1. Historian Tom Holland, in his book Dominion, argues that the crucifixion of the Son of God is the most radically transformative idea in the history of humanity, for it completely inverts worldly perception of power, strength, hierarchy/status, human dignity, and morality. Agree or disagree? Why?  
    
2. The Roman Empire used crucifixion to demonstrate its absolute power over life and death. Imagine how surprised a Roman Emperor would be today to learn that the empire is gone, and their instrument of torture has become one of the most well-recognized symbols of hope and love in the world. What does this tell us about the character of the true God?
    
3. There are multiple ways people try to “empty the cross of its power” (1 Cor 1:17). Some just mock it; others try to co-opt it, joining the cross with the metaphorical “Roman eagle” of political power to make it not a sign of humble love but an instrument of worldly power. As Adventists, how are we uniquely suited to speak truth into such distortions of the cross today?
      
4. We know that Jesus’ death and resurrection work to set us right with God and give us a new life. Fundamental Belief #9 says it this way: The death of Christ is substitutionary and expiatory, reconciling and transforming. But there are many different words that believers have used to try to describe “how” this works (e.g., paid a debt we could not; showed the depth of God’s love, upheld justice and mercy simultaneously, provided a human example for us from the only One who could do so perfectly, etc). Based on your walk with Christ, how would you describe to someone “how” this forgiveness, reconciliation, and transformation by Christ’s cross has worked in your life?
      
5. Is it generally easier to connect with God when you are on top of the world, or in the depths of powerlessness?
    
6. Can you see the pattern of Jesus’ death and resurrection at work in your own life and in the lives of those around you? How so? Can you give an example when something in your life needed to die (like the grain of wheat) to produce greater fruit?
      
7. In Testimonies to the Church, Vol 3, Ellen White, speaking of the conversion of souls, said that “Those who feel no special pleasure in seeking to be a blessing to others, in working, even at a sacrifice, to do them good, cannot have the spirit of Christ or of heaven; for they have no union with the work of the heavenly angels and cannot participate in the bliss that imparts elevated joy to them… In working with Christ and the holy angels, we shall experience a joy that cannot be realized aside from this work. The principle of the cross of Christ brings all who believe under a heavy obligation to deny self, to impart light to others, and to give of their means to impart the light.” Have you experienced this? Can you think of times when the denial of yourself for the good of others has brought a unique and deeper joy, consistent with the promise of our crucified Lord?
      
8. Imagine that Jesus of Nazareth had died, a successful carpenter, at the ripe old age of 85, in a nice home in Nazareth, surrounded by his wife, children, and grandchildren. What is your reaction to this thought experiment? What message do you take from it for your own discipleship and life goals?
      
9. Paul reminds the Corinthians in 1 Cor 1:26-27 as follows:  ^“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” Where do you see evidence that this is still true today?

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/2-the-message-of-the-cross-discussion-starters/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2-the-message-of-the-cross-discussion-starters

Daily Lesson for Tuesday 7th of July 2026

The message of 1 Corinthians 1:18 is too clear for one to miss the point. What the Cross means depends on the way one looks at it. It is foolishness for those in rebellion against God, but it is power for those who long for His salvation.

As we have already seen, in preaching the gospel, one must avoid “words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Corinthians 1:17, ESV). In light of 1 Corinthians 1:17, it becomes easier to understand why the opposite of foolishness is the power of God and not human wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:18). The Cross, which is so contrary to human wisdom, reveals just how foolish human wisdom really is.

Image © Sherry Boettcher at Goodsalt.com

The Greek text of 1 Corinthians 1:18 suggests that “those who are perishing” (NKJV) are receiving the result of their actions. The text can read like this: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are destroying themselves.” The Greek verb apollymi (“to perish”) can also mean “to destroy” (John 10:10). In fact, apollymi is translated as “destroy” in 1 Corinthians 1:19.

What is happening here? Paul provides a biblical foundation for this statement in verse 18, about these people perishing, by quoting in verse 19 God’s words in Isaiah 29:14. In verse 19, God is the one behind the destruction, which seems to contradict the self-destroying pride mentioned right before. However, there is no contradiction. The idea is that God will destroy that which already is destroying itself.

In contrast to those being destroyed, the phrase “to us who are being saved” (1 Corinthians 1:18, NKJV) indicates that salvation comes only from God. Paul is saying that we are being saved; that is, we are not saving ourselves. We, of course, can’t. Our salvation has an external source. While destruction is self-caused, salvation can only be granted, a gift of grace to sinners. As is clear in 1 Corinthians 1:21, it is God who saves those who believe. Foolishness, in this sense, is the act of rejecting what God has offered humanity through the cross of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30), thus bringing destruction upon oneself.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26c-02-power-to-those-who-are-being-saved/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26c-02-power-to-those-who-are-being-saved

Daily Lesson for Monday 6th of July 2026

In contrasting human foolishness to divine wisdom, Paul states that the “message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18, NKJV). This is the first of six references to foolishness or foolish in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31.

Read 1 Corinthians 1:20-21,23,25, and 27. How do these references to foolishness help us understand what Paul meant when saying that the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing?

Image © Jim Howard at Goodsalt.com

The Greek word for “foolishness” in 1 Corinthians 1:18 is mōria. This word occurs only five times in the New Testament, and all in 1 Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:18,21,23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 3:19). Apart from mōria, other words from the same family occur numerous times in the New Testament.

The reference to foolishness in 1 Corinthians 1:18,23 is not denigrating the Corinthians’ intellectual capacity but directing attention to their unwillingness to consider the truth of the gospel. As a result, Paul also had to confront immoral behavior and thought, lack of discernment, and even rebellion against God.

Think about Paul’s situation in this city. He comes to a place that prides itself on its own so-called knowledge and wisdom and cultural sophistication. And, in this context, he talks about a Galilean Jew, Jesus of Nazareth, who had been crucified by the Romans and then raised from the dead—all in order to pay for not only their sins but for the sins of the world. Can this guy be serious? Who was he kidding? This wasn’t some deep new philosophical concept, either, that could be parsed and analyzed by philosophical tools; it seemed to be lunacy, nonsense, nothing that any smart and educated Corinthian could take seriously.

And, as foolish as Paul’s message sounded to the pagans, for many of the Jews, the message of the Cross sounded worse. What Jew was expecting a Messiah to be executed by Rome? The Messiah was supposed to overthrow the Romans, not be crucified by them.

Thus, from the start, Paul had a lot going against him in Corinth. And yet, despite all this, souls—Jewish and Gentile—were won to the gospel.

The message here?

Whatever opposition we face, God has people who are open to hearing the truth. We must be ready to be used by Him to reach these people wherever they are, even in places today that are as bad as, or even worse than, Corinth was.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26c-02-foolishness-to-those-who-are-perishing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26c-02-foolishness-to-those-who-are-perishing