January 31, 1990 • Portland Observer
Hill
Scripture o f the 'Weehj
St. John: Chapter 3
Strengt fien your fa ith fhrcmgh Tray er A n d fgguíar Church ‘Worship
Insight from The Word
by Michael Lindsey, Dean o f North Portland Bible College
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L_________________ L2__________ 7
The Power of a Grain of Wheat
The Sunday School lesson for Febru­
ary 4 in the uniform series will be John
12:20-36*.
The international lesson series passes
over more than two chapters of very signifi­
cant teaching from the Lord Jesus between
last w eek's lesson and this; you might
particularly be blessed to study the allego­
ries of the ‘‘good shepherd,” which con­
trasted his loving concern for his people
with the ruthless exploitation of the reli­
gious leaders of that day (10:1-18). We
ought not be surprised to see religious
leaders today who exploit their followers
for money and honor.
As we read this week‘s text, we see that
the Lord's mind is filled with thoughts
about his impending death on the cross.
When Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with “ pure
nard," a most costly perfume (12:1-8),
Jesus did not think of the celebration and
festivity such an ointment usually implied.
Instead, he thought of the spices used to
anoint the dead-and foresaw his own bur­
ial.
Now certain Greeks came to Jerusa­
lem, and wanted to see his preacher and
healer Jesus. They may well have been
proselytes, converts to the Jewish religion,
or they may have been travelers who joined
in the worship without any real commit­
ment to the God of Israel. At any rate, they
tried to get a private meeting with Jesus
through his disciples (12:21-22). Strangely
enough, we never find out whether Jesus
consented to see them, nor what happened
to the Greeks later. They disappear as quickly
as they appeared in the story.
But their appearance and transmitted
request clearly triggered a response in the
mind of the Lord. He replied, “ the hour has
come for the Son of Man to be glorified’ ’
(12:23, NIV). At the beginning of his m in­
istry, at th wedding in Cana, Jesus had told
his mother “ my hour is not yet com e"
(2:4), and John the writer repeats this sev­
eral times, to explain why the Jews were
unable to arrest him (7:6, 8, 30; 8:20). But
after this he repeatedly said "m y hour has
com e” (12:23.27; 13:1; 16:32; 17:1; the
KJV retains the literal "h o u r” while NIV
and some others explain the meaning as
"th e time has com e” ).
It is exciting to me that Jesus was able
to face the prospects of betrayal, beatings,
humiliation and an agonizing, slow death
on the cross, and view them as “ glory” !
The death of Jesus Christ was not an unfor­
tunate martyrdom, nor a political execution
(though it had those overtones for the chief
priests, see 11:48-50). This was the very
"h o u r” for which Jesus’ whole life was
prepared. Though he did many good things
with his life, and taught many wonderful
precepts, his greatest reason for coming to
earth was to die for the sins of humanity
(Mark 10:45).
The Lord’s wonderful capacity to pre­
pare for his “ glorification” was rooted in a
principle o f life which has great value for us
in our own lives: “ Unless a kernel of wheat
falls to the ground and dies, it remains only
a single seed. But if it dies, it produces
many sees” (John 12:24, NIV). When we
plant a seed in the ground, it loses its
identity. It falls apart, as the germ of life
within begins to grow and develop. The
stalk of wheat bears little resemblance to
the original seed-un til the stalk bears fruit.
Then it becomes clear that the seed, by
dying to self, has multiplied itself m ulti­
fold.
Sometimes I think Christians have made
the necessity of Jesus’ death a detached
theological issue, almost like a real estate
purchase. Since there was only one way to
redeem lost humanity from the guilt of sin,
Jesus just “ toughed it out” and paid the
price. But Christ did so much more! When
he died on the cross, he was investing his
life for the life of his church, because he
G o ve rn o r, S ta te
O ff A n n u a l S ta te
Governor Neil Goldschmidt and Ore­
gon state employees will kick off the Gov­
ernor’s Eighth Annual State Employees
Food Drive on Thursday, February 1.
To help kick-off the state’s largest food
d riv e -a month-long effort across Oregon
in February—the Governor will join Adult
and Family Services Division employees
for their Chili Cook-Off at the Public Serv­
ice Building cafeteria in Salem. The Gover-
loves us so much (cp. Ephesians 5:25-27).
Because he gave his life for our salvation,
he was able to make us people who could
multiply his works around the world (John
14:12).
And it is painful to die. Christians love
to claim the promises of joy and peace an
eternal life, but do we also embrace the
dying to self which Jesus indicated was the
way to true joy and life? Christ today is
looking for men and women who will die to
self-exaltation, to self-centerdness, to self­
ish comfort and ease. He wants his people
to invest their lives in service to others, in
witnessing to the unconverted, even in risk­
ing their lives for those who have never
heard the gospel of Christ. The testimony of
saints through the centuries confirms the
power and joy and satisfaction which comes
from surrendering one’s life to the will of
God.
