Valley Real Life
Paul: Persecutor to Preacher
Locations & Times
VALLEY REAL LIFE
1831 S Barker Rd, Greenacres, WA 99016, USA
Thursday 6:30 PM
Introduction
The power of stories…they are engaging, inspiring and often life-changing. I love inspiring true stories! The only thing better than hearing an inspiring true story is living one. There is nothing like experiencing a heroic or life-changing event firsthand.
The power of stories…they are engaging, inspiring and often life-changing. I love inspiring true stories! The only thing better than hearing an inspiring true story is living one. There is nothing like experiencing a heroic or life-changing event firsthand.
Paul’s Story
- Paul, persecutor to preacher.
- The only story greater than your story is God’s story
- Like Paul, your story consists of three parts:
1. Your life before you encounter or encountered Jesus.
2. Your encounter with the resurrected Jesus.
3. Your life after your encounter with the resurrected Jesus
- Paul, persecutor to preacher.
- The only story greater than your story is God’s story
- Like Paul, your story consists of three parts:
1. Your life before you encounter or encountered Jesus.
2. Your encounter with the resurrected Jesus.
3. Your life after your encounter with the resurrected Jesus
Paul’s Encounter with the Resurrected Jesus
- The prelude to Paul’s conversion was his presence at & approval of Stephen’s death
- When Paul encountered the resurrected Jesus, he left changed. Like Paul, when we encounter the resurrected Jesus we, too, will never be the same.
- God desires for us all to have an “Acts 9” experience where, when headed down the wrong road, we encounter Jesus, have our eyes opened, and then start taking our marching orders from Jesus for the rest of our lives.
- The prelude to Paul’s conversion was his presence at & approval of Stephen’s death
- When Paul encountered the resurrected Jesus, he left changed. Like Paul, when we encounter the resurrected Jesus we, too, will never be the same.
- God desires for us all to have an “Acts 9” experience where, when headed down the wrong road, we encounter Jesus, have our eyes opened, and then start taking our marching orders from Jesus for the rest of our lives.
Paul’s Life after His Encounter with the Resurrected Jesus
- Paul the persecutor immediately began to preach the message he had once tried to purge.
- Paul the persecutor turned preacher became the persecuted.
- Paul the persecutor immediately began to preach the message he had once tried to purge.
- Paul the persecutor turned preacher became the persecuted.
Conclusion
- The only story greater than your story is God's story. Where are you in relationship to Jesus?
- If you haven’t personally encountered Him, know that He longs for you to experience a firsthand relationship with Him.
- Wherever you are in life’s journey I encourage you to share your story and experience the resurrected Jesus.
- The only story greater than your story is God's story. Where are you in relationship to Jesus?
- If you haven’t personally encountered Him, know that He longs for you to experience a firsthand relationship with Him.
- Wherever you are in life’s journey I encourage you to share your story and experience the resurrected Jesus.
Community Group Questions
A Week in Review: Our perspective is shaped by who or what we fix our eyes on. How was your perspective challenged or changed this past week?
Group Opener: What are some inspiring true stories that have impacted you?
Study Questions:
1. Who is the least expected person you know to have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior?
2. Read Acts 26:1-29. This is Paul’s personal testimony that he shared while on trial in front of King Agrippa. What strikes you about what Paul said or how he said it?
3. Like Paul’s story, your story has three parts:
1) Your life before you encounter or encountered Jesus.
2) Your encounter with the resurrected Jesus.
3) Your life after your encounter with the resurrected Jesus.
Depending on group size and duration, have a few people share their testimony by describing the three parts of their life story, have each person share one aspect of their story, take some time and have each one write out their testimony in one page or less, or come up with your own option for having group members share their testimony.
4. Who needs to hear your story (and possibly God’s story of redemption)? What steps can you take to create an opportunity to share your testimony (and possibly the gospel message, too)?
5. Whether we are Christians or not we often struggle with living for the God we want or the God who is. What’s the difference between the two in your life? Where is God calling you to follow the God who is instead of the God you want?
6. God used people like Ananias and Barnabas to come alongside Paul
following his encounter with Jesus. Who are you or who might you come alongside of to help in their journey of faith?
7. There is no such thing as a second-hand Jesus so share how you have been experiencing Jesus’ life-changing power firsthand. How has Jesus opened your eyes lately?
8. What step is Jesus asking you to take considering this week’s sermon and small group study?
9. Spend time praying together conversationally. Focus on the topic of this study. Pray short, sentence prayers; listen to the Holy Spirit and each other; piggy-back on each other’s prayers; and keep your prayers vertical.
A Week in Review: Our perspective is shaped by who or what we fix our eyes on. How was your perspective challenged or changed this past week?
Group Opener: What are some inspiring true stories that have impacted you?
Study Questions:
1. Who is the least expected person you know to have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior?
2. Read Acts 26:1-29. This is Paul’s personal testimony that he shared while on trial in front of King Agrippa. What strikes you about what Paul said or how he said it?
3. Like Paul’s story, your story has three parts:
1) Your life before you encounter or encountered Jesus.
2) Your encounter with the resurrected Jesus.
3) Your life after your encounter with the resurrected Jesus.
Depending on group size and duration, have a few people share their testimony by describing the three parts of their life story, have each person share one aspect of their story, take some time and have each one write out their testimony in one page or less, or come up with your own option for having group members share their testimony.
4. Who needs to hear your story (and possibly God’s story of redemption)? What steps can you take to create an opportunity to share your testimony (and possibly the gospel message, too)?
5. Whether we are Christians or not we often struggle with living for the God we want or the God who is. What’s the difference between the two in your life? Where is God calling you to follow the God who is instead of the God you want?
6. God used people like Ananias and Barnabas to come alongside Paul
following his encounter with Jesus. Who are you or who might you come alongside of to help in their journey of faith?
7. There is no such thing as a second-hand Jesus so share how you have been experiencing Jesus’ life-changing power firsthand. How has Jesus opened your eyes lately?
8. What step is Jesus asking you to take considering this week’s sermon and small group study?
9. Spend time praying together conversationally. Focus on the topic of this study. Pray short, sentence prayers; listen to the Holy Spirit and each other; piggy-back on each other’s prayers; and keep your prayers vertical.