Theology &amp; Bible

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

Doctrinal Issues & Debates Theology & Bible

Escape Eschatology

By Jim Tune Dispensationalists, especially modern dispensationalists, promote an eschatology that amounts to little more than “escapeatology.” Popular treatments of the Olivet Discourse (Mark 13; Mathew 24; Luke 21) and the book of Revelation present an eschatology that induces a mind-set of escapism. And many Christians are eating it up. Consider the popularity of the Left Behind series of books and movies with their view of eschatology as merely a means of future escapeÂ fromÂ this world, with a corresponding flight from any present responsibilityÂ toÂ this world. Escapeatology views Revelation”s portrayal of the new heaven and earth as a reality in the distant

April 25, 2016

Lesson for May 1, 2016: Increased Faith (Luke 17:1-10)

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 April 24Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Jesus” teachings often overwhelmed the disciples. When he taught that he was the bread of life, his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching” (John 6:60). When he taught about what truly defiles a person, his disciples asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended

April 22, 2016

What Kind of Table?

By Mark Krause One of Paul”s names for Communion is the “Lord”s table” (1 Corinthians 10:21). It is impractical for most churches today to celebrate the Lord”s Supper by sitting at chairs around a large table. Yet the table is an important symbolic element to our understanding of the Supper. Table fellowship is a powerful thing. We do not normally sit down to eat at a table with random strangers or with enemies. We like to take our meals with family and friends. When we celebrate Communion, we reenact a meal with other people, and these are people with whom

April 18, 2016

Lesson for April 24, 2016: Tested Faith (Luke 15:11-24)

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 April 17 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ This parable is the most familiar of Jesus” 40 parables. Jesus” teaching on discipleship ended with the words, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear” (Luke 14:35). The most unlikely people, namely tax collectors and sinners, drew near to hear him (15:1). To justify

April 15, 2016

Why We Meet

By Mark Krause Why did the early church celebrate the Lord”s Supper every week? The answer to this is very simple, but for some Christians it requires a different way of thinking. Most believers are well acquainted with the church tradition and expectation of meeting together on the first day of the week. This weekly gathering is reflected in a term we sometimes use for a particular, local church, the congregation. This word literally means “those who gather together.” Churches are made up of members who assemble, who come together. But why? If you were to ask believers why they

April 11, 2016

Lesson for April 17, 2016: Recovered Faith (Luke 8:26″“36)

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 April 10 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Three of the Gospels record this story (Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; and our text today from Luke). The Synoptics place this story following the calming of the storm and prior to the healing of the woman with the flow of blood and the raising of

April 9, 2016

Theology & Bible

WHAT’S NEXT?: Founded on Scripture

We asked several Christian leaders,Â “What should churches served byÂ CHRISTIAN STANDARD strive to be orÂ do or look like in the next decades?” ____ By John Derry Having served in the field of Christian higher education for my entire ministry, I have always appreciated the role CHRISTIAN STANDARD has played in emphasizing the importance of raising up the next generation of leaders for our churches. Visionary leadership is one of the most critical factors in any successful organization and requires one to be aware of changing trends and needs. In the coming decades it will be important that effective leaders are informed

April 8, 2016

Holy Spirit Theology & Bible

WHAT’S NEXT?: Remember the Spirit

We asked several Christian leaders,Â “What should churches served byÂ CHRISTIAN STANDARD strive to be orÂ do or look like in the next decades?” ____ By Mandy Smith We in the Christian churches have the Cane Ridge Revival in our history, but we”re not comfortable with the Holy Spirit. We”ve seen so many abuses of the Spirit that it”s easy to throw the baby out with the bathwater. So what would it look like to rediscover a scriptural approach to the Spirit”s work in our lives? I”m still learning this, but let me share two ways I”m stepping into it: 1. Guidance “But

April 4, 2016

Lesson for April 10, 2016: Shameless Faith (Luke 7:36-50)

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 April 3 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Love and forgiveness are inextricably linked. The reason that God forgives so well is because his love is ginormous. Love without forgiveness is only academic. Forgiveness without love is hypocritical. In Luke 7 we move from the amazing faith of the centurion (vv. 1-10) to

March 28, 2016

Lesson for April 3, 2016: Renewed Health (Luke 7:1-10)

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 March 27 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ How can an all-knowing God be amazed at anything? Scripture affirms that Jesus was amazed””we are told of two examples in his ministry. Once he was amazed at belief (today”s passage and the parallel text in Matthew 8:10), and once he was amazed at unbelief

March 27, 2016

Facing the Future

By Joe Boyd What did the resurrection mean to the readers of the oldest Gospel? And how does that help us in our own confusing lives and complicated age?Â Most followers of Jesus are aware that there are four Gospels in the Christian Scriptures: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. All four of these accounts tell the story of Jesus, but, at times, from different perspectives. Most New Testament scholars agree that Mark”s Gospel is likely the oldest, dating a few decades after the life and death of Jesus. Looking at Mark”s story of the resurrection, one realizes it is brief

March 25, 2016

Taken and Broken

By J. Michael Shannon In some ways our Communion service seems a strange thing. We know it has its roots in the Passover celebration, but as we would expect from a ceremony instituted by our Lord, it can speak to us of much more. What is the significance of eating bread and drinking juice? Why does it represent the body and blood of Jesus? Why do we internalize these emblems? All living things, for their survival, depend on other living things to surrender their lives. Whether a person eats meat or is a vegetarian, something that was living surrenders its

March 21, 2016

Lesson for March 27, 2016: Resurrection Faith (Mark 16:1-8)

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 March 20Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Our celebrations of Easter can be pretty bland. Easter eggs, chocolate, and lilies are not very threatening. But the first Easter was scary. If Jesus was alive, then life could not continue as usual. The resurrection is a historical fact. Faith in the resurrected Jesus begins

March 18, 2016

Whose Supper Is It?

By J. Michael Shannon In 1 Corinthians 11:17-26, Paul describes the proper attitude to exhibit around the Lord”s table. His admonition is to the church at Corinth, a congregation that desperately needs this message. That church has many problems, more so than most any congregation we might attend today. One of the more serious problems is that it fails to take the Lord”s Supper seriously. Here is a church where the rich will not wait for the poor to arrive for the supper and eat all the food before the actual celebration of the emblems. This is a church where

March 14, 2016

Lesson for March 20, 2016: Struggling Faith (Mark 14:26-31, 66-72)

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 March 13 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ A common struggle we face is consistent faith. On Palm Sunday the people shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:9). But by Friday they shouted, “Crucify him” (Mark 15:14). Peter (and the other disciples) had that same

March 11, 2016

A Silent Sermon

By J. Michael Shannon Communion services usually are very quiet gatherings. The music is usually soft, and people do not talk and laugh among themselves. This is almost universally true regardless of the church tradition of those partaking. While there is an appropriate sense of joy in the celebration of what Jesus has done for us, there is also a silent awe that comes over us because of the magnitude of the sacrifice. Our quietness is almost instinctive. And so it was for a monk, as the old story goes, who was assigned to do the homily for the brothers

March 7, 2016

Bible Study Theology & Bible

Lesson for March 13, 2016: Simple Faith (Mark 10:17″“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, and has held preaching ministries in Missouri, Illinois, and Colorado. This lesson treatment is published in the March 6 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Affluenza complicates simple faith. Affluenza is a sickness caused by too many material possessions. While everything created by God is good (2 Timothy 4:4), and while God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), there probably is such

March 4, 2016