Nathan Schipper - Class 1: Pleased to Meet You Paul

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

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   Good morning, everyone. Hope you all slept incredibly well. This week we're going to be doing a My Country Rules competition. So I'm going to be asking questions all the way through the week. And I have Smarties here. Packets of Smarties. Not just like an individual one. Packets of Smarties. So whenever you answer a question, you will get a packet of Smarties. And you also have to call out your country of origin.

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   And I'll mark it up on the board here. And whichever country at the end has the most marks wins. I think it will be Australia, even though there's only about five of us here. But you watch. I bet you will be Australia. Now the question I have is do I put like Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and England all down as the UK?

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   No, you don't want to be. You want your own separate countries? I thought you'd want to increase your chances of winning by going like UK. Britain and Wales.

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   The Lions. Okay. Now what do you want? UK or Britain and UK? UK? Right. UK. We're doing Wales. USA. Right. What other countries do we have here? I know there's USA.

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   US. I know there's a German here. At least one German. Is that right? Five? Who said five? Five of you? Right. That'll do. Canada. Canada? No, that's US.

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   I'm joking, alright? I'm joking. Who else do we have? Scotland. Are you for real? That's Wales? Or UK? You want Scotland? Done. Scots. What else do we have? Aussies. How could I forget these awesome people?

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   Australia. What else? Fantastic. Welcome. Nigeria. Anybody else? Cornwall. Who said that? Is that it? Alright. Last night, actually, after the intro talk, one young guy came up and reminded me, he wouldn't tell me his name. He actually wouldn't give me his name, and I don't blame him after what he said. He reminded me that you guys sent all the convicts to Australia, so I must be a convict.

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   Well, interestingly, my great-great-great-grandfather was actually a convict who was sent to Australia for stealing bread. So you'll know when I find out who you are, because I will steal your lunch. Be careful. Be very, very careful. Alright. I didn't put up some photos last night of the kids, and they're wandering around, so just so you know who they all are.

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   That is the oldest one. She's Jaslyn. We were at Zipwell just the other day. Have you guys been there? It's in North Wales. You do 165 miles of kilometres an hour. Sorry. 165 kilometres an hour strapped into this suit like a little bomb that's flying down for a mile. It's a zip that goes for 1,600 metres.

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    It is awesome. 165 kilometres an hour. That's her. Jaslyn's her name. This is the second one, Tiana or Titi. That's her after throwing herself off a 110-foot platform. She was all thumbs up. She thought it was pretty good. And the youngest, she's six. The youngest one, who's four, she likes to tell me she's nearly five.

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    Her name's Ashton, and she also threw herself off this 110-foot platform, which, yeah, I did as well after they wanted to. I probably wouldn't have, but they inspired me to do so. Right. So let's get going. What we're going to do today is just get to know a man who wrote, well, probably half the New Testament, right?

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    We're going to acquaint ourselves a little bit more with this man. But before we meet Paul, we need to appreciate Saul. And to do that, let's start in Philippians chapter 3. Philippians 3 gives us a pretty good introduction to Saul of Tarsus. Thanks. actually sorry before I go has everybody written that question down that I asked last night written it down remember the question was where will you be and what will you be doing in 10 years from now if you keep doing what you're doing now if you haven't written it down please do write it down where will you be and what will you be doing 10 years from now if you keep doing what you're doing now write it down and give it to somebody wow that's a bit loud give it to somebody and think about it during the week and hopefully at the end of the week you'll have an answer to that question okay so Philippians chapter 3 this ex-pharisee right because Saul was an ex-pharisee he really doesn't hold back in Philippians chapter 3 he completely lets loose on himself lets loose on himself and gives us a very good introduction as to what he was like his home trophies and awards covered every single wall of his home in verse 4 to 6 of Philippians chapter 3 he says I've got awards I've got accomplishments that absolutely no one else does no one else had a list like Saul of Tarsus in today's language right he had the Nobel Peace Prize he had the Pulitzer he had the Man Booker he had the Golden Boot the Order of the Garda

