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Page »...The Portland Observer...March 11, 1992
Portland Observer —
Insight On The Word: Winners and Losers:
The Challenge of Following Jesus
BY MICHAEL LINDSEY
Dean of North Portland Bible College
The Bible text fo r next w eek's S un­
day School lesson is M ark 6:1-13. We
encourage you to study this Scripture
before you read these comments. A nd
then jo in with a Sunday School class in
your local church to learn more about
Jesus, the m ighty Son o f God.
The children at our church often
sing “My God is so g re a t, and so strong
and so m ighty, T h ere's nothing my God
cannot do!” But in today’s Scripture,
we find something our Lord Jesus could
n o t do: “ And he could there do no
mighty work, save that he laid his hands
on a few sick folk, and healed them ”
(6:5). How could it be, that Jesus, with
all the pow er o f the Father at his d is­
posal, found H im self so limited?
The answer is not hard to discover.
In this case, Jesus and his disciples
returned from the Sea of Galilee, where
m ost o f his ministry had been taking
place, to his own hometown. Nazareth
was the city in which Mary and Joseph
raised him, though Mark does not name
it here. Despite his birth in Bethlehem
and his ministry center at Capernaum,
the Lord was known throughout his
earthly life as “Jesus of N azareth.”
Nazareth was a small town in the
hill country o f Lower G alilee, over­
looking the main caravan route to the
M editerranean. O ther larger and more
im portant cities o f Galilee are ignored
by the G ospel accounts-cities like
Sepphoris, Megiddo, and Tiberias, cen­
ters o f trade and government, cities
with strong cultural ties to both the Jews
and the Greeks. But Nazareth, the child­
hood home o f the Christ, has become
far better known than any o f those
cities.
O nce again, when the Sabbath
came, Jesus and his disciples attended
the synagogue services and Jesus was
given permission to teach there. This
wasacom m on courtesy to visiting teach­
ers (one that Paul later exploited in his
missionary journeys). And in Nazareth,
as in other cities, the people were “as­
tonished” at his teaching (6:2; cf. 1:22,
27), because Jesus taught as one having
authority in himself, not one who had to
rely on the authority o f others.
The difference in Nazareth becomes
apparent in our text. The people of
Nazareth recognized Jesus as a local
boy, a carpenter. They knew his mother
and brothers and sisters very well. Since
they do not mention Joseph, he may have
been dead by this time. But it is very
possible that the title “son of M ary” was
meant as an insult, implying that he was
an illegitimate child, conceived prior to
Joseph and M ary’s wedding.
In any case, the people o f Nazareth
thought they knew Jesus really well, and
couldn’ t accept the idea that he was now
some great religious teacher. They heard
that he did miracles, and they could hear
for themselves his wonderful teaching. I
have no idea how they rationalized the
evidence they could see, and the reports
from Capernaum, but they “ were of­
fended” by him. This word in the origi­
nal, skandalizom ai. literally means to
stumble over something. In regard to a
person, it means to be so offended or
repelled that one rejects that person’s
character completely (hence our E n­
glish word “scandal”). In their case, the
L ord’s proverb about “a prophet without
honor” holds true, as well as the other
proverb in our tongue, “ familiarity breeds
contem pt.”
Jesus used this to teach the people,
especially the disciples, a solemn truth.
No amount of knowledge ab o u t Jesus
Christ can substitute for a personal rela­
tionship w ith Jesus Christ. If a person
only has a head knowledge of Jesus, and
o f the Bible, the wonderful truths and the
promise o f eternal life will become bor­
ing or silly or childish in his mind.
Many of the young adults in our
community today have a long history of
Sunday School and church and revival
meetings, but they are still living lives of
violence and substance abuse and sexual
im m orality. Have they forgotten all
they’ve learned? I doubt it. But it has
never been taken to heart; there was
never a mature decision to go all the way
with Jesus. And as a result, many today
“stumble” over Jesus. Despite their early
training, their youthful decisions at the
altar, or even baptism, they are still
living the worldly life, separated from
God and his truth, and very likely they
are still on the “ broad way that leads to
destruction” (Malt. 6:13-14).
Is that where you are today? Let me
assure you, that saying a prayer every
night or every morning does not give
you license to sin all the day long. If
you’re serious about living for Jesus,
you will strive to show love and respect
to all humanity, and to live a life o f
personal purity. And you will also have
the satisfaction and joy of knowing
Jesus personally, through Bible study
and prayer. It’s no use talking about
obeying the voice o f the Lord, if your
life is filled with the discordant sounds
o f sin and selfishness; you won ’ t be able
to hear what the Savior is saying!
But if you accept the challenge to
live for Jesus, you will have peace o f
heart in the m idst o f trials, and a sense
o f purpose that will make the trials
worthwhile. For the early disciples, the
challenge was to go out in pairs and tell
everyone in the smaller villages about
the gospel (March 6:6-7). The excite­
ment came as they would use Jesus’
power to cast out demons, and to heal
the sick (read also Luke 10:17-20).
They went out simply clothed and
outfitted, but they accomplished much
good among the people, and they taught
the message they had received from the
Lord. I believe that all too many Chris­
tians in our churches are missing the
voice of the Lord, calling them to out­
reach m inistries locally, nationally, and
to other peoples around the world. And
as a result, we are missing the greatest
joy and blessing that God can offer us,
in this life.
