Romans 3:21-4:5, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: “Saving Faith,” for 9/20/26.

Posted on 2026/09/12 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for teachers, members, and group leaders of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Romans 3:21-4:5, “Saving Faith,” for September 20, 2026. Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, discussion questions, and spiritual life applications. A video version of this overview is available at:

INTRODUCTION:

Jonathan Aitken writes that former slave trader John Newton was declining greatly in his last days, at 82 years old. He was blind, and his mind, once formerly so sharp and studious, was now cloudy and forgetful. One of Newton’s many minister friends, William Jay, visited him near the end of his life. He said Newton was hardly able to talk but he did say: “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: That I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior.” (p. 347)

Newton’s words have gone down as one of the most famous and beloved testimonies in history — and our passage for this week covers both of these vital truths of the Gospel: that we are all great sinners, but that Christ is a great Savior! 

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Teacher’s Overview of Romans 2:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Coming Judgment,” for 9/13/26.

Posted on 2026/09/05 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, group discussion questions, and spiritual life applications. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRODUCTION:

“How many of you have heard of Robinson Crusoe?” 

I imagine virtually everyone will say that they have. 

“But do you know that the original Robinson Crusoe is an explicitly Christian book?” 

Here’s a quick summary: Crusoe rebels against the advice of his parents and goes to sea, seeking riches, but he is shipwrecked and he alone survives on an uninhabited island. At one point, he gets sick and has a terrifying dream that causes him to evaluate his life and his rebellion against God and his parents. So he begins reading the New Testament, which repeatedly spoke about repentance. Crusoe realizes that his shipwreck was not a “punishment” from God; rather it was “the kindness of God that led him to repentance.” Crusoe is saved — and when he saves Friday from a group of cannibals, he leads him to the Lord! (None of this is found in the “Disney”-type modern versions!)

But this scripture, “The kindness of God leads you to repentance,” is a key verse in our passage for this week from Romans 2:1-13!

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Teacher’s Overview of Romans 1:13-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “True Power,” for 9/06/26

Posted on 2026/08/29 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, discussion questions for your group, illustrations you can share, and spiritual life applications. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRO:
???DISCUSSION QUESTION???
Several years ago, a well-known pastor asked this question; it might be a good one for you to open your lesson with this week:

“If you could have only one book of the Bible, which one would you choose, and why?”

That’s a pretty interesting question, with lots of good answers, right? You and your group can talk about it, and you could probably get some good input. The Psalms is my personal “favorite” book; it’s my “daily bread.” And there’s no wrong answers here; how can you go wrong with any book of scripture? But I think the case could be made that the Book of Romans might be one of the very best choices, as it gives us both the most comprehensive explanation of the Gospel in all the word of God, gives us in-depth theology — quotes extensively from the Old Testament too — but then in the latter chapters, it gives us some of the most practical, every day applications for our lives that are found in all the Bible as well. I think you could definitely make a case that Romans might be that book.

And the good news is: we are beginning a 13-session study of this book of Romans this week!

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Teacher’s Overview of Ruth 3:8-13, 4:13-17, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Redemption,” for 8/30/26.

Posted on 2026/08/22 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, group discussion questions, and spiritual life application. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRODUCTION/ILLUSTRATION:

Carl Sandburg wrote about a slave auction that came to the attention of Abraham Lincoln. It involved the sale of “Eliza, a beautiful girl with dark lustrous eyes, straight black hair, rich olive complexion, only one sixty-fourth African, white yet a slave. A young Methodist minister, Calvin Fairbank, bid higher and higher against a thick-necked Frenchman from New Orleans. Reaching $1200, the Frenchman asked, ‘How high are you going?’ and Fairbank said, ‘Higher than you, Monsieur.’” The bids slowly rose to $1585, which the minister, backed by funds from abolitionist Salmon Chase, won. The auctioneer asked Fairbank, “What are you going to do with her?’ Fairbank said, “I’m going to free her!” and the crowd shouted and yelled with glee. (Carl Sandburg, Abraham Lincoln, The Prairie Years and the War Years, p. 93)

In this morning’s lesson, we find another story of redemption, which prefigures the greatest redemption story of all: how Christ redeemed us from our sins with His blood. 

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Teacher’s Overview of Ruth 1:11-18, 2:5-12, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “Faithfulness,” for 8/23/26

Posted on 2026/08/15 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications that you can make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRODUCTION:

(I’m not going to suggest that you begin the lesson this week by asking for “mother-in-law stories,” though that could be a very fertile field for discussion, and it would tie in with this week’s lesson on Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi! But you might instead ask:

???DISCUSSION QUESTION???

“What is your favorite love story?” (Novel, movie, real-life)

One of my favorites is the story of actress Vanessa Redgrave, who played Guinevere in the 1960s musical “Camelot,” and who ended up, later in life, after many ups and downs in life and relationships, marrying Franco Nero, who had played Sir Lancelot in the movie! I just think it’s really neat that they came back to each other in the end in real life — life imitating art!

You/your group can share your own favorite love stories — then make the point: in today’s lesson we start a 2-session study of the Book of Ruth, which conveys one of the great “love stories” of the Bible — and how it fits in to the greatest love story of all: God’s love for us, and how this “little love story” fit into His plan to send the Messiah, Jesus.

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Overview of Judges 16:16-31, Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson, “Compromise,” for August 16, 2026.

Posted on 2026/08/08 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRODUCTION:

???DISCUSSION QUESTION???

