August 18, 2025
The Power of the Pulpit
The power of the pulpit resides neither in physical furnishings nor in preachers themselves, but in the Holy Spirit who empowers his servants to proclaim God’s timeless truth.
Articles for tag: Mount Of Olives
THROWBACK THURSDAY: Excerpts from 3 Essays About Pentecost
"It is my conviction that the day of Pentecost is the focal point in the history of the world," Wm. E. Sweeney wrote in 1929, ". . . that all the lines of history before that time converge to that great day, and that all the lines of history since that time have diverged." . . .
August 22, 2022
August 28 | God’s Glory Departs
God will not stay where he is not wanted. However, he does not take lightly being pushed away. If repeatedly pushed away, he will punish those who resist him. That is the essence of Ezekiel’s vision at this point.
July 20, 2020
The Servant of Slaves
By Stuart Powell How does Jesus enter our lives? In the same way he entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday—as a servant. Jesus’ disciple described it this way,“Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden’”(Matthew 21:5, English Standard Version). Jesus’ arrival at Jerusalem, before his suffering, opened with a scene foreshadowed in Zechariah 9:9. As he rode the donkey colt down the steep slope of the Mount of Olives, passing by the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus redefined the relationship between
April 27, 2020
The Time
By Stuart Powell John’s Gospel shares a conversation that occurred the Sunday before Jesus’ crucifixion which is often overlooked in the festive inauguration of Holy Week. Jesus replied, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. . . . Now my soul is greatly distressed. And what should I say? ‘Father, deliver me from this hour’? No, but for this very reason I have come to this hour” (John 12:23-27, New English Translation). How often had Jesus looked ahead to “the time”? Did he ever pause as he washed his feet to consider where the nails
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
February 20, 2018
Flesh and Blood
By Ronald G. Davis John declared it: “In the beginning was the Word . . . and the Word was God. . . . The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:1, 14). Though John’s Gospel account may emphasize the deity of Christ, it gives full attention to his humanity. Incarnation! The eternal, the nonmaterial, became flesh and blood. Here, we celebrate that fact. Jesus was fully human. He grew from infant in Bethlehem to toddler in Nazareth to a boy of age at the temple to a man . . . at the cross. As
March 14, 2016
Lesson for March 20, 2016: Struggling Faith (Mark 14:26-31, 66-72)
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 March 13 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott A common struggle we face is consistent faith. On Palm Sunday the people shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:9). But by Friday they shouted, “Crucify him” (Mark 15:14). Peter (and the other disciples) had that same
March 23, 2015
Lesson for March 29, 2015: The Son of David (Mark 11:1-11)
This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. It is published in the March 22 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. Stone The “triumphal entry” of Jesus into Jerusalem is significant for many reasons. It is one of the few events in his life that is recorded in all four Gospels. It marked the beginning of his last week on the earth. For three years he had taught and lived God”s message for the world. While his popularity was extremely high among the
April 1, 2013
Lesson for April 7, 2013: The Lord Appears (Luke 24:36-53)
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”s lessons continue to emphasize the Christ-ian”s undying hope. Today we review the resurrection and next week the beginning of the church on the Day of Pentecost. The remaining lessons in April look to the future with Paul”s encouragement for the Thessalonians. The appearance of Jesus reported in Luke 24:36-43 is the same one reported in John 20:19-23. The apostles are called “the eleven” (Luke 24:33), since Judas was then gone. In his Gospel, John
February 21, 2011
Lesson for Feb. 27, 2011: Jesus Is Coming Again (Mark 13:14-27)
This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for February 27) is written by M. Y. Perkins, assistant professor of theology and society at Emmanuel School of Religion in Johnson City, Tennessee. ____________ Jesus Is Coming Again (Mark 13:14-27) By M. Y. Perkins Your job is soon to be phased out. You have a terminal disease such as cancer. Your spouse is ending your marriage. If you have ever received or been a close friend to someone who has faced difficult news about the future, you will understand the significance of Jesus” words to his disciples in Mark 13.
February 21, 2010
Our Holy Land Pilgrimage
By Thomas F. Jones Jr. It was late afternoon and we had just landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel. There were 25 of us in the group, all midcareer pastors, 35-55 years of age, men and women. We came from all over the country. We had left the Atlanta, Georgia, airport the day before, and stopped in Frankfurt, Germany, to catch a connecting flight. We were a group of tired, hungry, Christian travelers. Once we landed in Israel we made our way through the crowded passport checkpoint, gathered our bags, and then met our Arab Christian guide