Jesus sent out the Twelve, and later
the Seventy (Luke 10), on specific m is­
sions. To the church today Jesus has
given a G reat Commission, to make
disciples of every people group in the
world (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). And if
you are a believer, and you’re open to
G od’s leading, he will have an exciting,
challenging mission for you, as part o f
that Great Commission.
So get right with the Lord, get
prepared, and listen carefully. The joy
o f serving Jesus is worth whatever it
costs. D on’t miss out!
DON’T GIVE UP!!
Rev. Cooper
Spiritual Reader & Advisor
Are you sick suffering with bad luck? Hair falling our? Loss of
nature? Someone crossed you? Need help in any problem? My
work is with God. Get rid of your problems. If I cannot do it, it
cannot be done. Readings by phone or by mail. Also lucky
numbers. Call for appointment or directions.
P rayer
D ear Lord
Hear us as we pray!
There are many
who need you this day.
But more than that
our M aster and Friend,
Be a shield
around us each day.
Protect us
fro m the fie ry darts
we pray.
In the H oly and
Precious name o f Jesus.
Amen!
ODOT “Recycling”
Helps Schools
Instead o f destroy ing outdated ver­
sions of popular com puter software, the
Oregon Department o f Transportation
is “recycling” the software by donating
it to schools.
To date, O DOT has donated 72
copies of W ordperfect and 59 copies o f
Lotus 1-2-3 to school districts now op­
erating under “safety net” financing,
according to David Dowrie, manager of
O D O T ’s Information Systems Section.
“There is no cost to the department
or to the taxpayer in any o f these pro­
gram s,” said Dowrie, who negotiated
the innovative recycling idea with the
software manufacturers. “By license
agreement, we would have had to de­
stroy the programs. The great thing
about this is that it gives students access
to software that is currently being used
in the business com m unity.”
Under the program, ODOT donates
the diskettes, reference manual, work­
book and template to a primary or sec­
ondary school. A new license is then
issues for the software to the school.
The school then becomes eligible to
upgrade the software at discounted edu­
cational prices. “It’s like getting a trade-
in, free,” Dowrie said.
The Department of Education pro­
vided information about which schools
were in the safety net. Dowrie and his
staff then contacted the schools to de­
termine interests and ability to use the
programs. At times, they have also
handled the donation o f outdated and
outmoded hardware to the schools.
4 30 N. K illingsw orth Street
Portland, O regon 97217-2499
Phone (503) 283-1976 Pax (50.3) 283-1979
M t O livet
baptist C hurch
H a s m oved Sunday services to
Stone Tower Church,
N.E. Sandy Blvd. & 30th
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
1 fV T n o m
jn r l
n m
Radio Ministry each Sunday, 8:00 a.m. on KBMS
A Teaching Church With A Reaching Ministry
Dr. James E. Martin, Senior Pastor
Church Office 116 N.E. Schuyler St.
(503) 284-1954
M allory
C hurch
3908
C hrist
M ALLORY
AVENUE
Bible Study
9:30 am.
Mallory Avenue
Christian Church
J B t i j T t u l J ffits s T tn u x r u
D
^ B a p t i s t C C T jrx rrtj
i s
c
i p
l e
s
o f
C
h
Morning Worship
10:45 am .
M en’s Training Leadership
Women’s Bible Class
5:00 pm.
r is t
E vening W orship
God's Presence promises
Pouter through Jesus Christ In
Good Times and Sod Times
8101 N. Fiske Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97203
6:00 pm.
Attended nursery for all
services
W ednesday prayer meeting
/l/lattfieuj / /. ¿’¿J
"Come to me oil you iuho are
weary and heavy laden and I
will give you rest"
Study Phone: 2 8 9 -1 9 1 1
Sunday Service
10:45
Sunday School
9:30
Bible Study
6:00
Evening Service
7 :0 0 P.M.
9:45am
11:00am
7:30pm
Minister Gregory Fobbs
and bible study
7:30 pm.
Radio Ministry Each Sunday, 11:00 AM - KBMS
Sunday School
Morning W orship
Tuesday Bible
Study and Prayer
Inter-racial Congregation
288-1092
RESTORING
NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY
Denise H Sell, Pastor
126 N.€. Rlberta + Portland, OR 97211 t (503) 288-5173
Pastor Rev. James C E. Faulkner
Jesus Christ Is Salvation
T h em e: W h atever you're going to do
fo r th e Lord, do it now
Union Avenue Baptist Church
5029 N. E. MLK Jr. Blvd.
Portland, OR 97211
Telephone Number - 287-8344
I Peter iv.1 1
Jesus Loves You!
He that is too good to realize that he need to be saved, cannot be
helped. But he that recognize he has a need, can be helped.
CMECk urch
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
What A Friend We Have In Jesus
Psalm 34:3
Are you a friend of Jesus?
Do you want Jesus to be your friend?
We want to be your friend and would love to have you as our
friend.
4236 NE Eighth Avenue
(corner of Btfi & Skidmore)
Portland, Oregon 97211
(503) 287-0261
Cleodus Vann
503/281 -2836
Everyone is welcome to this church, (the body of Christ).
There is a place and a work here for you.
Phillip S. Ntkon Pastor
5 2 1 1 N. W illia m s P o r tla n d , O r. 9 7 2 1 7
Rev. A. G. May, Pastor
p
r
NE
of
SUNDAY SCHEDULE
(215)333-5763 FREE READING BY PHONE
A lle n Tem ple
Matthew, Chapter 7
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