Page «....The Portland Observer ...May 6, 1992
Port/and Observer
Scripture o f the "Week
RELIGION
Matthew, Chapter 7
Insight on the Word: The Meaning of Suffering for the Christian
BY MICHAEL LINDSEY,
Dean o f North Portland Bible College
The Bible text for next w eek’s
Sunday School lesson is 1 Peter 3:13-
1 8 ;4 :l- 2 ,7 - ll, W e encourage you to
read and study each o f these scriptures
carefully this week, and then to join
with other Bible-believing Christians
this M others Day to worship the Lord.
This week the Sunday School text
is three separate passages in 1 Peter 3
and 4, and it deals with several im por
tant them es of the Epistle. Our com
m entary will narrow the focus to just
one o f those themes, the C hristian’s
response to suffering, for this is the
m ost im portant single issue Peter deals
with. If we understand suffering the
way G od does, we will have much less
anxiety in life, and more confidence to
share our faith with others.
I stand am azed sometimes to read
or hear Christian people teaching that
suffering is not G od’s will for his chil
dren— that poverty or sickness or ad
versity result from a lack o f faith. I ’m
am azed because I know all too well the
suffering o f many great men and women
o f faith throughout church history,
people who suffered loss o f everything
because o f their faith, and many even
died because they would not renounce
theirfaith. In Hebrews 11, the record o f
heroes o f the faith, we read:
. . . others were tortured, not ac
cepting deliverance,. . . And others had
trial o f cruel mockings and scourgings,
yea, moreover of bonds and im prison
ment: They were stoned, they were
sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain
with the sword: they wandered about in
sheepskins and goatskins; being desti
tute, afflicted, torm ented__ And these
a l l . . . obtained a good report through
faith. (Heb 11:35-39)
If you have come to Christ, expect
ing a life of happiness and prosperity
and spiritual blessing, then you have
been misled. The Christian can expect
to be ridiculed, dispised, misunderstood,
ostrasized, and discriminated against.
In many parts o f the world today, the
Christian can still expect to suffer im
prisonment, torture and even death.
So why should anyone become a
Christian? Because the Christian faith
is true, and those who follow Jesus
C hrist will have a joy, and peace o f
heart, and confidence that will over
whelm the watching world. Jesus gave
this word to his disciples: “These things
I have spoken unto you, that in me ye
might have peace. In the world ye shall
have tribulation: but be of good cheer;
I have overcom e the w orld” (John
16:33).
Peter instruc ts believers in the prac-
tical issues o f suffering as part o f the
Christian life. So as we center our
attention on 1 Peter, we learn that we
must distinguish between suffering for
doing evil and suffering for doing good.
Peter knew that some Christians were
suffering disgrace or rejection, or even
governmental judgm ent, because they
were doing illegal or immoral things:
“let none o f you suffer as a murderer, or
as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a
busybody in other m en’s m atters” (1
Pet 4:15).
Others found themselves in disfa
vor because they were preaching an
unpopular message about righteous
ness, about Jesus Christ as the one and
only way to know God and receive
eternal life (John 14:6; A cts4:12; 1 Pel
3:15). In the first century many people
accepted many different religious ideas,
drawn from the eastern religions o f
Persia and India, as well as the classi
cal religions o f Egypt, Greece and
Rome. The Christians stood out be
cause they taught and believed in the
uniquenessofJesusofN azareth. Chris
tians are still labeled intolerant and
closeminded today. Wc are also ridi
culed because we don’t live the im
moral life of people around us (4:3-4).
We need to be careful, as C hris
tians, not to do things in the name o f a
Christian cause, which contradict the
Christian faith. For example, if we are
convinced that abortion is the destruc
tion o f a human life (and that is the
clear teaching o f the B ible), we need to
speak out clearly and consistently
against it. We may even protest this
abominable practice by public dem on
stration. No doubt, we will be ridi
culed and rejected; our ideas and words
will be twisted and then denounced.
But this is suffering for speaking the
truth in love.
But if a Christian thinks he is
serving the Lord by destroying the
property of a medical (abortion) clinic,
or harrassing or physically restaining
women from entering a clinic for an
abortion, that Christian is sadly m is
taken. S uchactsw ill be punished by the
state, as they should be. Let no-one
think such a believer is suffering as a
Christian.
On the other hand, many C hris
tians are working together, through or
ganizations like Crisis Pregnancy C en
ters, to help women and teenage girls
through a crisis situation. They are
showing C hrist’s love to those in need,
and often giving these women in crisis
situations access to options they didn’t
hear about from abortion clinics or
Planned Parenthood centers. The C ri
sis Pregnancy Centers have also been
attacked in the press, and by pro-choice
groups. But their compassion for both
the mother and the unborn child, and
their consistent witness within the laws
o f our society, give a powerful refuta
tion to their opponents.
