Lesson Date: July 31, 2011

Focal Scripture Passage: Acts 9:1-43

AIM: To lead adults to describe the changes God made in Saul of Tarsus, and to accept and act on the fact that no person is so hostile to Jesus Christ that the Lord cannot change his or her life.

 

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Ask: “Who do you think is the most unlikely person on earth to become a Christian?  In other words, who would you say seems almost hopeless in terms of coming to faith in Jesus Christ?” (class members may name someone they know personally or some famous person they do not know personally).  Ask: “Do you know anyone who is actually hostile to Jesus and His church?  Can you name that person?”  After allowing a few responses, ask: “Do you know someone who is completely indifferent to the Lord Jesus Christ?  Who do you know that is not actually hostile toward the Lord, but they just don’t care anything about Him?”

Tell the class it is easy for us in our human thinking to feel that someone is beyond hope, as far as becoming a Christian is concerned.  Today’s lesson will show us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s Holy Spirit.  No one is hopeless.

 

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1.     Review.

a.     Briefly review the events of the first eight chapters of Acts.

b.     Especially remind the class about Stephen’s martyrdom (two weeks ago) and the spread of the gospel outside of Judea to Samaria (last week’s lesson).

2.     Saul’s Intent.

a.     Ask a volunteer to read Acts 9:1-2.

b.     Ask: “What do these verses tell us about Saul?” (he was aggressively persecuting the church and throwing Christians in prison).

c.     Remind the class that Saul was pleased with the death of Stephen (Acts 7:58 – 8:1).

d.     Saul was on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem.

3.     Saul’s Conversion.

a.     Read Acts 9:3-5.

b.     Ask: “What happened to Saul, and what did he hear?” (he was blinded by a bright light, he fell to the ground, and he heard a voice).

c.     Note that the light was so bright it outshone the brightness of the noonday sun.

d.     Ask: “Who was the voice that spoke to Saul?” (the Lord Jesus Christ).

e.     Remind the class that Saul was involved in persecuting the church.  Ask: “Who did Jesus say Saul was persecuting?” (Him).

f.      Jesus identifies with His church, which is called His body.  When someone opposes or persecutes the church, in reality they are opposing or persecuting Jesus, Himself.

4.     Saul Received Instructions.

a.     Ask a volunteer to read Acts 9:6-9.

b.     Ask: “How did Saul address Jesus Christ?” (as Lord).  Saul yielded to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

c.     Ask: “What did the Lord tell Saul to do?” (go into the city and wait for instructions).

d.     Saul was blind and he fasted for three days while awaiting directions from God.

e.     Read Acts 9:10-14.

f.      Ananias was a Christian who lived in Damascus.

g.     Ask: “What did God tell Ananias to do?” (go to Saul and lay his hands upon him so he would regain his sight).

h.     Tell the class that Ananias was afraid to do this.  Ask: “Why was Ananias fearful?” (he knew that Saul had come to arrest Christians, like himself).

i.      Read Acts 9:15-16.

j.      Ask: “What did God tell Ananias about Saul?” (he was a chosen vessel, he would preach to Jews, Gentiles, and rulers, and he would face a lot of suffering).

5.     A Miraculous Transformation.

a.     Ask the class to listen for how Saul’s life changed as you read Acts 9:17-22.

b.     After Saul regained his sight he was baptized.  Baptism is an act of obedience which shows the new believer is under the Lordship and authority of Jesus Christ.

c.     Saul then began preaching and teaching about Jesus Christ.

d.     Ask: “What did people think when they heard that Saul was preaching about Jesus?” (they were amazed because he had previously persecuted the church).

e.     Saul’s life changed dramatically when he was saved.

6.     The Former Persecutor Became the Object of Persecution.

a.     Tell the class that the “new Saul,” the preacher of Jesus Christ, was hated by the Jews.

b.     Ask a volunteer to read Acts 9:23-25.

c.     Tell the class that the Jews in Damascus wanted to kill Saul, so the Christians helped him escape and go to Jerusalem.

d.     Read Acts 9:26-31.

e.     Ask: “Why were the Christians in Jerusalem afraid of Saul?” (they thought he had faked his conversion in order to get inside their churches and arrest them).

f.      Ask: “Who spoke up for Saul?” (Barnabas).

g.     Saul preached boldly in Jerusalem, and even disputed with the Grecians, the same group responsible for Stephen’s death.  The Grecian Jews wanted to kill Saul, so the believers sent him to his hometown of Tarsus.

h.     The persecution of the churches stopped for a time.

7.     Peter’s Ministry: Miracles and Conversions.

a.     Read Acts 9:32-38.

b.     The Apostle Peter traveled toward the Mediterranean coast.

c.     God used him to heal a lame man in the city of Lydda (23 miles northwest of Jerusalem – locate Lydda on the map).

d.     A Christian woman named Dorcas (or Tabitha), who lived in nearby Joppa (11 miles from Lydda – locate on the map), died.  When the believers learned that Peter was nearby, they sent for him.

e.     Read Acts 9:39-43.

f.      Ask: “What did Peter do?” (he prayed and God raised Tabitha from the dead).

g.     Ask: “According to verses 35 and 42, what were the results of these miracles?” (many people believed and were saved).

h.     God used miracles to convince people that Jesus could save them.

 

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Ask: “What changes did God make in Saul’s life?”  Tell the class that in his time Saul of Tarsus was Christianity’s greatest enemy.  When he went to Damascus he wasn’t looking for Jesus.  He thought he was right with God and he thought the Christians were God’s enemies.  Saul viewed himself as righteous.  He had no interest in Jesus Christ, but God sovereignly intervened in his life.   God interrupted Saul’s plans, knocked him flat, and caused him to turn to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.  This fact shows us that no one is beyond hope when it comes to salvation.

Remind the class of the introductory step of this lesson.  They named people who seem very unlikely to ever be saved, people who are hostile to Christianity, and people who are indifferent to the Lord.  Based on the experience of Saul, we know that God can save anyone, including those they named in the introductory activity.  The resurrection of Dorcas is a picture of that salvation, which takes place without the activity of the sinner.  The sinner is dead in his sins and cannot save himself, just as Dorcas was physically dead and could not bring herself back to life.

Ask: “How should the truth that God can save anyone impact our attitudes and actions?” (we should not give up on or quit praying for anyone, regardless of their indifference or hostility toward the gospel).  Our class has a prospect list; some of those people seem to have no interest in the things of God.  We all probably have family members or friends who seem closed to the gospel.  We should continue to try to reach those people with the gospel, even if they are hostile or indifferent.  God may still interrupt their lives and save their souls, just like He did with Saul of Tarsus.  Lead a closing prayer of commitment to try to take the gospel to everyone.

 

CONCLUSION: Encourage everyone to invite their “hopeless,” “hostile,” or “indifferent” friend to Sunday School next week.  Ask them to memorize Acts 9:4-5.  Remind everyone to read Acts 10:1 – 11:18 and their Sunday School Member Quarterly this week.