People on a Journey – Saul (Paul)
LISTEN & WATCH (songs, sermon & video)
Service + Playlist: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkvRvo473R5hSmFo2u2jCHEGkXdR1Wr1P
00:00 - Welcome
1:00 - Prayers of the People
3:00 - Bible Reading
5:56 - Sermon
20:01 - Prayer of Reflection
READ
Acts 9: 1 - 20
Saul was a Jew, born in Tarsus and brought up in Jerusalem. As a Pharisee, he had been taught strict laws and hated followers of Jesus. He tried to destroy the new movement of Jesus followers on behalf of the Jewish authorities and went from house to house searching for believers to throw in jail. Many of these followers were executed and Saul was happy that they were killed. He even travelled abroad to hunt down the followers of Jesus. Saul was a fanatic, a fundamentalist who believed that there was no room for change or other points of view. That all changed on the road to Damascus...
In this passage, we read about Saul’s experience of meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus which leaves him blinded needing care from his friends and healing from Ananias. After his experience he joins the disciples preaching Jesus was the Son of God, amazing everyone who knew him and leading many Gentiles to Christ. Later he was known as Paul and authored many of the letters in the New Testament.
SHARE
About how you are feeling. What is the best/worst thing about last week? When have you felt God close/far away? Where have you seen God at work in your or someone else’s life?
TALK
- How do you think Saul felt when Jesus spoke to him? Scared? Confused? How do you think you would feel if God spoke directly to you in this way?
- Saul seemed to know that it was the voice of Jesus immediately. Is that a surprise?
- Can you describe a time when you think that God might have been speaking to you?
- Do you think the three-day time is significant? If so, why?
- In verse 10-14 God speaks to Ananias. He tells him to go to Straight Street and find Saul.
- How would you feel if you were Ananias?
- Do you think both Saul and Ananias were ‘blind’ to what God could do?
- Saul was not a Jesus believer, was actively persecuting people and having them killed, yet God chose him to do his work. How do you feel about that?
- Do you think it’s possible for people to radically change like this today?
- Do you think there are some people who will never change? If so, why?
- What do you think God might be telling you through this passage?
- What are you going to do about it?
PRAY
Pray about the things that God has spoken to you about today, and how you might do what he calls you to do. Also pray for each other’s sharing points.
You might also like to say this reflective prayer together as a group, or by yourself.
Reflective Prayer
Journeys were never straightforward in your company, Lord.
A bumpy road to Bethlehem, a swift exit to Egypt,
a hard road to a hill of death.
Those journeys your companions would rather not repeat.
But the stumble to a tomb, the long trek to Emmaus, the mountain climb to an eternal promise.
Those we would walk again and again and again.
And this journey, today, Lord, though it is often uneven, often hasty, often tough,
we choose to do it again and again and again.
For we remember how you sent us out with next to nothing for the sake of everything.
We remember how you bid us go with only our faith to win the world for you.
We remember how you promised always to travel with us.
And this journey ahead, Lord, though it will challenge how we act,
change how we serve, transform how we live,
we choose to do it again and again and again.
In your company, Lord,
we go forward.
Amen.
Material adapted from Spill the Beans, Issue 7 © 2013 Spill the Beans Resource Team [www.spillbeans.org.uk](http://www.spillbeans.org.uk/)
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