My Friend, Paul

For the past 27 weeks, I've been taking my little Sunday School class verse by verse through the book of Acts.  It's been an amazing journey through the history of the early church and through the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul.  Each week since his conversion in Chapter 9, his personality and style have been fleshed out through the scriptures.  I've always loved Paul, but I admit that I could  identify more closely with Peter.  I've always sort of seen Paul as the "go to" guy for doctrine.   In my imagination of what they would have been like if you'd have been there and could have known them, Peter seemed the guy to talk to, while Paul seemed the guy to listen to.  (I know that may seem silly but I don't think you can diligently study the Word without developing a relationship of sorts with its authors as well as its Author.)

 But I've changed my impression of Paul through this study.  Now, when I read his epistles, I can almost see the man behind the letters--his passion for the Gospel, his love for the churches, his willingness to both discipline and restore.  More importantly, the more I see of Paul, the more I see of the Trinity--God's sovereign plan, Christ's Person and Work, and the Spirit's guidance and direction.

Ephesians 1 has always been one of my favorite "go to" passages in all of scripture.  I've read it more times than I can count or will ever know, for it is chock full of the doctrines of grace.  But when I read it again this morning, I didn't just thrill to the great theological sweep of the chapter, I saw Paul, the man, writing to his beloved friends in Ephesus, speaking to them of the things he desired above all other things that they remember. I can imagine how those words echoed in the minds of the Ephesian elders.

He had laid the foundation of doctrine while he was laying the foundation of friendship--with the Ephesians and the Galatians and the Caesareans and with every one he taught, even me.

Paul's a great guy to get to know.