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A pril 1,1992...The Portland Observer...Page 9 • Portland Observer Scripture o f the ^ e e f RELIGION M atthew, C hapter 7 Insight on the Word: The Greatest Commandments: Blueprints for Successful Living BY MICHAEL LINDSEY Dean, North Portland Bible College seeking people to enter the kin g d om o f G od and receive eternal life . B u t not a ll This series o f comments is based on the In te rn a tio n a l Sunday School Lesson, used by churches in m any de nom inations. We a re presently survey ing incidents in the life o f C h ris t fr o m the G ospel o f M a rk . F o r A p r il 5, o u r text is M a rk 12:28-37. A s w e jo in the L o rd Jesus this w eek on his w ay to the cross o f C a l va ry, the scene has changed d ra m a ti c a lly . N o longer is he teaching his disciples and attem pting to a vo id the great crow ds w ho thronged to hear him and see his m iracles. N o w he is in scribes were that bad. L e t’ s read to d a y’ s text. A new scribe had come by and observed the argum ents between Jesus and the v a ri ous re lig io u s sectsof his day. A “ scribe’’ could w rite , and studied the law in depth. Some scribes were Pharisees, Jerusalem, in the fin a l w eek before his death. He began teaching in th e T e m p le courts on Tuesday fo llo w in g his triu m phal en try in to the H o ly C ity (M a rk 11:1-11), and im m e d ia te ly faced the questions and insinuations o f the c h ie f priests, the teachers o f the law , and the Pharisees. M a rk records fiv e incidents o f co n fro n ta tio n between Jesus and these re lig io u s leaders, in clu d in g the tw o in o u r te xt today. Sometimes we pa in t too negative a picture o f these Pharisees and scribes. A s a group, they had become so le g a l istic that they were m ore interested in ju s tify in g th e ir behavior than pleasing th e ir G od. Jesus said o f them, “ F u ll w e ll ye reject the com m andm ent o f G od, that ye may keep yo u r ow n tra d i tio n .” (7:9). A n d this is a problem we need to face in o u r churches today— tra d itio n s we have created w h ic h make it unnecessarily d iffic u lt fo r earnest, others Sadducces, others were not par tic u la rly in vo lve d in re lig io u s argu ments. T h is scribe was impressed w ith Jesus’ answers and evident w isdom . H is question: “ W h ic h is the firs t com m andm ent o f a ll? ” T h is question was sort o f a test fo r Jesus. B u t u n lik e the previous questions, this scribe wasn ’ t try in g to tric k Jesus o r embarrass h im . The man wanted to see w h ich things Jesus thought were m ost im p o rta n t in liv in g a g o d ly life . D id Jesus re a lly understand the m ost im portant matters o f the L a w , or was he sim p ly a sm art aleck upstart w ho was show ing up the weaknesses o f the “ establishm ent” ? The ensuing conversation gives us a b lu e p rin t fo r a life that w ill please G od and w ill b rin g peace and jo y to our liv e s today. L e t me show you w hat I mean. 1) K n o w the L o rd y o u r G od (M a rk 12:29). Jesus is q uoting the Shema' from D eut 6:4, a prayer and confession o f fa ith w h ich was used by pious Jews every m o rn in g and evening. In the m idst o f the pagan cultures o f th e ir day, the g o d ly rem nant held on to the tru th about w h o G od is, and that gave th e ir lives s ta b ility in spite o f persecution and social decay. T hey confessed the ancient w ords o f Moses: the L O R D (Y ahw eh) o u r God is one L O R D (Y ahw eh). B y this they expressed th e ir fa ith , (1) that there is o n ly one G od, the C reator o f a ll things; (2 ) that G od has made h im s e lf know n to Israel; and (3) that Yahw eh G od has made a w o n d erfu l c o v c n a n to f blessing w ith Israel, so they can say he is th e ir God. Because o f Jesus C hrist, and his death and resurrection, everyone has the o p p o rtu n ity to enjoy the blessings G od prom ised through Abraham (Gen 12:1-3) and the nation Israel. B u t too m any people today d o n ’ t know G od, o r th e ir ideas about G ot! are a ll confused w ith other re lig io n s o r popular secular ideas. I ’ m amazed to hear so-called C h ristia n s em bracing re incarnation, m other-earth w o rsh ip , secular hum an ism and chance e v o lu tio n . They ju s t d o n ’ t kn o w th e ir B ibles, and so they d o n ’ t kn o w their G od! (A t other