Exploring the Bible with Scott & Ken

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Joshua 6:12-25. Every conquest begins with a first battle. Israel's first battle would happen at Jericho, a formidable city defended by strong walls. A traditional army would seek siege weapons to gradually weaken those walls. God told Joshua to march around the city for seven days without words, with the priests blowing rams' horns. God assured th...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Joshua 3:14-4:9. God had rescued the Israelites from Egypt and had sustained them 40 years through the wilderness journey. Now Joshua and the Israelites stood at the banks of the Jordan river with many a battle ahead. How could they be assured that God would be with this new generation? God stopped the flow of the Jordan River and allowed easy passage thro...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Joshua 2:4-21. A surprising heroine of faith emerges from our story. Her occupation is one of ill repute. Her nationality is non-Jewish. Her loyalty is seemingly misplaced. Yet Rahab is convinced that only the God of the Hebrews brings victory. Her decision to give total allegiance to the Lord God and His servants changes more than the prospects of the loo...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Joshua 1:1-11, 16-18. Moses, Israel's beloved leader, has died. Joshua steps in to be the new leader. What huge shoes to fill! After all the travails of 40 years in the wilderness, what's next for the Israelites? Will they finally possess the promised land? Yes, God said, and Joshua would be the one to lead them to victory. But receiving the promis...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 27:27-31,45-54. Betrayed by Judas at night into the hands of the Jewish religious leaders, Jesus was now in the custody of Pilate's Roman soldiers awaiting crucifixion. How is it that Jesus willingly endured mistreatment and deadly torture on the darkest of all days? And how did the manner of Jesus' death provide powerful signs of eternal h...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 26:17-30. Jesus came as the ultimate Passover lamb. His final Passover meal with the disciples prior to the crucifixion approached. How would they prepare for this special meal? How would prophecy be fulfilled through betrayal? What observance would Jesus provide so that His Messianic purpose might be proclaimed throughout the generations? Matthew...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 24:36-51. What would you do if you knew a burglar would try to rob your house tonight at 2am? If you know your boss was planning a surprise inspection on Tuesday? If the pastor was coming to your house for dinner today? Jesus taught the disciples to remain ready for His return at all times. He was purposely vague about when He would return. He left...

Scott Allen leads today's double session over Matthew 21:23-32 & 22:15-22,34-40. What does it mean to honor God's authority? Are we bound by the edicts of religious leaders when they conflict with God's truth? How can we effectively respond to those who try to improperly frame the discussion. Jesus already modelled for us how to redirect misguided critics and insincere questions. O...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 20:1-16. A landowner hires workers for his vineyard throughout the day. Some begin early, right after sunset, for the typical Roman daily wage of one denarius. Others are hired at later times when found idle in the town. At the end of the day, the landowner pays one denarius to those who got a late start. Grumbling and complaining begins when the e...

This week we acknowledge and mourn the passing of brother Ken Travis at 89 years old. Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 19:16-30. How do we obtain eternal life? Can we buy access to it? Can we earn it through good works? Jesus responds to a rich young ruler who seems to have all the right answers yet walks away in sorrow after Jesus' final challenge. Each of us must decide whet...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 18:21-35. In Jewish law, an offense had to be forgiven up to three times. Peter wondered if he should forgive up to seven times. What did Jesus say? Are we right to set a limit on forgiveness? Jesus used a story about a king and two servants with debts to teach us a valuable lesson about what it means to live as a recipient of God's forgiveness...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 28:1-10,16-20. An earthquake shook the land and scattered the guards. A stone's seal was broken and an angel appeared. The tomb was empty. What was the meaning of these strange happenings? Was all of this predicted? Do we have evidence that informs our faith? Yes, said the angel. Jesus was risen, just as he had predicted! And his instructions w...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 17:1-13. Three disciples went with Jesus to the mountain top. There, Jesus full glory was shown as He took on the white light of a heavenly presence. Two key figures, Moses and Elijah, appeared as well, representing the Law and the Prophets (that is, the entire Old Testament). But most of all, the voice of God the Father affirmed Jesus (as at Jesus...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 16:13-26. Who is Jesus? People have their opinions, but believers recognize what Peter realized, that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the Son of God. As we recognize who Jesus is, we also learn what it means to serve under His authority and submit to His priorities, because in the economy of heaven, nothing compares to the riches of knowing Christ i...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 15:1-11, 15-20. The Pharisees, by reputation the most religious and zealous of all Jews, accused Jesus' disciples of a legal violation when they ate without immediately washing their hands first. Jesus in turn pointed out the hypocrisy of those who focus on external and superficial human rules but disobey God's moral law. The Pharisees enco...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 14:22-33. Have you ever found it difficult to find time alone with the Father? Has it ever seemed like life was working against you? Have you found yourself frustrated and afraid? Then you can relate to today's lesson. As the disciples tried to follow Jesus' instructions with limited success, believers today can be comforted by His presence...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 13:24-30,36-43. Do you ever wonder why God allows bad people to remain in our world? Why doesn't God let good people remain separate and trouble-free? Today's parable explains that God chooses to allow both His transformed children and the world's rebellious sinners to live together until judgment day. We can expect to frequently intera...

Jesus taught with authority and clarity, but He often conflicted with the religious leaders of his day. In their zealous quest for self-righteousness, the Pharisees had turned Moses' 10 commandments and other direct teachings of the Old Testament into over 700 rules and regulations that made it nearly impossible for an ordinary Jew to feel good about following God. These man-made rules gave th...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 10:16-20,26-34. Believers shouldn't expect harmony with an unbelieving world. Jesus came to earth and forces us to choose sides. When we decide to follow Jesus, we become the world's enemy. Nonetheless, Jesus sends us out into the world as witnesses. But what kind of witness? We are to be sheep among wolves. We are not to attack or bite or...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 9:10-19,23-26. Have you ever faced criticism while doing what you were sure was the right thing to do? Jesus can relate. He was ready to explain why he did what he did. Jesus patiently did and taught what was right, regardless of whether people understood or agreed. He did not come to put a band-aid on the law we could not keep. He came to do a new...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 8:1-4, 14-17 and 9:1-8. For every need and affliction in life, Jesus holds the answer. He has the power to heal illness and cast out demonic oppressors. There is no question about His ability, but do not presume upon His sovereignty. Jesus cares and is often willing to make us whole as we see with a leper, a sick mother-in-law, needy individuals in...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 7:15-29. False prophets and teachers remain a problem today. While God will judge those who promote falsehood, we must guard ourselves and warn others not to fall for unsound teaching that leads to destruction instead of salvation. Indeed, nothing is more important than ensuring we have a real, personal relationship with Jesus. Not by impressing ot...

Foreign scholars arrive in Jerusalem with an amazing inquiry: where is the infant King of the Jews whose star has appeared in the sky? These academic skywatchers from eastern regions had sorted the clues and were looking for the long-promised Messiah. But Herod the Great was already proclaimed the King of Judea by the Romans. Academic, political, and religious interests collide in the familiar Chr...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 4:12-25. John the Baptist is arrested, and his ministry nears its intended end as Jesus' forerunner. Now Jesus begins His own ministry. Jesus brings light into predominantly Jewish regions (Roman provinces) far north and east of Jerusalem. His message of repentance is the same as John's, but Jesus can provide more than just ritual water cle...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Matthew 3:13-4:11. Saving the Christmas story for a future session, we read about the start of Jesus' ministry from Matthew's account. First, Jesus is baptized over John's initial objections. Then Jesus begins 40 days of fasting in a desert area. At the end of those days, Satan make an unsuccessful attempt to tempt Jesus. Satan's three main offers teach us his...