Bible Study

Lesson for August 16, 2020: Stop the Spiral (Judges 2:10-19)

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 August 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ Lesson Aim: When God disciplines, repent. ________ By Mark Scott Judges may well be the ugliest book in the Bible. Perpetual sin was creating a union with death among God’s people. “There was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25, English Standard Version; cf. 17:6; 18:1;

August 10, 2020

Halting the Downward Cycle (Aug. 16 Lesson Application)

By David Faust “Sin blinds you, then it binds you, then it grinds you.” I don’t know who first said those words, but they ring true. Disobedience to God leads to a downward cycle. “After desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:15)—and that’s true on both a personal level and a societal level. Someone observed, “First we overlook evil. Then we permit evil. Then we legalize evil. Then we promote evil. Then we celebrate evil. Then we persecute anyone who still calls it evil.” There are two

August 10, 2020

Discovery Questions for August 16, 2020

Study Questions for Groups By Michael C. Mack 1. What struggles have you faced over the last week? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the first two people to read Judges 2:10-19 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Ask the third helper to retell the story in their own words. Remind them to keep it simple. 2. What one word would you use to describe this summary of the Israelites during the time of the judges? (Give participants a few moments to think.) 3. Let’s look more closely at a few details: • Why

August 3, 2020

Lesson for August 9, 2020: Serve the Lord (Joshua 24:1, 14-28, 31)

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 August 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ Lesson Aim: Be strong and courageous; serve the Lord faithfully. ________ By Mark Scott T.S. Eliot wrote, “For those who serve the greater cause may make the cause serve them.” A remarkable deception of the enemy is in duping believers into thinking they deserve God to serve them (cf. Luke 17:10). But everything good

August 3, 2020

You Have a Choice (Aug. 9 Lesson Application)

By David Faust It’s unfortunate that expressions like “pro-choice” and “the right to choose” have been co-opted by abortion advocates. When properly understood, the ability to choose is one of God’s greatest gifts. We don’t get to choose our birthdays, our height, or the color of our skin. But we decide what we believe, what we value, and who our friends will be. Faith, hope, and love are choices more than feelings. At age 20, I decided to ask a young woman named Candy to marry me, and I remain grateful she chose to say yes. ROCK OR SAND? What

August 3, 2020

Discovery Questions for August 9, 2020

Study Questions for Groups 1. How did you show kindness to someone this past week? 2. What struggles have you faced over the last week? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Joshua 24:1, 14-28, 31 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. (Option: Read Joshua 24:1-31.) Ask the third person to retell the story in their own words as if telling it to a group of kids at Vacation Bible School. 3. What key terms do you see in this passage? 4. Let’s look more closely at some of the details:

July 27, 2020

Lesson for August 2, 2020: Rahab Saved (Joshua 2:1-16; 6:15-25)

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 August 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ Lesson Aim: Be strong and courageous; our God is a God who saves. ________ By Mark Scott Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Rahab the prostitute did that. Psalm 34:7 says, “The angel of the Lord encamps around

July 27, 2020

The Rahab Rehab (Aug. 2 Lesson Application)

By David Faust Most family trees contain some bad apples. My parents proudly informed me that our ancestors include notable figures such as Johnny Appleseed, William Penn, and General George Patton. However, in German my last name means “fist,” so I suspect my family tree also includes some horse thieves and barroom brawlers. Jesus’ family tree in Matthew 1 includes some shady characters. Names that appear on the first page of the New Testament remind us of Jacob’s conniving, David and Bathsheba’s adultery, Solomon’s hundreds of marriages, and the wickedness of King Ahaz and King Manasseh. These ragged-edged stories remind

July 27, 2020

Discovery Questions for August 2, 2020

Study Questions for Groups 1. What answers to prayer did you receive over the last week? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Joshua 2:1-16 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Then ask the same two readers to each read Joshua 6:15-25. Ask the third person to retell the story in their own words as if telling it to a group of adolescents. 2. What, if anything, surprises you from these passages? 3. Let’s look more closely at some of the details: • In what parts of this narrative do you

July 20, 2020

Lesson for July 26, 2020: The Promised Land (Joshua 3:7-17; 21:43-45; 23:1-5)

