"Is it Worth It?" All of us make major investments.  The greatest investment we make are investments of ourselves.  We invest ourselves in two primary ways: through intense interest and through time. When it comes to the investments of self, we all make basic investment decisions as we live our lives.  Some of us make major investments of ourselves in our families.  The wife, or the husband, or our children are a major priority in our lives.  Family should hold a very high priority in our lives. Some of us make major investments of ourselves in our jobs or our careers.  Being successful in our jobs, or our businesses is important.  Many people define who we are by the level of success we experience in our career.   Some of us make major investment of ourselves in our lifestyles.  The house we live in, the car we drive, the people we associate with are how some people measure who they are.  If they cannot use these means and others such as these for defining themselves some folks think they have not amounted to much. Some us make major investments of ourselves in the hobbies we engage in.  The form of pleasure that one gets enjoyment out of differs from person to person.  But, having fun, enjoying life is important.  Some people will do whatever it takes to be able to do what they enjoy.   No matter how each of us invests our lives, the moment always comes when we must ask: “IS IT WORTH IT.”     A question everyone who seeks to be a Christian must ask: “Is investing my life in Jesus Christ worth it?”    Is living for God worth it?  When the life here on earth approaches its end, when we look back on our past and ask that question, what will our answer be? I would like for us to consider Paul’s answer to that question.  We each should look at Paul’s life and consider his answer. I.         Paul’s early childhood The early part of his childhood was spent in the Roman province of Cilicia in the city of Tarsus, which was the capital city of the province located a few hundred miles north of Jerusalem.   Acts 22:3 –  I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. The city of Tarsus when Paul lived there was a very important city.  It was a city of wealth and culture.  Its location along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea made it a valuable seaport.  It was also a distinguished site of learning.  It was a seat of Greek learning much like Athens and Alexandria were.  Paul was exposed to the highest quality of Greek culture during his early Hebrew upbringing.   It was a wealthy city noted for its linen and a special material made from goats hair used to make cloth and tents.   It was an interesting place where Paul spent some of his younger years.  A city full of a variety of influences, it was there that he learned a trade, that of a tent maker.  He used the skills he had learned to support himself when the circumstance required it. Most important was that he was a Roman citizen by birth.  Acts 22:25-29 –  And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? 26. When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman. 27.  Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me,   art thou a Roman?  He said, Yea. 28.  And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born. 29. Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. This means that Paul’s father had been awarded citizenship or he was able to by being a Roman citizen.   If  he was able to purchase his citizenship Paul’s father was given a great opportunity, because being a Roman citizen was a highly prized possession.  Being a Roman citizen was not something many people got the opportunity to possess.   A Roman citizen was guaranteed a fair public trial, a Roman citizen was protected against certain forms of punishment, a Roman citizen could not executed simply by the wishes or command of a local ruler. Paul said of himself, “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;”  Philippians 3:5   According to Jewish law he was circumcised as a religious ritual when he was eight days old.   He was of the Jewish tribe of Benjamin, the tribe which hundreds of years earlier produced the first Jewish king, King Saul. Though he grew up in a prominent city known for its prosperity and having and having an institution of higher learning, he grew up as a “Jews Jew a Hebrew of the Hebrews.”   That indicates that he and his family were among the most committed, devout Israelites.  Both of his parents were Hebrews.  Paul spoke both Hebrew and Aramaic, which was the spoken language of Palestine.   Acts 21:40 –  And when he had given him license, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying, He was able to silence the mob because he spoke the same dialect as they did there in Jerusalem. Acts 22:2 – (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,) Although he grew up in a Roman city far from Jerusalem, he grew up in a home that kept the traditions and practices of the homeland. At some point as a young man he moved to the city of Jerusalem to study as a Pharisee under the guidance and influence of the very prestigious Jewish Rabbi Gamaliel.  His father was a Pharisee Acts 23:6 – “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee:” He considered being a Pharisee a title of respect and honor.  It was claim to be the of the highest degree of faithfulness and sincerity in the fulfillment of ones duty to God.    Paul made a very strict commitment to his studies at the feet of Gamaliel.   