THE EARLY CHURCH — EPISODE 6: SAUL MEETS JESUS
Based on Acts 9:1-22
Series: The Early Church | Episode 6 of 10
Target audience: Kids ages 7-15
Okay — buckle up. This one is wild.
There was a man named Saul. And Saul absolutely HATED my followers. The Bible says he was breathing murderous threats against them. He went house to house, dragging men and women off to prison. He watched Stephen get killed and held the coats of the people who threw the stones.
And he wasn't slowing down. He got official letters giving him permission to go to Damascus and arrest every Christian he could find.
But here's the thing about me. I don't give up on anyone.
Saul was on the road to Damascus when suddenly a light from heaven blazed around him — brighter than the midday sun — so intense it knocked him flat on the ground.
And then he heard my voice.
"Saul, Saul — why are you persecuting me?"
He was shaking. "Who are you, Lord?"
"I am Jesus. The one you are persecuting."
Every time Saul dragged one of my followers to prison, he was coming after ME.
Saul got up, opened his eyes... and saw nothing. Completely blind. For three days he sat in darkness — no food, no water — just silence and the echo of my voice.
Meanwhile, I appeared to a believer named Ananias. I told him, "Go to Saul and lay your hands on him."
Ananias was TERRIFIED. "Lord — I've heard about this guy! He arrests Christians! He's here with warrants!"
I love Ananias's honesty. But I said, "Go. This man is my chosen instrument."
So Ananias walked in, put his hands on Saul, and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus has sent me so you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes. He could see! He was baptized. And then — get this — he went straight to the synagogue and started preaching that Jesus is the Son of God.
The people were stunned. "Isn't this the man who was destroying Christians?!"
Yes, it was. And now he was one.
The biggest enemy of my church became its greatest champion. The man who hunted believers became the apostle Paul — the one who would write half the New Testament.
Here's your takeaway: nobody is too far gone. If I can transform Saul — I can transform anyone. Including that person you think will never change. Don't you dare give up on them.
I never give up.
