TEXT: Acts 9
DATE: May 31, 2015
The “Context” and “Explanation” sections are for the leader’s preparation for the lesson. The material in these
sections may certainly be used throughout the course of leading your group through discussion, but is not intended
to be read aloud. As a leader, you are to lead and promote discussion. You don’t have to feel the pressure to lecture
or recite this background information verbatim.
Context: Saul, who was introduced at the stoning of Stephen, is now front in center in
the story of the early church in Acts. Whereas with Stephen he was relatively in the
background watching the garments of the men who were stoning and approving of his
death, starting in Acts chapter 8 Saul began to “ravage the church, entering house after
house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison” (8:3). Every good
story has a bad guy, and at this point in Acts, Saul is that bad guy; he is the arch enemy
of Christ and his church. It appears that Saul will not stop until he destroys Christianity.
The battle lines are drawn. The stage is set. Will this really be the end of “the Way?”
Explanation: It’s so easy for us who been around church for a while to remember Paul
the Jesus-loving missionary and forget or downplay his very real past of being a Jesushating, murdering terrorist whose job was to round up and throw Christians in jail
and destroy the church. Paul says in 1 Tim. 1:15 that before his salvation he is the
“worst” or “foremost/chief of sinners.” His salvation clearly shows the reality we all
experience: we are enemies of God until, by His grace, he radically changes us.
There are times recorded in the Bible when God spoke directly from heaven. Here
are a few: Mt. Sinai (Exod. 24:16; Numbers 7:89), to Elijah (1 Kings 19), to King
Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:31), Visions of Heaven (Isa. 6; Ezekiel 1:25, 28), and at
Jesus’ Baptism (Luke 3:22), the transfiguration (Matt. 17:5), and before he ascended
(John 12:28-30). How incredible is it now that when a voice speaks it is that of Jesus
Christ! He has indeed ascended and is at the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:33). He
has been given all authority on heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18). He is the Son of God
and the risen Lord who has been highly exalted and given the name that is above
every name (Phil. 2:9). He is no mere prophet or good man. He is the reigning king
whose voice thunders from heaven (cf. Ps. 18).
In our day and age it is common, even trendy, to “love Jesus, just not be about
church.” So, we don’t think it’s important, don’t go, aren’t committed, or don’t
connect with a local body of believers. But the Bible doesn’t let us make that
distinction: Here in Acts 8 Jesus himself asks Paul about his persecution of
Christians, “Why are you persecuting me?” (8:4). Paul later gives us the striking
metaphor that the church is Jesus’ body (1 Cor. 1). And the church is who Jesus
loved dearly and died for (Eph. 5:24). While we can certainly be frustrated with the
legalism or sin associated with churches, we have to guard against bitterness or
even apathy toward the body of our Lord Jesus Christ!
It should be very informative to us that God saved Saul for a purpose (9:15). He
knew how specifically He was going to use Saul to advance His Gospel and Kingdom.
While it’s true that we are not called to be the first missionary to non-Jews, be the
main player in the Gospel advancing to the ends of the known world, and write
about half of the NT, God still very much has a plan for us. In fact, Paul challenges the
Ephesians on this very point (Eph. 2:10). While our specific role isn’t the same, what
is true of Paul’s conversion is very much true of ours: God saved him for a specific
purpose and for His glory (1 Tim. 1:12-17), and called him to live on mission (Acts
9:6).
As your group time begins we want to give the group one main point or “Big Question.” It boils down the lesson into
one key, foundational thought that is focused on life application that gives the group an easy-to-remember take
home to frame this lesson and think about during the week.
Do you really believe that God radically changes lives?
READ: Acts 9:1-9
Pray: Pray that God would floor you by his power to radically transform lives.
When are other times in the Bible we hear a “voice from Heaven”?
What does it tell us about who Jesus is that his voice is now the one speaking?
When Saul is terrorizing Christians, Jesus asks him “why are you persecuting me?”
How then does Jesus view the church?
What metaphor in the Bible helps us understand Jesus’ relationship to the church?
How should this change the way we think about our church? Our commitment to
our church? Our love for the church?
How should Jesus’ words in vv.4-5 change the way we think about and respond to
the growing persecution Christians and the church face in our country? (Read John
15:18-21)
Read Acts 8:10-20. Why was did God convert Saul? What was his purpose? (v.15)
What did Saul do as soon as he was able? (v.20) How should this change the way we
think about our purpose in life? About how we are to live? About who can be a
missionary?
How does reading about God changing a terrorist and Jesus-hater into a Christian
missionary make you feel? Excited to start sharing with your friends? Discouraged
about those close to you who still don’t believe? Disillusioned that it’s just words on
a page that doesn’t actually happen in real life?
Why is our Christian life so routine—even boring—when the pages of Scripture are
filled with the Spirit powerfully moving, lives being radically transformed, and faith
in Christ spreading like wildfire?! Where do we go wrong? Is it something we
believe (or don’t believe)? Something we do (or aren’t doing)?
Who is someone in your life who you think cannot or will not ever be changed by the
Gospel of Jesus? Is it hard to believe that God can radically change their life? Why?
As you close your group time we want to reiterate the one main point or “Big Question” that gives the group an
easy-to-remember take home to frame this lesson and think about during the week.
Do you really believe that God radically changes lives?