M arch 18,1992 ...The Portland Observer...Page 11
•P o rtla n d O bserver
Scripture o f the Vkefi
RELIGION
Dean of North Portland Bible College
The Bible text fo r next week’s
Sunday School lesson is Mark 7:24-37.
We encourage you to attend the Sunday
School class at your local church this
Sunday, and to learn more about the
grace o f the Lord Jesus.
Today’s text presents two closely
related incidents of healing from the
ministry of Jesus. In the course of
Mark’s Gospel, the encounter with the
woman in Tyre (7:24-30), the healing
of the deaf mute (7:31-37), and the
feeding of the four thousand (8:1 -9) all
happened outside of the Promised Land,
among a people who were mostly Gen­
tile. Their presence here gave the Gen­
tiles in the churches who first received
the message, the continued assurance
that Jesus Christ was their Messiah as
well as the Jews’.
Just prior to these two miracle sto­
ries, we read Jesus’ great pronounce­
ment on the clean and unclean (7:14-
23). In summary, he was saying that it’s
the evil thoughts which come out of a
person ’ s heart that make him unclean—
not the outward practices of religion.
We would do well right now to care­
fully meditate on that list of sins in
7:21-22, and recognize which sins we
need to confess and repent of today. If
you’re not sure what some of those
words mean, use a dictionary or com­
pare with another translation.
But there was another kind of “un­
cleanness” which the Pharisees empha­
sized in their legalistic understanding
of the Law. They taught that normal
contact with a Gentile (anyone who
wasn’t a Jew by birth or conversion)
was a defilement, and made the Jewish
believer unfit to worship in the Temple.
This form of racial superiority was not
taken seriously by most Gentiles, but it
did form a strong barrier to the spread­
ing of the kingdom of God.
When Jesus “arose from thence,
and went into the borders [region] of
Tyre and Sidon” (7:24), he was boldly
moving into an area where Gentiles
predominated, where he could touch
the lives of people who were unclean.
True, he had healed other Gentiles be­
fore, in his home land (the Roman
centurion’s servant, Matt 8:5-13). But
now in the Phoenecian country, origin
of the ancient Canaanite enemies of
Israel, Jesus was demonstrating that no
people were unclean or unworthy of his
healing, forgiving love.
Even in Tyre and Sidon, Jesus’
fame as a healer attracted great crowds.
But Mark tells us only about one Gen­
tile, a woman whose racial background
was Greek, Canaanite (Matt 15:21) and
S yrian Phoenic ian— take your pick, they
were all defiling Gentile groups. She
sought deliverance and healing for her
daughter. And Jesus’ response seems
cold, till you consider his situation.
Was the Lord ridiculing this poor
woman for coming to him for healing?
After all, Jesus had taken the initiative
in bringing his disciples into the
Phoenician area, clearly planning to
teach and heal people there. No, I think
the Lord was emphasizing the irony of
the situation, and fully intended to de­
liver the woman’s daughter all along.
He told her, “Let the children first
be filled.” The “children,” in particular
the Jewish leaders, had repeatedly re­
jected Jesus and were looking for ways
to destroy him. They didn ’t realize the
wonderful love and salvation they were
rejecting. (This is one message o f his
parable of the Wedding Feast, Matt
22:1-14.)
He continues, “It is not meet [fit­
ting] to take the children’s bread, and to
cast it unto the dogs.” The usual word
for “dog” in the Biblical world was a
grave insult; you can find several ex­
amples through a Bible concordance.
But this word for “dog,” used only in
this story and Matthew’s parallel ac­
count, is a gentler word, used for pup­
pies and children’s household pets. Don
Richardson suggests that Jesus was
“winking” with humor as he spoke these
words. He knew that the people of
Israel would have the first opportunity
to respond to his gospel message, but
his purpose all along was to give this
gospel to all people everywhere.
The woman’s response shows that
she was not intimidated by the Lord’s
pronouncement. She said, “Yes,Lord! ”
in humble acknowledgment of Who he
was. And she used his very word (“pup­
pies”) to renew her prayer for help. The
Lord was so impressed that he immedi-
atcly pronounced the healing done (at
a distance) and the woman went home
and verified the miracle.
As I said at the beginning of this
article, the original (Gentile) readersof
the Gospel would have rejoiced at the
Good News that Christ would save
them on the same terms (by faith) once
offered to the Jewish nation. But there
are some further principles we can
consider for our lives today. Let me list
two.
(1) Religious people run the risk of
racial, cultural or class bigotry. The
Pharisees rejected Jesus in part be­
cause of his openness to the lower
classes, the social outcasts, and even
the racially inferior. Jesus loves them
all, and his disciples today ought to
make a special effort to bring the mes­
sage of hope and salvation in Christ to
the poor, the drug culture, the party
people, the immigrant minorities among
us. But if we follow the pattern of the
Pharisees, we will exclude the many
people who don’t measure up to our
standards, for fear we’ll be “contami­
nated” by the world.
Anyone can see the growing influ­
ence of racial hatred and bigotry in our
society, among Caucasians and Afri­
can Americans and Hispanics, and also
between Asian Americans and African
Americans. There is no room for racial
slurs or demeaning prejudices within
the Body of Christ, and Christians must
take a firm stand against these ugly
practices anywhere they arise.