Gamaliel was a well known teacher of the Law.  He was perhaps the foremost teacher of that day and time.  Being educated by him was like getting an education at places like Harvard or Yale or Duke or some other prestigious university in our day and time. Acts 22:3 –  I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. He was very zealous for God.    He wrote of himself in Galatians 1:14 – And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.   He had advanced in the Jewish religion more than anyone else his own age.  He was an up and coming man, he was becoming an influence in Israel, and he had all the right credentials and connections. He served a role in Stephen’s execution, and he was the leader of the first persecution of Christians in Jerusalem.   Acts 7:58 – And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.   Acts 8:1-3 – And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. He was so connected that he could ask the high priest for authority to travel to another country and arrest Jews in the Jewish Synagogue who believed in Jesus Christ.  Acts 9:1-2 – And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.   II.  Paul was his Greek name and Saul was his Hebrew name.  He was absolutely certain of two things: 1. The man Jesus was not the Christ. 2. Those who believed Jesus was the Christ were a serious threat to the nation of Israel and God. Then something happened.  This man who had been persecuting Christians, trying to destroy the Church.  While he was on his way to Damascus with letters giving him permission to arrest and bring back to Jerusalem any Jews that served Jesus, something took place. READ ACTS 9:1-9 In an instant, in a quick moment, this man realized he been completely, totally wrong in his vicious ways.  The person he said was not the Christ was in fact the Christ, the Son of God, promised to Israel that he would for hundreds of years.    He who claimed to be devoted servant of God had encouraged the executions of fellow Israelites who knew that Jesus was God’s own Son.  He instantly knew if he received what he truly deserved, God would take his life right there and now.   All Jesus instructed him to do was to go on into the city of Damascus where he would be told what he must do. READ ACTS 9:10-22 In a short time Jesus sent a man named Ananias to talk to Paul and to instruct him what he must do.  Ananias knew of Paul’s reputation, he knew why Paul was coming to Damascus it was to continue his assault on Christians.  But Jesus explains to Ananias why He wants him to go to Paul.  Ananias’s hesitations and doubts are soon  put to rest and does as the Lord wishes. When Ananias hesitated and protested, Jesus had this to say to Ananias, “Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.  16. For I will she him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”   Acts 9:15-16       Paul would later explain to Timothy why he received the opportunity to serve the Lord.  I Timothy 1:12-16 –  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 . Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14.  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. When Paul became a servant of Jesus Christ instead of a persecutor of Jesus Christ, it cost him everything. 1. The Israelites who once considered him to be a promising leader.  They immediately hated him, so much so that wanted to take his life. 2. Jewish Christians in Jerusalem distrusted him, and some of them resented his efforts to teach Christ to the people who were Jews. 3. Some Christians who were not Jews rejected him, verbally attacked him, and did all they could to discredit him – they did not appreciate his teachings.   4. The man who had all the right compassion and knew all the right people suddenly became the man that all the people hated.    Paul would later say this about Jesus, in 1 Timothy 1:11-16 –  According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. There is one thing obvious question we must ask Paul. Paul, you made great sacrifices to invest your life for Jesus Christ.  WAS IT WORTH  IT?   II Timothy 4:6-8 – For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Paul’s work was nearly over, he would soon die for the cause of Christ.  He had been true through all the difficulties he faced.  He knew something much better than what this world had to offer would soon be coming to him. He would see his reward when Jesus would come back again.   Paul was it worth the investment?  Yes! And it will be worth the investment to you also, if you are willing to trust and love Jesus Christ. We can read of a man in Luke 16:19-31 who made the wrong choices and he lost  freedom.  He realized it to late.    This man had plenty of money, but when he sees that he had his resources in the way of him doing what was.    This man died and went to a place of “torment” he wanted Lazarus go back and warn his brothers, so they would not come there.  As he was in this place he realized that all he had in the world had not been worth it and now there was a great gulf fixed that prevented him from doing anything about it.       Thomas S. Bloss
		A note from your webmaster:  Thanks Tom, for a good sermon.  We all must evaluate the investments we make and see whether they are worth it or not, after all, it is entirely possible to 'gain the whole world and lose your soul'.  Lets all be sure our first and most important investment is placed in Christianity! Questions or Comments?  Please be sure to mention the name of this article in your email.