June 17, 2024
The Sinner
No matter how badly we’ve sinned, in truth, we all deserve the title: “The Sinner.” . . .
Articles for tag: Romans 3:2
August 21, 2023
August 27 | Justified
A theological dilemma in the biblical story is this: How can God punish sin (and thereby stay true to his promise and character) and yet absolve the sinner? . . .
April 4, 2022
April 10 | Perfect Judgment
The woman poured out her repentance in several ways—weeping (in contrition) over Jesus' feet, letting her hair down so she could use her “glory” as a towel, kissing his feet, and pouring expensive perfume on them.
January 3, 2022
Jan. 9 | Righteous Judgment
Our first two lessons in Romans deal with God’s righteous character evident in his wrath and judgment. Beneath the radar was the tension between Jew and Gentile in regard to salvation.
December 27, 2021
Jan. 2 | Righteous Wrath
Romans has been responsible for more church revivals than any other New Testament book. This month, students will learn that God is righteous, and therefore judgment should be left in his hands.
April 1, 2021
We’re Still Choosing Between Barabbas and Jesus
In 2009, a young man named Hu Bin accidentally killed a bystander while drag racing through the streets of Hangzhou, China. To describe his trial as “shocking” would be an understatement. Though the judge handed out a measly sentence, a newspaper reported that people were more stupefied at who was standing trial. A few eyewitnesses of the accident and trial claimed someone resembling Hu Bin took his place in the courtroom. Some allege that Hu’s wealthy family hired a “stand-in” to serve his prison sentence. Flashing back more than 20 centuries, we see another case of a stand-in on full
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
December 10, 2018
Lesson for December 16, 2018: Whole Life (Luke 19:1-10)
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. 13 (weeks 49–53; December 9–30, 2018) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ Lesson Aim: Let Jesus transform your whole life. ______ By Mark Scott The ultimate objective of preaching and teaching is not just conveying information. It is achieving transformation (Andy Stanley, Communicating for a Change). Believers often know more Bible than they are living. If anyone needed a transformation of his whole life it was Zacchaeus
April 17, 2018
Love’s Welcome
By Jackina Stark How do you come to the Lord’s Table? Surely sometimes we come weary and troubled, and we are comforted when we remember Jesus’ words, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Maybe you don’t think of those words of comfort, however, if the source of your weariness is the weight of sin—that is, something that is not beyond your control. Has anyone come to the table today having had a fit this week, cussing a blue streak? Has anyone come having been greedy, the very antithesis
October 15, 2015
The Problem with Swearing
“Let your “˜yes” be “˜yes” and your “˜no” be “˜no.”” What was Jesus saying, and what does it mean to our own quest for integrity? By Casey Tygrett Why is integrity lacking in the church? I don”t believe it comes from not knowing certain sacred doctrines. The great issue is a spiritual formation problem because the formation of the Spirit of Christ within us should shape the action of the Spirit of Christ outside of us. Integrity comes from our mind shifting, our motivations being redirected, and our actions following suit. Jesus speaks about integrity in a passage I have
March 9, 2015
Lesson for March 15, 2015: The Spirit of Truth (John 16:4b-15)
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 8 issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Sam E. Stone The Holy Spirit”s role was noted on several occasions during Jesus” earthly ministry. When John the Baptist immersed Jesus in the Jordan River, the Spirit descended in the form of a dove (John 1:32). When Jesus was teaching Nicodemus, he emphasized the need for all sinners to be born of water and the Spirit (3:5). Worship of God is to be
February 8, 2013
Confess Our Unworthiness, Celebrate His Worthiness
By Lynn Gardner Paul warned against partaking of the Lord”s Supper in an unworthy manner (1 Corinthians 11:27, 29). However, that does not mean we should not recognize our unworthiness as we partake. Our culture stresses self-confidence as a key to success. Proper self-respect as one made in the image of God is not sinful, and recognizing we are unworthy to be saved by God is not having a low self-image or low self-esteem. God places a value on us because he created us in his image, but we stand before him as guilty sinners who do not deserve his favor
He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need
By Joe Bliffen Your initial reaction to hearing about a terrible sin someone has committed indicates immediately whether you are developing the “mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16*). “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). What was Jesus” attitude toward sinners as he walked among us? In Zacchaeus, Jesus saw a man who had really messed up his life and needed a friend. On the cross, Jesus saw two criminals and the Roman soldiers, people who mocked him and blasphemed God. Yet Jesus looked beyond their faults and saw their need; he died for
