Closer To Heaven
|
|
|
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) has launched Justice Begins at Childhood, a global advocacy campaign calling for greater protection of children’s dignity, rights, and future around the world. The initiative was announced by ADRA International as part of its ongoing commitment to justice, compassion, and love. The campaign highlights the urgent challenges facing […] Source: https://atoday.org/adra-unveils-justice-begins-at-childhood-global-advocacy-campaign/
Prepared by William Earnhardt, for Sabbath School Class, July, 4.
Photograph by William Earnhardt
Key Text: “One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to harm you, for there are many in this city who are my people’ ” (Acts 18:9-10, NRSV).
Read in Class: Romans 1:1 and 1 Corinthians 1:1.
Study: What two elements of Paul’s ministry are emphasized in these passages? (See also Gal. 1:1.)
Apply: Paul was called to be an apostle. What is your calling, and how do you know that it is your calling? If you don’t think you have one, why not go right now to God and ask Him to show you the work He chose you to do?
Share: Anyone can call themselves an apostle or a prophet. Share how you know if someone has really received the calling they claim to have received.
Read in Class: Acts 17:16-34.
Study: Where was Paul before going to Corinth, and what did he do there?
Apply: Read Acts 18:1-11. What can we learn from Paul’s missionary activity in Athens and Corinth? What makes sharing the gospel so challenging in our cities and communities today? How can we share the gospel with success in these difficult places? What strategies can we learn from Paul’s missionary activity about how to best do that?
Share: How has changing your environment changed the methods you use to share Jesus with those around you?
Read in Class: Acts 18:1-8, 1 Corinthians 5:9-11, and 1 Corinthians 8:4.
Study: What can we infer about Corinth’s economy, morality, and religious life? What were the results of Paul’s preaching?
Apply: In his missionary activity in Corinth, Paul faced the challenge of an idolatrous and licentious society. What challenges in today’s culture can make it hard to preach the gospel? How can we overcome them? How much difference, if any, is there between Corinth and our cities today?
Share: Read Acts 18:9-10. How did God encourage Paul with the challenges he faced? Share how God encourages you with the challenges you face when sharing Jesus with others.
Read in Class: 1 Corinthians 1:11-13, 1 Corinthians 5:11, 1 Corinthians 7:1, and 2 Corinthians 11:3.
Study: How do these passages help us understand why Paul wrote letters to the Corinthians?
Apply: Read 2 Corinthians 2:4. What does this verse tell you about how much Paul cared for these people? How much love is in your heart for others?
Share: How do you know when to be silent and when to confront or correct people’s behavior?
Mission: Can you reach out to someone this week and affirm their calling and ministry?
by Shelley Curtis Weaver | 28 June 2026 | Every ounce of my being wants to rejoice at news that the North Pacific Union Conference has voted to seek equal ordination of female pastors. But then I remind myself that the resolution aims to request the worldwide approval of the General Conference in session in […] Source: https://atoday.org/mother-may-i-be-an-ordained-female-pastor-please/
Comments of the Week June 23-28 “Wow. Does this conference president realize what year it is? Dr. Heilig clearly made it known he reached out PRIOR to posting the story online. These conference executives are living in such an alternate reality compared to their constituents. This is one of the most tone-deaf statements I’ve heard […] Source: https://atoday.org/comments-of-the-week-june23-28/
Daily Lesson for Monday 29th of June 2026
Acts 17:16-34 describes Paul’s preaching to the Athenians before his going to Corinth. Apparently, he did not plan to visit Athens at that moment, but went there with the help of some friends because of the opposition that he faced at Berea (Acts 17:13-15).
Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com
Those who went with Paul to Athens returned to Berea with a command for Timothy and Silas to join him as soon as possible (Acts 17:15). Acts 17:16-34 is about what Paul does while waiting for them. He speaks about Jesus in the synagogue, the marketplace, and the Areopagus. He really couldn’t stop talking about Jesus and took advantage of every opportunity to do it.
Paul went to Corinth during his second missionary journey. Luke informs us that Paul stayed there a year and a half.
As usual, Paul begins his missionary activity at the synagogue (Acts 18:4-6). Acts 17:1-2 mentions that this was his custom. He followed the “to-the-Jew-first” strategy (Romans 1:16, Acts 13:46), just as Jesus had commanded His apostles (see Acts 1:8).
When finally Silas and Timothy joined him in Corinth, he “was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus” (Acts 18:5, ESV). During his stay in Corinth, he was busy “teaching the word of God” (Acts 18:11, NKJV). It was in this context, too, that he expressed those famous words that he was “determined not to know anything among” the Corinthians “except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2, NKJV).
|
What can we learn from Paul’s missionary activity in Athens and Corinth? What makes sharing the gospel so challenging in our cities and communities today? How can we share the gospel with success in these difficult places? What strategies can we learn from Paul’s missionary activity about how to best do that? |
Intercer is a website with biblical materials in Romanian, English, Hungarian and other languages. We want to bring the light from God's Word to peoples homes. Intercer provides quality Christian resources...[Read More]