tim es I hope to deal w ith these issues in d i v id u a lly .) F o r stabi lity in your life , you need to k n o w w ho G od is, and the o n ly re liable source is in the W o rd w h ich G od has given us. Be aware o f the re lig io u s trends in the w o rld , bu t mea sure them against the sure w o rd in the B ib le . It w ill b ring w isdom and under standing to yo u r life . ( 2) Love the L o rd y o u r G o d (M a rk 12:30). Some people th in k i t ’ s im p o s sible to com m and love fro m someone else— and yet the Lord God commanded Israel to love him to ta lly . H ow co u ld he expect his people to obey such a com m and, a com m and based on the attitudes o f the heart? C e rta in ly this is n o ta c iv il law w h ich th e e ld e rs o f Israel could enforce w ith threat o f punish ment. N o one can measure the love in another’ s heart. B u t God has so loved the people o f the w o rld , that he dem on strated his love by g iv in g Jesus to pay the price fo r o u r salvation. D oesn’ t he have the rig h t to demand o u r love in return— especially i f we desire the ben e fits o f eternal life w ith him ? W e are com m anded to lo ve G od w ith everything we are and have. T h is Temp k that. B u t o n ly w hen o u r hearts are fille d w ith lo ve fo r G od can w e re a lly love our neighbor “ as o u rs e lf’ , the w ay we w ould lik e others to treat us. A ll too often people w o n ’ t love us back! T h e y ’ ll use us, m istreat us, gossip about us, and ju s t w on ’ t be grateful. T h a t’ s the test o f true G od-given love (read M a tt 5:44-48). maker. W hen we have a m ade-up m in d to lo ve G od, the “ so u l” and a ll its em otions, attitudes and affe ctio n s w ill fo llo w along and enrich the re la tio n and g iv in g up hope. H o w can you keep ship we have w ith G od. Then we can e n list a ll o u r “ m in d ” to leant about G o d ’ s ways, and g ro w in w isdom and on lo v in g the u n lo ve ly, le t alone yo u r real m o tiva tio n fo r praise, fo r priva te devotions, and fo r service fo r G od and understanding o f him . A n d fin a lly , but very im p o rta n tly , we can em ploy a ll our “ strength” in physical strength and yo u r heart. He w ill g ive yo u an a b ility to help others, keep yo u r p rio ritie s a b ilitie s, in leadership and other natu ral talents, to demonstrate ou r love fo r G od by encouraging others to kn o w h im , too. Such a love w ill n a tu ra lly lead to a h o ly life , freed from the stresses o f sin and regret. (3 ) L o ve y o u r n e ig h b o r (12:31). T h is com m and is “ lik e ” the firs t, but it is s till the second com m and. I t ’ s no enemies? Y ou can w ith the lo ve o f C h ris t in straight, and not experience b u m out. (4) Worship the Lord in spirit and tr u th (M a rk 12:32-33; John 4:24). The scribe was actually excited by Jesus ’ response to his question. He saw the em ptiness o f the re lig io u s systems around h im , and he longed fo r re a lity. Jesus w ent to the heart o f the L a w , and revealed the L o rd ’ s real purpose in it. A s the scribe commended Jesus, he CME CL urch 24th, starting at 7:30 p.m . n ig h tly . Th is year’ s theme is” L e t Y o u r L ig h t Shine” and the E vangelist fo r this year’ s Re v iv a l is none other than th e ir very ow n Pastor, The Reverend Johnny Pack IV , B .T H . F o r m ore in fo rm a tio n you m ay contact the C hairm an o f the Evange lism M in is try , M in is te r R oderick Cain jBh. ÿcxnl 4Htsstanarç ÿ a p itsi CCtfurctf C hurch Ph o .ie: 2 8 9 - 0 1 4 7 Rev. Cooper MT OLIVET BAPTIST CHURCH Has moved Sunday services to S tu d y P hon«: 2*9-1911 Stone Tower Church, N.E. Sandy Blvd. & 30th Spiritual Reader & Advisor Sunday Service 1 0 :4 5 Sunday School 9 :3 0 Bible Study 6 :0 0 E vening Service 7 :0 0 P.M. 