Bible Study equips Christians to read, understand, and apply Scripture with clarity and confidence. Explore Bible-based articles on interpreting the text, studying context, asking good questions, and forming habits that help individuals, classes, and small groups grow in God’s Word. You’ll find guidance for using study tools, leading discussion, teaching the Bible, and connecting Scripture to daily life without losing the meaning of the passage. Whether you’re new to studying the Bible or helping others learn, this hub offers practical help for faithful, fruitful Bible study.
December 28, 2020
In an episode of the TV show Seinfeld, Jerry’s friend George sits in the coffee shop bemoaning his bad luck. He says, “My life is the opposite of everything I want it to be. Every instinct I have, in every aspect of life . . . it’s all been wrong.”
December 28, 2020
COMPANION RESOURCES Study for Jan. 3, 2021: Backward Blessings (Matthew 5:1-16) “Do the Opposite” by David Faust (Lesson Application) ________ Study Questions for Groups 1. What challenge did you face last week? 2. In what specific way did you live, love, or serve like Jesus over the past week? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 5:1-16 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to summarize the teaching in one minute or less. 3. What worldviews do you see represented in Jesus’ teaching? 4. Let’s dig more
December 21, 2020
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the December 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ COMPANION RESOURCES “He’s Got Your Back” by David Faust (Lesson Application) Discovery Questions for Dec. 27, 2020 ________ Lesson Aim: Let Jesus change your life as you pursue hope in the Son of David. ________ By Mark Scott One day in class at Denver Seminary, Haddon Robinson said, “Hope is the music of the
December 21, 2020
This “Application” column goes with the Bible Lesson for Dec. 27, 2020: Fulfilled through Hope (Matthew 12:1-23) ________ By David Faust Last December 31 when we celebrated the New Year, I told my wife, “2019 has been rough, but I have a good feeling about 2020. It’s going to be a great year!” Clearly, I don’t have the gift of prophecy. The year 2020 brought a global pandemic, racial strife, economic upheaval, and political turmoil. Someone joked that in the future 2020 will become a one-word catchphrase to describe a big mess. When asked, “How was your day?” you can
December 21, 2020
COMPANION RESOURCES Lesson for Dec. 27, 2020: Fulfilled through Hope (Matthew 12:1-23) “He’s Got Your Back” by David Faust (Lesson Application) ________ Study Questions for Groups By Michael C. Mack Leader: Provide extra time for this lesson, especially for question 2 as you recap this past year and question 9 as you plan for next year. 1. What challenge or blessing did you experience last week? 2. What was your biggest challenge and your biggest blessing of 2020? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 12:1-23 one after the other, preferably from different
December 14, 2020
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the December 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ COMPANION RESOURCES “The Day I Visited a King’s Palace” by David Faust (Lesson Application) Discovery Questions for Dec. 20, 2020 ________ Lesson Aim: Let the fulfilled promise of Jesus’ birth lead you to worship. ________ By Mark Scott The Old Testament repeatedly says, “Someone is coming.” The end of the Bible says, “Someone is
December 14, 2020
This “Application” column goes with the Bible Lesson for Dec. 20, 2020: Fulfilled through Promise (Matthew 2:1-15) ________ By David Faust While in Israel filming a documentary about the basics of the Christian faith, I visited Herodium, the palatial residence designed for King Herod’s protection and pleasure. By all accounts Herod was paranoid and cruel. He tortured and killed family members, servants, and bodyguards. Ironically, this ruthless ruler who destroyed so many lives was an innovative and prolific builder who oversaw the construction of enormous forts, palaces, water projects, and Jerusalem’s crown jewel, the Jewish temple. Herodium (also known as
December 14, 2020
COMPANION RESOURCES Lesson for Dec. 20, 2020: Fulfilled through Promise (Matthew 2:1-15) “The Day I Visited a King’s Palace” by David Faust (Lesson Application) ________ Study Questions for Groups By Michael C. Mack 1. What challenge did you face last week? 2. In what way did you tell others about Jesus (“the Lord saves”) and Immanuel (“God is with us”) last week? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 2:1-15 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to retell the story as if sharing it with a
December 7, 2020
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the December 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ “The Second Choice” by David Faust (Lesson Application) Discovery Questions for Dec. 13, 2020 ________ Lesson Aim: Let the birth of Jesus lead you to live by love. ________ By Mark Scott How does Christmas affect your love life? The question is not about how Christmas affects the present you buy for the love
December 7, 2020
This “Application” column goes with the Bible Lesson for Dec. 13, 2020: Fulfilled through Love (Matthew 1:18-25; 22:34-40) ________ By David Faust Joseph’s second choice impresses me more than his first one. His first choice was relatively easy. Mary was an eligible young woman, and no doubt Joseph found her attractive. Nazareth wasn’t a big town. It’s likely their families knew each other well and their parents approved of their engagement. The local grapevine buzzed with cheerful chatter about their upcoming wedding. As a gift for his wife, Joseph may have used his carpentry skills to build furniture for their
