On a Mission: A Study of Paul s Journeys LESSON 1. Saul s Conversion. How did God change Saul, a man who was persecuting Christians?

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1 LESSON 1 Saul s Conversion Acts 9:1-31 How did God change Saul, a man who was persecuting Christians? 1. Jesus revealed himself as the Son of God to Saul and brought him to faith. 2. Through Ananias, God indicated he had chosen Saul to be an apostle who would teach others, including Gentiles, about Jesus. 3. Saul fearlessly preached the message of the Savior to Jews and Gentiles. God changed Saul by bringing him to faith and by making him an apostle who would reach many people, including Gentiles. * Matthew 28:19 *1 Timothy 2:3,4 * The Third Commandment *The Second Petition of the Lord s Prayer * Hymn 573:1,2,4 A file on the Teacher s Guide CD, Hymntexts.pdf, contains hymn stanza text that can be copied for handouts. Use The People s Bible: Balge, Acts, for addi tional background infor mation and explanation. Franzmann, Bible History Commentary: New Testament will also have helpful explanations for many of the Bible story accounts. Use maps to help students associate places and events. Students will learn and remember events better when they can tie them to the locations where they occurred. Dearest Lord Jesus, thank you for changing me into a believer. Help my students and me boldly spread your Word, trusting that it has power to change all people into believers. Amen Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved. 1

2 Alternate Lesson Plan Read: Ephesians 2:8-10 Pray: Thank you, dear God, for saving me by grace. Show me the good works I can do to show my love and thanks to you. Give me opportunities to share the gospel with those who do not know about Jesus, and send your Holy Spirit to bring them to faith. Amen. Show a personal planner or pocket calendar. Have a student explain what it is used for and then have students give examples of activities someone might plan but that do not take place. [Rain might cancel going to a ball game; sickness might ruin a vacation.] In our lesson, a man named Saul planned to persecute Christians and destroy the early church. But God changed things. He had a completely different and wonderful plan for Saul. Today s lesson will answer the question, How did God change Saul, a man who was persecuting Christians? Sing: By Grace I m Saved (hymn 384:1) Pray: Lord God, it is completely because of your undeserved favor that I have been rescued from sin, death, and the power of the devil. You have changed me forever by giving me saving faith. Strengthen me with your Word. Teach me to thank you by fearlessly proclaiming your grace to others. I pray in Jesus name. Amen. Change, Change! Indicate one change that has taken place during the past year in each of the following areas of your life: Your school Your church Your family Your appearance Your social life Your interests and hobbies Change is part of life. Some changes are bad; others are good. The biggest and best change that happened in our lives was when we were brought to faith in Jesus as our Savior. Today we will learn how that also was true in the life of Saul, a man from the city of Tarsus. In today s lesson, we will answer the question, How did God change Saul, a man who was persecuting Christians? 2

3 Mediterranean Sea Jerusalem 1. Read Acts 9:1-5 to see how God took Saul on the road to saving faith. On the Map Inquest, write about two very different events in Saul s life. Damascus Acts 9:3-5: [A bright light flashes, and a voice asks Saul why he is persecuting him. Jesus identifies himself as the speaker.] Acts 9:1,2: [Saul threatens Christians and requests letters permitting him to arrest them.] 2. Explain the contrast between the Saul spoken of in verses 1 and 2 and the Saul described in verse 4. [First Saul is bold and full of zeal. When Jesus comes to him, Saul falls to the ground in fright and humbles himself.] 3. Choose the most likely conclusion Saul might have drawn from his conversation with Jesus. I must need more sleep; I think I m hearing things. Jesus really is the Son of God, and I ve been trying to stop people from believing in him! Perhaps I should rethink killing the followers of Jesus. 1. Have the class read Acts 9:1-5 silently. Meanwhile, draw a vertical, two-pointed arrow on the board, with Highs at the top point and Lows at the bottom. Have the students offer things that misguided Saul viewed as highs in his life but that the Lord viewed as lows. [Fighting Christianity; finding and imprisoning believers.] 2. Explain that Saul was a highly educated man who had heard much about Jesus but who had no faith in him as the Savior. Then Saul met him! What frightening thoughts likely were running through Saul s mind? [ All the things I heard about Jesus are true, and I ve been trying to stop people from believing the truth. I ve sinned and need help! ] 3. What truths would Saul not have understood and believed without help from Jesus? [That Jesus is alive and really is the Son of God.] How did Jesus show love to Saul on the way to Damascus? Jesus revealed himself as the [Son of God] to Saul and brought him to [faith]. 3

