A Messiah Crucified | Wednesday | July 8

Wednesday — July 8: A Messiah Crucified

Bible Focus

• 1 Corinthians 1:22–25
• Acts 13:16–47

Spirit of Prophecy Focus

• The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 244–245

Summary

• The message of a crucified Messiah surprised both the Jews and the Greeks because it was not what they expected.
• The Jews wanted a powerful King who would defeat Rome, while the Greeks admired human wisdom and philosophy.
• Instead, God chose the Cross to accomplish the work of salvation.
• The Cross shows how far God was willing to go to save us and how great His love is for every sinner.
• Paul remained faithful to his calling and preached Jesus Christ and Him crucified wherever he went.
• He trusted the power of the Holy Spirit instead of depending on clever words or human wisdom.
• There are times when God works in ways we do not understand or expect.
• When life does not go as planned, we can still trust that God’s way is always better than our own.
• The Cross reminds us that God’s plans may surprise us, but they always lead us closer to His saving purpose.

Question

• Why did many people reject the message of a crucified Messiah?

Answer

• Because they expected God to work in a different way and could not accept His plan of salvation through the Cross.

Reflection

• When God’s plans are different from my expectations, do I still choose to trust His wisdom and love?

Takeaway

• Trust God’s way even when you do not understand it, because His plans are always guided by perfect wisdom and love.