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The Galilean

The Galilean: Part 2

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Dwight K. Nelson

Dwight Nelson served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University from 1983 to 2023. During his time at Pioneer he spoke on the “New Perceptions” telecast, taught at the theological seminary and has written books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.

Offering

Part 2 of a 5 Part series
Saturday, September 07, 2013

More In This Series

08/31/2013
The Galilean: Following Jesus in an Iconic World - 1
Part 1 of a 5 Part series
09/28/2013
The Galilean: Part 3
Part 3 of a 5 Part series
10/05/2013
The Galilean: Good-Bye Shame - 4
Part 4 of a 5 Part series
10/12/2013
The Galilean: Grace Notes for Dis-Grace - 5
Part 5 of a 5 Part series
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“The Galilean”—2

www.pmchurch.tv

□ His Vulnerability

  •   John 6:66, 67
  •   William Shakespeare, Julius Caeser: “Et tu, Brute?”
  •   Oswald Chambers: “Jesus Christ’s life was an absolute failure from every standpoint but God’s.” (My Utmost for His Highest 218)
  •   Ellen White: “As the world’s Redeemer, Christ was constantly confronted with failure.” (Desire of Ages 678)
  •   Isaiah: “He said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.’ But I said,

    ‘I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the

    LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God." (Isaiah 49:3-4)

  •   Anne Lamott: “My fear of failure has been lifelong and deep. If you are what you do—and I think

    my parents may have accidentally given me this idea—and you do poorly, what then? It’s over; you’re wiped out. All those prophecies you heard in the dark have come true, and people can see the real you, see what a schmendrick you are, what a fraud.” (Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith 142)

 “The review in the newspaper the next day was not very good. But by then I’d figured out the gift of failure, which is that it breaks through all that held breath and isometric tension about needing to look good: it’s the gift of feeling floppier. One of the things I’ve been most afraid of had finally happened, with a whole lot of people watching, and it had indeed been a nightmare. But sitting with all that vulnerability, I discovered I could ride it.” (Ibid 143)

□  My Vulnerability

  •   What if the Galilean’s kind of vulnerability became ours?
  •   #1—You and I would be a lot more vulnerable with God.
    •   Ellen White: “Never can the cost of our redemption be realized until the redeemed shall stand with the Redeemer before the throne of God. Then as the glories of the eternal home burst upon our enraptured
      senses we shall remember that Jesus left all this for us, that He not only became an exile from the heavenly courts, but for us took the risk of failure and eternal loss.” (Desire of Ages 131)
    •   Philip Yancey: “Unless I level with God—about bitterness over an unanswered prayer, grief over loss, guilt over an unforgiving spirit, a baffling sense of God’s absence—that relationship, too, will go nowhere. I may continue going to church, singing hymns and praise choruses, even addressing God politely in formal prayers, but I will never break through the intimacy barrier. ‘We must lay before Him what is in us, not what ought to be in us,’ wrote C. S. Lewis. To put it another way, we must trust God with what God already knows.” (Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? 42)
  •   #2—You and I would be a lot more vulnerable with faith.
  •   #3—You and I would be a lot more vulnerable with each other.
    •   Brene Brown: “We love seeing raw truth and openness in other people, but we’re afraid to let them see it in us.” (Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead 41)
    •   “Vulnerability is based on mutuality and requires boundaries and trust. It’s not oversharing, it’s not purging, it’s not indiscriminate disclosure, and it’s not celebrity-style social media information dumps. Vulnerability is about sharing our feelings and our experiences with people who have earned the right to hear them. Being vulnerable and open is mutual and an integral part of the trust-building process.” (Ibid 44, 45)
    •   GROW Groups

□  His Vulnerability

  •   Naked
  •   “Be ye therefore vulnerable as your Savior in heaven is vulnerable.”

“Lord, to whom else shall we go?” 