4 4. Talk about the miraculous conversion of Saul and discuss whether or not our conversions through the Word and Baptism were miraculous. [God used no bright light or voice from heaven when he converted us, but what he did was just as miraculous. Through his Word and Baptism, he changed us from lost sinners to believers in Jesus.] 5. Explain that Paul was disobeying the Third Commandment when he despised God s Word by persecuting Christians. How might we become guilty of persecuting the Lord s church without throwing a single Christian into jail? [Possible answers: By not gladly hearing and learning God s Word, not encouraging fellow believers, not standing up for the Savior, or not actively sharing the gospel. Praise God for a Savior who rescued us from this and every sin!] 6. Read Acts 9:6-19a. Have students form pairs. One of each pair portrays Ananias. The other interviews him. On a sheet of paper, the interviewer writes questions about (1) the Lord s message; (2) Ananias reaction to that message; (3) Ananias later actions. Then that person interviews Ananias. Choose one pair to conduct the interview for the class. [Interviews will vary.] 4. Chart some similarities and differences between the way Saul was converted to faith in Christ and the way we have been converted to faith in Christ. Look ahead to verse 18 for an extra similarity! Similarities [It was a gift. It was done through the Word. It was a miracle; an unbelieving heart was changed into a believing one. Extra similarity: Saul and we were baptized.] 5. How was Jesus message to Saul, that he was the one Saul was persecuting, both law and gospel? Law: [You have been persecuting me, the Son of God. This is a terrible sin.] Gospel: [Through my voice and a heavenly light, you can see that I am truly the Son of God. All that you have heard about me and about salvation through my name is true.] 6. Read Acts 9:6-19a. Jesus carried out his plan to change a persecutor into an apostle a witness of the Word. On the forward arrow, write specific directions Jesus gave to Ananias about Saul. On the backward arrow, write Ananias objections. Under the merging arrows, write the planned results. [Go to Damascus. Find Saul at Judas house on Straight Street. Heal his eyes.] [I heard that Saul has harmed many believers and came to arrest more.] Jesus Planned Results Differences [God did not use a bright light with us. Jesus actually spoke to Saul. Jesus speaks to us through his Word.] [Saul was healed, baptized, and brought to faith.] 4

5 7. Read Acts 22:14,15, where at a later time Saul (then referred to as Paul) told others about Ananias visit with him. Compare Paul s wording in verse 15 with the wording in Acts 9:15. Who were all the people to whom Paul was to witness as a called apostle of the Lord? [The Gentiles, their kings, the people of Israel.] What calling did God give Saul soon after he had been converted? Through [Ananias], God indicated he had chosen Saul to be an [apostle] who would teach others, including Gentiles, about Jesus. 8. Use the verses from Acts and 1 Timothy 2:3,4 to help you respond to the following statements: A neighbor was just released after serving a two-year prison sentence for a drug conviction. A friend from church says, Don t waste time inviting her to church. People like that don t change. [God changed Saul, and God changed me! He wants all people to be saved. God s Word has the power to change unbelieving hearts into believing ones, so I ll encourage my neighbor with God s Word.] That new kid isn t like us. He s from a country where people worship lots of fake gods and have weird customs. Just ignore him and let him hang around with others like him. [It is true that more and more people are not Christian and are different from us in many ways. We must be careful that we do not take on their incorrect beliefs. But we still need to share our beliefs in the one and only God and Savior, who wants all to be saved. We present the message; God the Holy Spirit is the one who creates saving faith.] 7. Read Acts 22:14,15 to learn about Saul (then called Paul) later telling people about his amazing call to be an apostle a person sent out by God to spread his Word. Also reread Acts 9:15. Whom would Saul reach with God s Word? [He would reach Jews and Gentiles (non-jews).] 8. Ananias played a supporting role in presenting Saul to the Lord s church as a missionary. In what ways do we play similar supporting roles that are, nevertheless, very important in bringing the gospel to the world? [We support missionaries through our prayers and offerings. These people represent us in bringing the good news of Jesus to places we cannot go.] 9. Read Acts 9:19b-31. Ask what Saul began to do at once and without fear. [Saul began preaching in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God: God s Christ, the chosen one.] 9. Read Acts 9:19b-31. What specific things do you think Paul might have told the people about the Savior when he preached that: Jesus is the Son of God? [Jesus is God from all eternity, who became human and led a perfect life in order to save us from our sins.] Jesus is the Christ? [Jesus is the Anointed One, the long-awaited Messiah, chosen by God to take away the world s sin. Jesus is the 5

