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APRIL 27: BE PREPARED

April 21, 2025

By Tony Rust
Associational mission strategist • Holston Baptist Association

Focal Passage: I Peter 4:12-19 

Sunday School Lessons explore the bibleI had been a Christian for several years before I heard anyone speak on God’s purpose in suffering. I had heard preachers affirm Paul’s desire “to know Him and the power of His resurrection,” but they often failed to finish the verse: “…and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:10). 

The false gospel of prosperity idolizes health and wealth, because it wrongly associates suffering with either sin or a lack of faith. On the contrary, the Bible teaches us to expect suffering. While God often uses suffering to produce spiritual maturity and perseverance in us (Romans 4:3-4, James 1:2-4), the Bible more frequently connects Christian suffering to our identification with Christ.  [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Explore the Bible, Sunday School Lessons

APRIL 27: GOD’S HAND IN CALLING US TO SERVE

April 21, 2025

By Mike Dawson
Retired Tennessee pastor

 

Focal passage: I Kings 19:19-21; II Kings 2:7-15

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeI’m very excited about the next five weeks of studies entitled Elisha: Seeing God’s Hand at Work. Elisha is one of my favorite Old Testament characters; I love his life stories! Plus, since retiring as a pastor twenty years ago, I’ve been serving churches in transition (when they’re in between pastors). So apparently I also love transitions; and the Elijah/Elisha saga begins with some very dramatic scenes of transition!  [Read more…]

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APRIL 20: OUR SAVIOR

April 6, 2025

By Troy Rust
Mission strategist • Holston Baptist Association

Focal Passage: Mark 15:33-39; 16:1-8 

Sunday School Lessons explore the bibleThe suffering of Christ on Calvary is impossible for us to fully understand. The Son of God who laid aside His glory (Philippians 2:6-7) and took on our flesh (John 1:14) experienced all our temptations (Hebrews 4:15), and went to the cross to satisfy holy justice (II Corinthians 5:21) by paying the sin debt for everyone who would look to Him by faith (Isaiah 53:3-10).

On the cross, the Son who is coequal and coeternal with the Father experienced abandonment, a painful break in the fellowship they had always shared. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Explore the Bible, Sunday School Lessons

APRIL 20: THE ULTIMATE SIGN

April 6, 2025

By Mike Dawson
Retired Tennessee pastor

Focal Passage: John 20:1-2, 11-18

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeThrough the years blockbuster films often billed its stars like this: “Gone with the Wind, with Clark Gable — featuring Viven Leigh.” A more famous actor would be designated “with,” while an upcoming star was labeled “featuring.” Today’s lesson might seem to be titled “The Resurrection, with Mary Magdalene — featuring Jesus Christ.” But it’s just the OPPOSITE: our focal passage certainly features the grieving/rejoicing Mary, but it’s with — it’s all about — our Lord Jesus Christ and His resurrection from the dead, The Ultimate Sign! The text is John 20:1-2, 11-18.

The Resurrection Story, FEATURING the redeemed Mary Magdalene

“How to Approach the Empty Tomb.” On this Glorious Resurrection Day, we should approach it like Mary did: [Read more…]

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APRIL 13: OUR FAITH

March 31, 2025

By Troy Rust
Mission strategist • Holston Baptist Association

Focal Passage: 1 Peter 4:1-11  

Sunday School Lessons explore the bibleWhen I was in elementary school I received a report card every six weeks. In addition to the fear and trembling activated by the grades, there was a preprinted set of behavioral concerns that teachers could mark each grading period. Multiple times I earned a checkmark by the box reading, “Needs to refrain from unnecessary talking and movement.” It was a convenient way for teachers to say, “Troy needs to stop goofing off and do his work!” 

Thankfully, a few marks for bad behavior in elementary school did not wreck my life. The intervention of godly parents regularly pointed me toward God’s expectations! In a much more critical scenario, Peter exhorted his readers that enough time had been spent “doing what the Gentiles choose to do” (I Peter 4:3).  [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Explore the Bible, Sunday School Lessons

APRIL 13: THE SIGN OF HIS POWER OVER DEATH

March 31, 2025

By Mike Dawson
Retired Tennessee pastor

Focal Passage: John 11:25-27 38-44

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeSometimes a chapter of the Bible is so filled with excitement and life-truths that to focus on only a few verses of it seems almost irreverent. That’s the case today; our focal passage is just ten verses (out of 57 jam-packed ones) in John 11. In the series All Signs Point to Jesus, we come to the seventh ‘sign’ the Apostle John selected to reveal Jesus as God. In this one, The Sign of His Power Over Death, Jesus raises His friend Lazarus from the dead. 

