ties, he was thrown into the maximum security wing o f the town jail. The jailer was most unpleas ant, and he made sure that Paul realized that he wasn’t exactly the most popular man in town that night. Paul responded by having a song service! This must have been one o f the most refreshing “ sings” ever held. It was purely spontaneous and utterly sincere. Paul sang that night because he was so full o f the joy o f the Lord. And he did this in prison! When you get a man who teaches the doctrine o f El Shaddai, explaining that it means “ The God Who is Sufficient,” then goes into a situa tion and proves the truth o f which he has been speaking, you have a real teacher and leader. Is that your teaching method ? Timothy had plenty o f opportunities to hear the doctrine at the feet o f the world’s number one theo logian, but he learned some great practical lessons at the side o f the same man. This proved that the doctrines learned are seen to glorious advantage when they are translated into everyday living in everyday situations. It would be a good thing to stop once in a while and check on the caliber o f students your teaching is producing. In further study we can learn that Paul’s pur pose and faith were also clearly taught and vividly demonstrated. We should remind ourselves that the secret o f Paul’s life was really no secret at all. “ For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain,” he said in Phil. 1 :21. In effect, Paul’s philosophy was this, “ I f I go on living, the sole principle of my existence is that the Risen Christ is living in me. And if I die, it will be even better.” Paul reckoned that a life made available to Christ which results in the life o f the living Lord being made available to him is real living. Of course it had discomforts as we have seen, but it was worth it! To Paul dying meant that in heaven he would continue to enjoy the Lord he had enjoyed so much on earth. The only differ ence would be that he would not have to be con cerned with incidentals like shipwrecks and prisons. No wonder he thought that life was tremendous and death would be gain! I feel certain that many men shook their heads in disbelief when they met Paul. They did their worst to him, but he was as resilient as a rubber ball. They tried all they knew to knock him down, but they failed, because to him life was Christ and death was gain. He was neither afraid o f life nor death. He was adequate in the supreme adequacy o f the Risen Indwelling Lord. That is why he was such a fine teacher. Check on your teaching. Does your living equate your doctrine? Are your students or congregation fortunate enough to have a teacher whose life is a glowing visual aid? These days demand first-class leaders. First-class Christians come from first-class teaching o f first-class doctrines that work, doc trines that make the Risen Lord a practical reality in the hearts o f men and women. . m
more than hearing him talk that got young Timothy interested. In the same way, the youngsters in your class will be considerably more interested in your lessons when they can see them working in you. What kind o f things did the men around Paul see? One day some people were so annoyed with him that they dragged him out o f the city and pro ceeded to hammer the life out o f him with great rocks and stones. They left him for dead. But they were no sooner gone than Paul was on his feet again. To the utter amazement o f those standing about, he started walking. It wasn’t so much his walking that surprised them as the direction in which he walked! He headed right back into the town where they had just stoned him. This was nothing but raw courage. With his head throbbing and his body aching, he limped back towards those who hated him. To put it plainly, Paul had “ guts.” Young people today like their superiors to have nothing less. This is the kind o f stuff that makes an impact on the rising generation. Now I am not suggesting that you go downtown and get beaten up in front o f your Sunday School class, and put on a brave face in front o f them that certainly doesn’t emanate from your inside. I am saying that your courage or lack o f it will register more quickly than your exposition o f some deep doctrine. On another occasion Paul got himself into a tight corner on a ship. The whole o f the Mediter ranean seemed to let loose at the ship that day. The crew tried everything they knew to save it, and nothing worked. The shipmaster was there, but he lost control. It wasn’t one o f his officers who took over. The tough centurion and his men weren’t equal to the situation. It is possible that the owner o f the ship was on board, but there is no record of his getting things under control. Nor was it one o f the passengers who did the job. It was a little man who was a prisoner. His name was on the bot tom o f the list as far as the men on board were concerned, but he was on the top o f the list when something needed to be done. His little speech to the despairing men started with the inimitable words, “ Be o f good cheer!” He got them organized, got things moving, and not a soul was lost. His con fidence was contagious. The sheer caliber o f his life was telling. Young people today are unsure o f themselves under their veneer o f sufficiency and sophistica tion. They are looking desperately for someone who can get a grip on life and shape it. They long for someone big enough and strong enough to do it to them. They don’t appreciate being spoiled and pam pered ; they want to be controlled and directed. The leadership they need teaches them o f doctrine strong enough to change a man. That same leader ship needs to show them that strong doctrine made them strong. Do you recall the time when Paul was in prison in Philippi? After he had been tried by the authori
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SEPTEMBER, 1969
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