Theology &amp; Bible

Lesson for November 16, 2014: Water from the Sanctuary Gives Life (Ezekiel 47:1-12)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the November 9 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ Last week”s study ended with Ezekiel 43:21. After that Ezekiel was given further instruction about those who would serve in the temple, the allotment of land, and priestly duties for various occasions. Now the prophet is back at the entrance to the temple. Worship in the kingdom of God is the future promised to all of the Lord”s people. One

November 3, 2014

Lesson for November 9, 2014: The Altar Offers Hope (Ezekiel 43:10″”46:24)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the NovemberÂ 2 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ At this point in our study, Ezekiel had witnessed the measuring of the outer wall and then the angel brought him back to the eastern gate of the temple where the tour had begun (see 40:6). Nineteen years earlier the prophet had seen the glory of God leave the temple through that eastern gate (10:18-22; 11:22-24). In last week”s lesson Ezekiel

October 27, 2014

Lesson for November 2, 2014: God’s Glory Fills the Temple (Ezekiel 40:1″”43:12)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the October 26Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ This month we consider “Visions of Grandeur,” looking primarily at Ezekiel”s prophecies. G. R. Beasley-Murray put our text in perspective: “Ezekiel was a priest as well as a prophet. It was his joyful task to balance the prophecies of the ruin of the temple, the departure of Jehovah, and the scattering of the nation with a detailed prediction of the rebuilding

October 24, 2014

Why Satan Hates Communion

By Mark Atteberry Toward the end of a lengthy prayer, shortly before his arrest, Jesus said, “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one””as you are in me, Father, and I am in you” (John 17:20, 21, New Living Translation). Jesus prayed for unity among his people because he understood that bickering Christians preaching love would be about as effective in spreading the gospel as a 300-pound man recommending a new

October 20, 2014

Lesson for October 26, 2014: Things Too Wonderful for Me (Job 42; Psalm 86)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the October 19Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ Today we consider the closing section of the book of Job. Last week we studied Job 24. In the chapters in between, Job”s friends continued to pass judgment on the suffering patriarch. Job continued to defend his actions. After the many words of Job”s friends and the lengthy responses by Job, the Lord spoke for the first time with two messages

October 17, 2014

I Brake for the Lord”s Supper

By Mark Atteberry You probably don”t recognize the name Jacob German, but he should be famous. In 1899 he was the first to experience something that has become a common occurrence “” so common I suspect most of the adults reading this have experienced it, probably more than once. On May 20, 1899, German was stopped for speeding. A taxi driver for the Electric Vehicle Company, German was tooling around New York City at the wildly inappropriate speed of 12 mph. People were aghast he would be so reckless. If they”d had driver”s licenses in those days, his almost

October 13, 2014

Lesson for October 19, 2014: I Will Call on God (Job 5; 24; Psalm 55:12-23)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the October 12 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ Last week”s study focused on Job 19. After that section, more attacks followed by Job”s friends, Zophar (chapter 20) and Eliphaz (chapter 22). They continued to insist that Job was guilty of serious sin. To them, all that happened to him was obviously God”s punishment for wrongdoing. Job, however, declared his wish to have access to God”s presence so that

October 6, 2014

Lesson for October 12, 2014: I Know that My Redeemer Lives (Job 19; Psalm 57)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the October 5 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ This is the first of three lessons highlighting key passages from the book of Job. The best way to get an overall picture of this important piece of Old Testament literature is to read the entire book. After Job”s tragic experiences, three of his friends came to see him (Job 2:11-13). Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar agreed “to go and sympathize

September 29, 2014

Lesson for October 5, 2014: Yet Will I Rejoice (Job 1; Psalm 56; Habakkuk 1″“3)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the September 28 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ All that is known of the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk is found in his short book. Even this does not tell us his genealogy, nor when he prophesied. Most Bible students place him as a contemporary of Jeremiah (627-586 BC). The book begins with God raising up the Babylonians as an instrument to punish Palestine. Habakkuk delivered two complaints to

September 25, 2014

Creation Theology & Bible

Caring for Creation

By Carol O’Casey Desperate times call for desperate measures””such as when esteemed evolutionary biologist Edward O. Wilson issued a call to churches to “join forces with science to save the planet.” In his book The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth, Wilson pleads, “Pastor, we need your help. The Creation””living Nature””is in deep trouble.” Will we as a church heed the call to care for creation? I confess, as a biologist and a pastor”s wife, I”ve stood on the shores of indifference too long, afraid to wade into this hostile territory. But when God challenged me to enter

