YOUTH GROUP LESSON ON PAUL
Here’s a free youth group lesson on Paul based on Acts 9:1, Acts 9:3-6, Colossians 3:12-14, and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
Bottom Line: Paul’s journey from Saul to Paul teaches us that God’s grace can change anyone, that we need courage and endurance in our faith, and that love is the ultimate force that binds us together.
Includes a fun opening game to set up the lesson and small group discussion questions to use afterward.
Enjoy!
Looking for youth ministry curriculum? Check out the…
TWO YEAR BUNDLE – Save 90% on 2 years of teaching series, 9 months of Bible studies and 80 games for youth ministry. Order today (Tuesday, September 17) to get $195 worth of bonuses!
YOUTH GROUP LESSON ON PAUL
Bible: Acts 9:1, Acts 9:3-6, Colossians 3:12-14, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Bottom Line: Paul’s journey from Saul to Paul teaches us that God’s grace can change anyone, that we need courage and endurance in our faith, and that love is the ultimate force that binds us together.
GAME SUPPLIES:
- Duct tape – multiple rolls and colors
- Solo cups
- Hula hoops or masking tape to designate “home” (enough for one per team)
GAME PREP:
On one end of your space, place the hula hoops in a row or use tape to mark off “home” spaces.
On the opposite end of your space, create the Build Zone that includes several rolls of duct tape and solo cups. You’ll need the same number of build stations as you have teams.
HOW TO PLAY THE GAME:
Teams of 4-6 will start at the Build Zone.
Each team must construct a structure using at least 21 Solo Cups and held together with duct tape.
Once constructed, the team must move the structure into the Home Zone.
The first team to successfully get their entire structure into the Home Zone wins.
Say: Today we have an exciting game for you called “Build It Move It.”
To get started we need teams with 4-6 members each.
Divide students into teams however works best for your group.
In a minute you will all head to the Building Zone where you will find some classic construction materials – Solo Cups and Duct Tape.
When I say go, your team must construct some sort of structure using at least 21 Solo Cups.
Can you use more than 21?
Absolutely.
Can you use less than 21?
Only if you want to lose.
Your Solo cups must be held together using Duct Tape.
Once your structure has been built, your team needs to move it to your Home Zone.
Point to the hula hoops at the opposite end of the space.
The first team to successfully move their structure to their Home Zone wins.
A few little extra rules:
- The Solo Cups cannot be stacked inside one another – we must be able to see each Solo cup individually
- If a Solo Cup falls off your structure while moving it, you must return the entire structure to the Build Zone to repair the damage.
Ok, head to your team’s Build Zone and let’s get building.
Ready? Start!
TEACH
Say: That was an awesome game.
Those structures were something!
Can I get an amen for Duct Tape?!
Today, we are diving into the life of one of the most influential figures in Christianity – Paul.
Paul’s conversion story on the road to Damascus is like no testimony I’ve ever heard.
It was not a “I was born in a Christian home…” story at all.
But we’ll get to that in just a minute.
Paul also shared the gospel all over the Roman empire, spreading the news about Jesus far and wide.
And Paul is known for his many letters to newly formed churches teaching, encouraging and correcting them.
We still read those letters today.
They are included as books in the New Testament of our Bibles.
Paul’s conversion story, his many missionary journeys, and what he taught followers in his letters offer us incredible lessons on faith, courage, godly living, and the extravagant love and grace of God.
Today, we will fly over some very important lessons that the life of Paul teaches us.
We begin with his conversion to become a Christ follower.
Sometimes we call this his testimony.
Buckle up, because like I mentioned a second ago, this is no “I was born into a Christian home” kind of story.
First, let’s talk about Paul’s name.
Paul was originally named Saul.
And Saul was a Pharisee.
Do you remember them?
They were always popping up around Jesus questioning what He was doing, judging what He was saying, or trying to trick Him into behaving or talking in a way they thought was against God.
They were a pretty arrogant, judgmental bunch and were likely not a ton of fun to be around.
And Saul was one of them.
He persecuted anyone who was a follower of Jesus and the Bible tells us in Acts 9:1 that he was “uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers.”
Yikes! Saul had an intense hatred of Christians!
Then one day when Saul was walking on a road headed to Damascus to gather up more Christians to kill, he had an out-of-this-world encounter with Jesus.
Can someone read Acts 9:3-6 for us please?
Allow a student to read to the group
3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.
And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
He went blind at that moment, was helped into Damascus, and was healed by someone God provided.
Saul became a believer in Christ, was baptized and began to study with the other Christians (who for good reason were a bit terrified of this previous Christian killer).
Then Saul got a new name, Paul, and God sent him on a mission to take the message of Jesus to everyone.
Paul shared the good news about Jesus, helped get communities of believers together into organized churches, taught them what it meant to be a Christ-follower, corrected them when they were off course, and encouraged them to keep on going.
