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. . . , . .... . ... >? f >.•/»>» » * » > » * » * i» V r» » » V » « » » » » * *'***»*' Page 8 .1 he P o rtla n d O b s e rv e r...A p r il 22, 1992 • P o r tla n d O b s e r v e r Scripture o f the ‘Week. RELIGION Matthew, Chapter 7 Insight on the Word: What Makes the Christian’s Hope a “ Lively Hope"? the Lord invented for Christians; it rep resents the new relationship we have “ in C hrist,” a relationship in which we share both the cleansing o f his death and the victory o f his resurrection. As a result, G od’s people, “in C hrist,” re ally have a new life at work in us—just as if we had been physically resurrected ourselves. (For more on this teaching, study Romans 6:1 -10; 2 Cor 4:13-14.) Second, as a result of this new life now, we have a “lively” or “living’ hope through Christ’s resurrection. That is a lot different from the hope (Greek elpis) that the pagans had in Peter’s lime. The Greek religion taught that the future was governed by capricious gods and goddesses, by Fates and Destiny, all of which was ultimately beyond the control o f humanity. Their “hope” was a desire to achieve greatness or immor tality, despite the fickleness of the pow ers they w orshipped; it was little more than wishful thinking. I think this must have been a most desperate and frus trating sort o f hope, for those who really thought it through. But Peter declared that we have a “ living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (NIV). N ot onlv do we have the sure prom ise of glory, but we have many “great and precious prom ises” for this life as well (2 Peter 1:4-8). Peter shares several benefits o f our hope in the Scripture: (1) the “inherit ance incorruptible, and undefiled,” which is our rewards and glory in heaven (1 Peter 1:4); and then (2) protection by the pow er o f God, which is like a guard or shield around us (1:5); also (3) the purification o f our lives as we go through “manifold tem ptations” (1:6-7); as well as (4) “joy unspeakable and full o f glory” (1:8), the beautiful result of an ever-closer com m union with the Lord himself. Finally (1:9), Peter reiterates the wonderful blessing o f “salvation of your souls,” which is something as sure as the promises of God. So trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ is not just “pie in the sky, bye and bye.” On one hand, the promise of heaven and its glory is a sure thing (for believers in BY MICHAEL LINDSEY, Dean of North Portland Bible College The Bible text for next week's Sun day School lesson is 1 Peter 1:3-9,13- 21. This is the first o f six lessons taken from 1 & 2 Peter. We encourage all Christians to join in the study o f God’s Word in their churches each Sunday, and hope these commentaries will help students and teachers alike to under stand the Bible and apply it to our lives. isrcally appropriate that we move directly from a brief survey of the G os pel o f Mark into the Epistles o f Peter. According to early Church historians, Mark was a special assistant to the Apostle Peter, and he wrote down Peter’s preaching and remembrances about the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus. So in a real sense, we have been studying the teaching o f Peter already. Careful scholars have noted a host o f sim ilari ties betw een the Gospel ot Mark and the Epistles (letters) written by Peter. Per haps you will be able to spot some of these as well. The theme of 1 Peter is well-suited for Christians in A m erica’s cities to day: Christian believers can live a life o f hope and holiness, despite the trials and opposition they will endure. As I look around me today, I see many Sa tanic attacks on the believers’ hope, and on our holiness. If we meditate on the whole book of 1 Peter, and take its truths to heart in our lives, we will be fully prepared to stand up strongly against the devil, and to help one an other live righteous lives. O ur text this week emphasizes the hope of the Christian life. Peter begins Il by blessing the Name of God the Father, because he “hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection o f Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1:3) We have ju st celebrated the resurrection in our churches during the so-called Eas ter season. But do we fully realize the importance of the resurrection for our faith? First, we are given a “new birth” (NIV) through the resurrection. Being bom again was not just a catchy phrase ' V '• s ? ’ & ’’ i » e . X i . FUNERAL V.