Theology &amp; Bible

Lesson for July 6, 2014: Glorify God with Your Body (1 Corinthians 6:12″”7:40)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone First-century Corinth was not an easy place for a Christian to live. Paul”s letters to the church there deal with a number of challenges believers had to face. In 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 he mentions lawsuits; in today”s text he turns to sexual laxity. In chapter 5 he dealt with fornication as an occasion for exercising church discipline. Some of the people were arguing, “I have the right to do anything.” Evidently they were trying to take

June 23, 2014

Lesson for June 29, 2014: Pursue Unity in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 3:1-17)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone For the next two months we will study passages from 1 and 2 Corinthians as we learn priorities for the people of God. Paul helped found the church in Corinth. A few years later (perhaps around AD 57), he sent a letter back to the congregation. After an introduction in which he reminded them of his apostolic role, Paul offered a prayer of thanksgiving. In today”s printed text he turns to one of the primary reasons

June 16, 2014

Lesson for June 22, 2014: Hope for a New Day (Nehemiah 7:1-7; Haggai 2:20-23; Zechariah 4 )

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone This is the concluding lesson in our studies about rebuilding the temple in the post-exilic period of Old Testament history. Haggai and Zechariah were contemporaries. Together they challenged God”s people to complete the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. One final verse from Haggai begins today”s study. Zechariah was evidently a young man at this time (Zechariah 2:3, 4). This book that bears his name contains a number of important predictions of the coming Messiah (see

June 9, 2014

Lesson for June 15, 2014: Live Pure Lives (Haggai 2:10-19)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Judah had been conquered, Jerusalem burned, the temple demolished, and the people taken captive to Babylon. After 70 years of captivity there, they were allowed to return to their homeland. Under the leadership of Zerubbabel (the governor) and Joshua (the priest), work was begun to rebuild the temple. Despite a good start, nothing more was done for 15 years. With the coming of King Darius and the encouragement of Haggai and Zechariah, the work was resumed.

June 4, 2014

Salvation Theology & Bible

Time to Reconsider Conversion?

By Doug Priest I believe a person is incorporated into the body of Christ at the point of baptism. But if we focus only on baptisms””especially in resistant cultures””we may miss other progress that is leading a person toward salvation. It happened yet again. A missionary working in Thailand among the highly resistant Thai Buddhists received an annual questionnaire from one of his supporting churches. The church, rightly trying to be a responsible steward of its funds, wanted to determine the success of the ministry. The questionnaire included some helpful questions, like the health of the family, the spiritual growth

June 2, 2014

Lesson for June 8, 2014: Trust God’s Promises (Haggai 1:12″“2:9)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Only 38 verses long, Haggai is the second shortest book of the Old Testament (after Obadiah). It is filled with important teaching, however. In last week”s lesson, the prophet Haggai called the people back to their task of rebuilding the temple. They had ignored their responsibility for 16 years! His challenge had an immediate effect. The people accepted God”s message, and within 24 days the work was underway. The work was resumed with the right spirit

May 30, 2014

More Than Medicine

By Nancy Karpenske One little typing error. Instead of Communion meditation, if you hit one wrong key, you type Communion medication. Medication: a substance used to treat, to heal, or cure a disease. Meditation: a process used to focus one”s thought on a particular idea. Communion is a time where we stop to meditate, to focus our thoughts. The Communion emblems, the bread and the juice, are not medicines. Consuming them doesn”t heal you. They do, however, have a therapeutic effect. Touching and tasting the bread and the juice provide a visible reminder to refocus our minds and hearts past

May 27, 2014

Mark A. Taylor

The Christian”s Ritual of Remembrance

By Mark A. Taylor Last Saturday, The Wall Street Journal posted a headline above a picture of a grade-school boy decorating a soldier”s grave in Virginia: “With Memorial Day Approaching, Rituals of Remembrance Begin.” But the American Automobile Association estimated more than 36 million Americans would be traveling over the holiday weekend. A spokesman suggested this year”s unrelenting winter created a pent-up longing to experience warm temperatures in wide-open spaces. And I”m wondering how many of these sun-starved campers, fliers, and interstate sojourners took time for a “ritual of remembrance.” Only a minority, most likely, but I”ll not bore you

May 26, 2014

Lesson for June 1, 2014: Obey the Lord (Haggai 1:1-11)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone After returning from Babylonian exile, the Jews laid the foundations for the temple but then did no other construction work. After encountering opposition, the people were discouraged from continuing. Sixteen years passed, and the work was still unfinished. Haggai and Zechariah were two of the prophets who served in this period. Some believe that Haggai was an old man who had seen the first temple (2:3) some 60 years before. J. McIlmoyle wrote, “There is a

May 19, 2014

Lesson for May 25, 2014: The Greatest Commandment (Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 4:35; 6:1-9; Mark 12:28-34)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Today we study Jesus” answer to a question about the greatest commandment. In reply, he cites the two Old Testament passages that we will consider first in our lesson. Moses had been given the assignment to pass along God”s commands to those Israelites who left Egyptian bondage. Leviticus explained they were to live holy lives (Leviticus 17″“26). Then the book of Deuteronomy (literally “the second law”) reminded the people of the first generation”s failure to follow

