This is not a proud man. This is not a man who can be accused of pride because he used himself as an illustration.

This is a man whose humility comes out in the very way in which he uses himself as an illustration.

He thought more of the great sacrifice of the Philippians than he did of his own. Welcome to Grace to you with John MacArthur. I'm your host Phil Johnson.

The Puritan William Bates said that precepts instruct us about our

duty to God, but examples show us the infinite value of obedience. And when it comes to the

demands of Christianity, it certainly is encouraging

to know that other godly men and women have gone before us demonstrating that God's high

standards really are worth pursuing.

Today, John MacArthur looks at one of those amazing examples,

a former persecutor of the church who became

one of the greatest of Heaven's heroes. That's the title of John's current study, Heaven's Heroes.

So John, the Hero we're looking at today is the Apostle Paul. And I know from hearing you preach

over all these years that you consider Paul to be the primary model for your

ministry after Christ himself. So has there been anyone else you could point to and say,

he had a significant impact on my life and ministry.

Well, yeah, there have been a number of people like that.

I can think, first of all, to my father, an exemplary Christian, a faithful preacher, I was born into his family, he was

already a pastor. I grew up under his preaching and teaching and I've always said about my father and it was true his whole life and I I affirm it even now with him being gone for you know over 20 years

He was everything in person that he preached in the pulpit.

There was never any difference between his preaching and his life.

And what a legacy that is to a kid. I'm watching him, I'm hearing him preach, I'm hearing that he's telling me how I am to live to honor Christ, and I saw him every single day live that way.

The greatest gift my father gave me was not his preaching.

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