<*' D IR E C T O R S V S» -7, s. 7 »V *• 4 ?/ ¿ AÎP 'fif,- ’ , •> CHURCH V á j . «8 7 "V .3 1 4 <t¿* 9 «X Morning Worship 10:45 a m . M e n ’s Training Leadership W o m en ’s Bible Class 5:00 p m . Evening Worship 6:00 pm . A tten d ed nursery for all services W ed n esd ay p rayer m eetin g Minister Gregory Fobbs ~ a n d b ib le study 7:30 pm . RESTORING NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY I j & L J î a u l T H ts s tim a rc i ^ B a p tis t ( ü fjn r d } 8101 N. Fiske Avenue Portland, Oregon 97203 Sunday Service 10:45 Sunday School 9 :3 0 Bible Study 6:00 Evening Service 7 :0 0 P.M. W orship a n d P ra ise -1 0 :4 5 -1 2 :1 5 p.m . Fellow ship a n d Potluck - 1 2 :3 0 -1 :30 p.m . Study Phene: 2 89 *1 91 1 Pastor. Rev. James C E Faulkner Them e: W h atever you're going to do fo r th e Lord, do it now W orship and P ra is e - 1 :45-2:30 p.m . Fellow ship S ing-A -R am a - 2:45-5:00 p.m . I Peter hr.11 C hurch R en ew al S e r v ic e s : N ightly M onday thru W e d n e sd a y 7:3 0 p.m . M allory Avenue Christien Church Mallory C hurch of C hrist 3908 N.E. Mallory (503) 28 8 -1 0 9 2 E v a n g e list, C h a r le s C o lem a n P ittsb u rg, C alifornia D G reg F o b b s, L ocal M inister •"’“ "I Jesus Loves You! A llen Temple Skidmore) Portland, Oregon 97211 (503) 287-0261 l e s S u n d a y S chool M orn in g W o rsh ip T u e s d a y B ib le S tu d y o n d P rayer In te r-ra c ia l C o n g r e g a tio n D e n is e P B ell, P o s to r 1 2 6 N.C. R lb erta t P ortland, O R 9 7 2 1 1 t ( 5 0 5 ) 2 3 Ö - 5 1 7 3 Phillip 5. Nelson Pastor 1 mUUMUMNUUMUMNMIUMU - i p G o d 's P r e s e n c e p r o m is e s P o w e r th r o u g h J e s u s Christ In G o o d T im e s a n d B o d T im e s 9 :4 5 a m 1 1 :0 0 a m 7 :5 0 p m 4236 NE Eighth Avenue t c "C om e t o m e all y o u w h o o r e w e a r y a n d h e a v y la d e n a n d I w ill g i v e y o u r e s t ” Psalm 34:3 (corner of 8lh i s Arlcltfieuj / /. E'd C M tzC L lurch • V « ' '*' ’ ’ sSfeSR.»«!. '■ Ï .z. AVENUE 9:30 a m . Bible C la s s A ssem b ly - 9:3 0 -1 0 :3 0 a.m . !* • ■»’ • r »J». NE M A L L O R Y Bible Study J e ffe r s o n H igh S c h o o l A uditorium •;£ 4 C .* '• - < C hrist SUNDAY SCHEDULE May 2-6, 1992 J -r t . 3908 of Church Rho.ie: 2 8 9 -0 1 4 7 H om ecom ing D ay S u n d a y - M ay 3, 1992 also served in the capacity of Youth M inster, Chorus Director, and New Converts Minister. Bro. Coleman has served the church by way of teaching classes, home stud ies and Sunday School. He has preached in various congregations throughout the Bay Area and outside, including South ern C alifornia and in Illinois. Bro. Coleman also worked alongside Bro. T.O. Jackson o f Oklahom a in the Evan gelism department for the 1985 San Francisco Crusade for Christ. Bro. Coleman later placed m em bership at the Church o f C hrist at MacDonald Avenue in Richmond, CA where he served as m inister of Personal Evangelism and Care Group Director for four years alongside Evangelist’s J.C. Thom as Jr. and Rolland Jackson. O n S e p te m b e r 30, 1990 Bro. Coleman became the Evangelist o f the Diane Avenue Church of Christ in the City of Pittsburg, CA. There under his direction the following programs have been set up: a Substance Abuse Pro gram, Literacy Program, Child Abuse Awareness Program, and a local net work television program cntitlcd“ Righ- teousness Exalts a N ation.” This pro gram is aired weekly and can be viewed in P ittsb u rg , W est P ittsb u rg , and Antioch, California. allory C hurch RENEW AL Profile of Brother Charles Edward Coleman I Evangelist Church of Christ Pittsburg, CA College. Bro. Coleman was added to the body o f C hrist in 1976, under the teach ing o f Evangelist Joe O. Pitts, Sr. serv ing the 13th Avenue Church o f Christ in O akland, CA. C harles’ mem bership remained at 13th Avenue for ten years, during which time he began preaching and tcachm gG od’s word. Bro. Coleman T «- •i. ¿Í M FREE READING BY PHONE 5 2 1 0 N. Kerby Charles Coleman was bom D e cem ber 4, 1955 in O akland, CA to M e lro se an d E rn e stin e C o le m a n . C harles com pleted 14 years of his ed u cation in O akland, w hich included M cOlymonds High School and Merritt / ’Vu* Church Office 116 N.E. Schuyler St. (503) 284-1954 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 5211 N. W illia m s P o rtla n d , O r. 97217 y •< < £ ( ■ » •■' r A* A T e a c h in g C hurch W ith A R e a c h in g M in istry Dr. Ja n ies E. M artin, S e n io r P astor T h e m e : “ R e s to re M y S o u l” i.’