6 10. How did people react to Saul s preaching the truth about the Savior? [Some people could not believe that he was now confessing Jesus as his Savior. Many were actually afraid of him because of his reputation for harming Christians. Some Jews planned to kill him. His supporters got him out of harm s way and sent him to Tarsus.] 11. Why did the church now enjoy a time of peace and growth? [God had changed its fanatical enemy, Saul, so that he no longer persecuted the Christians but instead preached fearlessly. God blessed the church with peace and growth.] 12. Read 1 Timothy 2:3,4. Ask what this has to do with God s dealings with Saul and how it also applies to us. [God wants to save all people, including a persecutor like Saul and sinners like us. God wants us to share his saving message so others come to faith and are saved.] 13. Explain zeal: an eager desire to carry out a goal. Saul had zeal before and after his conversion. But what was the difference? [Before: Saul s zeal was misplaced. He thought he was doing God s will but was persecuting Jesus. After: Saul s zeal was God-pleasing; he spread the gospel.] fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies that pointed to him. As a result, we can be sure that we have forgiveness of sins and eternal life in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.] 10. Saul preached to people born as Jews and to non-jews (Gentiles) who had come to faith in the Savior. List at least three words that describe the various reactions people had to the message Saul fearlessly preached. [Angry, astonished, baffled, afraid, supportive, encouraged, questioning.] 11. Explain why you believe this is true or false: God allowed Saul to be persecuted for his message in order to punish him for what he had done to Christians. [False: Through the blood and righteousness of Christ, God forgave Saul for his sinful past. Being persecuted himself made Saul one with other believers. It may have helped those who were skeptical about his sincerity learn to trust him.] As an apostle and God s chosen instrument, what did Saul do? Saul fearlessly [preached] the message of the [Savior] to Jews and Gentiles. 12. God had a plan for what Saul would do with his life, and God has a plan for your life. Join a partner and read Ephesians 2:10. Then list at least two good works God has planned for you that are similar to what he planned and carried out through Saul. [God gives me opportunities to spread his Word and to help others.] 13. Why can you be especially thankful for the change God brought about in Saul and for the work God did through him? [Saul preached to Gentiles. Help the students note that their ancestors likely were Gentiles, and therefore they are Gentiles. God had them in mind as he worked through Saul s preaching.] Question: How did God change Saul, a man who was persecuting Christians? Answer: [God changed Saul by bringing him to faith and by making him an apostle who would reach many people, including Gentiles.] 6

