Sometimes people will experience a dramatic change in their lives. One of the strongest leaders of the early church was a man named Paul. He traveled all around the known world, from Syria to Spain. He started churches and wrote letters to them to tell them more about God and how to work through problems.
Paul’s life was dramatically changed when he met Jesus. He grew up as a Greek speaking Jew, was a member of the Pharisee party, and was a Roman citizen. We have already met Paul – called Saul – at Stephen’s death.
Terms
- Synagogue – building where Jews met for worship and teaching
- Way of the Lord – an early name for Christianity
- Persecute – systematically cause trouble or harm
- Baptized – to be dipped in water; a public sign of believing and trusting Jesus
Questions
- Why is Saul traveling to Damascus?
- What does Saul see and hear on the road to Damascus? What does Jesus tell him?
- How was Saul persecuting Jesus?
- How does Saul enter Damascus? How might this be different than planned?
- What does his physical blindness mean? How does it symbolize his relationship with God?
- What did God ask Ananias to do?
- How does Ananias feel about this? How does God respond?
- What does God have in the future for Saul?
- How do you think Saul feels when he can see again? How is his physical sight symbolic of his spiritual sight?
- What immediate changes do you see in Saul?
- What does he preach? What’s the reaction to his preaching?
- How has Saul become like Stephen? Why is he hated by unbelieving Jews?
- How do the believers protect Saul?
- Why isn’t Saul accepted by the other believers in Jerusalem? What does Barnabas do?
- How does Saul’s conversion affect the believers?
- What could have caused the change in Saul? What might he have felt or thought?
