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Section 1: Opening Prayer
Holy God, you can take us from where ever we are and use us in your mission and ministry. Help us to see through the conversion of Saul that none of us are too far gone or too far away from where you, for you to call us back home. You can clean anything and use us in your work here on earth. Help us to be open to you. Amen
Section 2: Story
And here is a telling of the story:
Section 3: Message
Read the story of the conversion of Saul here.
Saul was a ruthless man who had papers from the Jewish High Council to arrest people of the way or those who followed the teachings of Jesus Christ. He was one of the best prosecutors of the church. People who follow the teaching of Jesus Christ were deathly afraid of Saul as is evidenced by the reading and video.
But God met him on the road to Damascus and made Saul blind. But God did not leave him this way, God sent Ananias, an apostle, to give Saul his sight back, and to show him the love God has for him. God took someone whom the church feared and turned him into one of the greatest apostles to ever live.
So when you think you are too far gone, don’t. You are never out of the reach of a loving God.
Section 4: Learn and Engage
– What are 3 things you learned?
– What is 1 question you still have?
– What part of the lesson did you most identify with?
– What part of the lesson was hardest for you?
– Where have you seen God this week?
Section 5: Closing Prayer
Gracious and most holy God, help us to look beyond the pasts of our brothers and sisters and only look to our collective future with you so we may be beacons of you hope in a world that needs to be turned from the darkness that surrounds us. Amen.