Paul Perspective - Rhianna Johnson
Teachers
Lesson Summary
Teacher Rhianna Johnson taught that perspective—the final piece in overcoming hardship—combines perseverance and purpose. She emphasized that Paul's letters offer unique insight into his heart, feelings, and sufferings because he was willing to be vulnerable with the church. Through the detailed account in 2 Corinthians 11, Paul lists his trials: lashings, beatings, imprisonment, shipwrecks, hunger, and thirst. Unlike Job who questioned his suffering, Paul possessed a unique perspective: he knew his suffering served the gospel and the church. The teacher compared modern sufferings (bullying, social media pressure, marital stress, depression) to Paul's physical trials, emphasizing that we shouldn't minimize anyone's pain. She highlighted that Satan exploits our spiritual ignorance through various tools like discouragement and self-reliance. The key to Paul's perspective was that he saw himself as dead to self. Through Galatians 2:20 and the transformative power of baptism, Paul allowed Christ to live through him, surrendering his own desires, thoughts, and preferences to Christ's nature. This daily renewal of mind through the gospel gave Paul the perspective needed to endure suffering purposefully. The teacher challenged the congregation to obtain the correct information from Scripture so they too can develop true spiritual perspective and overcome life's trials.
Key Scriptures
But I, the most fortunate of all men, am the one who has this treasure, the one who has the most suffering of all, but it is for the sake of Christ, and not for glory, but for the sake of Christ. And I was in the city of Jerusalem, then in Antioch of Syria; I was whipped by the Jews thirty-nine times, five times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, and three times I was shipwrecked; I spent a night and a day in the open sea, and I was in danger from the Jews, and was in danger from the Gentiles, and in danger from the people of the city; I have been persecuted, in danger from the hand of the Jews, in danger from the hand of the Gentiles; in danger from the hand of the people of the city. And I have been in the desert; I have been in hunger; I have been in thirst; I have been in hunger; I have been in cold; I have been in nakedness; and I have been in danger from the sword. And I have been in fear, and in chains, and in the night and in the day, and in the country, and in the city, and in the sea, and in the wilderness. I have been persecuted by the Jews, and the Gentiles, and even the people of the city. And I have been in danger from the hand of the Jews, and from the hand of the Gentiles; and I have been in the night and the day, and in the country, and in the city, and in the sea, and in the wilderness.
For we are the circumcision who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more. Circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, as to the law, a Pharisee, as to zeal, a persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.