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www.LutheranMissions.org ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER # 100
I Cor. 16:9
"For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many
adversaries."
July 12, 2007
Prayers
Pray for our brother, Pastor Muzakuza, who is the head of our sister church
in Congo,
the ELCC. He has been suffering from malaria and typhoid and has had to be
in the hospital. There are possible complications. Offer thanks also
to God that Pastor D. Paul the head of our sister church, the BELC, is
recovering from his motorcycle accident. He now is going through physical
therapy.
Fellowship
One of the many ways we demonstrate our union together under His gracious
care and leadership is when CLC members visit sister churches overseas. This
October and November Larry Hansen of the CLC Mission Board and Pastor
Nathanael Mayhew will visit in Kenya
and Tanzania
and work among our brothers.
In India
sixteen CLC members will be working among our fellows believers in four
teams as follows:
CLCI Team
BELC Team 1
BELC Team 2
Pastor David
Baker
Pastor Todd Ohlmann
Pastor David Reim
Sandy Baker
Seminarian Mike Gurath Teacher
David Lueck
Heidi Maas
Rick
Nelson Alison
Hansen
Kate Friedrichs
Lee Klammer Laura
Hulke
Whitney Martin Danielle
Beekman
April Lillo
Danielle Ryan
(Nidubrolu)
(Chennai,
Vaniyambadi,
(Nellore, Kurnool,
Sri Kalahasti, Nagalapuram
Kadapa, Renigunta)
Chitoor)
Homiletics part 2
Witness
To just come right out and ask somebody what they think you smell like
might be offensive to them (or to you--if they give you a candid answer).
But most people care deeply about what others think of their particular odor.
Americans spend zillions of dollars every year on perfumes (Obsession -- $50
for 4 ounces) and cologne
(quality gentlemen's foo-foo sells for about $10.00 an ounce, too). But
those products just fix you from the neck up. Deodorants, special soaps,
body splashes and powders, breath mints and mouthwashes are also big ticket
items for the socially conscious.
If you need a good excuse to buy products that make you smell
pleasant, here it is. Now there is a new branch of scientific research
called "odor engineering." So far the researchers have tried
odor engineering only in the work place.
According to the publication Communication Briefings,
one Japanese firm reports that air scented with lavender cut key-punching
errors by 21 percent. Jasmine-scented air dropped errors by 33 percent
and lemon in the air was even better--this cut errors by 54 percent.
They determined that lavender reduces stress, jasmine relaxes and lemon
stimulates. Odors do make a difference.
This gives new significance to a Scripture that has always
intrigued me. "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those
who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the
smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life" (2 Cor. 2:15,16)
The odor engineers have not done any research as to what happens
to people (or a community) when a true believer comes around and gives
everybody a whiff of Christ. But Paul says this odor does make a
difference. The believer, with the knowledge and life of Christ, emits
(in a figurative way) the very smell of Christ's sweet sacrifice (note Eph.
5:2). We cannot buy it in a bottle. It does not ooze out of our
pores. It comes out in our attitudes, actions and words.
That sweet smell affects everybody around us. So it might
not be a bad idea to ask yourself, "What do I really smell like?"
If you know Christ your life smells good. And you will naturally make a
difference in all those around you.
BIBLE QUESTIONS -part
3
Who Approached Jesus about James and John?
Mt. 20:20-21 indicates that the mother
of James and John came to Jesus to request preferential treatment after He
comes into his kingdom. Mk. 10:35 states that it was James and John
themselves. It would not be unusual during those days for a mother and her
children to agree on such a request and then have the mother present it
first, followed by the sons.
What Did the Centurion and Soldiers Say at Jesus’ Death?
Both Mt. 27:54 and Mk. 15:39 indicate
that the soldiers exclaimed the same thing: “Surely He was the son of
God.” The only difference between the two is that Mark identified a
particular centurion (at the foot of the cross) and said “this man” in
place of “He.” Lk. 23:47, on the other hand, indicated a single
centurion saying, “Surely this was a righteous man.”
There were several soldiers and one
could easily imagine them all being impressed enough to exclaim various
remarks that each of the Gospel writers heard.
The Temptation of Jesus
Mt. 4:5-7 indicates that the second
temptation of Jesus is satan’s enticement to jump from the pinnacle of the
Temple—relying on the angels to save him. Lk. 4:5-12 makes the temptation
of “world empire” number two, but that does not mean that this was the
exact sequence. In Mt. we know it is the sequence because he uses the little
word “then” which points up first this and then that. “Then the
devil took Him…” Luke does not use this word. Witnesses can relate the
same things but don’t have to be in the same sequence. But looking at one
little word here, we can find out the truth. The Word of God interprets
itself.
Entering or Leaving Jericho?
Mt. 20:29 indicates that Jesus and His
disciples were leaving Jericho when he healed two blind men. Mk. 10:46-47
agrees with the leaving of Jericho but mentions only one blind man. Lk.
