Mindful


Good News for all the People


by Paul Boeker, Editor


One message of Christmas is that there are no “races” of mankind. Te relatedness of all people is one of the truths woven throughout Scripture. In contrast to that is the Darwinian evolutionary concept of “races.” Perhaps it was Linnaeus who formalized the concept of “races” with his five species of humans: Americanus, Europeanus, Asiaticus, Aficanus, Monstrosus. (See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_racism#Carl_Linnaeus for his detailed but silly descriptions of each “race.”) Hitler took the cue from Darwinian evolution to claim a superior race, the “noble” Aryan race, to which all others were inferior and should be eliminated. Tis led the Nazis to carry out the genocide of millions of Jews, Roma (Gypsies), Slavs and Afro-Germans. But Job acknowledged that God made both him and his ser-


vants: “Did not he who made me in the womb make him?/And did not one fashion us in the womb?” (Job 31:15). Paul affirmed that “[God] made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth …” (Acts 17:24-26). Te Angel who visited the shepherds also proclaimed this


truth: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” [emphasis added] (Luke 2:10). Te Greek article the emphasizes that people are to be seen as a unit, not as a mix of races. Jesus was not just for the Jews. He was the Savior of the world. In one of the out-of-Gospel Advent passages, Paul reminded


Titus that “Te grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.” One of the hymns of Revelation (5:9,10) celebrates the work


of Jesus the Lion and Lamb in bringing salvation to all people: Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people


for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.


May you celebrate Christmas filled with joy from the giſt of


salvation, with faith in the justification of Christ, with love from the acceptance of God, and with hope of Jesus’ return!


Crosspoint Bible Church – Lead Pastor


Crosspoint is a multi-generational evangelical Bible church of about 450 attendees in Omaha, Nebraska, known for solid Biblical teaching, for being a caring community where members support and pray for each other, for ministries across the spectrum to men, women, and children (VBS/Awana®), and for a history of longevity of pastors serving. Due to retirement, we are seeking a lead pastor. Under the authority of a congregationally elected board of


elders, the lead pastor will be our primary teaching pastor, will provide leadership and oversight to pastoral staff and ministry leaders, and will administer the overall shepherding ministry of the church. We are looking for a graduate from an accredited evangelical


seminary who is committed to an orthodox understanding of the Christian faith and exegetical preaching. You will show a calling to and giſting for pastoral ministry, be committed to personal and professional growth, possess a servant-oriented leadership style, and lead a lifestyle congruent with the Biblical require- ments for leaders.


Begin the application process at crosspointbible.org/pastoralsearch.


It's "Yay” Time! Last December I was working a puzzle with my three-


year-old grandson. He found a piece and correctly identified the shape as a trapezoid. I said, “Yay, Car- son!” He responded, “It’s not ‘Yay’ time yet, Grand- ma. The puzzle isn't done yet.” When the puzzle was completed, he said, “Now it’s ‘Yay’ time!” — and clap and cheer we did. It was Advent, and I thought about that often. When Christmas came, it would be ‘Yay’ time as we cele- brate Christ's birth once again. —Ruth Ann Ridder Markhofer


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Fellowship Focus, November/December 2018


FellowshipForward.org


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