April 7, 2025
The Road Did Not End Here
Jesus’ body was broken, but by that brokenness the road to the New Jerusalem was completed and the broken bond between God and humanity was repaired.
Articles for tag: Luke 22
March 3, 2025
Oh, How He Loves You and Me
As we come into this sacred time, let us remember that our Savior exhibited the greatest love ever known when he went to the cross to atone for our sins.
The Bitter Cup
"In the Garden, I do not believe it was a dread of the cross that bothered Jesus" . . .
January 8, 2024
To Do ‘In Remembrance’
Our remembrance of Jesus at Communion is very different from other actions we do in memory of someone . . .
December 21, 2023
THROWBACK THURSDAY: ‘Christmas at Simeon’s House’ (1978)
"We need to share Simeon’s experience," Editor Sam Stone wrote in 1978. "We need to see the Lord this Christmas. Simply hearing of the infant in a manger is not enough, however. We must look with the eye of faith to Calvary, knowing that there He died for us." . . .
July 10, 2023
July 16 | Discovery
Questions for group discussion for use with this week’s lesson titled “Hope in God's Loving-Kindness” (Jeremiah 31:1-17, 31-34).
May 22, 2023
May 28 | Waiting
People adopt a posture of solitude while waiting, which is not only a good spiritual discipline, but also a great help in waiting. To sit alone in silence can be very redemptive. . . .
December 13, 2021
Dec. 19 | Discovery
Through the rest of the Christmas season, how will you follow the shepherds’ example of spreading “the word concerning what had been told them about this child”?
Dual Citizenship
By Jim Estep Lyrics by Buffalo Springfield from 1966 are coming true: “There’s battle lines being drawn, and nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong . . . singing songs and they’re carrying signs, mostly say, ‘hooray for our side.’” Democrat, Republican, independent. Red, blue, purple. Radical right and social democrats. We live in what may be the most polarized period in U.S. history, short of the Civil War. Regardless of where you live, in what country, within which state or province, we all live in the tension between two worlds. Our dual citizenship between here and Heaven. Living in the Dichotomy
May 4, 2020
His Mother Stayed Near
By Stuart Powell Many Galilean women followed Jesus during his ministry. We don’t know all they did. Some likely helped with cooking. We know others provided financial assistance for Jesus and his disciples. But one woman served Jesus more than any other: his mother, Mary. She swaddled him, nursed him, carried him, sung to him, laughed with him, and loved him throughout his life. From the day of his birth, Mary of Nazareth stayed near her oldest son. She surely stayed within earshot as he slept in the feed trough. She carried him to the temple on the day of
December 17, 2019
The Baby in the Manger
By Stuart Powell Note: Use this meditation as part of a Christmas Nativity scene. Before the meditation, hide in the manger a large piece of bread (pita bread works well) and a sealed glass container half filled with grape juice or purple water. (Make sure neither item is visible to the audience.) Most Christians are familiar with the traditional scene of the first Christmas: Mary, Joseph, shepherds, angels, and all sorts of animals. The centerpiece of the scene, surrounded by all the popular characters, is a feeding trough holding God’s bundle of joy, baby Jesus. As we take in the
January 25, 2018
Jesus Spent Much of His Life Escaping Death
By Jim Nieman Near the end, when praying in the garden, his arrest but minutes away, and his crucifixion only hours away, Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). From the time he was a baby, Jesus was escaping death. Herod tried to kill him shortly after he was born in Bethlehem, so his parents took him to Egypt. As an adult, the Jews set out to kill him because he was healing on the Sabbath and calling God his father.
December 28, 2017
Memory Is Essential
By Jim Nieman The end of the year is when people typically look back with fondness, regret, happiness, or mournfulness the events and changes that have taken place in their lives during the past 12 months. But imagine we had no memories at all. What would we talk about? What basis would we have for making decisions? We would be adrift, vulnerable, and unable to learn from past successes or mistakes. Memory is essential. Without it, life is empty and living can be dangerous. Jesus held up a piece of broken bread and said, “”˜This is my body given for
November 11, 2016
Direct Our Hearts
By Diane Stortz When the prophet Samuel led Israel, he told them, “Direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you” (1 Samuel 7:3*). Later on, near the end of King David”s life, the people of Israel followed David”s lead and joyfully contributed to building materials for the future temple. Then David prayed, “O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you” (1 Chronicles 29:18). In the New Testament, Jesus tells us to seek
December 14, 2015
Lesson for December 20, 2015: Dedication of the Firstborn (Exodus 13:13″“15; Luke 2:22″“32)
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri, and has held preaching ministries in Missouri, Illinois, and Colorado. This lesson treatment is published in the December 13 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott There is an old downward spiral to sin that goes like this: If you hesitate, you will contemplate; if you contemplate, you will negotiate; if you negotiate, you will participate; and if you participate, you will desecrate. But maybe we could say that with the coming
March 6, 2015
March Madness
By David Ray It”s March, when college basketball takes center stage and provokes spirited debate about who will make it into tournament play. Team records wrangle for attention, brackets are set, and fierce competition begins. We get very passionate about who wins and loses. Winning brings bragging rights for fans, revenue for schools, and even professional signing opportunities for the greatest players. For a coach, however, losing badly can mean forfeiting an extended contract or finding a moving van parked in the driveway. Who wants to be last? The disciples of Jesus certainly didn”t! Once, after a long day, Jesus
Kingdom Clash
By Robert F. Hull Jr. In the closing of his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul includes this surprising note: “All God”s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar”s household” (Philippians 4: 22). What? There are followers of Christ in the emperor”s household? The same Caesar who is holding Paul in prison and who will eventually see to it that Paul is executed? Talk about a clash of kingdoms! Both Jesus and Paul were acutely aware there could be no merger of the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world, but neither could
June 14, 2013
My Favorite Meal
By Tom Ellsworth I would be hard-pressed to list my favorite meal. Some days I long for the time when I ate at my grandparents” table and enjoyed a dinner of speckled butter beans, corn bread, and homemade apple pie. Simple fare, to be sure, but few meals ever tasted better. On the other side of the menu spectrum, I have occasionally dined in upscale restaurants on scrumptious treats that my grandparents never tasted. Those, too, were memorable meals. To say the least, there is considerable contrast between the simple and exquisite meals I”ve enjoyed through the years. However, I
March 18, 2013
Lesson for March 24, 2013: The Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:1-38)
This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone To the Jew, Passover was the most important of all the annual observances in Jerusalem. Passover was celebrated on the 14th of Nisan. At this feast, Jews remembered their deliverance from Egypt. They would eat bread that had not had time to rise, just as their forefathers had done as they hurried to escape Pharoah and his soldiers. At the feast, each family group would first sacrifice a lamb, then roast it for the meal. Luke
November 16, 2011
What Do You Want?
By Mark A. Taylor All of us know people who never stop wanting. They”re always after the next trend, the newest gadget, the latest fashion, the next promotion. They”re like a dog chasing a porcupine. The hunt is exciting, but the catch doesn”t satisfy. And so they”re perpetually pursuing another challenge, a goal or a goodie they want even more than the last one they grabbed. It”s easy to criticize people who want the wrong things. But some Christians are burdened by an unexpressed fear that it may be wrong to want anything. After all, the Bible lessons and sermons