House of Prayer Mini-series

We are pleased to announce a new House of Prayer Winter Mini-series led by pastor Dwight Nelson entitled "They, Too, Walked with Him". This series begins February 5th and cover the following: 

  • February 5    The Antediluvians (in Terrible Times): Enoch and Noah
  • February 12    The Patriarchs (in Stumbling Times): Abraham and Jacob (and Moses) 
  • February 19    The Prophets and Kings (in Meltdown Times): David and Hezekiah, Micah and Isaiah 
  • February 26    The Disciples (in Crossroad Times): Peter, James, John, and Paul 
  • March 5    The Redeemed (in Eternity-Now Times): Jesus and You and Me 

We meet together for House of Prayer every Wednesday evening from 7 PM - 8 PM in the earliteen loft. Please join us as we enjoy a spiritual shot in the arm in the middle of each week as we worship together through signing, study of God's word, testimonies, and prayer. Hope to see you there!

Andrews University Week of Prayer - "We Believe"

Join us for an inspiring Week of Prayer as we explore what We Believe and celebrate how God is actively working in our lives and our community. Each session will feature powerful testimonies and messages from university faculty and students, sharing how their experiences with God have shaped their faith and beliefs.

Come and be reminded of the amazing ways God reveals Himself to us—and how He continues to move in our lives today.

Join us at the Pioneer Sanctuary at 11:30 AM to hear from Andrews University faculty as they reflect on their journeys of faith:

Monday Vanessa Corredera
Tuesday Anthony Bosman
Wednesday Lucille Sabas
Thursday Shawna McNeily
Friday Doug Taylor

 

You can also join us at Lamson Hall Chapel for evening sessions at 7:30 PM to hear students share their testimonies of faith and the moments God has shown up in their lives.

Monday Evan Keyes
Tuesday Leo Aguilara
Wednesday Nick Gunn
Thursday Jea Erazo

 

Friday night vespers will be in the Pioneer Sanctuary with Professor Rodney Palmer at 7:30 PM.

Master Guide Club

Do you want to complete your Master Guide Program? If so, please consider joining the Master Guide Club that meets weekly on campus to help you complete the requirements.

For more information or to join, please visit cye.org/toolbox

Offering for January 25, 2025

Michigan Advance Partners

God is the Creator and Owner of everything, and we were created for His glory and honor.

In His divine design God’s purpose for us is to be His managers on earth. As we work closely together with Him, we take part in His divine nature, His mercy and love.

After sin entered, this relationship became vital for God’s work to restore His divine image and character in us. God uses the church for our restoration process. Giving offerings becomes more than just a religious obligation. It’s a personal journey of growth, learning, and transformation. It’s a way of life that brings us closer to the God’s divine image and character. Giving and sharing is participating in this larger purpose, our worship and relationship.

This is the main reason for giving offerings. God wants us to participate actively in helping people restore their relationship with their Creator. God designed tithing to be a blessing to His people who carry it out to the end of time. “Our heavenly Father did not originate the plan of systematic benevolence to enrich Himself, but to be a great blessing to man. He saw that this system of beneficence was just what man needed” (Counsels on Stewardship, p.67).

Everything we have is a blessing from God, and in return, we are to be responsible stewards and pass it on to others.

Today, let’s not hoard our blessing but instead, let’s share it! Our offering is for Michigan Advance Partners.

—North American Division Stewardship Ministries

Oasis Public School Ministry

Oasis Public School Ministry provides a safe community for real talk, good food, fun activities, and building relationships between students, leaders, and God. This ministry is open to any public school student in grades 7-12 and meets Tuesdays 6:30-8:00 PM in the Commons, beginning January 21. For more information, contact Diane at simplestirrings@yahoo.com.

AU Wind Symphony & SMC Brass Band Winter Concert-Of Legend andLore: Traditions & Cinematic Stories

Time honored traditions and cinematic stories are the theme of this exciting “Of Legends and Lore” musical evening with the Southwestern Michigan College (SMC) Brass Band and the Andrews University (AU) Wind Symphony. Under the direction of Mark Hollandsworth, the SMC Brass Band will present music that represents Scottish and Welsh traditions and legends and lore. The traditional Brass Band sounds and unique instruments are sure to please. In the second half, the AU Wind Symphony, under the direction of Denisse Santos, will present a series of cinematic stories including An American Symphony from Mr. Holland’s Opus, Gabriel’s Oboe from The Mission, and themes from How to Train Your Dragon. Join us for this dramatic evening of traditions and cinematic stories on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 8:00 PM. Tickets available at howard.andrews.edu.

