New Testament

New Testament features Bible-based articles that help readers understand the message of Jesus, the early church, and the teaching of the apostles. Explore resources on the Gospels, Acts, the Epistles, and Revelation—covering historical context, key themes, doctrine, and practical application for discipleship and ministry. You’ll find guidance for studying passages faithfully, tracing the gospel story, and applying New Testament teaching to church life, ethics, and everyday following of Christ. This hub supports readers who want to grow in Scripture and live out the truth of the New Testament.

December 11, 2018

Christian Standard

A Second Coming

(This Communion Meditation originally appeared online in December 2012.)   By Lee Magness So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David. . . . He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child (Luke 2:4, 5). As the time approached for him to be taken up, . . . Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem (Luke 9:51). They journeyed to Judea—Joseph closing his shop, Mary pregnant, too pregnant for such a taxing trip. To Bethlehem, with its

February 20, 2018

Christian Standard

Flesh and Blood

By Ronald G. Davis John declared it: “In the beginning was the Word . . . and the Word was God. . . . The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:1, 14). Though John’s Gospel account may emphasize the deity of Christ, it gives full attention to his humanity. Incarnation! The eternal, the nonmaterial, became flesh and blood. Here, we celebrate that fact. Jesus was fully human. He grew from infant in Bethlehem to toddler in Nazareth to a boy of age at the temple to a man . . . at the cross. As

February 1, 2018

Christian Standard

Naysayers at the Cross

By Ronald G. Davis Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!” In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him (Mark 15:29-32). The two chief

January 25, 2018

Christian Standard

Jesus Spent Much of His Life Escaping Death

By Jim Nieman Near the end, when praying in the garden, his arrest but minutes away, and his crucifixion only hours away, Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). From the time he was a baby, Jesus was escaping death. Herod tried to kill him shortly after he was born in Bethlehem, so his parents took him to Egypt. As an adult, the Jews set out to kill him because he was healing on the Sabbath and calling God his father.

December 20, 2017

Christian Standard

In Season, Out of Season

This Christmas editorial from December 20, 1969, was written by Edwin V. Hayden, who served as editor of Christian Standard from 1957 to 1977. ___ By Edwin V. Hayden We observe, without being greatly disturbed by it, a growing tendency for Christmas to be observed as a season rather than as a day. For many it is a season of merchandising and merriment, merely extending what they have always done with the day. For Christians it is a season for becoming acquainted with Christ, and the more greatly that is extended, the better! It is hard to pinpoint Christmas, even as a

November 16, 2017

Christian Standard

Incarnation and Resurrection

By Teresa D. Welch Strips of cloth, angels, a man named Joseph, a bed, spices, an angel”s “do not be afraid”Âť message, and a group rushing to tell others the good news. In the context of December, with decorated trees and carolers singing “fa-la-la-la-la,”Âť you most likely associated those items with the story found in Luke 2: “And she [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed in him a manager”Âť (v. 7). But these elements of the Christmas story also appear in a different story about Christ. The story of Christmas reminds

November 9, 2017

Christian Standard

Unnoticed Hero

By Jessi Holland  With a daughter off at college and a son in the Navy, a mother with an empty nest started on an unexpected journey. Ruth Anne Shattuck offered to teach eighth-grade boys with her husband, Dan, at Chapel Rock Christian Church in Indianapolis. Soon after, they were asked to serve as sponsors on the church”s first youth mission trip to Portugal. The year was 1989.  “I was so ready to do this,”Âť Ruth Anne said. “I”d been on a plane. I felt so prepared. I felt like the Lord wanted me to go on this particular trip.”Â Â  But

August 21, 2017

Christian Standard

Lesson for August 27, 2017: Called to Be Inclusive (Acts 10)

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 20, 2017, issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  Years ago we participated in an ordination service for a good ministry friend. The service was held at Broadway Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky. The preacher was Dr. Marshall Leggett. His text for the Sunday morning message was Acts 10:1″“11:18. The opening line of the message was, “That door just keeps getting wider.”Âť Reading the

August 14, 2017

Christian Standard

Lesson for August 20, 2017: Called to Preach (Acts 9:1-31)

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 13, 2017, issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  The opening line in John R.W. Stott”s book Between Two Worlds: The Art of Preaching in the Twentieth Century is, “Preaching is indispensable to Christianity.”Âť The apostle Paul argues for that truth in Romans 10:14-17 and 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. More specifically it is the message preached that is indispensable. But how can one hear the

August 7, 2017

Christian Standard

Lesson for August 13, 2017: Called to Break Down Barriers (Acts 8)

