Page 6...The Portland Observer...November27,l991 i Portland Observer Scripture o f the Vbe-fi RELIGION The Power Of The Lord’s Right Hand for hundreds of years thereafter. There will always be people who doubt the reality of the great miracles in the Bible--even some who claim to be Christians. The Plaques of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and the miracles in the Wilderness wanderings make easy targets for skeptics and ra­ tionalists, but the true disciples of Je­ sus Christ don’t need to be shaken by their scornful attacks. You see, we know the God who created all things, and it’s not surprising to us that our God would do such great signs and wonders. And the LORD is the real Hero of the song the Isrealites sang. I’d like to develop a few “ word pictures” which describe their mighty God, because he is the same God we Christians worship and serve. With the ancient Children of Israel, we can personalize our rela­ tionship with him: “ The LORD is my strength and song, and he has become my salvation: he is my God, a n d ... my father’s God, and I will exalt him” (Ex 15:2). First, my is a warrior! This im­ plies that he is strong and powerful, but it says a lot more. Our God is coura­ geous, ready to come running to our aid, to shield us from the attacking enemy. Like a strong soldier, our God is trained in the arts of war: he has a strong “ righthand” and “ arm ” (15:6, 12,16) which is “ glorious in power,” that is, skillful in its strength, able to know and do the things which are nec­ essary to win the battle and deliver us. We need to know that our God will fight our battles, and has the skill in his “ righthand” to protect us in our hour of trial. As the gospel chorus teaches us, “ What a mighty God we serve!” Second, my God is the real God! “ The Lord is his name” (15:3). “ The LORD” is our usual translation of Yahweh, which some have mistakenly transliterated ‘ ‘Jehovah. ” It is the per­ sonal name of God, and it emphasizes two things: that Yahweh is the god who really exists (the name apparently BY MICHAEL LINDSEY Dean of North Portland bible college The text fo r the Sunday School les­ son (International Series) fo r next Sun­ day is Exodus 15:1-10,13. Our churches' Sunday Schools are starting a new se­ ries (D ec.-Feb.) on some key songs and prayers o f the Bible. This would be a great time to recommit ourselves to studying the Word o f god with our families in Sunday School. How do you picture your God? Is he a vengeful tyrant, looking for an excuse to attack anyone who doesn’t obey his whims? A preoccupied celes­ tial manager, without time to really notice or care about our personal pre­ dicaments? A doting grandfather who is supposed to give out all kinds of goodies if we only ask nicely? It is impossible really to see God, to picture him as he really is. That’s a tenet of our faith which even many non-Christians can accept. Neverthe­ less, it is crucially important how we picture God in our m inds-w hat images we use to approximate the character and attributes of our Creator. For these pictures allow us to relate personally to a Person who transcends all space and time, a Person who is vitally important to every one of us. For example, the image of the Lord in Psalm 23 (“ The Lord is my Sherpheid, I shall not want” ) has brought com fort and hope to count­ less individuals over the centuries. Hebrew poetry is particularly beau­ tiful because it uses so many emotion­ ally charged images, and allows its pic­ tures to be easily translated into other tongues. In this week’s Bible lesson, the “ Children of Israel” (the Israelite nation) wrote a song to commemorate the great Exodus from Eqypt, and par­ ticularly the parting of the Red Sea. [For additional poetry on the Exodus, from a less joyful perspective, read Psalms 105 and 106, especially 106:6- 12.] The events of the Exodus serve such a crucial role in the history of that nation, that it was imperative that they perserve its emotional impact in a song. And I’m sure they continued to sing it derived from the Hebrew root “ to be” ), and that Yahweh keeps his covenant with his own people. In the Eqypt of that day, people worshipped a pantheon of gods, and depicted them using heads and other body parts of animals, attached to a human form. Even those few Egyptians who arose and taught the worship of one god, still identified that god with the sun or some other part of creation. Baby- loians, Canaanites, and other civiliza­ tions had similar patterns of worship. The claim of the name Yahweh is that he alone is real, and that all other gods are phony. The plagues in Egypt were especially aimed at the supposed stregths of the Egyptians’ gods. Yah­ weh “ defeated” these phony gods by using their “ spheres of influence’ ’ against their own worshippers. Now Yahweh’s victory at the Red Sea Conclusively proved his reality to anyone who wit­ nessed it. “ Who among the gods is like you, O Yahweh? Who is like you, ma­ jestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” (15:11, based on NIV). In this context, the “ Holiness” of Yahweh refers to his transcendence- he is beyond the comprehension of his creation, including you and me. Third, our God is a saviour! “ Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed’ ’ (15:13). He doesn’t just beat up people, he also res­ cues his people from danger, and shows compassion on them, and guides them to a place of safety and worship. He brings them to his “ holy habitation,” probably Mount Sinai, so they can worship him. At its best, our worship of God is not based on fear and anxiety, but on love and intimate fellowship with him. As the sacrifices were intro­ duced later, they often included eating a fellowship meal “ before the LORD,” in joyful communion with him. “ These pictures of our God might not fit the analytical categories of a sys­ tematic theology, but they do speak volumes to the needs of the human heart. Again I say, “ What a mighty god we serve!” VANN & VANN FU N ERA L Jesus! The Great Physician We can look to the scriptures for everything in our lives. We have many illnesses and physical infirmities but Jesus, the great healer and physician, has the answer for everything. Go to these sources: Matthew he’s a preacher and a teacher Mark he’s a cleanser and a healer Luke he cares for the homeless and the home John he works miracles and he calms a raging storm Matthew 9 he’s a hematologist Mark 5 he’s an oncologist D i s c i p l e s God’s Presence promises Power through Jesus Christ In Good Times and Bad Times Mctthecu f !:28 "Come to me oil you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest" 9:45am 11.00am 7:30pm Sunday School Morning Worship Tuesday Bible Study and Prayer Denise Inter-racial Congregation H Sell. Pastor 126 N.E. Alberto + Portland, OR 97211 + (503) 288-5173 « ( jospi i M l .S.I.C. P roduction » John 8 Ft, udii / ’ rr v nls he’s an ophthalmologist C kftistm as C c ü e h a tio n Matthew 9 he’s a podiatrist / eaturinn Mark 13 The “ Prince” of Gospel he’s a speech therapist John P. Kee Luke 7 he’s an ENT man John 14 he’s a social worker We, believers, call him a special­ is t No matter what you need - Jesus is all that you need. Jesus is indeed everything you need; come rain or shine. He walks and talks to you all the time and when misfortune comes - to Him we flee to tell Him of our plight, in life. Jesus has the answer - because He is the answer. And The New Life Community Choir Behold how good and pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity PSALMS: 133 WE ARE MOVING SUNDAY SERVICES TO Stone Tower Church, N.E. Sandy Blvd. & 3Oth Family Owned and Operated Since 1954 Serving the City of Portland for over 37 years In your hour of need Vann &Vann are there to serve M allory Avenue Christian Church Luke 17 he’s a dermatologist MT OLIVET BAPTIST CHURCH D IR E C T O R S Colossians 3:15-17 n o : s i: Ankeny S i . I iik v ls S11 50 In .uh .nice. S15.50 ill the door plus «niw 1II 'til I S SOW \st « I I I \ \ I S Ik >1 SI» C l IM M l SI IA I HOIK ■ Worship Services 8:00 A.M. & 11:00 A.M. Church School 9:30 A.M. to 10:30 A.M. Bible Study. Wednesdays. 116 N.E.Schuyler 10:30 A.M. and 6:30 P.M. Radio Ministry each Sunday, 8:00 A.M.-KBMS Cleodus Vann 503/281-2836 A Teaching Church With A Reaching Ministry Dr. James E. Martin, Senior Pastor 5 2 1 1 N. W illia m s P o r tla n d , O r. 9 7 2 1 7 Church Office 116 N.E. Schuyler, r~ M allory C hurch 3908 of C hrist NE M A L L O R Y AVENUE SUNDAY SCHEDULE 13 tlx a V a Bible Study 9:30 am . Morning Worship ««»/ 10:45 am . M en’s Training Leadership W om en’s Bible Class C ity W ide T hanksgiving C rusade 5:00 pm. Evening Worship November 28th - December 1 6:00 pm. Attended nursery for all services Wednesday prayer m eeting 8:00 pm Nightly 3:30 pm on Sunday at Highland United Church Of Christ 4635 NE 9th (corner of 9th and Going St.) by Elder Leon Brewer, Jr. Pastor of The NewTestament Church Minister Gregory Fobbs and bible study 7:30 pm. Radio Ministry Each Sunday, 11:00 AM - KBMS 288-1092 Bro. James Robin from West Covina, CA RESTORING NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY City Wide Mass Choir singing each night. f JBaptist (llljurch 8101 N. Fiske Avenue Portland, Oregon 97203 Church Phon«: 2 8 9 -0 1 4 7 Study Phone: 2 8 9 -1 9 1 1 Sunday Service 10:45 Sunday School 9 :3 0 Bible Study 6 :0 0 Evening Service 7 :0 0 P.M. /Tiffor Rev James C.E. Faulkner Them e: W h atever you're going to do fo r th e Lord, do it now I Peter lv.11 For Best Results Advertise in the Observer i