7 Sing I Hear the Savior Calling (hymn 560:1,5) as a reminder that our Savior calls us to share his gospel invitation. Pray: God of grace, you changed the persecutor Saul into a believer and a witness. Thank you for changing us into believers through the gospel. Make us faithful missionaries who gladly speak about you and your Word to others. Amen. * Matthew 28:19 * 1 Timothy 2:3,4 * The Third Commandment Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. What does this mean? We should fear and love God that we do not despise preaching and his Word, but regard it as holy and gladly hear and learn it. * The Second Petition of the Lord s Prayer Your kingdom come. What does this mean? God s kingdom certainly comes by itself even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may also come to us. How does God s kingdom come? God s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives his Holy Spirit, so that by his grace we believe his holy Word and lead a godly life now on earth and forever in heaven. * Hymn 573:1,2,4 1 Hark! The voice of Jesus crying, Who will go and work today? Fields are ripe and harvests waiting; Who will bear the sheaves away? Loud and long the Master calleth; Rich reward he offers thee. Who will answer, gladly saying, Here am I send me, send me? 2 If you cannot speak like angels, If you cannot preach like Paul, You can tell the love of Jesus; You can say he died for all. If you cannot rouse the wicked With the Judgment s dread alarms, You can lead the little children To the Savior s waiting arms. 4 Let none hear you idly saying, There is nothing I can do, While the multitudes are dying, And the Master calls for you. Take the task he gives you gladly; Let his work your pleasure be. Answer quickly when he calleth, Here am I send me, send me! Hymn text is not in the Student Lesson. See the Teacher s Guide CD, Hymntexts.pdf. 7

8 Activities 1. Table Talk Have the students ask parents, grandparents, or other relatives: (1) how being a Christian has changed their lives; (2) how they might feel and what they might be doing if they had never been brought to faith in the Savior. 2. Twenty-First Century Sauls Invite a guest to speak to your class about how Christ has changed his or her life. Consider inviting a pastor, teacher, or staff minister who chose the public ministry as a second career, or someone you know who lived a very different life before the Lord brought that individual to faith. Be sure to interview the person prior to the class presentation to ensure that it will be age-appropriate. 3. Options to Explore Word 1 Evaluate: Larry heard a television preacher say that Jesus spoke to the preacher about what he needed to do to build a bigger church and ministry. [If the television preacher means that in Scripture the Lord revealed how he makes disciples through his Word and Baptism, the man s comment could be acceptable. If he means that the Lord spoke to him apart from the Word, we would have to question if the revelation really came from the Lord.] Word Today 2 When writing about the appearances of the risen Savior, Paul described himself in an unusual way. Read 1 Corinthians 15:8. What do you think Paul meant? [Paul was not an original disciple; he was chosen after Jesus resurrection and ascension. Unlike the other apostles, he had been an open enemy of the Lord s church. Paul knew the evil things he had done. Nevertheless, he was chosen by the Lord himself to be sent out with the gospel.] Word Today 3 While God entrusts all his disciples with the task of preaching his Word, he obviously had a special niche for Saul: bringing the gospel to Gentiles. In what way does God do a similar thing with his disciples today? [Each believer can have a unique niche in which God provides opportunities for sharing the gospel; it might be a certain talent, a closeness with a specific group of people, or a job that offers opportunities for sharing the Savior. Even public ministers such as pastors and teachers have their own respective callings and areas of ministry that differ one from another.] 4. A Look Back As a review exercise, write the following statements on slips of paper and put them into a bag. Have students take turns choosing them and reading them aloud. Allow the rest of the class to respond. a. Not every Christian has had Saul days, times when he or she was opposed to God and his will. [Actually, every Christian comes into this world a Saul by nature, opposing God and everything holy. This is original or inherited sin from which only God can rescue us. For some the rescue came in infancy, and for others it occurred later in life. But we all came into the world without faith in Jesus as our Savior.] b. Saul thought he was doing right by opposing Christianity when, in reality, he was harming the church and sinning. Give at least one example of a time when what we think is a good action really is a sinful or hurtful one. [Possible answers: Making what you hope is a humorous comment and finding out that it has insulted someone; spending so much time helping a relative with a project that you don t study for a test or complete other homework.] c. God s plans for us are totally different than they were for Saul, since we aren t nearly as great as he was. [God deals with each of us differently because we are unique individuals. However, his plans for us are very much the same: 8