Master Guide Tool Box

The Center for Youth Evangelism will be running a special training weekend where Adventurer Basic Staff, Master Guide Leadership Skills, and Staff Leadership courses will be offered on Febuary 7 and 8.

For more information or to register, please visit cye.org/toolbox

Spelunker Quest: Unearthing the Lost Sanctuary
Pioneer Youth Chapel

Calling all youth! Join us for Spelunker Quest—an escape room adventure! Uncover missing artifacts from the Biblical sanctuary by solving puzzles in a cave system. Experience the Escape Room at one of the time slots every hour starting at 2 pm. Each time slot can accommodate up to 16 participants.

Youth: Please register for a start time by texting "ESCAPE" to 269.281.2345 .

Want to help with decorating on Jan. 25 at 6:30 pm? Contact Pastor Lindsey at lindsey.pratt@pmchurch.org or just join us in the youth chapel.

New Children's Sabbath School Curriculum

Pioneer families with 0 to 3-year-olds are the first to enjoy the new Seventh-day Adventist Church Sabbath School Alive in Jesus Bible lessons. This curriculum will roll out in phases:

2025: Baby Steps (0-18 months) and Beginners (1, 2 & 3 year olds)
2026: Kindergarten (4-6 year old) and Primary (Grades 1-3)
2027: Junior (Grades 4-6) and Earliteen (Grades 7-8)
2028: Youth (Grades 9-12) and Young Adult

Here’s what’s new this year.
Baby Steps Lessons: Our Nursery division begins the first-ever Baby Steps lessons. Our program will continue a half-hour interactive Bible learning for infants and a half-hour of parent training and community building. Download free parent and teacher guides at babies.aliveinjesus.info.


 

Beginners Bible Lessons: Both Beginner rooms and the Kindergarten 3-Year division have begun the new Beginner lessons for 1, 2, and 3-year-olds. This new Adventist curriculum features beautifully illustrated lessons, inspiring stories, practical tips, craft ideas, and activities to support family worship and Bible learning at home. Parent spiritual nurture and community-building activities will also be incorporated.

A new year brings new opportunities! It’s a chance to renew our commitment to spending time with God and helping our children grow in their relationship with Him. Reading and discussing Sabbath School lessons in family worship at home will deepen everyone’s faith.    
Children’s Sabbath School family guides are available at the Welcome Center in Pioneer’s lower entry hall during the first month of each quarter. They are also freely available online for families and teachers, along with engaging songs (Nursery and Beginners Alive in Jesus), videos (for Kinder and Primary GraceLink), and podcasts (for Junior PowerPoints). From a device, you can enjoy lessons anywhere and anytime.

We pray that 2025 will bring a closer walk with God for each member of our church family. May Sabbath School lesson study be a blessing to your home, strengthen faith and family bonds, and welcome friends to join you on this adventure!

Children's Sabbath School Superintendent Team

Howard Center Presents: The King's Singers

England’s premier choral ensemble has long had an unsurpassed tradition of vocal music with roots in both religious and secular singing.  Setting the gold standard in acapella singing on the world’s greatest stages for over fifty years, the King’s Singers are renowned for their unrivalled technique, musicianship and versatility, which stem from both the group’s rich heritage and its drive to bring an extraordinary range of new and unique works, collaborations and recordings to life. They consistently delight audiences around the world with their incomparable musicianship, wit, and charm. Join us for the King's Singers concert at the Howard Performing Arts Center on Monday, February 10, 2025 at 7:00 PM.  Tickets are available at our website: howard.andrews.edu, or by calling our box office at 269-471-3560.

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