Newspapers / The Future Outlook (Greensboro, … / Jan. 29, 1971, edition 1 / Page 2
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TWO THE FUTUR J. F. Johnson Miss Emma P. Johnson L. A. Wise Make all checks pa: THE FUTUR P. 0. Box 20831 ? GRI PHONE Second Class Postage F 10c Per Copy Published St. Matthews m. m new < By MISS ANN Last Sunday's chilling : on the opening services at t thews United Methodist Chi and Florida Streets, as a ir gregated to consecrate the The sanctuary over filled it dreds of other people stood throughout an unusually len members, visiting friends a The church's three choi Anthem of Praise," with Mi: of Music, at the organ, acc< Shipp, Director of the You Church's Gospel Choir was i A. Lindsey, District Superint dist Conference, led "The Ca The Pastor, Reverend , the services, and was assisl former Pastor of St. Matth< Phelps, retired Minister in t The Consecration Sermo Reverend Earl G. Hunt, Jr., 1 lotte Area of The United M? In his sermon, Bishop H to reflect on past experience ity. In tracing the work of Christianity, itself, he spok experience today, diminishin contrasted with periods of < men as Jonathan Edwards caused men to tremble in tl sermons; men like Billy Sund Luther King, among others, Christianity alive. ' Bishop Hunt further er Christ now, in our changing confusion on every hand. He TT A 1? x nouBe muai connnue to serve established, that of saving m< title, "Gentlemen! The King! Christ to be sincerely able t to the world in the sense o: representatives. His closing r building of this structure, an thews Church to stand out ii instrumental in drawing othe "I salute the pastor and pe< Methodist Church upon the i new edifice." Following the singing ii Church's One Foundation," neyr edifice by the Bishop, t companying ministers, the m concluded. The afternoon services Bishop and his choirs of tl Church conducted, witnessec came to join in the laying c Sit. Matthews new church. TH E OUTLOOK Editor & Publisher News Reporter Staff Photographer yable to and mail to: IE OUTLOOK SENSBORO, N. C. 27420 273-1758 aid at Greensboro, N. C. I Weekly $6.00 Per Year i Consecrates Church IE B. HERBIN rains had no apparent effect he new ultramodern St. Matarch, the corner of Asheboro tassive integrated crowd conrecently constructed edifice, s capacity of 350 while hun-r-?r> f inr?4-l tt -Cm 4-V? ^ yauicui/ij in uic V/iiuuiar nail gthy service to worship with nd dignitaries. rs combined in singing "The 3s Juanita G. Wells, Director smpanied by Mrs. Carrye B. th Choir, at the piano. The part of the group. Dr. Julian ondent of Greensboro Metho.nticle of Praise." loseph Bethea presided over ted by Dr. James C. Peters, ;ws, and the Reverend G. M. he district. n was delivered by the Right Presiding Bishop of the Charsthodist Church. unt brought the congregation s and strengths of Christianthe Methodist Church, and e of the changing times we g influences of the church as ihurch history wherein such of the Revolutionary Period heir seats, from his stirring tay, Billy Graham, Dr. Martin who in our times, have kept nphasized the importance of world amidst this period of reiterated the fact that God's s the purpose for which it was in from their sins. His unique " appealed to those who know 0 present Him to others, and f dignity and loyalty as His emarks were a tribute to the id the adjoinment of St. Matn the community as a tower, rs to Christ. Said the Bishop, >ple of St. Matthews United completion of their beautiful 1 unison of the hymn, "The the Act of Consecrating the bp PrpqiHinor Po?tor on/I ? orning worship services were which the Reverend Cecil tie neighboring A.M.E. Zion 1 another record crowd that )f The Corner Stone, at "Hie ... L..1 al E TOTURE OUTLOJ THIS WEEK'S THE BASIS OF GOD'S REWARDS Beginning Where You Are "What kind of rewards can I expect?" The question is not just that of Peter and the disciples but of every one of us. We are a practical, pragmatic people, taught from earliest infancy that results are what count in this life. The commencement speaker may say, "It matters not whether you win or lose. It's how you play the game." But coaches and bosses are well aware that "good guys finish last" and "winners take all." How does God reward the good man? This is one of the most persistent questions in the Bible. Are there real rewards and punishments in this life administered with even-handed justice by a good God? Or do the swindler, the shyster, and the fixer get all the gravy? The psalmists were deeply troubled by this problem as they looked about and saw the wicked flourishing like the greet bay tree. They had to face the galling fact that righteousness did not always pay off in houses and land, and that grafters and chiselers seemed somehow to rake in most of the winnings. In Fiddler on the Hoof, Tevye is a hard-pressed Jewish dairy farmer with a big family ol daughters. He complains to God. "It's no shamo to Ko ooo but it's no great honor either." If only he were a rich man! He goes on to dream of what that would be like. It would even give him more time to read the Scriptures and to say his prayers. "What's in it for me?" is the question, spoken or unspoken, men have asked throughout all history. If God does indeed reward the good man, is it only in spiritual coin? Or does he pay off in more tangible ways, in currency that can pay