### Lesson Plan: Saul's Opposition to the Gospel
**Grade Level**: Senior Secondary 3
**Subject**: Christian Religious Studies
**Duration**: 60 Minutes
**Topic**: Saul's Opposition to the Gospel
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**Objectives**:
- Understand the background and early life of Saul (Paul).
- Examine Saul's role in opposing the early Christian church.
- Analyze the significance of Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus.
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**Materials**:
- Bible (Preferably New International Version)
- Whiteboard and markers
- Projector and screen (if using multimedia)
- Handouts with key Scriptures and discussion questions
- Notebook and pen for each student
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**Warm-Up (10 Minutes)**:
1. Begin with a short prayer.
2. Briefly discuss the spread of Christianity after Jesus’ ascension.
3. Ask students if they know who Saul (Paul) is and gather some initial responses.
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**Introduction (5 Minutes)**:
1. Provide a brief introduction to Saul, mentioning his background as a Pharisee and his education under Gamaliel.
2. Highlight Saul's initial opposition to the Christian movement.
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**Scripture Reading (10 Minutes)**:
- Divide the class into small groups and assign each group one of the following passages to read aloud and discuss:
- Acts 7:54-60 (The Stoning of Stephen)
- Acts 8:1-3 (Saul Persecutes the Church)
- Acts 9:1-9 (Saul’s Conversion on the Road to Damascus)
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**Group Discussion (15 Minutes)**:
1. Reconvene as a whole class and have each group present a summary of their passage.
2. Facilitate a discussion with guiding questions:
- What motivated Saul to oppose the early Christians?
- How do you think the Christians of that time viewed Saul?
- What does Saul's story tell us about the power of transformation and redemption?
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**Analysis & Reflection (10 Minutes)**:
1. Discuss the significance of Saul’s conversion for the early church.
2. Reflect on the impact of Saul's new identity as Paul and his contributions to the spread of the Gospel.
3. Encourage students to think about the relevance of Saul’s story in their own lives. Questions to consider:
- Have you ever had a change of heart about something important?
- What does Saul’s story teach us about forgiveness and second chances?
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**Activity (5 Minutes)**:
- Hand out a short reflective exercise where students write a brief paragraph on what they learned from Saul’s conversion and how it can inspire them in their own faith journey.
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**Conclusion (5 Minutes)**:
1. Summarize the main points of the lesson.
2. Encourage students to read more about Saul’s ministry as Paul in the New Testament in their own time.
3. Close with a prayer, asking for guidance and transformation in the students' own lives.
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**Homework**:
- Assign students to read Acts 13-14 to learn more about Paul’s missionary journeys and prepare for a discussion in the next class.
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**Assessment**:
- Participation in group discussions.
- Reflection exercise.
- Follow-up discussion on homework reading in the next class.
### End of Lesson Plan
Feel free to adjust the time allotments and activities to better fit your class’s specific needs and dynamics.