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 of C hrist NE M A L L O R Y 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 Radio Ministry each Sunday, 8:00 a.m. on KBMS A Teaching Church With A Reaching Ministry Dr. James E. Martin, Senior Pastor Pastor Rev. James CE. Faulkner Church Office 116 N.E. Schuyler St. (503) 284-1954 Them e: W h atever you're going to do for th e Lord, do it now AVENUE at (503) 281-6684 o r you may contact the C hurch O ffic e at (503) 249-0377. Reverend Johnny Pack IV 8101 N. Fiske Avenue Portland, Oregon 97203 Guaranteed Results in 24 Hours com e o u r way. ond A n n u a l Y o u th R evival. T h is year’ s Y o u th R e v iv a l w ill run the w eek o f A p r il 20th through A p ril Phillip S. Nelson Pastor D O N ’T G IV E U P !! kingdom . B u t fo r us, this episode teaches us a pattern fo r successful kin g d om l iv in g , w hatever circum stances o f life The F e llo w sh ip M issionary Bap tis t C hurch located at 4009 N o rth M is so u ri A ve n u e , w here the R everend Johnny Pack IV is Pastor, w o u ld lik e to extend an in v ita tio n to the Y o u th o f our C ity as they m ake ready fo r th e ir Sec (503) 287-0261 M o rn in g s, 9:00 - 12:00 Tuesday O .T . Survey I I I his church. In the fin a l analysis, Jesus was testing the scribe as much as the scribe was testing Jesus. Jesus’ evaluation was positive: “ T hou art n o t fa r fro m the kingdom o f G o d ” (M a rk 12:34). Ih o p e he to o k Jesus’ hin t, recognized Jesus as his L o rd and K in g , and entered in to the The Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church’s Second Annual Youth Revival Portland, Oregon 97211 Tuesday P.T. Survey I I I Sermon on the M o u n t W ednesday In d u ctive B ib le Study D efending the Faith Thursday W o rld C hristian Outreach I I I M in is try to Urban ch ild re n standing blazed by the O ld Testam ent prophets (1 Sam 15:22; Hosea 6:6; yo u ’ ll be tem pted to abandon yo u r fa ith altogether. B u t i f you take the tim e to recover your “ love a ffa ir” w ith the L o rd Jesus, y o u ’ l l fin d p le n ty o f (corner of 8th & Skidmore) S pring Schedule, 1992 M arch 30 - June 12 E venings, 6:30 - 9:30 M onday N .T . Survey I I I C ross-cultural M usic and W o rsh ip neighbor, the sacrifices become an im m o ra l sham. In his answer, the scribe was fo llo w in g the tra il o f under tig u e .” So m any people have so many physical, em otional and personal needs that w orkers in social agencies, both p u b lic and private, are overw helm ed 4236 NE Eighth Avenue T e m p o ra rily located at Berean B a p tis t C hurch 4822 N . Vancouver Ave., E ntrance on W ygant Street. ju s t that the sacrifices were not as im p o rta n t as lo ve fo r G od. Indeed, w ith o u t love fo r G od and fo r one’ s Recently a governm ent report addressed a problem they called “ compassion fa means to seek G od fo r his ow n sake, to desire to please h im , to long to know him better and more personally. W e need to th ro w a ll o u r “ heart” in to this love, fo r the heart in Jewish th in k in g was the center o f the w ill, the d e cisio n Psalm 34:3 Spring Term March 30 - June 12, North Portland Bible College compared the love Jesus spoke o f, w ith the s a crificia l system w h ich occupied so m uch o f the Jews’ attention. He did not say that the sacrifices were useless, M ica h 6:6-8). W e, too, m ust lo o k at our w o rsh ip and church a c tiv ity . Is i t m otivated by a lo ve o f show? B y desire fo r status? B y lo n g in g to f i t in w ith a certain group? In tim e , the emptiness o f a ll these m otives w ill become clear, and Jesus Loves You! Allen secret that life is m uch better when people act u n se lfishly to help others in need, and put others’ needs before their ow n. W e ought to be th a n kfu l that atheists, m ystics, N ew Agers and other re lig io u s movem ents a ll practice a de gree o f love and compassion fo r others. Even drunks and open sinners can do I P eter Iv. I 1 Mallory Avenue Christian Church SUNDAY SCHEDULE Bible Study 9:30 am . Morning Worship 10:45 am . M en’s Training Leadership W om en’s Bible Class 5:00 pm. VANN & VANN FU N ERA L Evening Worship Minister Gregory Fobbs D D IR E C T O R S Radio Ministry Each Sunday, 11:00 AM - KBMS 9:45am 11:00am 7:30pm 503/281-2836 RESTORING NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY C h r i s t Sunday School Morning UUorship Tuesday Bible Study and Prayer Inter-racial Congregation Denzse P B ell. P a s to r 126 N.C. ñlberta t Portland, OB 97211 t (503) 288-5173 5211 N. W illia m s P o rtla n d , O r. 97217 I o f "Come to me all you who ore weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest" Cleodus Vann 288-1092 l e s God's Presence promises Power through Jesus Christ In Good Times and Bod Times MctttieuJ 7 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 6:00 pm. Attended nursery for all services Wednesday prayer meeting and bible study 7:30 pm. i s c i p I