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 July 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ Lesson Aim: Be strong and courageous; God is faithful to keep all his promises. ________ By Mark Scott Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life” (English Standard Version). Israel had longed for the Promised Land for years. Their hearts were sick for their

July 20, 2020

How Far Can You See? (July 26 Lesson Application)

By David Faust How far can you see into the distance? With 20/20 vision you can read the optometrist’s eye chart accurately at a distance of 20 feet, but healthy human eyes can see a lot farther than that. Those fluffy white cumulus clouds floating overhead are probably more than 2,000 feet away, and you can see the moon though it’s 238,855 miles from Earth and the sun though it’s 93 million miles away. How far can you see into the future? Maybe you’ve heard the advice, “Dream 20 years ahead, think 10 years ahead, plan five years ahead.” The

July 20, 2020

Discovery Questions for July 26, 2020

By Leigh Mackenzie 1. What are you most grateful for right now? 2. When did you need courage and strength this past week? • What challenges did you face as you sought to obey God and the leaders he has put in place? • Who did you encourage last week? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Joshua 3:7-17 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Repeat the process with Joshua 21:43-45 and then Joshua 23:1-5. Ask the third person to retell the story from all three passages as if

July 13, 2020

Lesson for July 19, 2020: I Will Be With You (Joshua 1)

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 July 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ Lesson Aim: Be strong and courageous; God’s presence gives us strength. ________ By Mark Scott There are many famous leadership transitions in the Bible; David to Solomon, Elijah to Elisha, Jesus to the disciples, and Paul to Timothy are just a few. But none is as widely known as the passing of leadership from

July 13, 2020

Application for July 19: Courage for Ordinary Folks

By David Faust Three times in four verses, the Lord told Joshua to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:6-9). Joshua needed courage to step into the shoes previously occupied by Moses, lead the Israelites through the flooded Jordan River, and overcome Jericho’s fortified walls. Courage brings to mind military heroes like the troops who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. It makes us think of brave adventurers like Amelia Earhart, the first female aviator to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean, or John Glenn, the first American to orbit the earth (and who flew into space again at

July 13, 2020

Discovery Questions for July 19, 2020

By Leigh Mackenzie 1. Who are you thankful for in your life? 2. What challenges did you face last week? • With whom did you share the message of God’s love for us last week? How did that go? Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to each read Joshua 1 (preferably from different Bible versions). Then ask the third person to retell the story from this chapter as if telling it to a small group at a middle school camp. 3. How would you describe the general mood of this passage? Why? •

July 7, 2020

Lesson for July 12, 2020: Perfect Love Living in Me (1 John 3:24; 4:7-21)

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 July 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ COMPANION RESOURCES: Application: “Make the Most of Your Co-Opportunities,” by David Faust Discovery Questions ________ Lesson Aim: Live out perfect love by letting God live in you. ________ By Mark Scott God often has more important stuff going on inside of us than around us. Make no mistake, God lives in a high and

July 7, 2020

Application for July 12: Make the Most of Your Co-Opportunities

By David Faust Last year I visited the island of Patmos. This cluster of rocky hills off the Turkish coast marks the spot where John “was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 1:9). In the first century, government officials sent political offenders to remote locations like Patmos to keep them from influencing others. Exile was basically a prison without bars. According to the historian Eusebius, John was in exile for 18 months. While on that lonely island, John received the inspired messages recorded in the last book of the

July 7, 2020

Discovery Questions for July 12, 2020

(These Discovery questions go with the Bible lesson for July 12, 2020: “Perfect Love Living in Me” For a detailed explanation of how to use Discovery Bible Study, click here.) By Leigh Mackenzie 1. Name one thing for which you are grateful today. 2. What challenges did you encounter last week as you sought to walk in obedience to God’s Word? • Did you share God’s love with anyone this past week? If so, tell us more about it! Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the two readers to read 1 John 3:24 one after the

June 29, 2020

Lesson for July 5, 2020: Perfect Love, Brotherly Love (1 John 3:10-23; 2 John 4-6)

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 July 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ COMPANION RESOURCES: Application: “Melting Polar Ice,” by David Faust Discovery Questions ________ Lesson Aim: Love not with mere words but with actions and in truth. ________ By Mark Scott Our identity is discerned from several things—e.g., heritage, upbringing, experiences, relationships, and actions, to name only a few. For the apostle John, identity is tied

June 29, 2020