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    the Order of the Merit the Oscar the Grammy the Emmy the Golden Globe he had the lot he was the rising star he was Lord Saul of Tarsus forget Lord Sugar this guy he was Lord Saul of Tarsus in fact when you look at verse 6 look at what it says touching at the end of verse 6 touching the righteousness which is in the law he was blameless blameless now because we're not in the first century and because we're not Jewish I didn't see anyone write up or anyone say they're from Israel because we're not we don't live in the first century and because we're not Jewish we don't understand and don't appreciate what that means but if you lived in the first century you'd take your hat off to a man like that you'd take your hat off to him he was the role model he was walking perfection when you read the Jerusalem Times you read Saul of Tarsus when you listen to the rabbis of the day his name was the name they dropped he'd been promoted till his head hit the seal who's a household name over here not George Alexander Lewis who give me a household name Andy Murray Andy Murray he's useless tennis bat Andy Murray everybody knows Andy Murray well that was Saul of Tarsus his was a household name everybody knew him he was a paragon of human perfection with earthly awards covering every wall of his house and one day he left Jerusalem bound for Damascus with a court summons for every Christian he could find for Paul that day was just like any other normal

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    garden variety day shift on the Jewish Inquisition no angel heralded the day no one whispered in his ear at breakfast as he was munching on his cornflakes saying pay attention today Paul because today is going to be your day there were no neon signs saying watch out watch out today is the day no that day was just like any other day and you know that's the way God works that is the way God works in your life as well without even a hint of warning you may be catching the bus you may be doing the ironing you may be writing an assignment you may be changing nappies if you're lucky enough to do that you may be plugging numbers into a calculator you may be seeing patients you may be sitting at your desk you may be having tea whatever you're doing that's your day that's your life and it may be on that day that normal standard garden variety day that God sends his son you know you'd never have guessed it when you woke up in the morning you couldn't have predicted it and that's God's method he doesn't need neon signs blinking saying get ready get ready I'm coming I'm about to send my son he doesn't need that he doesn't need any of those warnings whatsoever and the apostle Paul or Saul as he was then was about to find that out and Saul took that trip to Damascus and discovered that all those awards all those papers he'd written were worth absolutely nothing absolutely nothing all the things that he placed value on he says I took them out and put

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    them in that bin by the side of the road and rolled it out to the edge of the road to go in that dump truck because Christ came along and said all your papers all those awards that cover the walls of your house are worthless you've failed you have completely failed and that's what Paul's saying in Philippians chapter 3 I failed I failed now now my kids like playing let's pretend and you guys are just a bit older than they are so are you okay if we just play let's pretend for a moment I want you to pretend I want you to imagine for a moment that you live on the outskirts of Vienna it's 1940 the Nazis occupy the city that you once called home in fact the entire country is under Nazi occupation your relatives have vanished they were actually arrested secretly in the middle of the night and as a result you've made the painful decision to take your family and flee to a remote cottage far away in the mountains and the night before your planned departure you're awakened in the middle

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    mind I've revealed myself to him go and restore his eyesight for he will save your people his name is Adolf Hitler you know humanly speaking humanly speaking young people the conversion of Saul of Tarsus was as likely as Hitler saving the Jews Saul you're joking right you're joking Saul you're sure you've got that name right Christ told Ananias that Saul was blind and praying somewhere if I was Ananias I would have said keep him blind he's trying to kill us Ananias double checked that Christ had got the right name and what was the response go I will show him how much he will suffer for my name's sake and we know what happened that raging bull became a bleating lamb love I think I can say with confidence throughout our lives we've naturally adopted a mental image of Paul as being a God fearing Christian when we think of Paul we think of a great man we think of a spiritual superhero we think of his incessant drive we think of his undying love for his brothers and sisters his exceptional ability to compose letters he gave us the two letters to the Corinthians he gave us Romans which is like the magna carta of a disciple's life he gave us all those prison epistles he wrote that liberating letter to the Galatians so full of rich wisdom and relevance and we read all these stories we read what he went through we look at Paul and we think wow wow what a guy what an amazing guy incredible passion energy his devotion to God was just amazing and we're blown away with his attitude

