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You Have Carefully Followed My…Longsuffering

Text: 2 Timothy 3:10
13 October 2019

THE LIFE OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

1. It is outstanding and worth following

2. Reasons why his life was outstanding:

a. He had a sharp mind to understand and teach doctrine

b. The way he led his life was distinct – his manner of life

c. It involved him living with plan-purpose

3. How he was able to live so outstandingly?

a. He possessed a great faith

b. He also cultivated the virtue of longsuffering

THE LONGSUFFERING OF PAUL

1. Longsuffering

a. Also described as “patience”

b. It is to be able to bear with suffering without complaint

2. Some of the things that Paul had to suffer   (2 Corinthians 11:22-27)

a. Physical abuse from others (beatings, stoning, going to prison)

b. Perils of losing his life (shipwrecks, travelling on many journeys)

c. Physical suffering (sleeplessness, hunger and thirst, cold and nakedness)

3. The evident longsuffering of Paul

a. He never stopped serving the Lord

b. He served the Lord with a greater sense of dignity and distinction

THE DEEP LESSONS THAT PAUL LEARNT

1. The cultivation of longsuffering reflected the deep lessons that Paul had learnt

2. He learnt to find inner man strength in God   (2 Corinthians 12:9)

a. He found grace and power from the Lord to cope

b. Especially in times of weakness

c. It made him stronger!

3. He also learnt to grow and mature in love

a. “Love suffers long and is kind”   (1 Corinthians 13:4)

b. Paul practiced a deep sense of love in his life

i. Love for God

ii. Love for the brethren