Daily Lesson for Tuesday 27th of January 2026

Paul has already expressed a surprisingly ambivalent view toward whether he lives or dies in service to Christ (Philippians 1:20-23). Now he suggests the very real possibility of “being poured out as a drink offering” (Philippians 2:17, NKJV). This imagery is based on the ancient practice of libations, which involved pouring out a liquid (such as oil, wine, or water) as an offering to God (see, for example, Genesis 35:14, Exodus 29:40, 2 Samuel 23:15-17). The apparent “waste” of a valuable liquid in an act of devotion may remind us of Mary’s act of anointing Jesus’ head and feet with the “very costly oil of spikenard” (Mark 14:3-9, NKJV; John 12:3, NKJV). While not a drink offering per se, it clearly represented an enormous sacrifice that fittingly illustrated the infinite sacrifice of Christ for our salvation.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

Should Paul be executed for his work of spreading the gospel, he would rejoice because his life was being “poured out” as an offering to God. Because libations in the Hebrew Bible generally do not stand alone but accompany a sacrifice (see Numbers 15:1-10, Numbers 28:1-15), Paul would consider the giving of his life as the fitting complement to the “sacrifice and service” of believers in Philippi, who, through faith, have chosen to devote their lives to God as a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1).

The early Christians, including those in Philippi (Philippians 1:27-29), were active in sharing their faith. They went spreading the gospel from house to house (Acts 5:42). They opened their homes for the study of the Scriptures (Acts 12:12; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:1-2), and were able to give reasons from the Scriptures for what they believed (Acts 17:11, Acts 18:26, 1 Peter 3:15). Our Adventist pioneers did the same. Rather than relying on pastors to spread the message to their neighbors, they shared their faith, gave Bible studies, and prepared people so they would be ready for baptism when the minister returned.

In short, at great personal sacrifice to themselves, that is, as a “living sacrifice,” they worked to spread the gospel. Should we do any less?

<–Monday Wednesday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26a-05-a-living-sacrifice/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26a-05-a-living-sacrifice

Provided by William Earnhardt, for Sabbath School Class on January 31 2026.

Photo by Jeremy Thomas on Unsplash

Central Theme: The light and power of heaven are available to all of us who have surrendered our lives to Jesus. But too often, either we expect God to do it all or our own ideas and plans get in the way. That’s why Paul’s words to the Philippians are so relevant today.

A. Read in Class: Philippians 2:12-16. Ask the class to identify the main idea of this passage.

Study: What does Paul mean by saying, “Work out your own salvation”? How would you describe the relation between faith and works? How does Paul describe what we, as children of God, are to be and to do?

Apply: While we are not saved by works, how does grace apply to our works in our practical everyday living? See Ephesians 2:8-10. Romans 1:5 and Titus 2:11-12.

Share: Your friend says that we work out our own salvation by deciding for ourselves what is right and wrong, rather than listening to the church. What do you tell your friend?

B. Read in Class: Philippians 2:17, 2 Timothy 4:6, and Romans 12:1-2,

Study: What is Paul saying in these passages?

Apply: Reflect on what it would mean for your life to be a “living sacrifice.” How much do you sacrifice for the kingdom of God, and what does your answer tell you about yourself?

Share: Your friend says that some people are way too fanatical and give up way too much to become Christians. They think they are holier than thou just because of their fanatical sacrifices and lifestyle. What do you tell your friend? Hint: See Matthew 26:6-13.

C. Read in Class: Philippians 2:19-23, 1 Corinthians 4:17, and 2 Timothy 1:5.

Study: Why do you think Paul speaks so positively and at such length about Timothy? What are some of the things Paul says about Timothy?

Apply: Think about the provocations, hardships, and annoyances you have faced recently. Have these been “meekly borne” and “well endured”? What can you do to enable these experiences to help make you more disciplined?

Share: Your friend says he thought we were not supposed to be praising other people, so why is Paul going on about how good Timothy is? What do you tell your friend? Is there a difference between praising someone and affirming them? If so, what is the difference?

D. Read in Class: Philippians 2:25-30. Ask the class to identify the main idea of this passage.

Study: How does Paul describe Epaphroditus? What specific attitudes and actions of this Christian worker reveal his character?

Apply: How do we make sure that we shine as lights in the world without our good deeds and accomplishments giving us pride? See Matthew 5:16.

Share: Your friend says that while Epaphroditus almost worked himself to death, Ellen White says her husband James did work himself to death. Are we supposed to work ourselves to death for the sake of the Gospel? What do you tell your friend?

Mission: Can you think of someone who works hard for the church out of love and is a bright light for Jesus in a world of darkness? Can you commend them this week?

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/5-shining-as-lights-in-the-night-sabbath-school-lesson-teaching-plan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=5-shining-as-lights-in-the-night-sabbath-school-lesson-teaching-plan

I grew up in a relatively large Sabbath School class at the First Tulsa Seventh-day Adventist Church in the late 60s and 70s. It was a large church with attendance back in the 70s reaching well over 300. Some of my older friends tell me it was almost 400 some Sabbaths. The church also had a bustling school with around 100 students, give or take a few. So childhood peers were not scarce for me growing up in the church and Sabbath School. 

Image © Pacific Press

I remember in Cradle Roll singing the song “I Have Two Dollies, and you Have None,” where a little girl would be given two dolls, and then share with another girl who did not have one, and then for the boys, it would be the same song but with a toy truck instead of a doll. I remember one time we were horrified when a little girl visiting our class was given the two dolls, but then refused to share!

I remember in Kindergarten Sabbath School class, the other kids singing Happy Birthday to their friend who was having a birthday that week, and the little plastic cake we would put our birthday thank offering into.

In Primary class, we had “Our Primary Treasure” magazine, with the Sabbath school lessons that my parents studied with my sister and me each night during family worship. My parents were my teachers when I reached the Junior room, and they were very active, not only in Sabbath school class, but also in socials and activities that brought us all together. To this day, I am still friends with several kids from my Sabbath School classes when I was growing up.

I have friends today who did not grow up in the large Sabbath School classes as I did. My girlfriend Becky grew up in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. She tells me that her church was so small that she and her brothers were the only kids, and so sometimes her own parents taught the class, or sometimes they just joined the adults. Later, the church grew with just a few more kids, where they would have a class with all ages, and then divide by age for the lesson study. Another friend told me that she was often the only child in her class, but it made her feel special that there was a whole class just for her.

Children’s Sabbath school classes have always been a challenge, especially in rural areas where there are not many children. Back in the day, families lived on farms and raised several children who would fill the church. Today, younger families are having fewer children and are more prone to live in the cities than in rural areas.

I remember being a Bible Worker and an elder in a small church on the outskirts of Tulsa, a good-sized city. We had an extremely small children’s Sabbath school class. While more young families with children lived in the area, most traveled to Tulsa for the larger Sabbath School class. These families told me they did not want to go to the smaller church in their area because there were not enough kids for their kids to be with. I assured these families that if they all came to the smaller church, it would not be so small. It was hard for me to watch, because the few children who did remain in the smaller church would have loved to have had more friends, and they could have had more friends if the other families in that rural area had supported their neighborhood church instead of insisting on driving 30 or more minutes into the city.

What was your Sabbath School childhood like? I hope you will comment below and share your experiences of what you loved about Sabbath School as a child and what you would have liked to be different. I hope we can all learn from each other’s experiences to build better Sabbath School classes in both rural and urban communities that will help disciple our children.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/what-was-sabbath-school-like-when-you-were-a-child/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-was-sabbath-school-like-when-you-were-a-child