September 22, 2014

Lesson for September 28, 2014: Future Peace and Joy (Jeremiah 33)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the September 21Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ In last Sunday”s lesson Jeremiah was being held in a courtyard prison by King Zedekiah (Jeremiah 32), and he is still there in today”s text. Jeremiah repeated with fuller explanation his prophecy of the one great king called “the Branch,” who would one day come and fulfill the promise of an eternal throne. Jeremiah had been prophesying in Jerusalem for some

September 17, 2014

Salvation Theology & Bible

Gospel Confidence

By Jim Tune I”ve often been asked, “Isn”t this the only thing that really matters to God in the end: whether or not you”re a good person?” This sounds great, and being good and doing good are central to what it means to be human, but this question masks a subtle belief system. Just below the surface of this sensible and conventional way of seeing God is the flawed idea that God operates according to a merit system. Do the good or right or religious thing and you will get the points you need to get on God”s good side.

September 15, 2014

Lesson for September 21, 2014: Anticipation of a New Future (Jeremiah 32)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the September 14 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ Despite all that was going on around them, the people of Israel still had reason for hope. This month”s studies in the book of Jeremiah explain why they could have such confidence that much better days were ahead. Many years before this time, God had given the land of Canaan””the promised land””to his people. The Law of Moses contained specific

September 9, 2014

Mark A. Taylor

Our Focus: on the Cross?

By Mark A. Taylor “I don”t get to a Christian church very often. I don”t get to take Communion every Sunday. And when I do, I want to hear a word about the cross.” I still remember that comment spoken to me years ago by a graduate of Cincinnati Bible Seminary (now Cincinnati Christian University) who had long before quit attending a Christian church/church of Christ. Evidently, because he now belonged to a congregation that does not observe the Lord”s Supper every week, he missed it. And obviously, from years-ago training and decades of experience, he knew what was supposed

September 8, 2014

Lesson for September 14, 2014: Hope for the Future (Jeremiah 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 September 7Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ Jeremiah is often called “the weeping prophet” because of the sad news he had to bring to his people. But he also held out hope for them. Following 70 years in Babylonian captivity, a remnant would return to the promised land (Jeremiah 23:3). They would rebuild Jerusalem and be the source of great rejoicing (31:7-14). His message encouraged the captives to

September 1, 2014

Lesson for September 7, 2014: A Vision of the Future (Jeremiah 30)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the August 31 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ Even while the people of Israel were living as exiles in Babylon, they still received encouragement and hope from the Lord. In this month”s study we focus on the messages God sent through the prophet Jeremiah. James E. Smith pointed out that the material in chapters 30-33 was not part of a public discourse (see Jeremiah 30:2). “In written form

August 25, 2014

Lesson for August 31, 2014: Generosity in the Midst of Poverty (2 Corinthians 8, 9)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the August 24Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ Despite the problems noted in 1 Corinthians (such as division, pride, and immorality), the church had many good qualities. Generous giving, however, was an area in which they needed to improve. In today”s text Paul used various appeals to encourage them to grow in generosity. An Example 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 Paul introduced a new subject in this letter by saying,

August 22, 2014

Revealed in the Breaking of the Bread

By Mark S. Krause In the old Errol Flynn movie The Adventures of Robin Hood, there is a remarkable scene of revelation. Robin Hood has been fighting the injustice of evil Prince John, who was ruling England in the absence of his brother, King Richard the Lionheart. King Richard had gone to the Holy Land for a Crusade, and his whereabouts are uncertain. Some believe him dead. However, Richard returns to England with a few men, incognito, in the dress of monks. Richard realizes his danger and decides to seek out Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest. Still clad in monk”s

August 18, 2014

Lesson for August 24, 2014: An Appeal for Reconciliation (2 Corinthians 6:1″“7:4)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the August 17 issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. StoneÂ In the section of 2 Corinthians just before today”s printed text, the apostle Paul discussed why Christians must resolve differences (5:11-21). Compelled by Christ”s love, we are to practice “the ministry of reconciliation” (v. 18). Paul reminded the church that God”s forgiveness of us is a model of how we should forgive others (compare Matthew 6:12). Corinthians” Need 2

August 11, 2014