Fit For Service (Part 3 - Paul)

This is week two in our study on being fit for service. Today we will be looking at the life of Paul to see what made him fit for service and usable by God. 

During my studies I have found many attributes of Paul that made him fit for service, however, I want to focus on only six.  

First, Paul had a heart of worship.  

The 1828 Webster’s Dictionary defines praise as: To extol in words or song; to magnify; to glorify on account of perfections or excellent works. 

Acts 16:19-25, When her masters saw that the hope of their profits was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace to the rulers. And they brought them to the magistrates, saying, “These men, being Jews, greatly trouble our city and teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.” 

The crowd rose up together against them. And the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them. After they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely. Having received such an order, he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 

At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. (MEV) 

Here we read that after being dragged into the marketplace, striped, beaten, and thrown into prison, Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God. They not only prayed and sang, but it was loud enough for the other prisoners to hear. Their hearts were full of worship to God, rather than bitterness about their situation.  

I do not know about you; however, I know that when I face situations in my life that do not go “my way”, I often struggle to be thankful in the moment. It is far easier to grumble or throw my own pity party than it is to worship. Paul had every reason to feel sorry for himself, however, He chose to worship rather than complain. It is a testimony to his heart of worship. If we can worship in hard times, we truly have a heart of worship. 

Second, Paul lived to please God rather than men.  

In Galatians 1:10 Paul says, “For am I now seeking the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? For if I were still trying to please men, I would not be the servant of Christ.” (MEV) 

This morning as I was enjoying my time with the Lord, He gave me a demonstration through nature of this principle of pleasing God rather than man.  

Across the street is a huge tree. As I was praying, my attention was drawn to a little squirrel at the base of the tree. He was running, jumping, hopping, and bouncing on and off the tree trunk. As I was observing his antics, Holy Spirit spoke to me, He told me that we, like that little squirrel, were created for God’s pleasure. That little squirrel wasn’t looking over his shoulder to see what the other animals and birds thought of his behavior. He was enjoying being who God had created him to be.  

We were created to live free from the cares of this life, to enjoy God’s blessings, and to live to please God. We were not created to worry about where our next meal would come from, whether our clothes are the latest fashion..., or if others approve of us. We were created, by God, to please Him and Him alone! 

Third, Paul walked in humility.  

A little back story, Paul was a Jewish born Roman citizen. He was blessed with the best education a Jewish young man could receive. He was trained as a Pharisee headed toward becoming a Rabbi. He was taught by Gamaliel, an esteemed Rabbi of that day.  

Acts 22:3, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. At the feet of Gamaliel I was trained in the strict tradition of the law of the fathers, being zealous toward God as you all are today.” (MEV) 

Webster’s 1828 dictionary states: In theology, humility consists in lowliness of mind; a deep sense of one's own unworthiness in the sight of God, self-abasement, penitence for sin, and submission to the divine will. 

Repeatedly in his writings Paul acknowledged his humanity and his inability to live for Christ apart from Christ’s grace. He identified with his readers in their struggle to live in subjection to Christ rather than to their carnal nature.  

Romans 7:21-25a, I find then a law that when I desire to do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God according to the inner man, but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (MEV) 

In 1 Corinthians Paul gives us the key to humility and holiness: bringing and keeping our lives under subjection to Christ.  

1 Corinthians 9:27, But I bring and keep my body under subjection, lest when preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (MEV)   

This is not a one and done! It is a daily repenting, submitting, resisting... and repeat. It requires our constant attention and obedience to Holy Spirit. We must humbly acknowledge our own weaknesses and propensity toward sin, repenting, submitting, and resisting! 

Fourthly, Paul lived a selfless life. 

Romans 3:9, For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers, my kinsmen by race, (ESV) 

“He could even wish himself accursed or cut off from Christ if through the forfeiting of his own salvation his Jewish brothers might be saved. In this strong statement of self-abnegation, we sense the highest form of human love—that which constrains a man to lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).”i  

John 15:13, Greater love has no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends. (ESV) 

Paul was so concerned about the lost coming to Christ that if it had been possible, he would have been willing to give his salvation for them.  

