Lesson 6.2: Saul on the Road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-18) Episode 6 Sweet Freedom [Timing: 12:20 to end] Objective To explore the principle of choosing the right path in life. Summary of resources required this lesson Friends and Heroes Episode 6 DVD player Blindfolds A large sign/card with Damascus written on it Temporary sticky fixings Masking tape, six paper bags, a textbook, a spoon, a Bible, a skipping rope, pyjamas, and a map. A Prayer Guide Template for each child (Printable Resources page 6) Summary of Friends and Heroes story Samuel, Nathan, Macky, Sollie, and the rescued slaves are trapped by the Romans until Diana lets them into the theatre and disguises the slaves as background actors. After several close calls at being discovered, the slaves leave the theatre and prepare to escape from the city on foot. At the last minute, Uncle Tigo shows up with his cart and offers to drive them to safety. Macky doubts that the Romans will ever have a change of heart and fears that they will just bring in more slaves whom they will mistreat. But Samuel tells the story of Saul s conversion to illustrate that God can change the hardest of hearts. Prepare yourself Remember to pray first! Watch Episode 6: Note in particular the changes of heart of some of the characters for instance, Diana and Uncle Tigo who at first are very reticent about trying to rescue the slaves but end up playing key roles. 1
Starting off Game: Finding the right way Materials DVD player and Friends and Heroes Episode 6 Blindfolds A large sign/card with Damascus written on it Temporary sticky fixings Watch the second part of Episode 6 together, from where Macky and the slaves are being chased by the Romans through to the end (start point = 12:20). Afterwards, remind the children that Saul was blind for three days. The escaped slaves were also blind when they were wearing the costume mask disguises on the stage! Now tell them that you are going to play a game about finding your way when you can t see. Divide your whole group into smaller groups of two or three. Blindfold one person from each group. Then fix the Damascus sign somewhere in the room. Tell the people who are blindfolded that there is a sign that tells them where Damascus is and that they need to travel there, but they can t take off their blindfolds. After a short time of allowing them to try to find their way (being watchful of obstacles), tell them to stop where they are help is on the way! Then explain that the other member(s) of their group can take them by the arm and lead them to Damascus. Once all the people with blindfolds have reached the sign, another person in each group can have a turn being blindfolded. After the blindfolds have been secured for the second round, tape the Damascus sign to a new location in the room. Have the other group members lead the blindfolded person to the new location, just like Diana had to do to help the escaped slaves leave the theatre when they were blinded by their costume masks! After the game, discuss the following questions: How did it feel to not be able to see? How do you think Saul felt when he couldn t see for three days? How do you think Saul felt about having companions to help lead him to Damascus? Do you have any friends who help you stay on the right path? What can you do to be that kind of friend to someone else? 2
In deeper Bible reading and discussion Explain that you are now going to look at why Saul was going to Damascus and what an extraordinary journey it really turned out to be. Give the following background: A little while after Jesus rose from the dead and went back to heaven, there was a very powerful man named Saul. Saul didn t like the people who followed Christ, and he made it his number one job to find the Friends of Jesus (Christians) and put them in jail and even have them beaten up! Saul was on the wrong path, and the only one who could get his attention was God! It happened one day when Saul was on his way to arrest some of the followers of Christ in Damascus. Here s how the Bible describes it (in Acts 9:3-9): As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me? Who are you, lord? Saul asked. And the voice replied, I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do. The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone s voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. [New Living Translation] Immediately after this reading, ask your children if any of them know what persecuting means (verse 5). Help your children to understand that persecuting means bullying someone or hurting someone just because they believe a certain thing. Saul was persecuting the Christians, and when Jesus talked to him in a loud voice from heaven, Jesus said that hurting Christians was the same thing as hurting him. 3
Then discuss these questions: When Saul was on the wrong path, how did God get his attention? What are some ways God uses to get our attention when we re on the wrong path? What did Saul do next? Why do you think he stopped persecuting Christians? Then go on to explain that Saul didn t stay blind. God sent a man named Ananias to him, and God used Ananias to heal him so he could see again. At first Ananias was scared after all, he knew that this man Saul used to hunt down Christians like him! But God told Ananias that he had big plans for Saul. God can take anyone who s walking on the wrong road and put that person on the road of following him! Read Acts 9:17-19: So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Instantly something like scales fell from Saul s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. [New Living Translation] Tell your children that what happened to Saul changed his whole life forever. He moved from being on the wrong path, hunting down Christians and killing them, to being one of the most famous Christians of all time. From this time on, he called himself Paul and did everything he could to tell people that Jesus really was the son of God. Ananias had to play his part in Paul s story this would have been difficult for him as Paul had a pretty scary reputation! Similarly, Macky and the gang had to overcome their fear of the Romans in order to help the slaves. We often need to overcome fear to choose the right route! We have a song about Paul on the road to Damascus, called Turned Around. You can add music and Song Time activities to your lesson using our music CD, What about Love?: Bible songs inspired by Friends and Heroes Series 1. Click here to learn more: /songtime 4
Prayer Time A Prayer Walk Materials Masking tape, six paper bags, a textbook, a spoon, a Bible, a skipping rope, pyjamas, and a map. A Prayer Guide template for each child (Printable Resources page 6) Preparation Set up six stations around the room, with masking tape marking out a path between each station. Draw an arrow on each section of masking tape, pointing to the next station. Fill each paper bag with one of the following items: a textbook, a spoon, a Bible, a skipping rope, pyjamas, and a map. Make copies of the prayer guide found at the end of this lesson and put one in each of the six bags. Divide the group into smaller groups. Have each group start at a different station. Explain that they will be going on a prayer walk, and they ll stop at each station to pray with their group. At each station, have the group pull out the object and the prayer guide from the paper bag. Have them follow the three guided questions, praying that God will show them the right path in various areas of their lives (school, home, church, playing, bedtime, and travelling). Have them switch to the next station by following the prayer path (masking tape) on the floor. Be sure each group has a chance to stop at each prayer station. Once all groups have visited the stations (or just before you run out of time!), gather the groups back together and pray the following prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank you that you help to guide us on the paths we take and with the choices we make. Please help us always to be aware of your guidance, and always to choose the right path. Amen 5
Printable Resources Lesson 6.2 Prayer Guide Template 1. What part of your life does this object represent? school home church playing bedtime travelling 2. What are some of the wrong paths you might face in this area of your life? 3. As a group, pray that God will protect you from the wrong paths in this area of your life. And pray that he ll show you the right paths to take when you are making choices in this area of your life. 6
Extra, extra! Lesson 6.2 Finding the right path Help Saul through the maze and find the road which leads to Damascus! Finish DAM ASC Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 [New Living Translation] US Start