Paul in Damascus
Acts 9:20-25
Saul the persecutor of Christians met Jesus on the road to
Damascus. After his conversion he was a
different person. The man who had been killing Christians
now became a follower of Jesus and joined
the ranks of believers. The Christians in Damascus didn't know
what to think of him. He began to
preach in their city and became more and more powerful.
Some of the Jews decided he was dangerous to them and started
looking for a way to kill him, but
Paul learned of their plan. His enemies watched the city
gate day and night, determined to grab him
when he tried to leave the city.
Paul and his friends had other plans, and God wanted Paul to
survive to preach in other cities. This
was their plan: They got a large basket, big enough to hold a
man. They tied ropes onto the basket to
lower it to the ground. When it was dark, Paul got into the
basket and his friends lowered him down
through an opening in the wall. He didn't use the gates at
all! His enemies' plan was foiled and Paul left
the city in safety.
He went from Damascus to Jerusalem, but the Christians there feared him
also. Barnabas, good
Barnabas, stood up for him and told the Christians that Paul really
was changed. He was accepted
by them and preached, but it became dangerous there also when the
Jews from Greece tried to kill him.
His friends took him to Caesarea (ses uh REE uh) and then sent
him
off to Tarsus, his hometown.
Memory Verse:
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my
deliverer.
Second Samuel 22:2 NIV