I could hardly summarize this chapter more succinctly than Jotham McCauley does (in thebiblerhymes.com): “Jesus paused, for our sakes, then arrived—Long after Lazarus had died. He called for Mary, up she leapt, Fell at His feet, then Jesus wept. Went to the tomb, then with a shout, He called to Lazarus, ‘Come out!’  There’s more to the rhyme and more to the story, so let’s recall the whole chapter as in our focal passage we listen in on a meaningful conversation and look in on a miracle resuscitation: [Read more…]

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APRIL 6: OUR DEFENSE

March 24, 2025

By Troy Rust
Mission strategist • Holston Baptist Association

Focal Passage: I Peter 3:13-22 

Sunday School Lessons explore the bibleAs Christians our lives should draw a clear line between good and evil. Our suffering should be for the sake of righteousness and our testimony should affirm the same truth. First Peter 3:15 puts “Lord” first (the emphatic position), revealing the Lordship of Christ to be first and foremost in Peter’s mind. Nothing calls us to righteous living like worshiping Christ as Lord. 

When we set apart Christ as Lord, understanding that the title refers to His active authority and not just part of His name, we submit every aspect of life to His command. Nothing is outside His Lordship! His glory seen in His finished work on the cross becomes the reason for our hope. When we wave the banner of the cross and not human philosophy or efforts, our message answers every objection with gentleness and respect and disarms the enemies of the cross (v. 16). [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Explore the Bible, Sunday School Lessons

APRIL 6: THE SIGN OF HIS LIGHT

March 24, 2025

By Mike Dawson
Tennessee pastor

Focal Passage: John 9:1-11; 30-33

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeMany people have eye diseases, but only about 4 out of every 10,000 are born blind. Today’s study from John chapter 9 tells about one such rare individual. He became even more rare by being healed of congenital blindness. His story was the sixth of seven ‘sign-miracles’ that the Apostle John selected in his Gospel to prove Jesus’ deity and authority.

In our focal passage, John 9:1-11, 30-33, the Apostle introduces several persons who illustrate four ‘categories of seeing:’

1. A Sighted One Who Could See ‘Beyond,’ Verse 1: “As Jesus was passing by, He saw a man who was blind. Jesus saw this man like no one else had ever seen him. Aren’t you glad Jesus saw you and me like we’d be — AFTER His miracle work in us? [Read more…]

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MARCH 30: OUR RELATIONSHIPS

March 17, 2025

By Troy Rust
Mission strategist • Holston Baptist Association

Focal Passage: I Peter 3:1-12  

Sunday School Lessons explore the bibleSubmit is not a dirty word, but some Christians have tried hard to redefine it. As Jerry Vines said, “they use our vocabulary, but not our dictionary.” Ephesians 5:21 tells us we should submit to one another “in the fear of Christ.” 

If our lives are guided by the worship of Jesus, our attitudes should match. Instead of fearing that we will be disadvantaged, we live by the conviction that God’s way of doing things is the best way to them, even when our flesh stages a protest.

Peter makes it clear to wives that submission means more than following the leadership of their husbands. While recognizing the husband’s call to be the spiritual leader of his family is critically important, it can be done superficially by a wife whose heart is filled with resentment.  [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Explore the Bible, Sunday School Lessons

MARCH 30: THE SIGN OF HIS PRESENCE

March 17, 2025

By Mike Dawson
Tennessee pastor

Focal Passage: John 6:16-21

Sunday School Lesson Bible Studies For LifeIf people say a person “walks on water,” you know they consider that person to be a Godlike miracle-worker. You also know that the phrase walking on water originated with something our Lord Jesus Christ did during His life on earth. We see Him working that miracle in today’s study passage, John 6:16-21. It’s the fifth of seven sign-miracles the Apostle John recorded in his Gospel. The title of this lesson is The Sign of His PRESENCE, and it’s from our series called All Signs Point to Jesus.

This “sign” occurred the evening of the same day Jesus fed the five thousand — the event in last week’s study (called The Sign of His PROVISION). That was when a boy offered his lunch of five loaves and two fish to Jesus — who took them and miraculously fed 5,000 men plus women and children (John 6:1-15). The story ended with the well-fed multitude excitedly trying to push Jesus into becoming their political “king,” and with Jesus quietly slipping away from them — up into a mountain alone. [Read more…]

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