So in summary, followers o f Jesus
should live lives o f love and com pas
sion and upright behavior, as God di
rects them— even though people in the
world around them may not agree with
that. Notice how often in this epistle on
suffering, that Peter tells us to walk in
love (1:22; 3:8-9; 4:7-8). T hat’s the
right response for trying times.
Sometimes trials can’t be avoided,
even when w e’re living upright, moral,
love-filled lives. People will often ac
cuse Christians o f various immoral or
unpopular behaviors; sometimes our
accusers are malicious, but often they
are misinformed or misled, and their
questions show a real desire for under
standing. T h at’s why we need to be
prepared with a wise answ er for those
who come asking for one.
L et’s never fall back on an old
gospel cliche, like “ I don’t need a
reason, I just know it’s true”, or “It
works for me, and it’ll work for you.”
If w e’re bluntly honest, w e’ll have to
adm it that other religions seem to
“work” for their adherents; such prag
matic evidence does not prove that any
religion has the complete truth about
God, man and salvation.
W hat we need is to use our minds,
to be aw are o f the argum ents given
against faith in Christ, think through
the Bible’s teachings for a response,
and prepare to share our answ er (1 Pet
3:15). Throughout church history,
people have challenged the Christians
to defend their hope in Christ. And
throughout history, God has raised up
“apologists” to respond with thought
ful, logical argum ents to the attacks o f
intellectuals. And G od’s people have
used these brothers and sisters’ writ
ings to arm them selves with an answer
for whatever attacks come against them.
I would encourage you to read the
works of men who stand up for the faith
in a well-reasoned response— men like
C S Lew is, Tony Evans, Tom Skinner,
or A nthony C am polo. They will
strengthen your own faith, and prepare
you to deal with the often painful
attacks on your beliefs.
The m ost encouraging aspect of
our suffering for the faith, is the One
Dorsey & Spears Honored
over 40 countries sharing the Gospel of
our Lord and Savior through song. She
sings in seven different languages. Rev.
M ondaine’ presented her with the 88-
Keys Gospel Globetrotter Award for
1992.
In 1991, last year, Terry Davis,
song writer, keyboardist and vocalist,
became the first award recipient of the
88-Keys Gospel Award.
This year’s award recipient was
M attie Ann Callier-Spears. She shared
that she has been singing since the
tender age o f six. “I can remember
mimicking the singers on the radio. I
wanted my voice to soar like the an
gels,” she said with tears in her eyes. “ It
is not easy being out here carry G od’s
I
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BY TEAL N. THOMPSON
The Celebration Tabernacle held
its second annual “Eighty-eight Keys
Evening o f G ospel.”
The church was filled to capacity.
People cam e to praise and lift up the
name of the most wonderful Lord Jesus
Christ.
The pastor Rev. Elbert M ondaine’,
served as the M.C. over the evening’s
festivities. The Celebration Singers, a
young and up-coming group o f eight
voices and six instrumentalist sang their
hearts happy. They started the evening
off with the comforting works “ His Eye
is on the Sparrow and I know that He
W atches M e.”
The program featured the sounds
of -- Grace & Truth, In His Name,
sounds o f victory, New Song and com
munity A.M.E. Zion, from Vancouver,
W ashington.
“Evening o f Eighty-Eight Keys
M usical” is presented each year with
the hopes o f raising enough money to
assist in the musical education of some
up and coming gospel artist in the Port-
land/Vancouver area who has dem on
strated the desire to lift up the name of
Jesus through G ospel M usic. Rev.
M ondaine’ shared his vision with the
audience. He stated that as a child he
always knew that he would play the
piano. He can remember pretending to
play the keyboard on the window sill. It
w asn’t until he was twenty-one was he
able to pursue his dream. He now plays
the keyboards - but, he says that there
is so much more to be learned. It is his
hopes to provide an avenue that will
assist others as they reach for their
dream s in gospel music and to recog
nize those who have been laboring in
the field for a long time.
Ms. W illa Dorsey, who is a world
renowned Gospel singer, for the past
thirty years, was recognized for her
many contributions to Gospel music.
She said, “This is the first time that a
local pastor has taken the time to recog
nize my ministry in such a manner. I am
so full.” A fter receiving her award she
sang her arrangem ent o f “ Yes! Jesus
Loves M e” and she was acknowledged
overwhelmingly. Ms. Dorsey shared
that she has been to six continents and
W ord in song,” Callier-Spears rem em
bers. “ Many, many times you will not
receive any pay or gratitude but go
anyway," were her words to the young
audience of musicians. She has trav
elled the United States presenting con
certs, revivals, retreats, and prison min
istries. S he carries the W ord and song to
the downs and outs. She said, “ Many
times I did not know how I was going to
get there or how I was going to gel the
money to go but god would open doors,
that I could not see, and He provided a
way to get me there and back and even
put money in my pocket that I was not
expecting.”
