Series: Study

Lesson for May 24, 2020: I Catch No Glimpse of Him! (Job 2:11-13; 23:1-17)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the May 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ COMPANION RESOURCES: Application: “If Only I Knew Where to Find Him,” by David Faust Discovery Questions ________ Lesson Aim: Don’t be silenced by the darkness. ________ By Mark Scott When we were young, we were taught about the patience of Job. Then as we matured and read the book of Job, many of us

May 10, 2020

Lesson for May 17, 2020: His Beloved Ones (Dt 30:4-6, 11-14; Lev 26:40-42)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the May 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ COMPANION RESOURCES: Application: ‘The Natural Response to Being Loved,” by David Faust Discovery Questions ________ Lesson Aim: Because he loves you, love him with all your heart! ________ By Mark Scott It is hard to improve the lyrics in the hymn “The Love of God” when verse 3 says, Could we with ink the

May 3, 2020

Lesson for May 10, 2020: His Treasured Possession (Dt 4:29-40; 26:17-19; Lev 20:26; 26:12, 13)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the May 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ Lesson Aim: Because you are his, seek him and you will find him. ________ By Mark Scott God is good at only one part of hide-and-seek. He does not hide well. In fact, he wants to be found (Psalm 19:1-6; Acts 17:27; Romans 1:20; Matthew 7:8). But God is very good at the other

April 26, 2020

Lesson for May 3, 2020: His Holy Nation (Dt 28:9, 10; Lev 22:31-33; 19:1, 2, 9-18)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the May 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ Lesson Aim: Because he is holy, walk as his holy people. ________ By Mark Scott Has this exchange happened in your family? Dad says, “Son, take out the trash.” The son says, “Why do I have to take out the trash?” Dad says, “Because if you don’t, the house will stinketh, and your mom

April 12, 2020

Lesson for April 19, 2020: Power Over All of Creation (John 21:1-14, 24, 25)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the April 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ Lesson Aim: Let the knowledge of Jesus’ power over all give you confidence and hope. ________ By Mark Scott To ensure the disciples had a convinced and informed faith, Jesus appeared to them over a period of 40 days following his resurrection from the dead (Acts 1:1-5). During these appearances, Jesus gave many “convincing

April 6, 2020

Lesson for April 12, 2020: Power Over Death (John 11:17-27, 32-44)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the April 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ Lesson Aim: Triumph with Jesus, who has broken the power of death. ________ By Mark Scott Easter is all about life swallowing death (1 Corinthians 15:54; Isaiah 25:8). Both Old and New Testaments gave us some “warm-up resurrections” so people could anticipate and appreciate the resurrection of Jesus. Some of those are Isaac’s (in

March 29, 2020

Lesson for April 5, 2020: Power to Sustain (John 6:1-15, 25-29)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the April 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. (Subscribe to our print edition.) ________ Lesson Aim: Let Jesus provide for your personal and spiritual needs. ________ By Mark Scott All four Gospels record the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000. It was Passover time when Jesus performed it. This was one Passover when Jesus did not go to Jerusalem; he had his own Passover meal in the

March 23, 2020

Lesson for March 29, 2020: Power Over Evil (Mark 5:1-20)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the April 2020 issue of Christian Standard + The Lookout. ________ Lesson Aim: Contend with evil in this world and overcome through Jesus’ power. ________ By Mark Scott The miracles of Jesus have their own “power” vocabulary. Jesus’ power is explosive (the Greek word translated “miracle” is the English word “dynamite”). Jesus’ power creates wonder (the Greek word means something that shocks and terrifies). Jesus’ power points to him (the

January 27, 2020

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 2 (weeks 5-8; February 2-23, 2020) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ________ Lesson Aim: Trust the Lord to honor his promises in spite of what appear to be overwhelming obstacles. ________ By Mark Scott Abraham Lincoln will be remembered this month. He delivered his powerful 271-word address at the Gettysburg Battlefield/Cemetery on November 19, 1863. One line from it is, “That these dead shall