9 as redeemed children of God, we have the privilege of serving our Lord throughout our lives and helping others come to know him.] d. Agree or disagree: God chose us from eternity to be his own. As with Saul, he used the gospel to bring us from unbelief to faith. [Agree: Although the circumstances may have been different, the way in which we came to faith in Christ is the same as it was with Saul through faith in God s Word.] e. Agree or disagree: Not everyone is cut out to be a missionary like Saul. [Agree: Not everyone has the gifts and talents needed to enter the full-time ministry and be sent to foreign lands to preach to people of other races and cultures. Disagree: Every Christian is a missionary who knows the good news of Jesus and is to share it with others.] 5. Zeal Appeal Have each student fold a sheet of paper in half. On one half of their papers, have the students take 45 seconds to list things they can hardly wait to do after class today, things they have a lot of zeal to accomplish. When they are done, have them use another 45 seconds to list, on the other half, things they really want to do for the Lord. Discuss how our hearts might pound in our chests as we think about an upcoming ball game, vacation, or party, yet we might not have that same feeling about giving money to send Bibles to Russia or inviting a friend to a Christmas party at church. The devil loves to see us place great importance on and give lots of time and effort to daily fun and entertainment and to let zeal for the Lord slip by. Have the students discuss their lists of things to do for the Lord and choose one activity that all can contribute to (helping a needy family in your church, inviting neighborhood children to an Easter for Kids session at church, collecting used devotion books to send to prisoners or people in faraway countries). Brainstorm how to carry out the activity, and then do it! 6. Changed People Use Copy Master 1 to guide students in a Bible study of lives that were changed by the gospel. Number 5 of the exercise allows students to provide a personal account of how the gospel has changed them. [Answers: 1. Mark 5:1-20 PERSON CHANGED: [Man possessed by many demons.] HOW CHANGED: [Before meeting Jesus, he was demon-possessed and acted insane. After his encounter with Jesus, he was in his right mind and told others about the Savior who rescued him.] 2. Acts 16:25-34 PERSON CHANGED: [The jailer at Philippi.] HOW CHANGED: [He was in despair and about to commit suicide. After hearing the gospel, he was full of joy; he and his whole family were baptized.] 3. Luke 19:1-10 PERSON CHANGED: [Zacchaeus.] HOW CHANGED: [He had been a tax collector, accustomed to taking more money than he was entitled to. Jesus came to him and changed his life with his message of forgiveness. Zacchaeus showed his faith by helping the poor and by returning more than what he had stolen.] 4. Matthew 27:44 and Mark 15:32b; Luke 23:39-43 PERSON CHANGED: [One of the criminals on a cross next to Jesus.] HOW CHANGED: [At first he joined with the other criminal in mocking Jesus. Later he came to faith and asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. Jesus gave him a beautiful, reassuring response. He said that on that very day the believing criminal would be with him in paradise (Luke 23:43).] 9

10 5. HOW JESUS CHANGED ME [Responses will vary. Some were changed through the Word at their baptisms at young ages; others later in life. All have been changed from enemies who wanted nothing to do with the Savior to believers who love the Savior and obey him in thankfulness.] 7. Proclamation Plans Have partners use Copy Master 2 to brainstorm ways to reach someone with the saving Word of God. [Responses will vary.] 10

11 Name Changed People Read each of the following Scripture references. Identify the person whose life was changed by the Holy Spirit working through the gospel. Indicate how that person s life changed from what it had been. 1. Mark 5:1-20 PERSON CHANGED: HOW CHANGED: 2. Acts 16:25-34 PERSON CHANGED: HOW CHANGED: 3. Luke 19:1-10 PERSON CHANGED: HOW CHANGED: 4. Matthew 27:44 and Mark 15:32b; Luke 23:39-43 PERSON CHANGED: HOW CHANGED: 5. HOW JESUS CHANGED ME GRADES 7-8 ON AMISSION LESSON 1 COPY MASTER Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved. 11

12 Name Proclamation Plans Privately, think of a person (or persons) with whom you want to share the gospel. The person can be near or far, a person you see, or someone you contact by letter, phone, or computer. With a partner, brainstorm things you can do or say at various times throughout the next year to reach your person(s), but don t reveal any names. An example follows. At the library: When sitting at the library with my friend, I could spend a few minutes reading the Bible. My friend might see what I m doing and ask about it. At school At a party At Christmastime When a person is sick When there is a special activity at church When at the mall, you and your friend hear someone using God s name carelessly GRADES 7-8 ON AMISSION LESSON 1 COPY MASTER Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved. 12