Theology &amp; Bible

Holy Spirit Theology & Bible

You Will Receive Power

By Jim Tune Luke ends his Gospel with the promise of power from on high (Luke 24:49)””a promise quickly fulfilled with an exclamation mark in the book of Acts, as the Spirit descends on Jesus” disciples at Pentecost. Mark”s Gospel, at least in its longer form, ends with a dramatic promise of signs, of poison swallowed without harm, of snake handling and tongue speaking. So you could be forgiven for harboring expectations of dramatic spiritual ecstasies when the resurrected Christ, invested with all heavenly and earthly authority, promises his presence to the end of the age. Yet the charge Jesus

June 29, 2015

Lesson for July 5, 2015: No Rest for the Wicked (Micah 2)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the June 28 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ During this month we will focus attention on another of the “minor prophets”””Micah. He lived during the time of the divided kingdom. Some of the tribes of Israel had broken away from the northern kingdom, with its capital in Samaria. The southern kingdom continued to be headquartered in Jerusalem. Micah was a contemporary of Isaiah. While Isaiah preached to the

June 22, 2015

Lesson for June 28, 2015: God Will Never Forget (Amos 8)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the June 21Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ This month we have focused attention on Amos, one of the most important of the minor prophets. As James E. Smith pointed out, “The oracle which follows the fourth vision may have been delivered in Judah during a second phase of Amos”s ministry. In any case, these verses contain one of the strongest indictments against covetousness found anywhere in the Bible.”

June 15, 2015

Lesson for June 21, 2015: God Abhors Selfishness (Amos 6)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the June 14Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ Amos began his prophecy by pronouncing judgment on the major countries throughout the part of the world where he lived. Captivity was coming for the people of Israel as well. Within 50 years his predictions would be fulfilled. Henry Halley wrote, “Over and over Amos contrasts the voluptuous ease, palatial luxury, and feeling of security of the leaders and the rich

June 12, 2015

Communion, Our Constant

By Mandy Smith The old Sunday school song goes, “Since Jesus came within and cleansed my soul from sin, I”m inright, outright, upright, downright happy all the time.” But very few Christians could honestly say they feel happy all the time. While we may retain an undisturbed, deep joy, it”s normal for any Christian to have moments of spiritual high and spiritual low, to feel close to God and far from God at various times, to have times of great faith and times of great doubt. One helpful practice that allows us to survive the darker times is to overlook

June 8, 2015

Lesson for June 14, 2015: God Is Not Fooled (Amos 5)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the June 7 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ The exact length of Amos”s ministry is not specified in Scripture. Most Bible scholars agree that it was probably for a short time. Some guess only a half hour, while others think only a few months! James E. Smith suggested, “More likely his ministry extended for a few years. The years 754-752 BC for his mission to north Israel would

June 1, 2015

Lesson for June 7, 2015: God Passes Judgment (Amos 2:4-16)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the May 31Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ This quarter”s lessons are taken from a number of important passages in the Minor Prophets (so named because their books are shorter in length than books by other prophets like Isaiah and Daniel). They reveal God”s judgment on all kinds of injustice and disobedience. Many Bible scholars date Amos”s ministry around 760 BC, while Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam

May 28, 2015

By Christians, for Christians

By Scott Caulley How long has it been since you really read the Gospels? Maybe, like I, you remember stories about Jesus brought to “life” with flannelgraph figures in Sunday school classes. Because of my upbringing, I am blessed with wonderful memories of Jesus with the lost sheep, Jesus with the man born blind, Jesus and the lame man lowered through the roof by his faithful friends. And maybe you, like I, have heard many sermons taken from these Gospel stories. For us, as well as for children, these stories are brief, action filled, and work well as freestanding units.

May 25, 2015

Lesson for May 31, 2015: The Greatest Is Love (1 Corinthians 13)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the May 24Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ This week concludes a study of key passages in Paul”s first letter to the church in Corinth. Members of this first-century congregation had written Paul with several questions. We have considered some of their concerns in past weeks. Today”s study of 1 Corinthians 13 is best understood when we realize that it is sandwiched in with a discussion of spiritual gifts

May 18, 2015

Spiritual Gifts Theology & Bible

Lesson for May 24, 2015: Gift of Languages (Acts 2:1-21; 1 Corinthians 14:1-25)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the May 17 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ The first-century church in Corinth faced special challenges. One problem was that many members placed undue emphasis on those who spoke in tongues. Today we will first study Acts 2, when the church began, so that we can understand the context of Paul”s teaching on this subject to the Corinthians. Tongues at the Church”s Birth |Â Acts 2:1-7, 12 The Day