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    in unbelievably difficult circumstances and we're just like that is nothing but raw passion we look at all that and we say he's way out of my league he is way out of my league I feel inferior I feel inadequate I could never be like that all my weaknesses my sin my sins they're so great I'm so bad just look at Paul I've done nothing like what he has and look what I've done have you ever felt like that have you ever felt like that well maybe you felt that Paul was so remarkable that godliness like his is out of reach simply unattainable maybe you felt like that you know the reality is well in God's own words he's just like you it's no different no different at all same in nature in thinking and in feelings remarkable remarkable but it's absolutely true you know the reason I was pleased to meet Paul was because Paul goes on record saying that it doesn't matter what your past is your past may be soiled your past may be very dark very very dark but you can find with God a new beginning U-turns are permitted you can start again you know the first pen portrait of Saul of Tarsus or of the apostle Paul is pretty brutal and bloody if an artist were to put oil and brush to canvas there's not one of you who would want that hanging in your laundry he looks more like a terrorist than a devout Christian the blood of Stephen splattered all over his shoes as he stood there congratulating the killers that's the first pen portrait of Saul of

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    Tarsus and with that fresh blood on his hands Paul hits the highway to Damascus desperate absolutely determined to wipe out all trace of this dreaded Jesus group and then all of a sudden there's this bolt out of the blue there's a bolt out of the blue that hits him and he finds himself in dialogue with a man that he believes is dead and buried and then not just in dialogue with this man but in a relationship with him he's got a close and a deep and an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and then not just a relationship with this man but championing the cause of that very man enter Paul the apostle and we all look at him and we're completely blown away with his passion we just feel so inadequate in his presence he's so good but if the man was alive today he'd set the record straight in a moment because you know the remarkable thing about Paul the remarkable thing about Paul is that the longer he lived and the older he got the more he realised how reliant he was on the father's mercy and the more he realised how great a sinner he actually was and in one of his last ever letters he goes on record saying that it's only by the grace of God that he'll be saved and it's the same for you it's the same for me it's only by the grace of God Paul says that he will be saved and you and I are exactly the same now what we're going to do is we're going to go on a little journey through three of

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    the letters that Paul wrote three letters and we're going to see the progression in Paul's thought and the first one is in 1 Corinthians 15 so just rewind if you can to 1 Corinthians 15 now here's a question for you this will get smarties and a score who can tell me when Corinthians was written 1 Corinthians come on Aussies actually let's just clear this up is Lynette Wiltshire UK or Australian okay she's Australian right 1 Corinthians does anyone know what it was written no that's that's minus one for the where are you from UK Wales or Scotland Australia how did I know that was coming 8060 no okay no one knows no one gets any smarties 1 Corinthians which was one of the earliest letters that Paul wrote it was one of the first that he wrote was actually written in AD 56 and I want you to have a look at 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and we'll read we'll read verse 7 on what Paul is talking about here is the people that Jesus appeared to when he rose from the dead right he says he appeared to all the apostles so how many apostles were there here's another question how many apostles were there that we know of no anyone know one more who said that right where are you from Australia I thought you said you wanted to come to Australia where are you from Wales okay one and you can have a packet of smarties James how do you feel right there were 14 14 apostles right and how does the apostle Paul describe himself have a look at what he

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    says in verse 9 he says I'm the least of the apostles so if we were to like line them up right if we were to like 1 2 3 4 5 6 he's like I'm number 14 14 of 14 apostles okay I'm the last I'm the least of all the apostles I'm not even worthy to be called an apostle okay I really shouldn't be called an apostle because of the damage that I brought upon the ecclesia years ago when I was persecuting it I'm the least of all the apostles now fast forward to Ephesians chapter 3 can anyone tell me when Ephesians was written you guys are all one year behind AD 61 and it was written five years after 1st Corinthians and have a look at how Paul described himself in Ephesians chapter 3 and we'll read verse 7 on now he is just talking about the gospel and the fact that he was given the job to preach the gospel mainly to the Gentiles right look at what he says in verse 7 whereof I was made a minister according to the gift according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power unto me who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given so what did he say in 1 Corinthians 15 he's the least of all the apostles right he's the least of all the apostles now here in Ephesians chapter 3 and it's a completely random thought it doesn't follow the train of thought at all he's talking about how he's been appointed as a minister to preach