In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul explains how we can walk in selflessness. The short answer is to walk in love! 

“One of the most important characteristics of love is generosity, which is the opposite of selfishness. Love seeks the well-being of others, and this involves the giving of the self for the sake of others.”ii 

Fifth, Paul was focused on fulfilling God’s calling on his life. 

Philippians 1:20-22, Accordingly, it is my earnest expectation and my hope that I shall be ashamed in nothing, but that with all boldness as always, so now also, Christ will be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For to me, to continue living is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor to me. Yet I do not know what I shall choose. (MEV) 

Here we see Paul’s heart to fulfill his calling. He acknowledged that whether his was to live or die, his life would have been used for God. If he died, he would die for the cause of Christ, if he lived, he would live to produce much spiritual fruit (winning souls to Christ).  

1 Thessalonians 2:17-18, But since we were taken away from you, believers, for a little while—in person, but not in heart—we endeavored, with great longing to see you face to face. For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again [wanted to come], but Satan hindered us. (AMP) 

“Thessalonica was a prominent city in Macedonia (in modern-day Greece) due to its location: it had a seaport on the Aegean Sea and was a principal stop on the Egnatian Way, a major Roman road. Paul and Silas traveled to Thessalonica from Phillipi on Paul’s second missionary journey to preach the news about Jesus. He spent three weeks teaching in the Jewish synagogue, but most of the Thessalonian Jews became indignant and formed a mob to drive the men out of the city. However, “some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women” (Acts 17:4). That was the beginning of the church at Thessalonica.”iii 

As we read in 1 Thessalonians above, Paul longed to visit his spiritual children in Thessalonica. His desire was to return so he could encourage them in their faith and see that they were bearing fruit for the Kingdom.  

As a father cares for his children (feeds, protects, nurtures, trains...), Paul understood that his calling had multiple facets as well. He planted (preached the gospel), watered (encouraged, loved, blessed...), reaped the harvest (lead men and women to salvation in Christ). Paul longed to see those who had been reaped for the Kingdom fulfilling their callings by reproducing in others what God, through Paul, had produced in them. Thereby ensuring that whether he lived or died, the Kingdom would advance!! 

Finally, Paul lived with eternity in mind. 

Phillipians 3:14, My eyes are on the crown. I want to win the race and get the crown of God’s call from heaven through Christ Jesus. (NIV) 

2 Corinthians 5:9-10, Therefore, whether we are at home [on earth] or away from home [and with Him], it is our [constant] ambition to be pleasing to Him. For we [believers will be called to account and] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad [that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives—the use or misuse of his time, opportunities and abilities]. (AMP) 

“Notice that Paul wanted to be well pleasing to Him, whether present or absent. This means that his service on earth was designed to bring pleasure to the heart of his Lord, whether Paul was still here on earth or whether he was standing before the Judgment Seat of Christ.” iv 

Paul lived with the understanding that this life is only temporary. He lived and worked to please Christ. As we have already seen, Paul was dedicated to winning the lost and building up the body of Christ. He did all of this with a view of eternity in his mind’s eye. He knew that one day he would have to give an account of his life before the Throne of God. We must remember that we are only passing through this world, it is not our home! We must work and minister with the constant awareness that we will one day we will be going home!!!! I want to hear the Father say, “Well Done!” 

In conclusion, to be fit for service for our King, we must: have a heart of worship, live to please God rather than man, walk in humility, live a selfless life, focus on fulfilling God’s calling on our life, and live with eternity in our mind. 

If we find ourselves struggling in one of these areas, we must remind ourselves of the truth we find in 2 Corinthians 12:9a, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” (NLT) 

 

 Works Cited:

i Believer's Bible Commentary Copyright © 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 2016 by William MacDonald. 

ii https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/selfless-love 

iii https://www.gotquestions.org/church-at-Thessalonica.html 

iv Believer's Bible Commentary Copyright © 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 2016 by William MacDonald.