} - <Z A R a d io M in istry each S u n d a y , 8 :0 0 a.m . o n K B M S R ev. C o o p e r Spiritual R eader & Advisor C on cert: May 2 ,1 9 9 2 7 :0 0 -1 0 :0 0 p.m . * 1 0 :3 0 a.m . and 7 :0 0 p .m . 288-1092 503/281-2836 <><> W orsh ip S e r v ic e s 8 :0 0 a .m . & 1 1 :0 0 a.m . C h u rch S c h o o l 9 : 3 0 a.m . to 1 0 :3 0 a.m . B ib le S tudy, W e d n e sd a y s, 11 6 N .E . S c h u y le r Radio Ministry Each Sunday, 11:00 AM - KBMS (2 1 5 )3 3 3 -5 7 6 3 Cleodus Vann ¿"A Stone Tower Church, N.E. Sandy Blvd. & 30th G u a ra n te e d R e su lts in 24 H ours Fam ily Owned and Operated Since 1954 Serving the C ity o f Portland for over 37 years In your hour o f need Vann £- vann are there to serve C¿ Has moved Sunday services to DON’T GIVE UP!! u • *. • . •* habits of sin, such as drug addiction, sexual impurity, pornography,alcohol ism, thievery, violence, and also such evils as envy, filthy speech, gossip and slander (compare 1 C or 6:9-11). We need to com pletely break with these sins, and even with the pattern o f life that involved us in these sins. This will mean changing the places we go, or the close friends we hang out with, or the magazines and movies we choose. It will often mean seeking support from a trustworthy Christian brother or sister. But don’t give up and keep wallowing in sin! God has the power to break those old patterns, but you have to make up your mind to let his pow er work in you. (3) “ be holy in all manner o f con versation” (1:15-16). That literally means, “be set apart, be dedicated to God, in all you do.” We who know the Lord must be distinctive enough that no-one would mistake us for sinners. No doubt people will think some of our views arc foolish, or impractical, or out-of-date. We have to use our mind (# 1 above) to determine what the Lord wants us to do or say, and then choose to fear God instead o f conforming to the expectations of the world (1:17; Rom 12:2). Tim e will prove the Christian right. (4) “ that your faith and hope might be in G od” (1 Pet 1:21). We need to center our attention on our Father and his glory and m ajesty. We need to worship him, both in church meetings and in private “quiet tim es.” As we seek to know God better, w e’ll have less problem coping with the trials here below. W e’ll know G od’s mind about the difficult issues we face, and w e’ll have faith to follow his way. Most o f all, we will have a “lively hope” to carry us through with great joy— a hope based on the reality of C hrist’s resurrection, and our new life in him. Christ!) and it is a wonderful hope. The prospect o f seeing my Savior face to face gives me a reason to keep on in my faith; without that hope, Paul said, “we arc to be pitied more than all m en” (1 Cor 15:19, NIV). On the other hand, the hope we have in the Lord makes our life here and now all the more wonderful. All too ol ten Christians arc attacked as narrow minded, bigoted, uncaring and intoler ant. Such attacks are simply not true o f the vast majority of those who share the Christian hope. Those who know the Lord Jesus have been in the forefront o f every effort to relieve human suffering, to promote human dignity and equality o f all races and both genders, to respect human life created in the image o f God, whatever handicaps or outward lim ita tions we might sec. But the stereotypes o f passive or unloving Christians per sist. We shouldn’t be surprised at this. It’s part o f the trials of our faith (1 Pet 1:7), and G od’s truth has a way o f winning out in the end. But we still have responsibilities to our God, as a part of that “lively hope”— responsi bilities which will help us fully experi ence the joy of the Lord in our lives. Let’s list some of these for our mutual encouragement: (1) “gird up the loins o f your m ind, be sober” (1:13). The long robes and cloaks o f their fash ion greatly restricted rapid, purposeful movement. So when a man needed to run, or to work hard in farming or loading a ship or something, he would “gird up his loins” by picking up the loose ends o f his clothes and tying them around his waist with abelt. In asim ilar way, wc really need to get busy in the work of the Lord today, preparing our minds for hard work in study, prayer, witnessing, confronting evil in our society. I dare say that a lazy Christian will never be a joyful, attractive C hris tian. (2) “ not fashioning yourselves ac cording to the former lusts” (1:14). Many who now love the Lord Jesus were once involved in very destructive 1 MT OLIVET baptist C hurch -