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    the gospel to the Gentiles and it's almost like there's this little bit in brackets that says it was given to me and by the way I need you to know I'm less than the least of all the saints ! I'm less than the least of all the saints 1 Corinthians 15 I'm less than the least of all the apostles Ephesians chapter 3 five years later I am the last I am the least of all the saints now how many saints are there there's a question I'm waiting for someone to say 144,000 wrong we don't know the best answer to that is we don't know but however many there are if there's 4 million saints right Paul says I am number 4 million I am less than the least of all the saints I'm the least of them so he's been the least of the apostles now he says five years later I am actually the least of all the saints it's completely out of let field he did not need to say that and the word least actually means far less far less than the person next to me I am 4 million of 4 million saints now fast forward to 1 Timothy 1 Timothy chapter 1 written in AD 66 and again Paul happens to be talking about his role and responsibilities as an apostle and as somebody who was preaching the gospel let's read from verse 12 1 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 12 he says and I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful putting me into the ministry this is what I was before

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    I was a blasphemer I was a persecutor I was causing injury but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief and the grace of our Lord Jesus was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus and then completely out of left field he says this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners right stand alone statement Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners full stop no no no he just throws this little line in there it doesn't need to say it but just throws this little bit in there and he says of whom I am chief so 1 Corinthians

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    1 no 56 he says I am the least of all the apostles five years later he's the least of all the saints and then five years later at the end of his life one of the last letters that he wrote he says I am the greatest sinner that has ever lived how many sinners are there billions right and he says I'm the greatest of all the sinners that ever has been and ever will be he didn't need to say that he just completely dropped that in there of his own free will but so convinced was he that he was unworthy and he says of whom I am chief and you know that's no exaggeration that is no false humility at all it is genuinely genuinely what he felt but not only he so did God his father felt exactly the same way about him Paul didn't say I was chief he says I am chief sorry I am chief of sinners it's not what I was it's what I am now and I'm the number one sinner not just in my own eyes but in the eyes of my father as well how do we know that we'll have a look at verse 16 Paul has just explained how he's a heinous criminal and that he just obtained mercy and thoughts progress to the purpose for which Christ Jesus came into the world and he says this is why Christ came into the world to save sinners and then he says in verse 16 he wants us to tell us how it affected him and he says this is the reason why I obtained mercy

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    because in me first Jesus Christ wanted to show other people he wanted a pattern to show other people that if he could forgive me then he can forgive anyone I am the greatest sinner that ever has been and ever will be and God chose me Jesus chose me because they wanted to establish me as an example as proof that if I could be forgiven for what I've done with my incredibly dark past then so can you and it doesn't matter how dark your past is you too can be forgiven where he says in verse 16 it was a pattern he's like I'm an example they chose me as an example I'm like highlighted my name is highlighted look at Paul if you need an example of the fact that you can be forgiven and it doesn't matter how dark your past is well God says I've chosen Paul and I've given him to you as the perfect example he gives all the evidence all the proof that is ever needed to prove that anyone it doesn't matter how bad the past is it doesn't matter how great their sins are they can be forgiven I obtain mercy one translation says exactly this I obtain mercy for the purpose of giving Christ awesome proof an illustration of his incredible patience an illustration of it for all who believe in him he was given mercy to give Christ awesome proof and an illustration of forgiveness God showed Paul mercy so that no one after him could question their salvation no one and that includes you that includes you he could have mercy on the greatest imaginable offender

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    Paul furnished all the proof that is ever needed to show that forgiveness is possible he's proof that there is not a situation that could occur that is beyond the mercy of God no case God chose Paul because Paul was to be a permanent proof for people for pre people for young people for old people for people of all ages that sins of the most heinous type can be forgiven do you feel that your sins are too great to be forgiven do you feel that do you think it's unlikely that you'll be saved because of all your sins or maybe because of that sin you know that thing that you're really struggling with have you ever thought to yourself why even bother getting baptized I've got absolutely no chance with my dark past have ever thought like that do you think I failed so many times in the same sin I may as well just throw it all in walk away from God and just have an absolutely great life now because I've got no chance in the future ever thought or felt !

