Opening Prayer & Icebreaker
Icebreaker Question: Share about a time when you were completely wrong about something or someone, and how you discovered the truth. How did that realization change you?

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Key Scripture References
- Acts 9:1-22 (Primary text - Saul's conversion)
- Acts 22:1-16 (Paul's conversion recap told before the crowd)
- Acts 26:9-20 (Paul before Agrippa)
- Philippians 3:4-10 (Paul's perspective on his past)
- 1 Timothy 1:13-15 (Paul as chief of sinners)

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Sermon Summary
The sermon explores the dramatic conversion of Saul of Tarsus, demonstrating that everyone has a past worth forgetting and a future worth finding. Through Saul's story, we see three main movements: his unbridled anger against Christians, his unforeseen arrest by Jesus on the Damascus road, and his unconditional surrender to Christ's lordship.

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Discussion Questions

Section 1: Understanding Saul's Anger (Acts 9:1-2)

1. Why was Saul so intensely angry at Christians? What religious and personal factors drove his persecution of "the Way"?

2. The sermon mentioned that Saul discovered Judaism and Christianity couldn't go together. How do you think this realization affected him initially? What does this teach us about religious zeal without proper understanding?

3. Saul thought he was serving God while actually fighting against Him. Have you ever been sincere but sincerely wrong about something spiritual? What helped you see the truth?

4. In what ways might people today be "kicking against the pricks" (resisting God's purpose) while thinking they're doing the right thing?

1. Examine Your Heart: Are there areas where you're "kicking against the pricks" - resisting God's direction in the Bible for your life? Write down one area and pray specifically about surrendering it to God.

2. Past Worth Forgetting: Identify one thing from your past (sin, accomplishment, or identity) that you need to "count as loss" for Christ. Share it with an accountability partner and discuss how to move forward.

3. Future Worth Finding: Write down three ways your life should look different because of Christ. Choose one to focus on this week.

4. Treat Others as Christ: Identify one person in the church you've struggled with or neglected. Reach out to them this week, remembering that how you treat them is how you treat Christ.

5. Study Baptism: If you've been baptized, review Acts 22:16 and reflect on the significance of having your sins washed away. If you haven't been baptized, study what the Bible teaches about baptism and discuss it with an elder, preacher, or church member you trust.

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Reflection Questions for Personal Meditation

- What aspect of Saul's story resonates most with my own spiritual journey?
- Am I living as someone who has been arrested by grace and set free, or am I still imprisoned by my past?
- How can I better demonstrate that I have a future worth finding in Christ?
- What would "unconditional surrender" to Christ look like in my daily life?

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Closing Activity

Group Sharing: Have each person complete this sentence: "Like Saul, I need to forget _____________ and pursue _____________ in Christ."

Prayer Focus:
- Thank God for His amazing grace that reaches even the worst sinners
- Pray for those who are still "kicking against the pricks" and resisting God
- Ask for courage to fully follow Christ
- Pray for opportunities to share the hope of transformation with others

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Additional Resources for Further Study

- Read all three accounts of Paul's conversion: Acts 9, Acts 22, and Acts 26
- Study Romans 3:21-26 on the righteousness that comes through Christ
- Read Philippians 3:1-14 for Paul's perspective on his past and future
- Research the historical context of Damascus and early Christian persecution

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Remember: Everyone has a past worth forgetting and a future worth finding. That forgetting and that beginning both start and end with Christ Jesus and Him crucified.

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5-Day Devotional: From Past to Purpose

Day 1: The Unbridled Anger We Carry
Reading: Acts 9:1-2; Ephesians 4:26-27

Devotional:
Saul's rage against Christians consumed him, driving him 140 miles to persecute believers. Like a ferocious beast, he wreaked havoc on the church. We may not persecute Christians, but unbridled anger still destroys lives today. What makes you angry? Are you nursing bitterness, resentment, or rage against others? Paul's story reminds us that even our most sincere convictions can be misdirected. His zeal was real, but his target was wrong. Before transformation can begin, we must honestly examine our hearts. What anger are you carrying? Who are you fighting against? Today, ask God in prayer to reveal whether your passion is directed toward His purposes or against them. Repent of your anger before it consumes you.

Day 2: The Unexpected Encounter
Reading: Acts 9:3-9; Acts 26:9-18

Devotional:
Saul expected to arrest Christians in Damascus. Instead, Jesus arrested him. The persecutor became the prisoner of Christ. God specializes in interrupting our plans with His wisdom. Saul learned three life-changing truths that day: Jesus was alive, Jesus was divine, and Jesus was the Messiah he had been fighting against. Every person seeking salvation must learn these same truths. You cannot earn your way to God through religious activity or moral effort. Saul was "blameless" according to the law, yet he was the chief of sinners. Have you had your Damascus Road moment? Have you followed God’s plan of salvation, as Saul did? Stop running your own agenda. Follow the One who pursues you not to condemn, but to transform.

Day 3: Kicking Against the Goads
Reading: Acts 7:54-60; Acts 9:5

Devotional:
When Jesus said, "It is hard for you to kick against the goads," He revealed something profound. Saul had heard Stephen preach the gospel, lost debates against him, and watched him die with unwavering faith. Like a stubborn ox kicking against the pointed stick, Saul only wounded himself more deeply. What truth are you resisting? The Holy Spirit convicts us through Scripture. Continued resistance doesn't hurt God; it injures our own souls. Stephen's faithful example planted seeds that later bore fruit in Paul's conversion. Your faithfulness matters, even when others seem unmoved. And if you are the one resisting, stop kicking. Do not destroy yourself.

Day 4: Why Are You Waiting?
Reading: Acts 22:6-16; Romans 6:3-4

Devotional:
After Saul saw the Lord, heard His voice, and spoke with Him, he was still in his sins. He believed. He repented. He prayed for three days. But he was not yet forgiven. Ananias delivered the Lord’s command: “Why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).

This reminds us that emotional moments, “spiritual experiences," or sincere intentions do not remove sin. God has revealed a clear pattern in Scripture. A person must hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe that Jesus is the Christ (John 8:24), repent of sin (Acts 17:30), and confess Him before others (Romans 10:9–10). But forgiveness is granted when a person obeys God’s command to be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).

In baptism, we unite with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3–4). It is there that sins are washed away, that we put on Christ (Galatians 3:27), and that God adds us to the body of saved people—the church (Acts 2:47).

Many delay obedience, thinking they need more time, more knowledge, or a better moment. But the gospel never encourages waiting; it calls for immediate, wholehearted obedience.

If you have heard the gospel, believe that Jesus is divine, have repented, and have confessed Him—why are you waiting? Rise, obey the Lord’s command, and be baptized to wash away your sins.

Day 5: A Future Worth Finding
Reading: Philippians 3:4-14; 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Devotional:
Paul's past was worth forgetting, but his future in Christ was worth everything. The man who traveled to persecute Christians became the greatest missionary in history. The one who approved of Stephen's death died as a martyr himself from what we know. What he once counted as gain, he counted as loss for Christ. Everyone has a past worth forgetting and a future worth finding. Your past sins, failures, and mistakes do not define your future in Christ. Paul wrote, "Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Stop living in yesterday's guilt. God has qualified you through Christ for meaningful service. Like Paul, fight the good fight, finish your course, and keep the faith. Your best days are ahead.