Claim OwnershipSabbath School From Home
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© 2026 Cameron and Lachlan Rogers
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Sabbath School is perhaps the most communal and participatory element of a regular Seventh-day Adventist church event (after foot-washing), but social distancing has us all isolated at home. This is a weekly Sabbath School styled conversation on Biblical themes and passages. Join in the conversation by writing comments/questions to sabbathschoolfromhome@gmail.com .
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The main metaphor framework in this chapter seems perhaps surprisingly violent. There are passages about "putting to death our bodies", and we notice that some translations are especially hard to understand here. What does it mean to be "dead to this life", and to have a "real life hidden with Christ"? Strikingly, the answer cannot be merely about actions because a number of the sins called out in this context are a deeper part of us than just what we do. We find value in the contrast that occurs when Paul begins listing admirable qualities as our aspirational goal.
This chapter is beautifully passionate about the way that our completeness is in Christ. Everything that really matters about us is best expressed in relation to Jesus. A number of contrasts are made, and we identify a rejection of Performative Christianity. There is a lot to ponder in the idea that we have "died with Christ", and the resulting freedom.
This week, we wrap up our look into Colossians 1. From Eugene Peterson’s poetic rendering of scripture to the core idea that "Christ is enough," we explore the life-changing truth that Christ’s presence in us is the foundation of our faith. We discuss the tension between conviction and complacency, and why Paul’s words remind us that our commitment to God isn’t a one-time decision but an ongoing transformation.
After introductory greetings, the book of Colossians launches into a glorious passages of praise to Christ. It is widely considered to be a poem or perhaps even early Christian hymn, and we are intrigued by the variety of ways this is typeset in different translations. The most cryptic phrase to our ears is the part about Jesus being "firstborn from the dead", and we discuss the idea of His preeminence more generally in these verses.
The closing chapter of Philippians seems to oscillate between extremely specific remarks and some thoughts that are truly general. Being separated in time and culture from the first audience, we naturally gravitate towards the grand sweeping statements. Interestingly, the very fact these are abstracted from specific circumstances makes them more (not less) practical. We dwell on the idea of "fixing our thoughts on what is true", and are fascinated by how the "peace of God" relates to the "God of peace".
Paul highlights that Christ is our confidence, and makes a vivid contrast with the attitude of confidence in our own human effort. It is remarkable that the contrast is illustrated not by "worldly" aspirations or desires, but rather by religious adherence. Despite "obeying the law without fault", Paul considers his religious accomplishments to be worthless compared to knowing Jesus. We explore this comparison, and ponder what it means to know Christ.
Avoiding "worldly" demands and customs is a long-standing passtime for Adventists and other protestant denominations. The lesson this week assumes this is the same as Paul's emphasis in Philippians 2 that we should "shine like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people." We explore these verses, and they way they relate to living as agents of God's kingdom. Perhaps the focus on being different and increasingly set apart from the world is less helpful than a focus on being more similar to Christ.
The lesson this week explores Unity through Humility. Philippians 2 builds on the themes of chapter 1 (love, joy, patience) and draws attention to attitudes that can build community. Paul's seems to quote a poem or hymn, outlining Jesus as our example. It is interesting to think of these words in relation to the 12 disciples, as well as directly to the church in Philippi.
Paul's evaluation of life and death is famous but still surprising. We explore only a few verses in Philippians 1, but they are enough to stimulate an exploration of how a Christian might "understand" death. The lesson succumbs to a strong temptation to highlight the Adventist understanding of death as an unconscious sleep, although this seems not to be Paul's focus in these verses. We are struck by the way he expresses death as "gain" and life as an offering of service to Christ.
There are plenty of similarities between the opening parts of Philippians and Colossians. We love the salutation "grace and peace", and are intrigued by the emphasis on knowledge and understanding. Both passages have phrases which might seem to point towards legalism and a kind of perfectionism, but our conversation leads us to quite a different understanding.
