Monday’s section of this week’s lesson asked the questions: What are the challenges in preaching the gospel in cities and reaching people in these difficult places? 

Picture taken by William Earnhardt

I remember many years ago, when I was talking to a Bible Worker from a major US city. I asked him if he had ever been to the very famous baseball stadium in his city. He made a shocked expression and then said, “No! That is worldly.” What he failed to understand is that Jesus is not taking us out of the world. Jesus has not called us to be hermits, living alone in the mountains, telling people to come to us and we will share Jesus with them. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus sends us into all the world. He does not tell us to sit in church and wait for the world to come to us.  

Jesus saw in every soul one to whom must be given the call to His kingdom. He reached the hearts of the people by going among them as one who desired their good. He sought them in the public streets, in private houses, on the boats, in the synagogue, by the shores of the lake, and at the marriage feast. He met them at their daily vocations, and manifested an interest in their secular affairs.-Ellen White, Desire of Ages, Page 151. 

Being a Christian does not mean leaving all secular affairs behind. It means taking Jesus into your secular affairs. Jesus not only tolerated secular affairs, but He also took an interest in them. Jesus does not intend for us to sit alone in a monastery until He takes us to heaven to sit on a cloud playing a harp. He gave Adam secular responsibilities to care for the garden and animals. When we get to heaven, we will be building, gardening, and doing things that may be considered secular. Again, being a Christian does not mean giving up all secular activities. It means taking Jesus into those secular activities.

I do not condemn the simple exercise of playing ball; but this, even in its simplicity, may be overdone.-Ellen White, Counsels to the Church, Page 161, 

Sadly, many have maligned Ellen White’s writings to make it look like she condemned all secular activities, while this is clearly not the case. Yes, I have been in secular sporting events where I felt a demonic presence, like at a minor league baseball game right before a brawl broke out on the field. But I have also felt a demonic presence in a church board meeting when someone was sowing disension. The answer is not for me to ban myself from all ballparks and all board meetings. The answer is to take the spirit of Jesus with me wherever I go.  

They often hold themselves too much reserved, and exercise their authority in a cold, unsympathizing manner which cannot win the hearts of their children and pupils. If they would gather the children close to them, and show that they love them, and would manifest an interest in all their efforts and even in their sports, sometimes even being a child among children, they would make the children very happy and would gain their love and win their confidence. And the children would sooner respect and love the authority of their parents and teachers.-Ellen White, Counsels to the Church, Page 193. 

Did you catch that? She is encouraging parents and teachers to take an interest in their children’s sports, much like Jesus took an interest in people’s secular affairs. We cannot sit in our church and tell those in the city to come to us. They are distracted. We must go to where they are and lead them to Jesus. I have done this with my golf ministry. I have had theological discussions with friends as we wait to take our turn at the tee box that they would never have with me anywhere else. I have baptisms from those discussions, one being a very active deacon in the church for several years now. That baptism did not come from me inviting him to church. It came from me meeting him on the golf course. By the way, his son, who was very young when we first started golfing, now holds a very prominent position in the Adventist health care system.

If we are going to reach distracted people in the city, or anywhere else, we must meet them where they are distracted and lead them to Jesus. The answer is not to take them out of the world. Jesus did not take us out of the world. The answer is for us to bring Jesus into our secular affairs and to teach and model for others how they, too, can bring Jesus into their secular affairs. 

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/reaching-the-cities/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reaching-the-cities

Introduction: Have you moved to a new church and wished the people would view you as a valuable new addition? Have you taken a new job and wanted your new employer and fellow employees to take you seriously? I recall when Karen and Bill Shea started attending my Sabbath School class in Manassas, Virginia. Karen came first, and then her husband showed up a few weeks later. This elderly couple sat quietly in my class as I taught the book of Daniel. What I did not know was that William Shea was the leading scholar in our worldwide church on Daniel. He had not only written a book on Daniel that was still being published, but he took the leadership role in writing hundreds of pages for the church’s position paper on Daniel and Revelation. When I realized who Bill was, I told him the wrong guy was teaching the class! He graciously told me that I was doing a fine job and should continue. Bill’s approach is not the same as that of Paul when he writes to the Corinthians. Is there a reason? Let’s dive into our study of 1 Corinthians!

I. Greetings from an Apostle!

A. Read 1 Corinthians 1:1. What position in the church does Paul hold? (Paul states that he is “an apostle of Christ Jesus.”)

