Apostle to the World
- 3. Andrei Rudlev – Icon of the Apostle St. Paul (1420)
- 4. Raphael – St. Paul Preaching in Athens (1515)
- 5. Michelangelo – The Conversion of Saint Paul (1542-5)
- 6. El Greco– Apostle St. Paul (1606)
- 7. Valentin de Boulogne– St. Paul Writing His Epistles (1620)
- 9. Rembrandt –The Stoning of Stephen (1625)
- 10. The witnesses laid their garments atThe witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul….Saulthe feet of a young man named Saul….Saul approved of their killing him. On that day aapproved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against thegreat persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except thechurch in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea andapostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen andGodly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.mourned deeply for him. But Saul began toBut Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house todestroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and womenhouse, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.and put them in prison. -Acts 7:58, 8:1-3-Acts 7:58, 8:1-3(NIV)(NIV)
- 12. Michelangelo – The Conversion of Saint Paul (1542-5)
- 13. Meanwhile, Saul was still breathingMeanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’sout murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest anddisciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues inasked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any thereDamascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men orwho belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners towomen, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on hisJerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heavenjourney, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him….flashed around him….
- 14. He fell to the ground and heard a voiceHe fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecutesay to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”me?” ““Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “ “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,”I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city,he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do….”and you will be told what you must do….” -Acts 9:1-6-Acts 9:1-6 (NIV)(NIV)
- 15. He fell to the ground and heard a voiceHe fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecutesay to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”me?” ““Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “ “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,”I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city,he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do….”and you will be told what you must do….” The Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This manThe Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim myis my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and toname to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.”the people of Israel.” -Acts 9:1-6, 19-Acts 9:1-6, 19 (NIV)(NIV)
- 17. Raphael – St. Paul Preaching in Athens (1515)
- 18. While they were worshiping the Lord andWhile they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for mefasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I haveBarnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”called them.” So after they had fasted andSo after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them andprayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on theirsent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleuciaway by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. When theyand sailed from there to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word ofarrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was withGod in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper….them as their helper….
- 19. From Paphos, Paul and his companionsFrom Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John leftsailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. From Perga theythem to return to Jerusalem. From Perga they went on to Pisidion Antioch…went on to Pisidion Antioch… -Acts 13:2-5-Acts 13:2-5 (NIV)(NIV)
- 20. On the next Sabbath almost the whole cityOn the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. Whengathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled withthe Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Pauljealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying. Then Paul and Barnabas answeredwas saying. Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly….them boldly…. -Acts 13: 13-14-Acts 13: 13-14 (NIV)(NIV)
- 21. ““We had to speak the word of God to youWe had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not considerfirst. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn toyourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord hasthe Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light forcommanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to thethe Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” When the Gentiles heardends of the earth.’” When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word ofthis, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed to eternalthe Lord; and all who were appointed to eternal life believed.life believed. -Acts 13:44-48-Acts 13:44-48 (NIV)(NIV)
- 23. Valentin de Boulogne– St. Paul Writing His Epistles (1620)
- 24. Yet I have written you quite boldly on someYet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because ofpoints to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave methe grace God gave me 1616 to be a minister ofto be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me theChrist Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, sopriestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offeringthat the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holyacceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit….It has always been my ambition toSpirit….It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known,preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someoneso that I would not be building on someone else's foundation.”else's foundation.” -Romans 15:15-16, 20-Romans 15:15-16, 20 (NIV)(NIV)
- 25. I have become (the church’s) servant byI have become (the church’s) servant by the commission God gave me to present to youthe commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—the mysterythe word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages andthat has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make knownTo them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of thisamong the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope ofmystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.glory. -Colossians 1:27-Colossians 1:27 (NIV)(NIV)