Daily Lesson for Sabbath 13th of December 2025

Image © Pacific Press

Read for This Week’s Study: Joshua 21:43-45; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; Joshua 23:1-16; Revelation 14:10,19; Deuteronomy 6:5.

Memory Text:“Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass” (Joshua 21:45, ESV).

When John F. Kennedy addressed the United States at his inauguration, on January 20, 1961, his speech was only 1,366 words, but it left an indelible mark on the American mind. As he encouraged his country to focus on their responsibilities instead of their privileges, he said: “With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.”

As Joshua, the aging leader of the Israelites, sensed that he was nearing the end of his life, he decided to address the leaders of the nation and the Israelites (Joshua 23:1-16 and 24). Joshua 23:1-16 is focused more on the future and on how to worship God—exclusively. Joshua 24:1-33 reviews God’s faithful acts in the past, with the purpose to prompt a decision concerning who alone deserves to be worshiped: Yahweh.

This week, we will study together the first speech of Joshua, in which he glances back at the victories of Israel but at the same time traces the path of future success for Israel.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 20.

Sunday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25d-12-god-is-faithful/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=25d-12-god-is-faithful

Our Sabbath School program has always been linked to the support of the Seventh-day Adventist Mission program. This video provides a little insight into this important work.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/mission-spotlight-for-december-20/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mission-spotlight-for-december-20

Inside Story for Friday 12th of December 2025

Kim Sun is associate director of the 1000 Missionary Movement, whose headquarters in Silang, Philippines, were constructed with the help of a 1996 Thirteenth Sabbath Offering. Read more next week.

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Image © Pacific Press

Kim Sun was excited to be sent to a remote area of the Philippines to serve as a missionary for 10 months with the 1000 Missionary Movement. But he wondered how he would spend those 10 months. He remembered that he had argued with his parents about the Bible for five years and gotten nowhere. Now he only had 10 months.

As he prayed, he thought, “If I bring the Bible first, maybe people will reject it like my parents. Maybe I first need to show them the character of Jesus.”

Sun decided not to tell anyone that he was a missionary. He wouldn’t tell anyone about biblical doctrines. He would just make friends for three months.

Upon arriving at the rural town where he would live, Sun visited each of its 20 to 30 houses to offer to help his new neighbors.

“Do you need help with anything? ” he asked the woman at the first house. “I want to serve you. Please let me know how I may be of help.”

She happily accepted Sun’s kind offer.

News of the helpful new neighbor spread from house to house in the neighborhood. Soon a line of people came by who needed or wanted help. The first woman whose house he visited kindly fed him lunch and supper as he helped 17 people in the neighborhood that first day.

As Sun walked home, he felt tired. But he thought, “I’m a missionary!”

Sun soon had a long list of names of people to visit who wanted his help. From Monday to Friday, he visited two homes in the morning and two in the afternoon.

He also found other ways to be a friend to the townspeople. He grew corn and gave it away. When people asked how much they owed, he replied, “Nothing! The corn came from God. God has paid for you.” Once, he saw a boy with a sore on his leg, and he treated the sore with ointment. When the sore healed completely a few days later, the parents came to him and asked, “How can we ever thank you?”

Sun served the townspeople without identifying himself as a missionary for three months. It wasn’t a secret; nobody asked him. He prayed about the next three months.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25d-11-inside-story-mission-gods-helping-hand/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=25d-11-inside-story-mission-gods-helping-hand

Daily Lesson for Friday 12th of December 2025

Further Thought: Read Ellen G.White, “The Division of Canaan,” Pages 517–520, in Patriarchs and Prophets.

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

“While it is important on the one hand that laxness in dealing with sin be avoided, it is equally important on the other to shun harsh judgment and groundless suspicion. . . .

“The wisdom displayed by the Reubenites and their companions is worthy of imitation. While honestly seeking to promote the cause of true religion, they were misjudged and severely censured; yet they manifested no resentment. They listened with courtesy and patience to the charges of their brethren before attempting to make their defense, and then fully explained their motives and showed their innocence. Thus the difficulty which had threatened such serious consequences was amicably settled.

“Even under false accusation those who are in the right can afford to be calm and considerate. God is acquainted with all that is misunderstood and misinterpreted by men, and we can safely leave our case in His hands. He will as surely vindicate the cause of those who put their trust in Him as He searched out the guilt of Achan. Those who are actuated by the spirit of Christ will possess that charity which suffers long and is kind.

“It is the will of God that union and brotherly love should exist among His people. The prayer of Christ just before His crucifixion was that His disciples might be one as He is one with the Father, that the world might believe that God had sent Him. This most touching and wonderful prayer reaches down the ages, even to our day; for His words were, ‘Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word.’ John 17:20. While we are not to sacrifice one principle of truth, it should be our constant aim to reach this state of unity.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, Pages 519, 520.

Discussion Questions

<–Thursday

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25d-11-further-thought-living-in-the-land/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=25d-11-further-thought-living-in-the-land

Daily Lesson for Thursday 11th of December 2025

The story of Joshua 22:1-34 has several principles of communication that can apply to everyday human relationships in the family, church, and community.

1. When things go wrong, or seem to go wrong, the best thing to do is to communicate instead of suppressing our observations until they explode. It is good for God’s people not to remain indifferent when problems seem to arise. Of course, had the Transjordanian tribes communicated their intent of building an altar, the whole issue could have been avoided.

2. Even if one is convinced about their judgment, do not jump to hasty conclusions. The West Jordan tribes were quick to believe the rumor that reached their ears and to draw the false conclusion that the East Jordan tribes already had apostatized.

3. Talk about the real or perceived problems before you act on your conclusions.

4. Be willing to make a sacrifice in order to achieve unity. The West Jordan tribes were willing to give up part of their allotment to accommodate the other tribes, if being on the other side of the Jordan was the cause of their assumed apostasy.

5. When accused, falsely or rightly, give a gentle answer that turns away wrath. To answer an accusation with a counter-accusation will never lead to peace. Try to understand before attempting to be understood.

6. Rejoice and bless God when peace is reestablished. It is wonderful to see that the main Israelite congregation experienced genuine joy when they learned about the true motivation of the two-and-a-half tribes. They were not so proud of their judgment that they could not admit they were wrong in making it.

Image © Erik Stenbakken at Goodsalt.com

Had the East Jordan tribes apostatized, the people of Israel would have applied the requirements of the covenant. Unity can never be an argument to water down truth or give up on biblical principles. However, church discipline should always be the last (and not the first) resort, after attempts at reconciliation and pastoral assistance based on God’s Word have failed. How different would our churches look if these simple principles were consistently applied!

<–Wednesday Friday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25d-11-conflict-resolution/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=25d-11-conflict-resolution