As Jesus summed it up, ‘ ‘The man who
loves his life will lose it, while the man who
hates his life in this world will keep it for
eternal life" (12:25, NIV). I see so many
people “ loving their lives” in this world,
by amassing material possessions (or wish­
ing they could), or building a big name for
themselves (or wishing they could), or fill­
ing up the holes in their lives with short­
term fixes of pleasure (or wishing they
could!). Inevitably their lives become hol­
low and frustrated.
But the life that is lived for Jesus, and
filled with his Holy Spirit, will enjoy a
peace that passes all understanding, in spite
of the trials and self-denials which are
pressed upon it. Isn’t that the life you
should choose?
Employees Kick-
Food Drive
nor will be a celebrity judge for the event.
Oregon’s State Employee Food Drive
is one of the most successful food drives in
the nation. For eight years now, our state
employees, through their commitment,
creativity and generosity, have shown that
they truly care about their fellow citizens,
said Governor Neil Goldschmidt.
Packwood:
Oregon
Senior
Citizens
Wanted!!!
Oregon Senator Bob Packwood an­
nounced today that he will participate in the
1990 U.S. Congressional Senior Intern
Program. Senator Packwood will select two
Oregon seniors to participate in this year’s
program, which will be held from May 13-
19, and will be coordinated by the Close-Up
Foundation. Close-Up is a non-profit, non­
partisan civic education organization and
has conducted programs for older Ameri­
cans for the last six years.
The Senior Intern Program is one of the
best programs around,” commented Sena­
tor Packwood. “ I have selected interns
since 1978, and find that, through them, all
Oregonians benefit. The exchange of ideas
helps Oregon’s seniors, and it helps m e."
Topics for discussion this year will
include an overview of th issues facing the
2nd session of th 101st Congress: paying
the bills for health care and long term care;
the debate over the Social Security Trust
Fund; senior housing, and being an effec­
tive senior advocate. Those Oregonians
selected for the program will also meet with
Senator Packwood and his staff. Seminars,
workshops and tours of points of interest
round out the week.
Individuals interested in participating
should send their name, address, phone
number, background information,letters of
support and a brief statement of why he or
she would like to participate to:
Senator Bob Packwood
101 SW M ain Street, $240
P o rtland, Oregon 97204
Nominations are welcome from indi­
viduals or their senior organizations, and
should be sent to Senator Packwood by
March 1. The interns will be announced by
M a rc h l5 ,1990.The intern must cover his
or her own travel cots, although each per­
son will receiveper diem expenses while in
Washington, D.C.
Following their week in Washington,
the interns will serve as ongoing members
of Senator Packwood’s Senior Advisory
Council.
Page 5
*
Today’s Plowshares
by M. Isaacs o f ‘The Voice’ staff
Dwight D. Eisenhower stated “ Every
gun that is made, every warship launched,
every rocket fired, signifies in the final
sense a theft from those who would hunger
and are not fed, those who are cold and are
not clothed. This world in arms is not
spending money alone. It is spending the
seat of its laborers the genius of its scien­
tists, the hopes of its children. . . This is not
a way of life for all, in any true sense. Under
a cloud of war, it is humanity hanging from
a cross of iron.”
The General Board of the American
Baptist Churches adopted a Resolution on
Military Spending which reads in part "Our
Lord & Savior Jesus Christ, came into the
World to break down the dividing walls of
hostility (Eph. 2:11-19] between people.
We are called to continue that work. Our
Biblical faith leads us to work for peace &
justice among nations. (Matt. 5:9, Ps. 34:14)
We believe that continual build-up of war
making capabilities is not the way for na­
tions to create a world of peace and justice.
(Is. 2:1-5, Micah 4:1-4) We worship the
Lord of Love and life, not of destruction
and death. We are to work for peace, health,
wholeness and security."
The price nations pay for their military
needs must be seen not only in terms o f the
dollar allocated, but also in terms of the
social and consumer goods given-up so that
weapons can be produced. What the mod­
em plowshares, goods and services might
be-w o u ld probably result from a decrease
in the military expenditures. But, this is a
matter of speculation. T here’s no way of
saying what shifts would occur. The fol­
lowing alternatives might be accomplished
given the political will and economic shift.
For $200 billion dollars:
1) New or improved housing could be
provided for 25 million Americans or,
2) Every United States public school
teacher's salary could be increased by $3,000
and day care for two million preschool
children could be provided or,
3) Light-rail urban mass transit sys­
tems could be constructed in 40 m etropoli­
tan areas and 40,000 miles of freight tracks
could be upgraded or,
4) Research on solar energy could be
quadrupled and every home could be weath­
erized, decreasing our bill for foreign oil by
25% or,
5) Nonmilitary industrial or medical
research and development could be doubled.
Proposed arsenal outlays of U.S. M ili­
tary spending have already exceeded $200
billion, while the homeless increase, the
elderly starve and all citizens with income
below $10,000 yearly, lack proper medical
attention, insurance, and jobs. Are Chris­
tians willing to continue to pay the severe
p rice. . . Or, are we ready for weapons to be
turned into Plowshares?
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