Our new season exploring Philippians and Colossians starts with consideration of their context. Paul was writing from prison, and certainly had experience of circumstances going against him. This gives an interesting complexity to the famous verse about him being able to do all things through Christ. We share some personal reflections about the book of Philippians and discuss a few other verses that can initially seem like platitudes - but Paul's life suggests something more substantial is intended in these statements.
The final chapter of Joshua seems to focus on themes of God's agency, idolatry, and continuity. There is a strong emphasis on God's actions that have led the Israelites since Abraham - and especially since the Exodus. The history that has unfolded in Joshua is described as God's doing. Calls against idolatry are perhaps an expected theme as Joshua nears the end of his life, since this issue has been one focus of his leadership through the conquest of idolatrous nations. It is fascinating to reflect on the idea of continuity as we continue to learn from the story thousands of years after it was first written down.
The narrative changes gears considerably in the last two chapters of Joshua. We get "the years passed" and mention that "Joshua was now very old", and it is clearly a conclusion to the story of this mighty leader. It is interesting to notice the ways in which Joshua himself can't easily see how emphases might change as God continues to lead his people. This entirely normal human limitation is perhaps just as true of any generation, and we are intrigued by the way Old Testament history proves God is more gracious than Joshua imagined.
We're back at Joshua 22, and the story of avoided conflict continues to fascinate us. Despite some difficulties with logistics and audio (sorry for lower quality this week) we explore a few new ideas from the story of a contentious altar. It is interesting to connect this with the phrases used in Joshua 4, when stones are also erected as a memorial. We discuss a connection with the tradition of communion and also ponder Joshua's absence from the story.
Joshua and Jesus are the same name, but how well does the Old Testament character point to the Messiah? The lesson dives into slightly technical detail about "type" and "antitype", and we explore how Joshua might be interpreted in the light of God's self-revelation through Jesus.
In the days when the Israelites conquered the Promised Land, they nearly came to civil war.This is a re-publication of an episode from 2021 (season 7 episode 5 if you're counting) because life has been hectic, and it is slightly pre-empting a bit of the lesson coming up in 2 weeks. This conversation explores a lesser-told story in Joshua that grows out of an important rule in Deuteronomy 12.
Caleb is a mighty warrior with a fantastic attitude! It is amazing to read him at 85 years old asking for the hardest cities to conquer all because he "is as strong as" when Moses sent him on the spy journey 45 years earlier. The story of Caleb seems to play a few roles in the narrative of Joshua, and we are intrigued by a part of the story devoted to his daughter.
Worship rituals are interspersed between the conquests in Joshua. This leads to a Sabbath School lesson emphasis on the need to prioritise time with God even amongst adverse circumstances. But reading the book of Joshua suggests that the Israelites may not have seen these events in this context. We've already seen how the military and religious aspects of entering God's Promised Land were entwined in ways that make us a bit uncomfortable. We're drawn to words of the great Joshua of the New Testament - Jesus himself - which seem to provide greater clarity.
The difficult story of Achan and his family being destroyed again raises the question of "God's endgame". Achan and his family stole plunder from Jericho against the specific command to set these things apart for God. Worse, they lied about it and buried the treasure suggesting deliberate deception. There's a lot to be horrified in this story, but perhaps the most intriguing thing is that it shows sin and disobedience within Israel. We discuss how this obvious truth impacts the overall narrative of conquering the Promised Land.
We continue to grapple with the issue of divine war in Joshua. The lesson this week follows closely on the topic from our previous episode, expanding on some of the context and background of the conquest of the Promised Land. In many places the people being dispossessed had deeply troubling rituals and traditions, and we ponder the tricky idea that (at least in principle) there could be "cultures" or "worldviews" that do legitimately need to be eradicated. However, we are also attentive to the exceptions even in the book of Joshua - God's covenant in Joshua 8 is read to a multitude that included foreigners.
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