the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, the mortgage company, and even the funeral director? But some rewards cannot be reckoned in such material terms. In an old cartoon a father, speaking to a prospective sonin-law, says, "Whoever gets my daughter will get a prize." The young suitor replies, "Sir, do you mind if I see the prize?" Even SO. Pflrh of n? I , , v. w W -ClUJ/VCU to press God about the terms o< this life. If the reward is not In cash but in more personal terms, we need to be shown. We need to rethink our notions of work and reward, of our deserving, and of God's giving. Most of all, we need to look at what Jesus is saying in the Gospels about the nature of God himself and how life at its best is organized. Are the real and enduring rewards given out on payday? Are there genuine _ re. "* i 3K FR SUNDAY SCHi wards that are less visible though nonetheless real? All this is suggested whenever we ask, "What's in it for me?" Searching The Scriptures The Scripture for this lesson is Matthew 19:23 through 20:16. Selected verses are printed below. Matthew 20:1-16 1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers 1 for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And i going out about the third hour ! he saw others standing idle in i the market place. 4 and to them i he said, 'You go into the vine yard, and whatever is right 1 I will give you.' So they went. 5 i Going out again about the sixth I hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and iouna otners stanaing; ana ne said to them, *Why do you stand , here idle all day?' 7 They said i to him, 'Because no one has i hired us.' He said to them, "You i go into the vineyard too.* 8 And when evening came, the owner , of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages beginning with , the last; up to the first' 8 And , when those hired about the | eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, 12 saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' 13 But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to yoiv and go; 1 choose to give to this last as I give to you. IS 1 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to 1 me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' 16 So the last will i be first, and the first last" Memory Seeetloi The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. ?Psalms 103:8 ' Exploring The Questions When the rich young ruler , turned sorrowful!v avsv ? * UVUJ I Jesus, Jesus said to his disciples, ; "It will be hard for a rich man , to enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:23) The disciples : reacted with shocked surprise, i for they had thought wealth was a sign of God's favor. According ; to Matthew, Jesus then told the i puzzling parable we are studyi ing in this lesson. It raises many questions. S*ka.'a<-;'V IDAY, JANUARY 29, 1971 DOL LESSON 1. What is really the basis for God's dealings with his children? This is the first and basic question in this lesson. If our good or evil actions in this life bring real rewards or punishments, how are these governed by a just God? Is God's reign one in which we reap exactly what we sow, or is his rule a different kind in which love has the last answer? Is God both a God of law and a God of grace? If so, how are the two related? 2. How has man's idea of reward changed from earlier, more primitive times? Are we still tempted to think in terms of God's serving man's immediate interests ? winning bis battles, granting him good crops and long life, as a reward for obedient service? How did Jesus criticize the ideas of reward current in his time? How did he say God's love and justice operate both now and in the age to come? Was Jesus a revolutionary in suggesting that the last shall be first, that God's ways are not our ways? How did he feel God rewards the faithful in his kingdom? 3. The parable of the laborers in the vineyard suggesta that the attitude of men toward their reward is all-important. Jesus u/Qc nAintino miaa ^i?o wuvc wftnm au inner dimension of life that is easily lost to sight in any simple legal formula of reward and punishment As elsewhere in the Gospels, he is focusing on man's inner motives. Why do we obey God and seek to do right by our neighbor? Is it only for what we may get? Is real love seen only when it is stripped of rewards, poured out without regard to the other person's response, simply because love is God's way? 4. If we truly love and trust God,, what does this attitude suggest as to specific ways we can respond to God? How can it revolutionize our relationships with friends and family? How does this attitude lead to a life of new freedom and joy? Can we measure our actions solely by how others respond to us. whether happily or violently? Or must we keep the faith even when rebuff and division ensue? Finding Help With Tour Question With this parable, as with others, we must first examine the situation in which Jesus told it Then we will be better able to understand what he meant to say and what he did not mean. This procedure is particularly Important in Interpreting the parable in this lesson. God'* Onrfltwfaif Graem The parable of the laborer* (Continued on Pace T)
The Future Outlook (Greensboro, N.C.)
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Jan. 29, 1971, edition 1
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