Paul showed us that no matter where we start or what we’ve done, God can transform us and use us for His great purposes.
Paul’s dramatic conversion from persecutor to leader reminds us that God’s grace is powerful enough to change anyone’s life.
Paul’s story doesn’t just end once he’s converted and tells a few people about Christ.
He devoted his entire life to traveling everywhere to share about Christ.
And these weren’t easy mission trips with airline tickets, air-conditioned vans, and photo opportunities.
They were often in hostile places with people who, like Paul once had, wanted nothing more than to torture and kill anyone who followed Christ.
Paul was imprisoned and beaten often for following Christ.
But regardless of his treatment, Paul continued his mission with unwavering, steady faith.
His determination to spread Jesus’ love with others shows us how to stay on mission to take the good news to our homes, schools, friends, teams, countries, and to all ends of the earth.
Paul is also known for being the author of about half the New Testament.
How many books of the New Testament do you think Paul wrote?
Allow students to guess
He wrote 13 books!
The 13 books are actually letters that Paul wrote to some of the earliest churches.
Can anyone name some of the letters Paul is credited with authoring?
Allow students to share.
Right!
Paul wrote:
- Romans
- 1st & 2nd Corinthians
- Philemon
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- 1st & 2nd Thessalonians
- Colossians
- 1st & 2nd Timothy
- Titus
Phew! That’s a lot of letter writing.
And all these letters are included in our Bibles today.
We can still read Paul’s words for ourselves.
That blows my mind!
These letters to the early Christian communities are full of practical tips on how to live a Christ-centered life and are as relevant now as they were when he wrote them.
In Colossians 3:12-14 we read from Paul:
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
Say: Paul’s advice lays out how we should live every day.
He teaches about joy, contentment, saving grace, and the importance of living with all the characteristics of Christ, such as kindness, compassion, humility and love.
Speaking of love, Paul has a lot to say about love in his letters to the new Christian churches.
He says again and again that love is the greatest quality and that it holds everything together.
Love is quite simply the duct tape of life’s relationships.
We just read in Colossians 3:14 that love “binds us all together in perfect harmony.”
It makes sense.
Can our friend groups, our sports teams, our youth groups, our churches remain tightly connected without love?
Or can slander, gossip, backbiting, lying, eye rolling, social media digs, jealousy, anger, unforgiveness, arrogance, and rudeness snip at the tape holding these communities together?
Can a lack of love lead to broken connections, soured relationships, and deep hurt?
Absolutely.
Love for one another, on the other hand, holds us together making our groups and communities united and strong.
But what exactly is love?
Would someone please read for us 1 Corinthians 13:4-7?
Allow a student to read for the group.
4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Love is all the most wonderful qualities weaved together.
Patience, kindness, humility, consideration, generosity, forgiveness, no jealousy, and a whole lot of lifting one another up are the threads of love.
Love is powerful, and Paul knew it.
Paul was quite a guy.
God used him in a really big way!
And we can learn a lot from the apostle Paul.
Maybe you think you’re too “bad” or you’ve sinned “too much” for God to work in your life.
Look at Paul.
Perhaps you come from a family that doesn’t know Jesus and you think that means you can’t do things for the Kingdom of God.
Look at Paul.
You might be tired of sharing your faith with friends and family members because they make fun of you or put you down.
Check out Paul.
Maybe your communities are falling apart, your sports team or youth group or friend groups are full of friction?
Look at Paul’s instructions.
Or you don’t know how to love those around you?
Look at Paul’s definition.
Paul’s life is a powerful example of transformation, dedication, and living out faith in Christ.
His journey from Saul to Paul teaches us that God’s grace can change anyone, that we need courage and endurance in our faith, and that love is the ultimate force that binds us together.
Let’s pray.
Pray to close.
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What do you think is the most exciting transformation story you’ve ever heard? (It can be from a movie, book, or real life.)
- Have you ever had a moment in your life where something completely changed your perspective or direction? What happened?
- Why do you think Paul continued to preach about Jesus even when it meant facing danger and imprisonment?
- Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13 that love is patient and kind and keeps no record of wrongs. What are some practical ways that we can show this kind of love in our friendships and family?
- How does love act like duct tape in our relationships, holding everything together? What are things that can snip at that duct tape and tear our communities apart?
- Paul faced a lot of persecution for his faith. How can we support each other when we face challenges or feel discouraged in our own faith?
- Paul wrote letters to encourage and correct new believers. Who can you encourage this week, and how will you do it?
- Looking at Paul’s story, what is one thing you’ve learned today that you want to apply to your life?
End lesson.
Looking for youth ministry curriculum? Check out the…
TWO YEAR BUNDLE – Save 90% on 2 years of teaching series, 9 months of Bible studies and 80 games for youth ministry. Order today (Tuesday, September 17) to get $195 worth of bonuses!
Looking for another freebie? Check out this…