Sabbath School Lesson for January 3-9, 2026
Introduction of Lesson 2, Reasons for Thanksgiving and Prayer
Memory Text: “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 NKJV
Paul’s tender, fatherly greetings at the beginning of his letters are full of thankful, prayerful, encouraging words for his readers. One can feel the heartfelt emotion that pour from his pen, as he reminds them of the many ways God had blessed them, despite their current difficult circumstances and separation.
Even angels only faintly comprehend the love, faith, and hope that Paul recommended to his friends, especially while he himself was suffering a dismal life in chained captivity. With positivity and grace, he patiently awaited a fate similar to that of God’s dear Son at the hands of the Roman power structure.
Surely, we are blessed when we incorporate Paul’s praises of thanksgiving into our own times of devotional communication. No matter how dark and dismal our future appears to be, we, too, can take courage, knowing that God never leaves or forsakes us.
- Sunday: Fellowship in the Gospel
- Monday: Paul’s Prayer Requests
- Tuesday: Spiritual Discernment Applied
- Wednesday: Gospel Fruit
- Thursday: Prayer Power
Sunday: Fellowship in the Gospel
Paul begins his letter to the Philippians by listing several things he is thankful for concerning their fellowship in the gospel. He lets them know that he is praying for them daily and is confident that God will continue to work in their lives right up to the time when Jesus returns, “until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
His reference to always having them in his heart (Philippians 1:7) reminds us of the twelve stones the high priest carried with him on his breastplate, a place close to his heart too. Just as the high priest made intercessory prayers for the Hebrew tribes, Paul carried the churches he planted on his heart, lifting them up to God at every opportunity.
Amazingly, Paul indicated that he was thankful for his incarceration, which provided him with the opportunity to defend and confirm the gospel with the soldiers and others who visited him there in Rome.
Verses and questions:
Philippians 1:3-8
- What were the things Paul was thankful for?
- What did he mean by saying their works would continue “until the day of Jesus Christ”?
- How were Paul’s comments reassuring to the church in Philippi?
- How do you feel when someone expresses care for and confidence in you? Is there anyone in particular you know who does this or who has done it in the past?
Monday: Paul’s Prayer Requests
In the first chapter of Philippians, Paul addressed some particular things he prayed for regarding the church as a whole. Notice he didn’t point fingers here at individuals. These are requests that pertain to all those with whom we have tender affection for.
Briefly, Paul requested that they would have a correct understanding of love that would help them have a better knowledge of God and the discernment to serve Him properly. This discernment would allow them to recognize what is morally wrong, helping them live “pure and blameless” lives. Paul desired them to be sincere in their religious practice and not be a stumbling block, or an offense, to others.
His final request was that they be filled with righteousness. Later, in chapter three, Paul goes into more detail about this righteousness. But, we do find a reminder in Philippians 1:11 that this righteousness is only available through their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Verses and questions:
Philippians 1:9
- How does the way we love impact our knowledge of God and discernment of spiritual matters?
Philippians 1:10
- What does it mean to be sincere and without offense?
- How long will we struggle to maintain this sincere, inoffensive behavior? And why?
Philippians 1:11 and Matthew 15:8
- Who will having the fruits of righteousness help us become?
Tuesday: Spiritual Discernment Applied
Think about Paul’s circumstances in Rome. His house arrest meant that Paul could not travel, preach, visit, or raise up new churches. This extreme hindrance to his evangelism so worried the Philippians that they sent their brother, Epaphroditus, to visit Paul and try to encourage him (Philippians 4:18).
After praying that their discernment be increased through their knowledge of the love of God, Paul indicated in his letter that he himself was receiving spiritual discernment as he discussed his fellow workers in the mission field.
Paul noted that out of selfish ambition, some were taking advantage of his absence in their churches, and using it to further their own agendas and advance their positions. But there were others who were emboldened to preach in Paul’s place, noting his willingness to suffer for God’s cause. So, in many ways, through these sincere workers, his imprisonment caused the gospel to be preached more widely (Philippians 1:12).
Knowing this must have been encouragement for the apostle. It even gave him the energy to share the gospel with Roman guards and any visitors who might be curious enough to come see him in his chains. His sphere of influence and missionary activities hadn’t diminished, they had just changed.
Verses and questions:
Philippians 1:12-18
- What can we learn from Paul’s attitude about his circumstances and how it affected others?
- Why are there usually positive and negative outcomes to most of what we attempt to accomplish for God?
- How do you deal with those who may be working against you, either at work, in the family, or at church?
Wednesday: Gospel Fruit
How thoughtful it was of Paul to write to the church in Colossae. As he indicated in his letter’s greeting, he had “heard of” their faith, and was thankful for it. Paul was not directly responsible for the establishment of the Colossian church. It was Epaphras, one of Paul’s converts in Ephesus, who began the church in his hometown of Colossae, near Ephesus.
Three gospel fruits are often mentioned in Paul’s letters. He enjoyed talking about faith, hope, and love. When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, our love grows, which, in turn, gives us hope for a better future in heaven. Paul praised the Colossians for having these virtues, noting that it was the result of Epaphras faithfully sharing the gospel with them.
Notice that Paul mentioned in Colossians 1:6 that the gospel, the word of truth inspired by God, had gone to “all the world”. The Romans had greatly improved communications and travel with their vast roads system, enabling the gospel to be shared widely and rapidly within thirty short years after the resurrection of Jesus.
We certainly can see God’s perfect timing in the events happening when and how they did. God, of course, deserves all the credit for the spread of Christianity to the Colossians and elsewhere.
Verses and questions:
Colossians 1:3-5, 1 Corinthians 13:13, 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 5:8, and 1 John 4:8
- What three Christian gospel fruits does Paul often mention in his letters?
- Why do you think Paul valued love so highly?
Colossians 1:6-8
- Who caused the word of truth to spread so rapidly to much of the world outside Jerusalem, and how was it accomplished?
Thursday: Prayer Power
We’ve heard many times that there is power in prayer, but exactly what does that mean? Paul’s greeting to the Colossians provides us with some answers. He tells us what prayer can do for us in Colossians 1:9-11. Prayer helps us know God’s will, live out His plans for us, and be so filled with the fruits of righteousness that others will know His will.
Besides the Holy Spirit reaching out to us through prayer, He also uses the Bible to communicate His desires and plans. Psalm 119:105 declares that the Scriptures light up our path to Him. In addition, He has sent many prophets down through history to reveal His will. We can even expect God to open and shut doors of circumstance, as He sometimes shows us personally what to do when difficult choices must be made.
Paul didn’t allow his imprisonment to hinder his work for the Lord. When all other avenues for service are taken away from us, we, too, can use the power of prayer to bless those around us and get us through our darkest hours.
Verses and questions:
Colossians 1:9-12
- What does Paul request for the saints in Colossae?
- What are some of the ways we can know God’s will?
Friday: Final Thoughts
Philippians 4:6 says: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” In his greetings to the churches in Philippi and Colossae, Paul did exactly that. Being full of thanks to God and faithful church members, he let his requests be known to God and to them.
When we come to God with our requests and, as a child, trust Him to direct all our ways, we can be sure that He will shape our future in a way that will reflect His will. Paul’s childlike trust was evident when he announced in Philippians 1:6 that he was confident that God would complete the good work He had done for them up to that time.
Thanksgiving is essential to our prayer life. No matter what we’re going through, Paul advises us to give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Knowing that God is working out His will in our lives causes us to thank Him, even when we are hard pressed with trials and hardships like Paul.
Next Week: Life and Death
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