October 28, 2024
It’s been estimated that over the course of history more than 100 billion people have lived on this earth. On the cross, Christ paid the penalty for their sins and provided eternal life—not only for every person who has ever lived, but for everyone who will be born after us.
May 15, 2023
Three events recorded in Luke 19 offer three tuning forks for the soul. . . .
April 1, 2021
History is full of victories. Some, like the Super Bowl, are watched by millions of fully committed fans only to be forgotten the next year by all but the most committed. Some victories actually turn the tide of history from one empire to another, leaving those who follow to speculate on what might have happened had the battle been lost and the tide not turned. Some victors are heralded as the greatest of all time but are later found to have cheated to gain an unfair advantage. Some victories change the course of history but are completely forgotten by later
June 10, 2019
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. 5 (weeks 21-24; May 26–June 16, 2019) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ Lesson Aim: Stand strong in the power of the Lord against the forces of evil. ______ By Mark Scott The scholar Oscar Cullmann distinguished Good Friday from the Second Coming with an analogy. He likened Calvary to D-Day and the Second Coming to V-Day. D-Day was a decisive battle in WWII
April 9, 2019
By Stuart Powell Is there anything more difficult than hearing someone you love say goodbye? We typically react with sadness. That feeling is amplified when the goodbye comes at the threshold of death. Jesus’ disciples experienced that situation on the night of his betrayal. Jesus warned his disciples what was about to happen: I tell you the solemn truth, you will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice; you will be sad, but your sadness will turn into joy. When a woman gives birth, she has distress because her time has come, but when her child is born, she
March 30, 2018
An ER Doctor Examines What Jesus Experienced from the Garden to the Cross By Dwain C. Illman The resurrection is the keystone and the capstone of Christian belief. The crucifixion was required as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Every time I read Isaiah 53, I’m filled with awe and sadness as I marvel at detailed predictions surrounding our Savior. Consider Isaiah 53:5: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” As a physician who saw some
March 15, 2018
By Michael C. Mack I have learned some of the most vital lessons from some of the most unlikely people in Scripture. Mary Magdalene is one of them. A most pivotal day in her life started “while it was still dark” (John 20:1). As she went to the tomb, her life epitomized what our lives would look like without knowing Christ and the power of his resurrection—dark and hopeless. But the resurrection changes everything. A day that began in darkness ended with her radiant proclamation, “I have seen the Lord!” (v. 18). Mary was the first to view the empty
July 16, 2016
By Jeff Vines On the surface, it seemed as though Bill McCarthy had it all: a beautiful and talented wife, two exceptional daughters, and a prominent career in broadcasting. His career spanned more than 50 years, taking him from sports anchor to newsreader to a renowned producer and director. He anchored coverage of the 1974 British Commonwealth Games and produced broadcasts for the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. Yet, despite all of his achievements, Bill could not fill the unexplainable void in his life, and like most Kiwis (as the people of New Zealand are called), he never even considered God
July 22, 2015
By Jim Tune One of my favorite books (and I like the movie, too) is the classic The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Czech writer Milan Kundera. In his book, the heroine, Teresa, struggles to be at peace with life when it”s not heavy, when it”s too much lightness, sunshine, and seemingly carefree””when it”s devoid of the anxieties that hint at darkness and mortality. She feels the constant need for gravitas, for some heaviness that says life is more than simply the present flourishing of health and comfort. For her, lightness equals superficiality. Most of us prefer sunshine over shadow,
March 7, 2015
By Ethan Magness People tend to prepare for what”s important to them. And they tend to experience what they expect. This is why our church invests so much energy in a variety of ways to help people get ready for a meaningful Easter celebration. I am writing this article by the glow of a Christmas tree. It is barely December, and already I am seeing stockings and lights, candles and manger scenes. Our shopping is not done, our travel plans are uncertain, but we have begun to prepare. If you visited our home you would see that Christmas matters to
March 6, 2015
Focusing on Friday By Shawn Cartwright, worship arts pastor, Northside Christian Church, Yorktown, Virginia From my perspective, an investment in Good Friday needs as much attention as Easter worship services or special productions. After all, you don”t have the resurrection without the cross. There are two specific services we”ve done that have been especially meaningful for two churches I”ve served. The first is “Song Stories Victory.” The premise of a “Song Stories” event is emphasizing the stories that songs tell and the stories behind why they were written, as well as how their stories impact our lives. One year we
March 6, 2015
Good Friday Prayer Walk By Chuck Sackett, preaching minister, Madison Park Christian Church, Quincy, Illinois A few years ago we decided to do something completely different for Good Friday. Instead of a traditional service, we did a prayer walk. It started in the lobby, moved down the hall to the next large space, into the fellowship hall, through the worship space (we have removable seating), and ended in a large classroom. Each room was a new prayer station. It started with a place for prayer and symbolic washing, then an opportunity to take the Lord”s Supper. The fellowship hall was
March 5, 2015
Preparation, Pictures, and Prayer Stations By Charles Maloney, senior pastor, Camarillo (California) Christian Church Our student ministries department put together a guided Good Friday prayer walk involving “prayer stations” covering the events of the final week of Jesus” life, ending at the crucifixion. The prayer stations included pictures and prayer ideas, complete with drawings for children to color, for each of the days leading up to the events of Good Friday. The prayer walk was from noon to 7 p.m., so people could come during the day or after work. We encouraged families to participate together. The last prayer station
April 18, 2014
By LeRoy Lawson City of Wrong: A Friday in Jerusalem M. Kamel Hussein (translated by Kenneth Cragg) Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 1995 (first published in 1954) The End of Sexual Identity: Why Sex Is Too Important to Define Who We Are Jenell Williams Paris Downers Grove: IVP Books, 2011 Life on the Vine: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in Christian Community Philip D. Kenneson Downers Grove: IVP Books, 1999 Picture yourself in Jerusalem on Good Friday. Even better, imaginatively hover around and in and through the actors, big and small, in this most consequential drama. This is what Kamel Hussein does
August 24, 2012
By Jennifer Taylor New City Church (Phoenix, AZ) launched the New City Studio to participate in the area”s “First Friday” art walks, host small gatherings, and serve the local urban community. The studio, originally a historic home built in the 1920s, has hosted exhibits about filmmaking, fashion photography, vintage clothing, and more. A “Shopping with Purpose” night featured handmade jewelry, bags, and quilts. Often the studio encourages donations for a specific cause or local nonprofit group related to each month’s exhibit. This past spring, when Good Friday was also a first Friday of the month, the studio hosted an exhibit
April 2, 2012
This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Good Friday looked anything but “good” to Jesus” disciples that day. Saturday was no better. Sunday began with the same feelings of despair, disappointment, and desperation in the hearts of all his followers. As one of them explained later, “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21). Empty Tomb John 20:1-10 Just after sunrise Sunday morning (Mark 16:2), the women made their way to the tomb where
July 22, 2007
By Shockley Flick Here are 10 suggestions that may bring a fresh spark to your worship services. As you read through them, choose one or two that appeal to you and plug them into this Sunday”s service. New additions to your service or even slight changes will help trigger the mind to be open to a fresh look at the Savior. Pray Each week ask the Lord to change lives. Recruit volunteers to walk through the seats before the service, praying for those who will be coming. Ask the choir/praise group to pray for the first four people they see
April 7, 2026
John B. Penrose Jr
April 7, 2026
David Faust
March 27, 2026
Rick Cherok