“Is compromise good or bad?”

(That’s kind of a loaded question, isn’t it? Actually not all compromise is bad:

— Compromise is often necessary in politics, to get things done.

“The Great Compromise” of 1787 at the American Constitutional Convention broke the deadlock between large states who wanted representation based on population, and smaller states who wanted equal representation. The Compromise provided for BOTH: there would be representation by population in the House of Representatives, and equal representation (2 senators each state) in the Senate. This is an example of how compromise can be helpful in achieving an outcome that is satisfactory to both parties.

— Compromise in relationships is almost always essential; one person can’t always have their own way. Each one gives a little, for example, in marriage: “Should we go to the war museum, or go shopping?” Compromise says lets go to the museum for 2 hours, then shop for two hours! Compromise is helpful for a good marriage and other relationships.

But understanding all that: we need to realize that compromise with SIN is always harmful — and this is what our lesson today from Judges 16 powerfully reminds us. 

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Teacher’s Overview of Judges 7:1-8, 19-23, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “Trust,” for August 9, 2026

Posted on 2026/08/01 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, discussion questions for your group, illustrations you can share, and spiritual life applications to make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRODUCTORY ??? DISCUSSION QUESTION???

“Can you share one of the hardest things someone ever asked you to do?”

(As a pastor I have been asked to do some difficult things over the years: visit a hardened lost person, or someone who was about to die, or who had just lost a loved one, etc., but perhaps the hardest for me was as an 18-year-old, I was asked to go the home of a man I didn’t know, and ask him to make a commitment to our church building campaign. I was just filled with anxiety and dread about making that visit. It so happened that a deacon from our church saw me with that card in my hand — and I think he could read my face — and he said “Hey, I’ll go with you to make that visit.” I was never so happy to have someone with me in my life! He took over that visit, and it went great. But it made all the difference that he was with me!

Last time in our study of Judges we saw how God told Gideon to do something very difficult — to rescue Israel from Midian — and GIdeon was very hesitant about it. But as we left off, we saw that God promised Gideon that HE WOULD BE WITH HIM, and that made all the difference for him. 

Today we continue that story in Judges 7 as God again asks Gideon to do something extremely challenging — but the way it unfold would make it absolutely clear that only GOD HIMSELF brought about the victory. 

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Teacher’s Overview of Judges 6:1-4, 7-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Called,” for August 2, 2026.

Posted on 2026/07/25 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, illustrations to share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications to make. A video version of this preview is available on YouTube at:

???DISCUSSION/INTRODUCTION QUESTION???

“Can you share a time when God called you/someone you know, to a special work or ministry?”

(You might share this ILLUSTRATION:

“The Scottish Reformer John Knox was called to the work of preaching and pastoring in the course of a worship service by a preacher who declared it was God’s and the congregation’s will.” But Knox was not excited about it. In fact Lewis Allen writes: “Knox ran out of the gathering in tears and locked himself in his room.” (The Preacher’s Catechism, pp. 57-58)

Some of us may have felt the same way when God called us to do something! We can take comfort that we’re not the only ones who ever responded in a reluctant way! In today’s lesson in Judges 6, we see how one man was very reluctant when God called him, but God showed him something powerful that could overcome all his excuses. This lesson should help us to respond to God as He calls us to follow Him today as well.

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Teacher’s Overview of Judges 2:11-23, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “Consequences,” for July 26, 2026.

Posted on 2026/07/18 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can use, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you can make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRODUCTION:

ILLUSTRATION:

After World War II ended, U.S. President Harry Truman was driven through Berlin, which had been devastated by Allied bombing and Russian artillery.

“On Wilhelmstrasse (German for King “Wilhelm’s street”) Truman’s car pulled up beside the Reich Chancellery and the shell-blasted stone balcony where Hitler had harangued his Nazi followers. Truman did not get out. ‘It is a terrible thing,” he began, knowing he was expected to say something, ‘but they brought it on themselves. That’s what happens when a man overreaches himself.’ It was all he could find to say.” (David McCullough, Truman, p. 414)

Truman’s words may not have been what some consider “eloquent,” but they still rang true: “They brought it on themselves.”

We all know situations like this today, too, don’t we? People sin against God and pay the consequences. Like Truman said: “They brought it on themselves.” 

That expression could easily serve as the theme for the Book of Judges, and today’s lesson especially, which talks about the “Consequences” of sin. 

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Teacher’s Preview of Joshua 24:14-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “Vital Decision,” for July 19, 2026.

Posted on 2026/07/11 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, sample group discussion questions, and spiritual life applications to make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRODUCTION:

??? DISCUSSION QUESTION???

“If you were going to give a speech to a graduating class, what’s something you’d tell them?”

(That answer will vary according to the individual, of course. You might get some interesting, insightful answers!)

In today’s lesson, Israel has in a sense “graduated” into the Promised Land. The promise God made to Abraham and all the patriarchs has come to pass. But “now what?” What are they going to do from this point forward. As we’ll see in today’s lesson in Joshua 24, the answer is very much up to them, and how committed they will be to serve God.

That question: “Now what?” is a good question for all kinds of people, isn’t it? “Now what?” What’s next for new graduates? What’s next for new retirees? What’s next for new Christians? What’s next for a church with a new pastor — or which has just lost a pastor and is in transition — on and on. “Now what?” To a great extent, just like for Israel, and for new graduates, the answer is up to us, if we will really choose to serve God, as Joshua tells Israel in our lesson in Joshua 24 today.

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