2 Minute Lesson Plan

Now that school has resumed and we are well off to a fantastic start to the new school year, it has been brought to my attention, by the Glorious Holy Spirit, that there is a commonality between school and The Bible. I am sure there are several things they both have in common, however, I shall highlight one that I depend on when called to perform my job.As a substitute teacher, I depend on the lesson plans a teacher leaves for me to follow and teach in her absence from class that day.A lesson plan is a detailed instruction on the subjects and assignments the class is currently working on. It also includes schedules for the class, page numbers, helpful information, safety proceedures, health info, dismissal info, staff info, phone numbers, end- of- day requirements and such. All needed information a substitute teacher will need to ensure smooth sailing in a successful day of learning, in the temporary absence of a teacher. It is very time consumming and takes way longer than 2 Minutes. As the Spirit began to teach me this particular subject for this posting, I entitled it 2 Minute Lesson Plan cause that is about the amount of time Jesus took to give out His divine plan of salvation to Saul of Tarsus by way of Ananias. So as it goes, Saul was on his way to Damascus with permission slips from the high priest of the synagogues to arrest and bring back bound and gagged, those who followed Jesus (Acts 9:1-2). On the road to Damascus, wham, he was struck and blinded by a light from Heaven, and a voice asking him what's up with that? (author's paraphrase). Saul had the good sense to fall to the ground and ask who are you and what do you want me to do Lord? Jesus said to him go into the city and it shall be told to you what you must do.So in a matter of a couple of minutes, the persecutor of the followers of Christ,who is now blinded from this Glorious Light that shone all over and around and through him, had a 2- way conversation with the Creator of the Universe and his original plan was altered forever.(Acts 9) As he and those who accompanied him came in to Damascus,he couldn't function at all for 3 days. No eating, no sleeping, no seeing, nothing except praying. It is always comforting to know when our world has been turned upside down, we can pray, and God hears us and answers us,by faith (Jeremiah 33:3). At this time God spoke to a believer named Ananias in a 2- way conversation and gave Ananias the rest of the 2 Minute Lesson Plan to give to Saul.I believe God uses believers cause they walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5: 7). So Ananias followed the plan after God assured him that Saul is the one I am going to use. What was this plan you may ask? That Saul would be the one God chose to bring the message of salvation (Jesus) to the Gentile nation of people (you and me, if you are not a Jew) and to Kings and the children of Israel (Acts 9:15). It took 2 minutes to spell out what would be a life altering, life changing, message to a nation of people our Loving God included in THE PLAN. You and me. I stand in awe of the way He chose to tell us and the person selected to deliver this message and more so THE PLAN. He chose a person who by all accounts believed the Word but not THE WORD MADE FLESH (John 1:1). So He came to Saul personally, preached Himself to Saul and made him an Apostle (sent )(Galatians 1:1,15,16). Jesus convinced this former persecutor with a 2 Minute Lesson that changed his heart and caused him to preach Christ and Him only for all his life forward. No matter what happened to him, he preached Christ and Christ alone(2 Corinthians 11:22-27)! He used his life's work as a persecutor of The Way, as a testimony of the life change. Only a loving Jesus can cause that kind of change. Out of the 27 Books in the New Testement this Apostle wrote 13 for sure and possibly more. Hebrews and a good part of Acts maybe. That is more than Peter a beloved disciple who walked alongside of Jesus, James and Jude (aka Judas-not Iscariot), Jesus' half brothers. I think that this is significant information since all Scripture is Holy Spirit inspired. The Holy Spirit chose who would minister to the larger segment of His people. He covered everything from love to hate and everything in between. He preached to the Gentiles that Christ is inside each and all of us and that we can believe by faith (Galatians 3:14). His message on the GRACE of God has set many believers free (John 8:36). God wanted His message brought to all of us and He chose Saul (later Paul) to bring it. Saul is not the way of salvation, He is the preacher God Almighty used to deliver the message. Thank God for Saul's obedience to this mighty call on his life. We are all called to have an impact on our world as well. We have been given a 2 Minute Lesson Plan also. It states it clearly in Mark 16:15-18: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature..." Tell someone about The Living Christ and His saving, healing power found in an intimate relationship with Him. John 3:15-17, John 6:32-50,John 14. God loves you I love you and Jesus is Lord!!