December 7, 2020
COMPANION RESOURCES Lesson for Dec. 13, 2020: Fulfilled through Love (Matthew 1:18-25; 22:34-40) “The Second Choice” by David Faust (Lesson Application) ________ Study Questions for Groups By Michael C. Mack 1. What from this past week would you like to thank God for? 2. In what way did you bear fruit over the last week? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 1:18-25 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to retell the story as if telling it to a group of high school students. Then ask
November 30, 2020
Note: Over a four-week period leading up to Christmas, our Communion meditations are considering four essential features to the story of the birth of God’s Son. This week we highlight the town of Bethlehem. By Stuart Powell When Rome ruled the Mediterranean region, many cities rose to prominence in the empire while others lingered in obscurity. Bethlehem was an insignificant place by then, though it had been the birthplace of King David a thousand years earlier. Long before the Romans conquered much of the civilized world, the luster of Bethlehem’s importance had been forgotten. That was the situation 300 years
November 30, 2020
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the December 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ COMPANION RESOURCES “Why Begin with Begats?” by David Faust (Lesson Application) Discovery Questions for Dec. 6, 2020 ________ Lesson Aim: Let Jesus bring you into his family. ________ By Mark Scott The New Testament begins with a genealogy. Is that an odd place or perfect place to start? The tax collector from Capernaum (Matthew,
November 30, 2020
This “Application” column goes with the Bible Lesson for Dec. 6, 2020: Fulfilled through Generations (Matthew 1:1-17) _ _ _ By David Faust Imagine you’re reading the Bible through for the first time. The Old Testament comes to a close, and you sense silent centuries passing by while God prepares to turn the page to a new day and a new covenant. Eager to read the groundbreaking good news, you turn to Matthew 1, only to find the New Testament begins with “begats”—branches on a Hebrew family tree. If you and I wrote the Bible, we probably wouldn’t have done
November 30, 2020
COMPANION RESOURCES Lesson for Dec. 6, 2020: Fulfilled through Generations (Matthew 1:1-17) “Why Begin with Begats?” by David Faust (Lesson Application) _ _ _ Study Questions for Groups By Michael C. Mack 1. What challenges did you face last week? 2. Since we last met, with whom did you personally seek reconciliation or share God’s message of reconciliation? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Matthew 1:1-17 aloud,one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to briefly summarize the passage. 3. What stands out to you most in this
November 23, 2020
Note: Over the next four weeks, we will consider four essential features to the story of the birth of God’s Son: the patriarchs, Bethlehem, the shepherds, and angels. This week we focus on the patriarchs. By Stuart Powell The four weeks before Christmas are a time for believers to make preparations for the coming celebration of Jesus’ birth. It’s important to note that God began making preparations for the first Christmas generations before Gabriel’s announcement to Mary. The first book of the Bible is filled with the stories of the Jewish patriarchs—Abraham, Issac, and Jacob and his 12 sons. When
November 23, 2020
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the November 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ COMPANION RESOURCES “I Missed You” by David Faust (Lesson Application) Discovery Questions for Nov. 29, 2020 ________ Lesson Aim: Allow the gospel of Jesus Christ to break down the barriers that divide believers of different social statuses. ________ By Mark Scott The year 2020 will be remembered for virus and volatility. The virus created
November 23, 2020
This “Application” column goes with the Bible Lesson for Nov. 29, 2020: Seek Reconciliation (Philemon 8-21) ________ By David Faust “I missed you.” I found myself saying those words a lot when the coronavirus pandemic began to ease early this summer. One by one, friends emerged from quarantine. Worshippers inched back to the church building for in-person services. Restaurants reopened. During weeks of lockdown in the spring, I stayed in touch with my granddaughters by phone, text, and Zoom, but I longed to see them face-to-face. I missed the servers at the local deli. I missed visiting patients in the
November 23, 2020
COMPANION RESOURCES Lesson for Nov. 29, 2020: Seek Reconciliation (Philemon 8-21) “I Missed You” by David Faust (Lesson Application) ________ Study Questions for Groups By Michael C. Mack 1. What challenges did you face last week at work, with family, or in other circumstances? 2. What good did you do this past week, especially to show someone else that God is good? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Philemon 8-21 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third person to take about one minute to summarize the passage. 3.
November 22, 2020
The Battle between What We Want and What Our Faith Wants At the start of his Epistle, James, the brother of Jesus, shared his curious idea about faith. A war is going on within us between what we want and what our faith wants. And so, he said, we have to let faith do its work. As individuals, we want things that get in the way of what our faith wants. We want convenience, familiarity, and the good life—but these things are at war with faith . . . and faith has its own goal. Religious leaders (like me) have
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