Mentions one blind man but indicates Jesus was entering Jericho. Of course
because one writer mentions only one of two does not eliminate that there
were two, unless he says specifically that there was only one. Mark names
the blind man(Bartimaeus), and Luke indicates a “certain blind man,”
indicating that one had some distinction. And as to entering or leaving
Jericho, we find out that there was an “old Jericho” and a “new
Jericho”, so that our Lord was leaving one as He entered the other
section.
Pastor Koenig
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B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER # 101
I Cor. 16:9
"For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are
many adversaries."
July 31, 2007
Homiletics part 3
A lesson From the Palm Tree
One can readily recall the words of Exodus
`15:27 which reads, "And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells
of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by
the waters." Think what a wonderful sight a grove of palms must
be to the wary and thirsty traveler on the desert! These trees not
only mean shelter from the blistering sun, but water to slake the thirst.
Palms grow where there is water, and they send down their tap roots to
water. Thus this tree is never without its testimony.
Those familiar with this most famous of all
bible trees know that it Bears Fruit in Old Age. The palm
never stops bearing fruit, even though it grows to a very old age.
The 14th verse of Psalm 92 states, "They shall still bring forth
fruit in old age." The tree is never on the retired list.
Too many of us are retired Christians. We get to the place where we
imagine we have done our share, so someone else can take over and carry on
the work. Recall the spirit of the old pioneers of Tombstone, who
were willing to die with their boots on, working and toiling to the very
last. Just as the palm grows for the ages, so should it be with all
the children of God. We are not shrubs, but trees. "He
shall be like a tree" -- that which abides.
Who among us is not familiar with the fact
that the Branches Are Symbols of Victory. In Revation 7:9,
the Apostle John caught the vision of the mighty multitude which no man
could number, standing "before the Lamb, clothed with white robes,
and palms in their hands." There were they who had come out of
great tribulation, and victory was theirs in the presence of their Lord.
It was a time of rejoicing. Are we symbols of victory? Do men
look at us and see some blessed evidence of the power of God operative in
our lives? Or must they behold evidences of defeat? God
forbid!
I exhort you, be a palm-tree Christian,
the praise and glory of His grace. What a blessing we can be to
others by living the upright palm tree life!
BIBLE QUESTIONS -part
4
What Was the Wording on the Cross?
John gives
us the clue to the different wording when he tells us that it was written
in three languages. It was in Latin which was the language of Pilate, and
in Greek which was the common language of Palestine, and in Hebrew or
Aramaic which the Jews spoke. The three versions then could have varied
slightly. The simple versions recorded in Mark and Luke may have been
written in Latin, which would be understandable to the Romans in the area.
Mk. 15:26, Lk. 23:38 Pilate could have added the name “Jesus” to the
Aramaic version since it may have been more appropriate to the locals who
followed Jesus. And Pilate could have decided to have Nazareth added also.
Mt. 27:37, Jn.19:19
How Long Was Jesus in the Tomb?
In Mt. 12:40 the Lord says, “as
Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish”
so He would be in the tomb. Here we find that Jewish use of idioms
include part days as full days. Therefore, Friday, Saturday(Sabbath),
and Sunday would constitute ‘ three days and three nights’
idiomatically.
The Fig Tree
Following Palm Sunday, Mt. makes
it clear that Jesus went straight to the Temple to expel the “money
changers” 21:10-12. He does not speak of “cursing the fig tree”
until verse 18. Mk., on the other hand, seems to indicate that the
“Temple incident” occurred after the cursing of the fig tree Mk.
11:12-16.
We have to understand the typical
writing style of the two men. Matthew tended to write in a topical
sense, placing importance on topics at the expense of strict chronology.
Mk. tended to write a strict chronology of events. Both Mt. and Mk.
agree that Jesus went immediately to the Temple upon His arrival on Palm
Sunday, Mt. 21:12, Mk. 11:11. Mark says that Jesus “looked around in
indignation,” and then returned to Bethany. They also agree that the
cursing of the fig tree occurred the day after Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem,
when He was on His way back to the Temple.
What about the Two Genealogies of Jesus?
Lk. 3 – This genealogy was based
on Mary, the human side of Jesus. Matthew was the more common genealogy
given through the line of males to Joseph, husband of Mary. This is not
surprising since Lk. was a physician who dealt with human problems and
Mt.
was a tax collector who dealt with
legal issues(transferred through males). Jesus was the legal heir. There
is evidence of this in the Greek. In the case of Lk. 3:23 the clue is
given in the words, “He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph.”
This calls attention to the only human parent-Mary.
Mt. 1 deals strictly with the
legal line down through Joseph. The Greek word for begot is used in the
entire genealogy from Abraham to Joseph. However Joseph is not said to
have begotten Jesus. Instead the Greek calls Joseph the “husband of
Mary” through whom Jesus was born.
Pastor Koenig
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