B. Read 2 Corinthians 1:1 and Mark 3:13-14. In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul again states that he is an “apostle of Christ Jesus.” Paul was not one of the twelve disciples described in Mark. As far as we can tell, Paul never followed Jesus while He was on earth. Is he an “apostle?”

1. I just watched a video about a woman who claims to be a psychologist with a doctoral degree. That claim is not true. I attended church with a fellow who did something similar. Why do people do that?

a. Should you listen to those who claim credentials they do not possess? (Compare those two with Bill Shea who was so humble he did not broadcast his stellar qualifications.)

C. Read 1 Corinthians 9:1 and 1 Corinthians 15:5-9. Paul now clearly states the very thing that seemed impossible. Like the twelve disciples, he has seen Jesus and was called by Him. Is that true? (Read Acts 9:3-6 and Acts 22:11-15. He is telling the truth. Paul, previously called Saul, has been visited by the risen Jesus and commanded to be His witness.)

1. Since Paul was commanded by Jesus to speak and write, is resisting Paul resisting God? (This gets to the heart of why Paul claims that he is an apostle when he writes to the Corinthians.)

2. Look again at 1 Corinthians 15:9 where Paul says that he is “unworthy” to be called an apostle. Why did he fail to mention that in the introduction to his letters to the Corinthians? (This is not a matter of pride for Paul. Rather, he asserts the authority given to him by Jesus because the Corinthians need to take his counsel seriously.)

II. The Audience

A. Read 1 Corinthians 1:2. To whom is Paul writing? Just the members of the church in Corinth? (He is writing to the Corinthians, but he is also writing to us who “call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”)

B. Read 1 Corinthians 1:3-8. How would you summarize these verses? (Paul is writing complimentary and encouraging things to the Corinthians.)

III. The Approach

A. Read 1 Corinthians 1:10. What problem has Paul pinpointed? (They have divisions in the church.)

1. Let’s step back a moment. How would you explain Paul’s strategy in his letter to the Corinthians? (Paul first states his authority to direct them. He then compliments them. He does this before he makes any criticism.)

2. Is this a pattern that you follow in correcting members of your church?

a. If you have no special authority, should you be correcting others? (I vote, “No.” If the problem is not a personal one between you and the other member, you should go to an authority in your church. Correction should come from those entrusted with authority.)

B. Read 1 Corinthians 2:1. What do you think about this approach?

1. Recently, I heard a political figure explain to young people some simple facts about the sun and the moon in “lofty speech.” It was clear that she did not understand the basics, and she tried to hide this with “big words.” Is this speaker bright? (I have a rule of thumb. If a person writes or speaks in a way meant to impress you with their intellect, that person is not very smart. Smart people want you to understand the important things that they say.)

C. Read Acts 17:16-17. What has provoked Paul’s spirit? (All of the idols that he saw in Athens.)

D. Read Acts 17:18-19. What great opportunity is Paul given to share the gospel? (The Areopagus (Mars Hill) is where the “celebrated supreme judges of Athens assembled” according to Barnes’ Notes on the Bible.)

E. Read Acts 17:22-25, and skim the rest of the chapter. This is how Paul approached those in Athens just before he approached the Corinthians. When you compare Acts 17 with 1 Corinthians 2, does it sound as if Paul decided to change his approach? (It does. Read Acts 17:34. Paul won some converts with his “lofty speech and wisdom.”)

1. What do you think about Paul’s presentation in the Areopagus? (Paul was addressing highly educated men. I don’t think that his message was “lofty” in the sense that he was trying to impress his listeners with his intellect as opposed to teaching them about the true God of heaven.)

F. Read 1 Corinthians 2:2-5. Has Paul changed his approach because he had lost his courage, speaking skills, and his wisdom? (Some of this is difficult to understand. As I read what Paul presented in Acts 17, he spoke with wisdom and skill. I cannot believe that he lost those abilities when he traveled to Corinth. Instead, I think he is teaching us that we should focus on the gospel and not rhetorical skill.)

1. Look again at 1 Corinthians 2:4-5. What fundamental change does Paul say that he is making? (He wants their faith to rest on “the power of God,” not on his speaking skills.)

2. Think about sermons you have heard that you thought were great. Did they come from a speaker who was entertaining and who held your attention? (Over the years I have worked to improve my speaking skills. However, it is only the Holy Spirit who can change hearts. We must never forget this.)

