Articles for tag: The Lookout Magazine

Lesson for December 31, 2017: Faith to Unite (Ephesians 4:1-16)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 50″“53 (December 10-31, 2017) ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Historians would have to critique this, but perhaps the world is more polarized than ever. On the eve of a new year can we say that the world is united in anything but sin? Sadly, the church is not much better. The answer to the divisive tensions in the world, and to the

December 11, 2017

Lesson for December 17, 2017: Faith to Persevere (Acts 14:8-11, 19-23)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 50″“53 (December 10-31, 2017) ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Even by today”s standards their first missionary journey was incredibly successful. Paul and Barnabas traveled roughly 1,200 miles in two years and planted six new churches. Considering the rough terrain in Southern Galatia alone makes the trip nothing less than stunning. But it was not just geography that made the first journey challenging.

November 29, 2017

Lesson for December 3, 2017: Faith in Jesus (Acts 3:11-21)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 46″“49 ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Jesus said to his disciples, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). The disciples said to Jesus, “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). Few things in the Bible are as important as faith in Jesus. Our lessons for this quarter focus on faith””the faith proclaimed by the early church, the example of faith evident in the life of

October 16, 2017

Lesson for October 22, 2017: God’s Covenant with David (2 Samuel 7:1-6, 8-10, 12-16)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the October 15, 2017. issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ In Florence, Italy stands the magnificent marble statue of King David. Michelangelo completed it in 1504, and it stands 17 feet high on top of its base. It is ginormous. But King David himself was taller still in regard to God”s covenant with his people. Five hundred years had passed since the events in

October 9, 2017

Lesson for October 15, 2017: Obeying God’s Law (Exodus 20:18-26)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the October 8, 2017. issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Obedience is not Testament specific. Both the Old and New Testaments call God”s people to obey. The Old Testament contains at least 613 commands to obey. The New Testament contains well over 1,000 commands to obey. Obedience is a response to redemption (Exodus 20:2). Obedience helps us learn the mind of God (John 7:17).

October 2, 2017

Lesson for October 8, 2017: God’s Covenant with Israel (Exodus 19:16-25)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the October 1, 2017. issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ We live in a world of contrasts. Light and dark; good and evil; Jerusalem and Babylon; the bride and the harlot; in and out; deep and wide; forward and backward; over and under. In our text today the contrast is between “down and up.” God came down and Moses went up. Exodus 19 is

September 11, 2017

Lesson for September 17, 2017: Sabbath Observance (Exodus 31:12-18)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the September 10, 2017, issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ God is dead serious about rest. He did it (Genesis 2:2). He commanded his people to do it (Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-17). He gave it to the land and animals (v. 14; Leviticus 25:1-7). He gives it to his followers now (Matthew 11:28-30) and eternally (Hebrews 4:9, 10). Heaven is a rest of sorts

September 4, 2017

Lesson for September 10, 2017: Circumcision (Genesis 17:1-14)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the September 3, 2017, issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Cutting a Covenant A covenant is “cut”””literally. In fact, the Greek word for circumcision actually means “cut around.” Choosing a rainbow as a sign (last week”s lesson) is one thing, but circumcision? It does seem like an odd sign for a covenant, but maybe it is more profound than first thought. There are several

August 14, 2017

New Testament Theology & Bible

Lesson for August 20, 2017: Called to Preach (Acts 9:1-31)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the August 13, 2017,Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ The opening line in John R.W. Stott”s book Between Two Worlds: The Art of Preaching in the Twentieth Century is, “Preaching is indispensable to Christianity.” The apostle Paul argues for that truth in Romans 10:14-17 and 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. More specifically it is the message preached that is indispensable. But how can one hear the

August 7, 2017

New Testament Theology & Bible

Lesson for August 13, 2017: Called to Break Down Barriers (Acts 8)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the August 6, 2017,Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ When it comes to evangelism it is far better to build bridges than erect barriers. God called his church in the book of Acts to intentionally break down barriers. God”s ultimate plan is to unite all things (people especially) under the headship of Christ (Ephesians 1:9, 10). Some people are geographically close to us but

July 10, 2017

Lesson for July 16, 2017: Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the July 9, 2017,Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ It would seem that when God wants to make a prophet, he first takes him to the desert and crushes him. Tears make a prophet better than laughter does. The crucible of suffering is the best birthing room of a prophet. Jeremiah would have been glad to continue the family business of being a priest

June 5, 2017

Lesson for June 11, 2017: Gideon (Judges 6-8)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the June 4, 2017,Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Damon Runyan said, “The race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong, but that”s the way to bet.” That is, unless you are God. When God is in the equation, swiftness and strength are not necessary. He can make up what anyone lacks. Gideon”s self-confession was neither swift nor strong.

May 22, 2017

Lesson for May 28, 2017: Pervasive Love (Jonah 4)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the May 21, 2017,Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ God”s love is pervasive (expanding, spreading, and permeating). Jonah”s love was narrow, miserly, and shrunken. The angry prophet desperately needed to get on the same page with the Lord when it came to his wide embrace of all people. That is the story of Jonah 4. Last week”s lesson dealt with forgiveness. Jonah could announce

May 15, 2017

Lesson for May 21, 2017: Forgiving Love (Jonah 3; Nahum 1″“3)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the May 14, 2017,Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ God”s forgiving love was in place for Nineveh but also for Jonah himself. The God of the Bible is the God of the second chance, and Jonah got his. The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time. Even though Jonah was a reluctant prophet who did not have forgiving love in his

April 24, 2017

Lesson for April 30, 2017: Protecting Love (John 10:1-15)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the April 23, 2017,Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ John”s Gospel is rich in metaphor. A key verse in our text today is v. 6: Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. One would think that Pharisees could understand the protecting love metaphors of gates and sheep, given their culture and biblical history. Sometimes

April 10, 2017

Lesson for April 16, 2017: Victorious Love (John 19:38-42; 20:1-10; 1 Peter 1:3-9)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the April 9, 2017,Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ God”s victorious love unites with his resurrection power to bring life out of death. Out of the watery chaotic mass of the earth God brought light (Genesis 1:2, 3). Out of the death of Egyptian bondage God brought a new people (Exodus 14:30, 31). Out of the Babylonian exile God brought a remnant home (Ezra

March 20, 2017

Lesson for March 26, 2017: Restoring Love (Joel 2)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the March 19, 2017,Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ God”s love is perfect, great, and matchless (the subjects of the former three lessons). But because humans are involved, God”s love must also be restorative. David Brymer sings a worship song entitled “Restoration.” The people during the time of the prophet Joel would have liked that song. Regardless of when the book is dated, the

February 13, 2017

Lesson for February 19, 2017: Freedom in Christ (Galatians 5:1-17)

Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teachesÂ preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the February 12, 2017,Â issue ofÂ The LookoutÂ magazine, and is also available online atÂ www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark ScottÂ Benjamin Franklin was leaving Independence Hall in Philadelphia when the Constitutional Convention ended, and a certain Mrs. Powel asked Mr. Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” Not hesitating, Franklin responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.” The apostle Paul says something very similar in our text. Freedom has

February 6, 2017