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 6, 2017, issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  When it comes to evangelism it is far better to build bridges than erect barriers. God called his church in the book of Acts to intentionally break down barriers. God”s ultimate plan is to unite all things (people especially) under the headship of Christ (Ephesians 1:9, 10). Some people are geographically close to us but

July 31, 2017

Christian Standard

Lesson for August 6, 2017: Called to Witness (Acts 6:1-8)

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 30, 2017, issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  Seth Wilson said, “I don”t know about being “Ëścalled,” but I know we”ve all been “Ëśsent.””Âť All Christians have been commissioned to witness (Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20). Disciples have been called out of the world only to be sent back into it. Darin Brown from the Journey”s Crossing Church in Germantown, Maryland, said, “You

April 6, 2017

Christian Standard

Coming Near

By Jennifer Johnson One of the most commonly quoted verses from Eugene Peterson”s The Message Bible is John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.”Âť This metaphor for the incarnation is referenced so often because, like all good poetic language, it succinctly describes a profound truth: Jesus not only came to earth to be with us, he came to be one of us. Following Jesus means following his example and “incarnating”Âť the gospel in our own neighborhoods. Sometimes this means tutoring children or planting a church. For Salt & Light, it meant offering opportunities to

January 6, 2017

Christian Standard

John at the Cross

By Ron Davis As Jesus died, John stood at the cross. The apostle describes the scene in his Gospel, John 19:25, 26. He is the one who called himself “the disciple whom he loved.”Âť He fully sensed and experienced Jesus” love. Jesus did love John. He saw in John a young man capable of a lifetime commitment. And that was realized. John”s love for Jesus is likewise obvious. He saw in Jesus the One long promised, the One who would save. He saw the Word incarnate. That is why he stood at the cross. Heartbroken. He was losing his good

July 18, 2016

Christian Standard

Lesson for July 24, 2016: Unwavering Hope (Romans 5:1″“11)

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 17 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  We taught a Sunday school class called H.O.P.E.””Hitched Or Patiently Engaged. Some maintain unwavering hope for a spouse. Families in surgical waiting rooms feel relief when the doctor says, “We think we got it all.”Âť Some maintain unwavering hope for the health of a loved one. Why are we this way? Because we are creatures

July 11, 2016

Christian Standard

Lesson for July 17, 2016: God Set Things Right (Romans 3:21″“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 July 10 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  Every so often we notice a high watermark in the Bible. After all, the Bible is not flat. Certain passages of Scripture are quite telling and microcosms of the whole story of the Bible. Some examples might include Abraham”s test of faith in Genesis 22, the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, or the

July 4, 2016

Christian Standard

Lesson for July 10, 2016: Struggling Under Sin”s Power (Romans 3:9″“20)

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 3 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  Someone said, “When you are young you make faces in the mirror. When you are old, the mirror gets back at you.”Âť A mirror does not lie about physical appearance. But a mirror is a reflection of our reality; it is not the reality itself. Our reality goes deeper than the skin. Sin distorts our ability

June 27, 2016

Christian Standard

Lesson for July 3, 2016: Needing More Than Law (Romans 2:17″“29)

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 June 26 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  American Express had a commercial: “Membership has its privileges.”Âť But if a member refuses to pay the balance, those privileges are revoked. With privilege comes responsibility. This is the thinking at this point in Romans. To help people appreciate the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16, 17), Paul first had to convince everyone how much they

June 20, 2016

Christian Standard

Lesson for June 26, 2016: Ignoring God’s Plain Truth (Romans 1:18-32)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri, and has held preaching ministries in Missouri, Illinois, and Colorado. This lesson treatment is published in the June 19 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  “There is none so blind as he who will not see.”Âť Today”s text describes a descent into depravity. Paul”s summation of the gospel is Romans 1:16, 17″”the transforming power of Christ”s faithfulness to everyone. But before that transforming power can be effectual, sin must be

May 23, 2016

Christian Standard

Lesson for May 29, 2016: Joyous Faith (Luke 19:1″“10)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri, and has held preaching ministries in Missouri, Illinois, and Colorado. This lesson treatment is published in the May 22 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  “The gospel is for sellouts.”Âť That is how our oldest son, Casey, began his senior sermon in Bible College chapel. His text was the story of Zacchaeus. He turned the message in two directions: first Zacchaeus was a sellout to Rome, and second Zacchaeus was a

May 16, 2016

Christian Standard

Lesson for May 22, 2016: Childlike Faith (Luke 18:15″“17; Mark 10:16)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri, and has held preaching ministries in Missouri, Illinois, and Colorado. This lesson treatment is published in the May 15 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott  My close friend J. K. Jones said, “I spent the first 40 years of my life as a child trying to be an adult. I am thinking of spending the last 40 years of my life as an adult trying to be a child again.”Âť There is

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