Ms. Callier-Spears waschosen from
a group of three nominees, who in
C hurch
3908
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Radio Ministry each Sunday, 8:00 a.m. on KBMS
•’
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A Teaching Church With A Reaching Ministry
Dr. James E. Martin, Senior Pastor
Church Office 116 N.E. Schuyler St.
(503) 284-1954
• • •*> ‘
*
Albina Ministerial Alliance Head
Start
May 16, 1992
Portland Community College -
Cascade Campus
705 N. Killingsworth
Cascade Hall Auditorium
5:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Suggested donations: $1.50 in
advance; $2.00 at door; children
under 12 free.
of
Allen Temp le CMECk urch
Psalm 34:3
4236 NE Eighth Avenue
(corner of 8th £ Skidmore)
Portland, Oregon 97211
(503) 287-0261
S. Nelson Pastor
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M a llo ry Avenue
Christian Church
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C h r
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God's Presence promises
Power through Jesus Christ In
Good Times and Bad Times
Afcttfiecu //:&$
"Come to me all you who ore
weary and heavy laden and I
will give you rest”
9:45am
11:00am
7:30pm
Sunday School
Morning Worship
Tuesday Bible
Study and Prayer
Inter-racial Congregation
Denise FI. Bell, Pastor
126 N.€. Riberta t Portland, OR 97211 t (503) 288-5173
6:00 pm.
Attended nursery for all
services
W ednesday prayer meeting
and bible study
7:30 pm.
Radio Ministry Each Sunday, 11:00 AM - KBMS
288-1092
jBL Jfetul iHfttsstanaru
ÿ a p tts t (íttfurcíf
8101 N. Fiske Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97203
Church Pho.te: 2 8 9 -0 1 4 7
Study Phone: 2 89 -1 9 11
Sunday Service
10:45
Sunday School
9 :3 0
Bible Study
6:00
Evening Service
7 :0 0
Pastor. Rev James C E Faulkner
Themes Whatever you're going to do
for the Lord, do it now
R E S TO R IN G
N E W TESTAMENT C H R ISTIAN ITY
I P eter lv .1 1
V J
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i s c i p
AVENUE
Evening Worship
Minister Gregory Fobbs
Jesus Loves You!
C hrist
Bible Study
9:30 am .
Morning Worship
10:45 am .
M en’s Training Leadership
Women's Bible Class
5:00 pm.
Stone Tower Church,
N.E. Sandy Blvd. & 30th
r. .
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“Woodlawn's Children in
Motion”
SUNDAY SCHEDULE
H a s m oved Sunday services to
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 7:00 p.m.
Fashion/Talent Show
NE M A L L O R Y
BAPTIST CHURCH
if.
Announcement
M allory
M t O livet
‘ *. V;.
cluded: Tammie Drayton, Expressions
of Praise Dance Ministry and spiritually
impressive Signer and Carey Simms,
and extraordinary Gospel instrumental
ist on woodwind (saxophone). Every
o n e sa t in w o n d e rm e n t as R ev.
M ondaine” opened the sealed enve
lope. He announced, “And the winner
of this year’s award is ... Ms. Mattie
Ann C allier-S pears.” The audience
stood to its feet as the recipient made
her way to the front.
Special congratulations to Ms.
Dorsey and Ms. Callier-Spears for their
work in the field of Gospel music. C on
tinue the good work!
Ms. Callier-Spears is presently en
gaged in the recording of a long awaited
album of gospel songs.
who suffered for us first. Jesus C hrist’s
sufferings are the basis o f our salvation
(1:11,18-19; 3:18); in his own suffer
ing, he also left us “an exam ple, that ye
should follow his steps” (2:21). Peter
tells us that we need to recognize and
follow Jesus’ exam ple o f suffering.
How did Jesus handle false accu
sations, and rejection, and physical
torture, and death? Peter sums up the
whole gospel record when he writes,
"H e com m itted no sin, and no deceit
was found in his mouth. When they i
hurled their insults at him, he did not
retaliate; when he suffered, he made no
threats. Instead, he entrusted him self
to him [God the Father] who judges '
justly” (2:22-23, NIV). It’s hard not to
return insult for insult, to use love to
cover other’s sins (3:9; 4:8). But Jesus
showed us how powerfully love could
conquer evil, as he gave his life on the
cross. Dr. King showed us how to
channel G od’s love in non-violent ac
tion, which crossed all racial and social
barriers of our society. Such love
doesn’t prevent us from suffering, but
it does make our suffering worthwhile,
and indeed powerful.
The frustration of youth in our
cities, raised to the boiling point by the
court decision in the Rodney King
case, may make Jesus’ example seem
irrelevantoroutofdate. Unfortunately,
the suffering o f so many in these riots
will only create more hurt, broken
people, unless they turn to Christ and
follow his steps. That is our sorrow
today, but it is also our hope.
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