B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER # 100

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:

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