Today we will look at our second superhero of the Bible. As we make our way through the heroes of the bible, we can’t miss one of the greatest of all time. This superhero was the Apostle Paul. Paul was a superhero for many reasons.
First, Paul gave up all his influence of being a well-respected Jewish leader when He trusted Christ as his Savior. He was an ambitious man with a zeal for protecting the Jewish traditions and their faith. He was a persecutor of Christians in the name of God. However, when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus in Acts 9:4, everything changed. A true hero lives by truth and what is right. They push forward for the valor of those they represent. Paul became just as zealous for Christ as he was for the Jewish faith.
Second, Paul did not allow the praise of men to influence who he was in Christ. In Acts chapter 14, Paul was preaching in Lystra, and he saw a man who was paralyzed in his feet from birth. Paul realized the man had faith to be healed and he told him to stand up and the man leaped and walked. When the people saw what had happened, they begin to worship Paul and Barnabas. In verses 11 and 12, they called them gods. Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes and ran among the people crying out that what had happened was of God, it was not of their own power. They would not allow the credit for what had happened to be given to them.
Act 14:11-12 “And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.”
Act 14:14-15 “Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:”
Third, Paul did not allow his physical problems to stop him. In Acts 14:19 Paul was stoned for preaching the gospel and left for dead outside the city. When he came to himself, he got up and went into the city and continued to preach. In Acts chapter 16 he was imprisoned and was not concerned about himself. When an earthquake opened the gates and loosed the chains from Paul and Silas, they did not flee but used it as a testimony to win others. Because of this superhero’s concern for others, the Roman soldier and his household were saved.
Act 14:19-20 “And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.”
Acts 16:27-30 “And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, Act 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Paul was a superhero yielded to God alone. He wrote 13 books of the New Testament. From the moment of his conversion until his death there was no time of retreat from preaching the gospel. All throughout Paul’s life, he kept his focus, his God-designed purpose was in his sight. In Acts 26:18. he recites the words of Jesus to King Agrippa. “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” These were the words of Christ when Paul was on the road to Damascus and God struck him down and blinded his eyes at his conversion. These words of Christ were repeated many times throughout Paul’s life as a testimony to tell others about this risen Savior. Paul never took a detour from his purpose. He never took a vacation using burnout as an excuse to self-indulge in the pleasures of life. Paul was a real superhero because he had a mission from God and his chief desire was to fulfill it before he died. His goal should be the goal of every Christian, and if it is, multitudes will be saved. In Philippians 1:21, while sitting in jail he wrote “for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” This superhero lived up to his purpose. He lived an amazing life that should be inspiring to all who love Jesus.
Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