May 15, 2015

Passover Parallels (Matthew 26:17-19)

By Neal Windham Jesus” last supper was almost surely some sort of Passover meal. It was eaten at night while in Jerusalem, as custom would have it. Our Lord likely explained the meal”s key features, much as Jewish fathers would have done for their own children, though in Jesus” case the symbolism was developed in new and astonishing ways. “This is my body,” he said, “my blood.” More than this, Jesus ended the meal with a hymn, as was also customary at Passover, and celebrated it with his new “family,” the disciples, a Passover tradition dating to the time of

May 11, 2015

Spiritual Gifts Theology & Bible

Lesson for May 17, 2015: One Body; Many Members (1 Corinthians 12:12-31)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the May 10 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ Last week we considered the first half of 1 Corinthians 12, and this week we will study the last half of the chapter. J. W. McGarvey wrote, “In the early church the Spirit of God . . . endowed certain members with miraculous giftsÂ . . . As gifts were bestowed on different individuals, some of them became a source of

May 8, 2015

A Clean Break (1 Corinthians 11:20-23)

By Neal Windham Corinth is a beautiful city. Set on an isthmus dividing the Adriatic and Aegean seas, it was frequented by mariners avoiding the more treacherous waters of the Mediterranean in Paul”s day. As a result, it was a popular destination, well populated, and with a thriving economy. Remains of its stunning temple to Apollo stand in ruins to this very day, silently testifying to a distinctively pagan past. Little wonder that Paul had such a tough time with this church. It seems they were attempting to make the break with pagan society as slight as they possibly could.

May 4, 2015

Spiritual Gifts Theology & Bible

Lesson for May 10, 2015: Gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:1-11)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the May 3Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ The apostle Paul spent about 18 months in the prominent Greek city of Corinth during his second missionary journey. Although he faced strong opposition (Acts 18:1-11), still the church grew and prospered. Later Paul received a letter from Corinth raising several important issues. He addressed them in 1 Corinthians. His discussion of spiritual gifts extends from 12:1″“14:40. Obviously this was a

May 1, 2015

Mystery

By Neal Windham When asked what”s missing when churches marginalize the Lord”s Supper by breaking bread casually and infrequently, Eugene Peterson replied, “Mystery.” He wasn”t talking about cheap novels or detective shows. No, he spoke of a mystery that runs so much deeper, a plot hatched in eternity, hidden for long ages, thoroughly misunderstood, often misrepresented, but, in the end, designed for our good, for our “glory,” as Paul put it. Peterson spoke of a narrative fit for God. The word mystery comes from muo, a Greek verb that means to close or shut. Our word mute shares this root.

April 27, 2015

Lesson for May 3, 2015: Work Together for the Truth (3 John)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the April 26Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ The three short letters sent from the apostle John to first-century Christians were likely all written about the same time. Reading 3 John, the shortest book in the Bible, we see that it is similar to 2 John, but it is more specific in naming the individuals involved. Salutation |Â 3 John 1 The addressee, Gaius, is a friend of John”s and

April 24, 2015

Believing Is Seeing

ByÂ Robert F. Hull Jr. “Seeing is believing,” we say, but in the logic of the Gospel of John, it works the other way around: Believing is seeing. It is true Peter and John did not believe Jesus had risen from the dead until they entered the tomb and saw the abandoned grave clothes (John 20:6-8). It is also true Mary Magdalene and 10 of the disciples were permitted to see the risen Lord. But was this a privilege all disciples should have? Thomas seemed to think so. He wanted the same experience the other disciples had, or an even greater

April 23, 2015

Breaking the Chain of Intergenerational Suffering

By T.R. Robertson The book of Genesis tells the story of generation after generation of inherited suffering. Adam and Eve”s sin affected the lives of their children and the generations to follow. Abraham”s poor choices were echoed by the poor choices of his son, Isaac, and trickled on down to the conflicts between Jacob and Esau, and then on to Joseph”s brothers selling him into slavery. If, like me, you were nurtured in the Restoration Movement, it”s likely we share an aversion to anything smelling of original sin mixed with inherited guilt. An unfortunate side effect of this theological bent

April 20, 2015

Lesson for April 26, 2015: Watch Out for Deceivers (1 John 5:6-12,18-20; 2 John)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the April 19 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ Deceivers are all around us. While the last two letters from the apostle John are characterized by his emphasis on the importance of love (as in 1 John), he was equally strong in his warnings about false teaching””2 and 3 John are the shortest documents in the New Testament, but they address serious and important issues. Although they deal with

April 13, 2015