Sabbath School lessons are part of a global study initiative undertaken by members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As we enter the first quarter of 2026, we will explore the theme “Uniting Heaven and Earth Christ in Philippians and Colossians” This week’s lesson, titled “Life and Death” covers the period from January 10 – January 16. Join Pastor Mark Finley for a brief preview of what to expect in this week’s study.

<p>Sabbath School lessons are part of a global study initiative undertaken by members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As we enter the first quarter of 2026, we will explore the theme “Uniting Heaven and Earth Christ in Philippians and Colossians” This week’s lesson, titled “Life and Death” covers the period from January 10 – January 16. Join Pastor Mark Finley for a brief preview of what to expect in this week’s study.</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

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Sabbath School 1st Quarter 2026: Uniting Heaven and Earth: Christ in Philippians and Colossians

Mark Finley

01 Persecuted but Not Forsaken

02 Reasons for Thanksgiving and Prayer

03 Life and Death

Welcome back to lesson number 3 in our series, Uniting Heaven and Earth.

We're studying the epistles of Philippians and Colossians.

This is an incredibly exciting series to study.

Every lesson speaks to our hearts, gives us practical spiritual encouragement to live the Christian life.

We're jumping right into Philippians 1, but before we do that, let's pray.

Father in heaven, grant to us divine insight and divine wisdom as we study this lesson.

May our eyes be opened to see glorious truths in your word.

The title of our lesson is Life and Death.

I was a little bit shocked when I read the first paragraph and it really resonated with me.

It was very direct, and I thought, you know, that is so true.

Death, we're often told, is just part of life.

Death is the opposite of life, the enemy of life.

Death was no more built into life than wreckage was built into a car.

Paul emphatically says that Christ died to destroy him that had power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." As I reflected on that paragraph, I thought there are many people that say, you know, we live, we die, it's all part of life.

But when you actually reflect upon it from a theological standpoint, that is not true.

God created Adam and Eve to live forever.

God never had death as part of his plan of life.

His great desire was all humanity would live in joy and love and peace and in fellowship with him through the ceaseless ages of all eternity.

That's why the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 51 and onward, death, where is your sting?

Christ has conquered the grave, and Paul says, this mortal shall put on immortality.

This corruptible will put on incorrupted.

For in a moment, a twinking of an eye at the last trump, the trumpet shall sound, and the dead in Christ, of course, are gonna rise to put on immortality.

So death is something that Jesus Christ conquered on the cross.

Death will be the last foe and it will be defeated and Christ will reign forever and ever and we can reign with him through the ceaseless ages of eternity.

So Paul's in prison in Philippi and he's concerned that the Philippians understand that Christ will be magnified in his life in life or death.

So we jump right into the lesson, Sunday's lesson, Philippians chapter 1, verse 19.

"'For I know that this, " well, what's this?

This suffering, this trial, this difficulty, this imprisonment.

"'I know that This will turn out for my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ.

What is Paul talking about that this imprisonment would turn out for his salvation?

Wasn't Paul saved when he came to Christ on Damascus Road?

Wasn't he a saved person as he experienced the joy of knowing forgiveness of his sin and Jesus' death on the cross, in Christ's intercession for him, certainly.

So what does it mean when he says, I know this is gonna work out for my salvation?

The word for salvation is sotria there, and it's a word that can also mean healing.

So Paul is saying that my heart will be healed in this difficult circumstance because you're praying for me.

When we pray for others who are going through a hard time and we pray that God will heal their brokenness and heal their hurt and heal their pain and heal their suffering.

So Paul says, I know that all that I'm going through is gonna turn out for my spiritual healing, because you're praying for me through your prayer in the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ.

As we pray for others who are going through difficult times, Jesus supplies his spirit and healing takes place in their life.

As others pray for us as we're going through difficult times, healing comes into our spiritual lives as well.

But then Paul says, verse 20, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that which all boldness as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or death." It seems that Paul has this sense, this expectation that things are not going to go well for him.

Why else would he pray that Christ be magnified in my body either in life or death?

He has this sense that life may be coming to an end, that things are not going to be well when he goes before the court of Caesar, that he is a condemned man and he has that sense.

It says, although Paul, this is Sunday's lesson, first paragraph, under the question, although Paul was no criminal, this was not the first time that he had been imprisoned and He was no stranger to persecution.

To the Corinthians, he detailed his sufferings in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.

In, from the Jews 5 times, I received 40 stripes minus 1.

3 times I was shipwrecked at night and day.

I've been in the deep, in journeys often, in perils and waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness." Wow, that's a lot of perils, isn't it?

In perils in the sea, in perils with false brethren, in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness, often in hunger and thirst and fastings, often in cold and nakedness." So he had been through trials, but he knew life was coming to an end, and he had 1 goal.

And his 1 goal was that Jesus be exalted in his life.

His 1 goal was that Christ be magnified in his life.

He has a relationship with the churches that he's writing to as a father to a son.

Paul longs that the churches at Ephesus, at Philippi, at Galatia, at Thessalonica, He longs for the believers that he's writing to in Philemon, that they know he writes to them as a loving father.

He wants his life to be magnified in his death, but he also wants his life to be magnified in his life.

He wants them to know that he's not bitter and angry that he's in prison.

He wants them to know that he trusts God at every moment of life.

He wants them to know that as their father, their spiritual father in grace, that the greatest thing he longs for is not his deliverance from prison but their salvation.

Now most people won't think dying is gaining in the world.

Philippians chapter 1 verse 21, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Why would you think that dying might be a gain.

1, if a person is going through intense physical suffering and their bodies are in incredible pain, death could be gained because death is but a rest until the coming of Jesus.

If you're going through mental torture, agony, and you're being oppressed constantly, that leads to physical, mental, emotional distress.

If like Paul, you're in prison, separated from your friends, with this emotional trauma of being in prison, with this physical oppression all around you, with body that's suffering, lying in a damp, cold, dark dungeon.

Death could be gain, could be preferable to that.

So he says, for me to live is Christ, but to die is gain.

Another reason death could be gain is because Satan can't tempt you anymore.

So there can be that sense when we rest from our labors, when we lay down the weapons of the warfare, where we rest in Christ's love, Christ's goodness, and death could be gained.

Death could be gained because our salvation is sealed.

We were attending a funeral and somebody said to him, it's an old pastor, 1 of my mentors, Pastor W.D.

Somebody said, I'm so sorry you lost your dear friend.

And he looked at him and he said, I didn't lose him.

He's now in a place where he can never be lost.

Death can be gained because I'm free from suffering.

Because my salvation is sealed at that point.

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Series

Sabbath School 1st Quarter 2026: Uniting Heaven and Earth: Christ in Philippians and Colossians

03 Life and Death

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Parent Series

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Other Teachings in Series

01 Persecuted but Not Forsaken

26m

02 Reasons for Thanksgiving and Prayer

24m

03 Life and Death

23m

Sound Doctrine