May 12, 2014

Lesson for May 18, 2014: Jesus” Teaching on the Law (Exodus 20; Isaiah 29:13, 14; Matthew 5:17-48; 15:1-20; Romans 3:31)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone While Jesus was teaching in Galilee some 50 miles away from them, the religious leaders in Jerusalem sent a delegation to question him. This demonstrates clearly that they regarded him as a threat to their position and influence with the people. The Pharisees and teachers of the law were very influential to the Jews in all religious matters. They held to a strict interpretation and application of God”s law. Most of the common people felt, “Whatever

May 5, 2014

Lesson for May 11, 2014: Jesus” Mission on Earth (Leviticus 25:8-55; Isaiah 61; Luke 4:14-21)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Each Gospel adds details and insights that help us better understand the broad ministry of Jesus. Lynn Gardner reminds us, “Luke omitted many events that occurred after Jesus’ baptism and temptation and before his preaching ministry in Galilee (Luke 4:14ff). These events are described in John 1:19—4:42.” Luke describes Jesus’ traveling and teaching ministry in Galilee, where he not only performed miracles but also preached with authority and love. Prophecy Isaiah 61:1-3 Isaiah 61 begins with

May 2, 2014

Cleansing from Heaven

By Nancy Karpenske What does a car wash have in common with Communion? I”m not talking about the do-it-yourself car wash. Picture instead the one where you pull up, align your car correctly, and drive in. You sit in the comfort of your car, proceeding slowly through first the water, then the soap, then the powerful spray, then more rinsing, perhaps even blow-drying. Your car emerges spotless and shiny. You haven”t really lifted a finger. It reminds me of a popular Christian song by Todd Agnew. In “Grace Like Rain” he says God washes away all our stains, just like

April 28, 2014

Lesson for May 4, 2014: Jesus Resists Temptation (Deuteronomy 6:13-16; 8:3; Psalm 91:11, 12; Matthew 4:1-11)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone This month concludes our study of “Jesus” Fulfillment of Scripture,” as we see how he used the Old Testament so powerfully in his teaching and ministry. The giving of the Law through Moses is recorded in the book of Exodus. Much of the material is related again in the book of Deuteronomy (literally “Second Law”). It repeats and renews the message delivered to the people before they were to enter the promised land. Our New Testament

April 25, 2014

Creation Theology & Bible

Where Is Eden?

By Jeff Faull Where is the Garden of Eden? Not the actual geographical description. You can read that in Genesis 2. Where is the garden now? What happened to it? Last we knew, it was in Genesis 3. Remember? Therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:23, 24, New

April 21, 2014

Old Testament Theology & Bible

Learning and Living Like Job

By Eleanor Daniel In January 2013, I departed the United States for India with great expectations of spending two weeks teaching from the book of Job to Indian pastors in Kerala, leading a curriculum workshop at a church in Chennai, and teaching a Christian education class at a college in Chennai. But it didn”t turn out as I had anticipated. I may never teach from the book of Job again! Let me explain. I arrived in India as planned and spent a couple of days in Mumbai before flying south to begin the work set out for me. All went

April 21, 2014

Lesson for April 27, 2014: From Suffering to Glory (Isaiah 52:13″“53:12; Luke 24:25-27, 44-50)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Chapters 42″“53 of Isaiah contain what are called the “Servant Songs.” Isaiah 53 (perhaps the most familiar of them) is quoted six times in the New Testament. It describes not only the ministry of Jesus but his death and burial as well. The fulfillment of these very prophecies is noted in our lesson text taken from Luke 24. The Picture Isaiah 53:3-8 J. A. Alexander wrote, “Notwithstanding these and other prophecies of the Messiah,

April 18, 2014

Passion

By Jeff Faull Did you ever try one of those love tester machines at the mall? You drop your coin in and grasp the handle as all your friends watch. The buzzers sound and the lights flash and the machine tells you your “love quotient.” You might be hot, passionate, burning, wild, mild, harmless, clammy, all the way down to cold or blah. Have you ever wasted a quarter on that? By the way, those machines came out in the 1930s and are totally random in their rating selection. Maybe that bursts a bubble for some of you, or perhaps

April 14, 2014

Making the Point: Delivering Powerful Communion Meditations

By Andy Heisler Preparing a three-minute Communion meditation has challenges that are unique from crafting a 30-minute sermon or Bible lesson. A sermon speaker or lesson teacher is able to follow the arc of a story, and take time to unpack the meaning of a text. A meditation presenter, on the other hand, has only a few critical moments to engage the congregation and lead them to the foot of the cross. Preparation is critical to crafting a Communion message that hits the mark. Consider the following suggestions: Make the Point Being clever or creative is not of greatest importance,

April 14, 2014