Theology &amp; Bible

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

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the July 17 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ 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.” Some maintain unwavering hope for the health of a loved one. Why are we this way? Because we are creatures

July 15, 2016

Bring It to the Table

By Nancy Karpenske “Bring it to the table.” You might hear the phrase in any one of several settings. A project manager where you work might say, “Bring it to the table.” He means you have an idea or a concern that should be examined and discussed. Until a problem is “brought to the table,” it can”t be solved. The Lord”s table is a safe place. You can bring your messiness and brokenness. You can bring your problems and worries. One of the most comforting descriptions of Jesus (although originally offered as a criticism) was, “He eats with sinners.” Sometimes

July 11, 2016

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 teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the July 10Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ 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 10, 2016

Theology & Bible

The Gospel: God”s Better Story

By Rubel Shelly The BibleÂ is a six-actÂ dramaÂ reflectingÂ the lightÂ of our Creator. Ivan Illich (1926″“2002) was an Austrian philosopher and former Catholic priest. As he became increasingly critical of modern education, consumerism, health care, and Western social values in general, he pondered the larger question of how to change society. When asked whether violent revolution or gradual reform was the better way to effect change, he replied: Neither revolution nor reformation can ultimately change a society, rather you must tell a new powerful tale, one so persuasive that it sweeps away the old myths and becomes the preferred story, one so inclusive

July 8, 2016

Empty/Full

By Nancy Karpenske A cup, a gas tank, a bank account, a house, even a heart can be described as empty. Typically when something is empty, the implication is it”s not worth very much, or it is waiting to be filled. Philippians 2:7 says Jesus emptied himself of godly power. He emptied himself of godly glory. The Message says, “He set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave.” That emptying process looked like this: He humbled himself, he showed up on earth as a human, he accepted the role of a servant, he obeyed

July 4, 2016

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 teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the July 3Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Someone said, “When you are young you make faces in the mirror. When you are old, the mirror gets back at you.” 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

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 teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the June 26Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ American Express had a commercial: “Membership has its privileges.” 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 24, 2016

The Menu

By Chuck Sackett The menu””dated 2 April 1912″”offered a choice of consommÃ© mirrette, sweetbreads, spring lamb, and braised ham. When the menu went to auction in 2004 (92 years after the actual meal) it was expected to produce a record sale for Titanic memorabilia. It did, selling for 51,000 pounds. The original menu was sent from Ireland by Fifth Officer Harold Lowe to his future bride, Ellen Whitehouse. Lowe figured as one of the heroes the night of April 14, 1912. He was responsible for filling a number of life rafts with women and children, actually using his pistol to

June 20, 2016

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 teachesÂ 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 ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ “There is none so blind as he who will not see.” 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

June 17, 2016

Where Everyone Is Equal

By Chuck Sackett Ellie sat in the third row, left-hand side of the worship center. Ellie was from the wrong side of the tracks. Her clothes were not the best, and sometimes not the cleanest. She didn”t always clean up well, especially at first. But she was there, every Sunday. Ellie didn”t always eat well. Many of her meals in years past had been served from the Dumpster side of restaurants. Even now she had few dishes and little money for food. Actually, she wasn”t that good of a cook. The Binghams sat in that same row. They might have

June 13, 2016

Old Testament Theology & Bible

Lesson for June 19, 2016: The Day of Joy for the Remnant (Zephaniah 3:9″“14, 20)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ 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 12Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Have you ever considered God in the role of a tailor? He knows about making something out of remnants””and so did the prophet Zephaniah. Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah formed the triad of prophets whom God used to prepare his people for Babylonian captivity. But way before

June 10, 2016

We”ve Waited All Week

By Chuck Sackett Edgar Nichols spent his final years serving in Boise, Idaho. He used to enchant his students at Boise Bible College with stories of crossing the Himalaya Mountains from Tibet to India, or induce tears telling of his family leaving him alone in India for months as he recovered from tuberculosis Having spent years as a missionary to the people of Tibet India, Ghana, and Hawaii, Nichols commanded a hearing every time he stood to speak. One Sunday morning at First Church of Christ in Boise, he stood tentatively at the Communion table. His then feeble voice was

June 6, 2016

Old Testament Theology & Bible

Lesson for June 12, 2016: The Day Is Coming (Zephaniah 3:1″“8)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ 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 5 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ “Turn out the lights” or “00:00″ or “Pay day some day” are all ways of expressing the inevitable, “Time is up.” Last week”s lesson from Zephaniah predicted the day of the Lord. This week”s lesson is focused on that day actually coming. God had an

May 30, 2016

Old Testament Theology & Bible

Lesson for June 5, 2016: The Day of the Lord (Zephaniah 1:4″“6, 14″“16; 2:3)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ 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 29 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ The Bible is full of contrasts related to God”s people. There was the line of Seth and the way of Cain; the sons of God and the daughters of men; the seed of promise (Isaac) and the house of Ishmael; the kingdom of God and

May 23, 2016

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

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ 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 22Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ “The gospel is for sellouts.” 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

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 teachesÂ 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 MayÂ 15Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ 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.” There is

May 9, 2016

Lesson for May 15, 2016: Humble Faith (Luke 18:9-14)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ 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 8 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Humility was not prized in the ancient world. It was viewed as weakness. Jesus Christ changed the way that the world looked at humility. Following the incarnation, humility became a virtue. That does not mean the modern world does not struggle with arrogance. An NBA

May 6, 2016

Violent Table

By Tom Lawson Right now, in this time of worship, it is easy to forget how much violence there is outside these walls. We come into this welcoming place, we sing songs of praise, we greet friends and visitors, and we come to the time of Communion. All very nice and so very far removed from all the ugly that”s out there. It”s surprising, then, to consider for a moment that this brief meal is all about . . . “¢ a human body broken. “¢ human flesh torn and bleeding. “¢ an innocent man hanging by nails in unimaginable

May 2, 2016

Lesson for May 8, 2016: Grateful Faith (Luke 17:11-19)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ 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 MayÂ 1 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Gratitude should be our default setting (Psalm 107:1; 118:1). Gratitude is God”s will (1 Thessalonians 5:18). We were made to be grateful, and it should be as natural as breathing. Not to give thanks is duplicitous. Ingratitude is high treason against God and a mark of

April 27, 2016