January 20, 2020

Lesson for Jan. 26, 2020: The Lord Delivers His People (Exodus 12:21-23, 29-42)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 1 (weeks 1-4; January 5-26, 2020) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ________ Lesson Aim: Celebrate the Lord’s deliverance. ________ By Mark Scott It has been said that the Lord is rarely early, but never late. At just the right time he sent his Son (Galatians 4:4). And at just the right time God brought his people out of Egyptian slavery. The message of this

January 13, 2020

Lesson for Jan. 19, 2020: The Deliverer Rebuffed (Exodus 5:1-14, 19-21)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 1 (weeks 1-4; January 5-26, 2020) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ________ Lesson Aim: Persevere through trials and setbacks. ________ By Mark Scott Christian leadership is not for the faint of heart. No wonder more than one ministry leadership guru has said, “To lead God’s people you have to have the heart of a lamb but the skin of a rhinoceros.” Christian leadership is

January 6, 2020

Lesson for Jan. 12, 2020: The Deliverer Called (Exodus 3:1-17)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 1 (weeks 1-4; January 5-26, 2020) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ________ Lesson Aim: Answer the call of God to serve his people. ________ By Mark Scott The lyrics to a silly old quartet number went, “Excuses, excuses, you’ll hear them every day. And the Devil he’ll supply them if the church you stay away.” More than once Jesus told parables about people using

December 29, 2019

Lesson for Jan. 5, 2020: The Deliverer Runs Ahead (Exodus 2:11-25)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 1 (weeks 1-4; January 5-26, 2020) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ________ Lesson Aim: Resist the urge to do God’s will in worldly ways. ________ By Mark Scott Warren Wiersbe said, “Whenever God works, he chooses the right worker, uses the right plan, and acts at the right time” (Expository Outlines on the Old Testament). But what happens if the right worker needs a

December 23, 2019

Lesson for Dec. 29, 2019: New Life (Isaiah 65:17-25)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 13 (weeks 49-52; December 8—December 29, 2019) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ________ Lesson Aim: Live in the sure hope of God’s promises. ________ By Mark Scott Dr. James Strauss from Lincoln Christian University said, “Isaiah 60-66 is the greatest eschatological section of the Old Testament.” It would seem so. Isaiah 60 celebrates the future glory of Israel in the coming light of the

December 16, 2019

Lesson for Dec. 22, 2019: Light Has Dawned (Isaiah 8:19–9:7)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 13 (weeks 49-52; December 8—December 29, 2019) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ________ Lesson Aim: Let the One who was born for us bring light into your life. ________ By Mark Scott People speak unscientifically about sunrise—technically the sun does not rise. But the sun does “rise” at first very incrementally. Then, almost before it can be observed totally, the sun is “up” and

December 9, 2019

Lesson for Dec. 15, 2019: Immanuel (Isaiah 7:10-18)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 13 (weeks 49-52; December 8—December 29, 2019) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ________ Lesson Aim: Welcome “God with us” into your life and home. ________ By Mark Scott The first Christmas was scary. It troubled Mary (Luke 1:29). It took a dream from God to convince Joseph that God was behind it (Matthew 1:20). And the shepherds were all but undone by it (Luke

December 2, 2019

Lesson for Dec. 8, 2019: We Are Healed (Isaiah 53:4-12)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 13 (weeks 49-52; December 8—December 29, 2019) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ________ Lesson Aim: Let the Suffering Servant heal you. ________ By Mark Scott Jesus’ question to the lame man in John 5 seemed odd. “Do you want to be healed?” (English Standard Version). Of course he did—that is why he was at the Pool of Bethesda. But while many people might say

November 25, 2019

Lesson for Dec. 1, 2019: False Fasting (Isaiah 58:1-10)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 12 (weeks 45-48; November 10—December 1, 2019) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ________ Lesson Aim: Turn to a true fast of selfless service. ________ By Mark Scott Perhaps a good way to usher in Christmas this year (today is what is called the first Sunday of Advent) would be with fasting—a change of pace from the wild office party. In the incarnation of Jesus,

November 18, 2019