Epistle for June 12, 2015
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E-Pistle
FreeWay Foundation June 12, 2015
Astonished, amazed, afraid, & ashamed
(Mark 10:1-52)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Jesus taught about marriage and divorce, vv. 1-12.
2. Jesus blessed the little children; He counseled the rich young
ruler who went away rather than following Him, vv. 13-23.
3. Jesus taught that all things are possible with God; He again
predicted His death and resurrection, vv. 24-34.
4. Jesus taught that true greatness involves serving others; He
healed blind Bartimaeus, vv. 35-52.
II. Meditation: on the reactions of the disciples as they followed Jesus
1. The disciples were ASTONISHED at Jesus' teaching on how to
enter the kingdom of heaven, vv. 24, 26.
2. They were AMAZED at Jesus' courageous march toward His
destiny; to die in Jerusalem, v. 32.
3. They were AFRAID of the dangers awaiting them as they
accompanied Jesus into the city, v. 32.
4. They were ASHAMED of their unworthy desire to be served
rather than to be a servant to others, v. 45.
III. Revelation: on the spiritual implications seen here
1. Jesus' teachings about spiritual things often are opposite
from what "common sense" teaches. (See Isaiah 55:8-9)
2. Jesus deliberately controlled the situation and circumstances
leading to his crucifixion . . . He came to die! (See Mark 10:45)
3. Fear is the opposite of faith; fear of the unknown future can be
overcome only by walking step by step with Jesus.
4. A Christian's calling is to serve others in Jesus' name, not to be
served; Jesus set the example for us by ministering rather than
receiving ministry from others.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Study and meditate daily on God's word, realizing that spiritual
truths only are discerned through the enlightenment from the
Holy Spirit. (See I Corinthians 2:10-16)
2. Discover God's destiny for my life, and single-mindedly pursue
that pathway . . . until my life on earth is over.
3. Walk close to Jesus, where faith increases and fear decreases.
4. Dedicate my life to serving others in Jesus' name, with little
regard for human self-preservation or personal comfort.
is it nothing to all you who pass by?
(Lamentations 1:1-22)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the author and background of this book
1. Although the author is not named, most Old Testament scholars claim that
Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah, II Chronicles 35:25.
2. Second Kings and Second Chronicles describe the moral decline of Judah,
closing with the destruction of Jerusalem, the burning of the temple, the
capture of King Zedekiah, and the carrying into exile all but the poorest
Jews by the Babylonians.
3. Laments are cries of mourning and grief; they are heartfelt expressions of
deep sorrow.
4. Lamentations contains five poems: the first four are acrostics with each
stanza beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet; the 3rd
chapter has 66 verses (3 verses per stanza); the 5th chapter has 22 verses
(as do chapters 1, 2, and 4) but it is not an acrostic.
II. Meditation: on some key ideas of this chapter
1. Jerusalem (often depicted as a woman by the prophets) here is reduced
to being a widow; she used to be a princess but now she is a slave, v. 1.
2. Her collapse was awesome, and she had no comforter because "she did
not consider her destiny," v. 9 . . . she blindly chose her own future doom
according to God's law of cause and effect: sin brings punishment.
3. Twice the prophet-poet has Jerusalem speak in this chapter: "O Lord
behold my affliction," v. 9, and, "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass
by?" v. 11.
4. Poetic metaphors portraying suffering in this chapter include fire, a net, a
yoke, and a winepress, vv. 13-15.
III. Revelation: on the themes about suffering seen in Lamentations
1. The Jew's suffering was a result of their sins, 1:5, 2:14, 3:42, 4:13, and 5:16.
2. Their suffering came from God, rather than from men and their suffering
could and should direct them toward God, 1:13, 15, 2:1, 4, 3:4, 37-38.
3. Suffering and prayer need to be linked together, with the prayer to God
always containing a ray of hope, 3:21-24, 31-32, 58-66.
4. They were to submit to their suffering with patience, realizing that the
suffering would end when God's will had been accomplished, 3:26-32.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to realize that . . .
1. Sin brings God's discipline, often in the form of suffering, Hebrews 12:5-11.
2. Suffering is God's method of teaching me valuable spiritual lessons.
3. My prayers for help always should contain hope, for God love me!
4. Suffering produces the Christian grace of patience, James 1:3.
Pillsbury-Scarborough Bible College & Seminary
The Board of Regents voted unanimously on April 17, 2015 to merge Pillsbury College & Seminary and
Scarborough Bible Institute into one institution. Scarborough Bible Institute had been operating
independently, offering non-credit classes and seminars for adults. The new school will be known
as Pillsbury-Scarborough Bible College & Seminary, beginning June 1, 2015. Dr. Curt Scarborough,
founder of the school in 1991, will continue as Chancellor and Acting President. The Board is seeking
to fill the president's position by year's end.
During its 24-year history, Pillsbury College & Seminary graduated 1,241 students . . . more than 50%
of these graduating within the last three years. Primarily a distance-learning institution, the school
presently has about 450 students enrolled in more than half of the US states and over a dozen foreign
nations. Over the years, Pillsbury has offered two basic tracks (Biblical Studies and Christian Counseling)
leading to associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees. The graduate-level counseling tracks also
qualify graduates for licensure and board certification through NCCA.
Beginning in 2016, Pillsbury-Scarborough Bible College & Seminary plans to add a complete new track:
Spiritual Development, using as its core curriculum several books written by Dr. Robert Loggins, a
member of the Board of Regents.
Pillsbury-Scarborough is accredited by the Accrediting Commission International, and is recognized as
an authorized Certified Academic Institution by the Nation Christian Counselors Association. The school
also holds membership in the Institute of Theological Studies, the Academic Council for Educational
Accountability, and the Association of Independent Christian Colleges and Seminaries.
"Whether he was good, bad, or indifferent, he was the Lord's,
and nothing that was the Lord's was a thing to be neglected."
Mark Twain from "Wit and Wisecrack"
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