(2) Christ has always had a world­
wide ministry in mind for his people.
All too often Christians have limited
their vision of missions to their own
congregation, or to their immediate
family and friends. But the Lord war.
every tribe and people to become part
of his family, and every language to be
filled with praises to God and his Christ.
He will call out and anoint some of his
people, even here in Portland, to go to
other parts of the world and proclaim
the good news. The question is, are you
willing to be available— humble be­
fore Christ, ready to say “Yes, Lord” to
his will and direction for your life?
Then God can use you, and he will, in
ways far greater than you could have
imagined!
M t O livet
baptist C hurch
Has moved 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
10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Radio Ministry each Sunday, 8:00 a.m. on KBMS
In Loving Memory
of Charlie (DOC) Kelly
REVIVAL
Insight on the Word: Jesus Is Truly the
Messiah of All Peoples
BY MICHAEL LINDSEY.
Matthew, Chapter 7
March 8 , 1913-March 9,1992
AT
NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH
1237 N.E. FAILING ST
CORNER OF 13TII ANO FAILING ST
SUNDAY-FRIDAY
MARCH 2 2 N D -2 7 T H
Services were held at Caldwell’s
Colonial Chapel
20 N £ . 14th Avenue, Portland.
March 13, 1992 at 1:00 P.M.
Many thanks to all our friends who
gave the support needed in our time of
sorrow. Also for the gifts of food, mon­
etary and flowers.
God bless you from the family of
Charles (DOC) Kelly.
8 :0 0 P.M.
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BY
ELDER MICHAEL ROBINSON
FROM
MONTOGMERY,ALABAMA
ELDER LEON BREWER JR. HOST PASTOR
Springtime & Symphony
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Allen Temp le CMP CL upch
4236 NE Eighth Avenue
to S. Nelson Pastor
(503) 287-0261
Guaranteed R esults in 24 H ours
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.
(215)333-5763 FREE READING BY PHONE
M
allory
C hurch
3908
Church Office 116 N.E. Schuyler St.
(503) 284-1954
8101 N. Fiske Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97203
Church Pho..«: 1 8 9 -0 1 4 7
Sunday Service
10:45
Sunday School
9:30
Bible Study
6:00
Evening Service
7:00 P.M.
Study Phon«-. 2 8 9 -1 9 1 1
M a llo ry Avenue
Christian Church
D
i s c i p
l e s
o f
C h r
9:30 am.
Morning Worship
10:45 am.
M en’s Training Leadership
Women's Bible Class
s t
5:00 pm.
God's Presence promises
Pouuer through Jesus Christ In
Good Times and Bad Times
Evening Worship
6:00 pm.
Attended nursery for all
services
Wednesday prayer meeting
"Come to me all you who ore
weary and heavy laden and I
will give you rest"
9:45am
11:00om
7:30pm
Minister Gregory Fobbs
Radio Ministry Each Sunday, 11:00 AM - KBMS
Sunday School
M orning UUorship
Tuesday Bible
Study and Prayer
126 N.€. Alberto
288-1092
Denise Ft Bell, Pastor
R E S TO R IN G
N E W TESTAMENT C H R IS TIA N ITY
t Portland. OR 97211 t (503) 288-5173
Jesus Christ Is Salvation
Union Avenue Baptist Church
5029 N. E. MLK Jr. Blvd.
Portland, OR 97211
Telephone Number - 287-8344
VANN & VANN
S6 • w?
FU N ERA L
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.
Everyone is welcome to this church, (the body of Christ).
There is a place and a work here for you.
I P«t«r lv .1 1
Rev. A. G. May, Pastor
D IR E C T O R S
Family Owned and Operated
Since 1954
Serving the C ity of Portland
for over 37 years
In your hour of need
Vann &Vann are there to serve
What A Friend We Have In Jesus
rhemes Whatever you're going to do
'or the Lord, do it now
AVENUE
Bible Study
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.
Pastor Rev James C.E. Faulkner
C hrist
SUNDAY SCHEDULE
Inter-racial Congregation
^ B a p tis t C t p x r d f
of
NE M A L L O R Y
M c ttfie u ;1 J :£ 8
A Teaching Church With A Reaching Ministry
Dr. James E. Martin, Senior Pastor
Annual Green Tea Sunday, March 29
1-4 PM
St. Philip the Deacon Church
120 N E Knott, Portland
Program features include: Poetry
reading by Fannie Freeman
The Joyful Sound Singers
Terry Snowden at the piano
DON’T GIVE UP!!
Spring Term
March 30 - June 12,
North Portland Bible
College
Temporarily located at Berean
Baptist Church
4822 N. Vancouver Ave., Entrance on
Wygant Street.
Spring Schedule, 1992
March 30 - June 12
Evenings, 6:30 - 9:30
Monday N.T. Survey III Cross-
cultural Music and Worship
Tuesday P.T. Survey III Sermon on
the Mount
Wednesday Inductive Bible Study
Defending the Faith
Thursday World Christian Outreach
III Ministry to Urban children
Mornings, 9:00 - 12:00
Tuesday O.T. Survey III
Episcopal Church
Women’s Guild
of St. Philip the Deacon
Presents
Cleodus Vann
503/281-2836
5211 N. W illia m s P o rtla n d , O r. 9 7 2 1 7