IV. Problem Solving

A. Read Acts 18:4. Paul has just arrived in Corinth. Where does he start with his teaching? (The synagogue. He is sharing with both Jews and Greeks.)

B. Read Acts 18:5-6. How does Paul solve the problem of being attacked by the Jews? (He moves on to teach the Gentiles.)

1. What does this teach us about dealing with those who oppose us? (We should not continue in a running battle with those who will not listen. We should move on to those who will listen.)

C. Read Acts 18:8-10. What does God have to say about this conflict? (Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, was converted! God tells Paul to continue teaching in Corinth. God has people who want to hear what Paul has to say. Note that the problems that follow are later in time, after a church has been established in Corinth.)

D. Read 1 Corinthians 1:11-12. What is one problem in Corinth? (The believers are divided because they claim different leaders in the church.)

E. Read 1 Corinthians 1:13-15. How does Paul address this conflict? How do you understand his argument? (They were baptized in the name of Jesus. Jesus was crucified for them. They should all be united in Jesus.)

F. Read 1 Corinthians 5:9-13. What distinction is Paul making between the sexually immoral among unbelievers and the sexually immoral within the church? (Paul is not saying that Christians should avoid all sinners, because then we would have to leave the world. Nor is he saying that we should pretend there are no sinners in the church, because we are all sinners.)

1. How does that work? I regularly eat with church members, and we all are sinners! (Paul is dealing with open rebellion against God, not ordinary human weakness. The church should lovingly seek repentance and restoration, but it should not act as if open, serious sin is acceptable among those who claim the name of Christ.)

G. Friend, we can do nothing without God’s Spirit leading and working in us. Will you ask, right now, for the leading of the Holy Spirit in your gospel work?

V. Next week: The Message of the Cross.
Copr. 2026, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/1-pauls-ministry-in-corinth-1-corinthians-1-and-2-acts-17-and-18-teaching-outline/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=1-pauls-ministry-in-corinth-1-corinthians-1-and-2-acts-17-and-18-teaching-outline

Daily Lesson for Tuesday 30th of June 2026

Corinth was an important center of the ancient world, renowned for its prosperous commerce. The city was destroyed by Rome in 146 b.c. and rebuilt by Julius Caesar as a Roman colony in 44 b.c. It is this Roman Corinth that appears in the New Testament. In the time of Paul, Corinth was one of Athens’ rivals and had even surpassed it in various aspects. Corinth had two important harbors that made the exchange of merchandise and the development of its commerce easy.

Image © Provident Collection Goodsalt.com

Indeed, Paul chose Corinth because of its importance and advantaged geographic location. “An opportunity was thus presented for the spread of the gospel. Once established at Corinth, it would be readily communicated to all parts of the world.”—Ellen G. White, Sketches From the Life of Paul, p. 99.

In addition, the flourishing commerce of Corinth would make it easier for Paul to support himself by producing and selling tents while proclaiming the gospel in that city (Acts 18:2-3). Obviously, missionary work in a large and wealthy city is not free of challenges. Corinth was marked by a blatant religious pluralism (1 Corinthians 8:5), as evident by its numerous shrines built in homage to such deities as Apollo, Athena, and Aphrodite, among others, and even the worship of such Egyptian gods as Serapis and Isis.

In addition to this religious confusion, Corinth was also known for its sexual licentiousness. Strabo, a Greek geographer and historian, mentions that there were 1,000 sacred prostitutes devoted to the worship of Aphrodite in her temple at Corinth. Although many scholars view this with suspicion and connect this claim to Athenian propaganda against Corinth, ritual prostitution was common in the ancient world. Sexual immorality was a problem in Corinth, as elsewhere. Idolatry and immorality were part of daily life, and this sad reality explains much of the content of 1 and 2 Corinthians.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26c-01-the-city-of-corinth/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26c-01-the-city-of-corinth

Oh, the beauty of studying this quarter’s lessons. We will learn so much of the Love of God (and our Saviour, Jesus) which stands out in so many pages of this quarter. Trying to choose just one hymn for the Theme Hymn was almost impossible, but these ones stood out all through the lesson pamphlet from which you may choose:  
Hymn 79 – O Love Of God, Hymn 349 – God Is Love and then in seeing God’s amazing love we can
Hymn 600 – Hold Fast and 
Hymn 602 – O Brother, Be Faithful.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/1-pauls-ministry-in-corinth-singing-with-inspiration/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=1-pauls-ministry-in-corinth-singing-with-inspiration