Paul Let Down in a Basket

Paul Let Down in a Basket

Scripture  reference is from 2 Timothy 3: 11-12,”…Persecution I have endured yet the Lord rescued me from all of them…Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

Paul was very zealous for the Lord.  He was given a word from the Lord  through the mouth of Ananias that he would suffer greatly for the cause of Christ. The beginning of his persecutions  is the short story from Acts 9.  After being gloriously converted and prayed for by Ananias, he went at once to the synagogue to tell everyone there the Good News about the Son of God.  Verse 22 tells us that he became “more and more fervent  in his preaching and the Damascus Jews couldn’t withstand his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Christ.  After a while the Jewish leaders were determined to kill him.”  Paul was told of their plans, so some of his converts let him down in a basket at night, through an opening in the city wall!  In 2 Corinthians 11 we read a list of his sufferings and I am beginning to marvel that we  do not prepare ourselves for suffering.  Maybe we think we don’t need to think about persecution because most of our bible heros get miraculously delivered? Unless we teach this aspect of living victoriously, we stand a chance of stumbling if we become offended  when we start to suffer for our faith.  Many Christians around the world are already suffering and the scripture clearly teaches that those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.  We need to challange ourselves and ask the Holy Spirit to search our hearts to see if this is truly our desire that we so glibly sing about. I am under the conviction that we need to begin gently sharing this truth with at least our older children.  Discuss it with your pastor  if you are so led.  (“Typo” is corrected in the worksheet)

Note: Saul is Paul’s Jewish name.  It means “desired” while Paul , a Latin name, means “small”.  It is interesting that the Holy Spirit still refers to this great apostle as Saul in Acts 13:2.  I was under the impression that the Lord changed Saul’s name to Paul, but that does not seem to be the case.

Color page and cut out Paul.  Measure  and cut 2 pieces of string  and  poke holes in basket as shown in sample.  Thread string into holes and tape to hold on the back of the basket.   Loop string up and tack down with glue where the men’s arms are ( in the sample the string pulled away during the scan, but it should look like they are lowering Paul with ropes…I’m confidant you can figure it out).  You will need  a combination of tape and tacky glue.