, this same information is pertinent for the believer today. Paul especially provides the elders of the church to be great examples for the body of Christ (1 Peter 5:3). In addition, he told the church of Ephesus, to remember what they seem him do and how he conducted himself (Acts 20:17). It is quite evident that Paul understood the mandate that was put on his life.

Jesus must have known that believers would be lost without him walking along with his people, therefore he left the Holy Spirit behind to help those that needed some assistance along the life’s journey. The Holy Spirt helped Paul along his journey as well to be where he was once at in his life, to be a true testament that the Holy Spirit is alive and still at work in many lives. Through Paul’s reaching out to the churches he was involved with even while in prison allowed the believers to draw closer to Christ. With the help of Paul’s teaching and Jesus anointing then the Jews and the Gentiles came together as one to learn about the Holy Spirt and how he can advance the early church into the church of today.

The Bible is definitely not the only source about Jesus’ life in fact there are many. Evidence to support this is the many other books about Jesus and the journeys he went on. Some of the books are Jewish sources such as Josephus and Roman sources like Tacitus. Other sources like Christian sources such as the Pauline letters and the Synoptic Gospels.

The book of Acts describes how Paul was ministering in Antioch with Barnabas, when he was directed by the Holy Spirit to be released from his Church duties. The Holy Spirit had another assignment for Paul, and that was to go and take the Gospel more widely. Some believe that this notion came from the Holy Spirit through fasting and prayer. Paul began his first missionary in the town of Antioch. Throughout Paul’s first missionary journey he was accompanied by Barnabas and Barnabas cousin John Mark.

Paul told his followers to do this after commanding them to be Spirit filled in Ephesians 5 18-19 it states.

God’s Holy Spirit takes sinners and sanctifies them for His service. It is by the ministry of the Holy Spirit that individuals are lead to minister to locations and at times ordained by God. Apostle Paul’s ministry is an example of a spiritual service inaugurated by the Lord Himself and led by the Holy Spirit. Saul was on a mission to annihilate those who were followers of Jesus. Saul was on his way to continue persecuting the church of God when he had a startling and dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus. Saul’s spirit man recognized that he was talking to Jesus Christ, Son of God.

In this session, I will be discussing verse-by-verse to get a better understanding of the passage. The scripture begins, Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. (Mark 8:27, NIV). According to Donahue and Harrington, the term “villages” refers to the small settlements surrounding the larger city. Furthermore, the scripture is located on the southern slope of Mount Hermon and near one of the sources of the river Jordan, this area represents the northern tip of the land of Israel (2002, p. 260). In this passage it explains that the journey taken by Jesus and his disciples will go from Caesarea Philippi (8:27) to Jerusalem (11:1). According to Donahue and Harrington, “Most important than the geographical itinerary, however, is the spiritual itinerary in which Mark’s readers are led to face the mystery of the cross and its implications for the way of discipleship” (2002, p. 260). Furthmore, the passage goes into detail when Jesus asked them, “Who do people say I am?” (Mark 8:27, NIV). They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets” (Mark 8:28, NIV). So, in that moment, Jesus put all things to the test. He asked his disciples what people were saying about him and he heard from them the popular rumors and reports. Then Jesus asked them a question to see if they understand who he really was. “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah” (Mark 8:29,