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
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Pastor Rev. James CE. Faulkner
Church Office 116 N.E. Schuyler St.
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Them e: W h atever you're going to do
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AVENUE
at (503) 281-6684 o r you may contact
the C hurch O ffic e at (503) 249-0377.
Reverend Johnny Pack IV
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Portland, Oregon 97203
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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
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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
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M en’s Training Leadership
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