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    Maybe some of you sitting here have been thinking like that just this week maybe that thought struck you last night as you were lying on your bed maybe it struck you as you woke up this morning well you know you're not alone because I have I definitely have and then I met Paul and then I met Paul and I can't tell you how pleased I was to meet !

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    him ! God chose Paul to convince us of that to convince us that if he could forgive Paul then he can forgive you he can forgive you he will forgive you he has forgiven you he wants to forgive you he really does you're not outside his forgiveness young people none of you are you're not outside his forgiveness don't throw it all in don't ever give up and think that you're beyond forgiveness and it's not possible for you to be saved you know that big question that really really really really really really big question is settled

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    have I been forgiven for that and that thing that looms large in your mind when you think about it maybe it keeps you awake at night worrying about whether you've been forgiven for that sin and the question that surfaces again and again and again is now answered yes you can be forgiven and you can be completely convinced that your sins however great they are however many they are have been forgiven Paul tells us that it's the reason why God why Christ chose Paul you see Paul has a very particular place in God's heart he has a very particular place in God's purpose he fitted God's plan and that's the reason why God chose him God didn't choose Paul because Paul was incredibly godly or because of his incredible righteousness is that like great news or what God didn't choose Paul because he was so !

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    sensationally godly that God was left with no choice but to choose Paul no that's not why God chose Paul at all that is not at all it's got nothing to do with it God chose Paul because Paul fitted his purpose because God knew that he could work with him it wasn't about Paul it wasn't because Paul was so sensationally godly no it was all about what God !

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    God had in his heart it was all about God's plan this is all about God's gracious sovereign purpose rather than some quality in Paul you know that's remarkable really because you may look at Paul and say he's a spiritual superhero I could never ever match that that kind of godliness but but but but but Paul learnt it God anointed him an apostle and then led him into the desert for a few years right led him into the university of the desert for a few years to obtain a double major in silence and solitude and then after that he was an apprentice in obscurity for another 11 years Paul wasn't so sensationally godly at the beginning no no no God worked with him to develop godliness godly didn't choose Paul because of his godliness no no no God worked with Paul to develop godliness you know I'm not sure about you but that fills me with joy and confidence big time big time knowing that this man the greatest sinner who ever has been and who ever will be will be in the kingdom and God chose him to give me and to give you an example that if he can be forgiven so can you and so I can live my life knowing that the father will bring me to his kingdom no ifs no I hope to be there no maybe yes I'd like to but I doubt it no this is going to be really hard no I have been forgiven I am forgiven that is what the apostle Paul gives us in those three letters 1 Corinthians 15 Ephesians 3 and 1

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    Timothy you know I was incredibly thankful and so pleased I met Paul and I really hope that you feel the same now this week's studies I've entitled postcards from Paul so at the end of every study you'll be getting a postcard I don't they're here I don't know you can hand them out or come and get them whatever you like but I'll read to you the first postcard that we have dear all I just have to share this with you it's just awesome life changing I've been thinking recently about how dark my past was somewhat checkered to say the least then it hit me like a lightning bolt I am the chief of all sinners like the greatest sinner of all time but the father took hold of me and turned me around so he could use me as an example a model to anyone and everyone that if he can turn me around and save me then he can save anyone absolutely no one is beyond salvation isn't that awesome to tell you the truth you should be happier !

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    than me ! why? because it doesn't matter how dark or soiled your past is you are not beyond salvation please don't throw it all in don't turn your back on the father don't ever give up he's going to save me and he can definitely save you love you all Paul PS thank God for his amazing grace the older I get the more I realize how desperately reliant I am on his grace yes