愛CCS (Ai CCS) Goin’ fishin’! わたしは漁に行くのだ

Just after the death of Jesus イエスの亡き後, the 11 and some friends of Jesus, locked themselves in an upper room-in fear of the Jews.  That is, the leaders who had arrested Jesus and had Him crucified. 

Not that long before, anyone who spoke of Jesus in a positive light would be kicked out of the Worshiping community—they were excommunicated from the Faith.  People like Nicodemus believed in secret.  People like Joseph of Arimathea were closet believers.  Every once in a while, one would come out and identify themselves as followers and show some real courage. 

What do you do when your world falls apart?

Where do you go?

What happened to what you believed?

How do you feel?

Before we get into that, please note that the four Gospels ４つの福音書による詳しい記事are four ways in looking at the same event.  A little different from each other, some with more information than others, but all agree that He did return from the dead. Some had deep reasons to write these ESP in light of Matthew’s account. Go and make disciples. In John, the reason for writing the account: so that people would believe in Him.

John-(20) Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene and on Monday eve, showed Himself to the disciples, then to Thomas. Later Peter (21) went fishing with some of the guys. Jesus then meets with him/them there and reestablishes (reinstates) His friendship.

Today, we will look at John’s account. John 20-21.

• Cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings.  Meaning:=I will return.

• They saw it all and believed—according to the Scriptures…like last week.

• They went home.  What else to do?  Where do you go when your Center was gone? Go home.

Mary was standing outside the tomb-crying, stooped and looked in-saw 2 white-robed angels. They spoke to her: 13 “Why are you crying?” Why are you sad? Why the tears?  Reason was unknown to them. “They have taken away my Lord…and I don’t know where they have put Him.”

Jesus was there as she turned but she did not recognize Him.

“Dear woman, why are you crying?  Who are you looking for?”

“Mary!”

“TEACHER!!” Just said her name and she knew. John 10:4, 14 “⁴…His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. ^{…  14} “I am the good shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me…”

“Don’t cling to Me. But go find my brothers and tell them…I will leave soon.”

She leaves and tells them. “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. Have you seen Him? Has it changed the way you live?—it should.  The witness is clear—she told them what He had said to her.  A faithful witness.  Their response is not her job: Just tell what He has said/done.

Vs 19: ¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week …locked the doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.  POW!  “Peace be with you.” 「あなたがたに平和があるように.」

Speaking with them and showing His wounds, they were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!  Again: “Peace be with you. 「あなたがたに平和があるように.」As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.”

This was not an option.  It was not a preference. He sends us out! My Peace is with you--as you follow Me!

Breathed on them: “Received the Holy Spirit.”  This act had to do with the area of forgiveness. The act of forgiving people—If you don’t forgive—they are not forgiven! And neither are you! This might be a good time to look over your list of people who have hurt you or that you have hurt.  You NEED to forgive them.  That is His Call on your life-the life He died for!

Then He appeared to Thomas—I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds and put my figure into the holes—eight days later-shows Himself to Thomas.  Again with the “Peace be with you.” 「あなたがたに平和があるように.」

 Don’t doubt—believe! Stop your unbelieving! You know it is true.

Go ahead and put your figure here and your hand there—“Don’t be faithless any longer.  Believe!” “My Lord and my God!” “Blessed are those who don’t see yet believe.”

Purpose of the writing of John 20:³¹ But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His Name. This is FAITH!

Chapter 21: Appearing to others:The disciples beside the Sea of Galilee…just as He had said!

            Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the two sons of Zebedee and 2 other disciples.Simon Peter: “I’m going fishing.” 「わたしは漁に行くのだ」 “We’ll come too.” Went out to fish—all night and caught zero.

At dawn, Jesus as standing on the shore and said: “Try the other side!” Or try it My way! イエスは言われた、「わたしの方法でやって見なさい」 Better than a fish finder. In fact, they even counted them: 153 large fish.  Nets did not break.  Then John said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” he swam toward the shore and his Master.  There, on the shore was Jesus, cooking fish and had some bread ready for them.  Jesus invited them to “bring some of the fish you have just caught.”

“Come and have breakfast.” Verse 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.

Fish and bread. 魚とパン　―さらにまたWhere have we heard of that combination before? Twice He fed thousands with fish and bread. パンを裂き　―さらにまた   Then on the road to Emmaus, when He broke the bread, they realized it was Jesus. It was to be a reminder for us all

Now, comes the main point of today: 15-19.  Peter had been the loud mouth in the group.  He would speak without thinking and sometimes even get it right. “You are the Son of God!”  Remember the events back during the last Passover Jesus had with His followers? He told Peter that he would deny Him three times before the cock would make a sound.  During the early stages of the mocked trial of Jesus, Peter was confronted three times with claims that he too was with Jesus.  No!  Not me!  I don’t even know Him!  The cock screeched and he realized that he had indeed denied his Lord. 主を否定する Such shame.  Deep personal disappointment. 

How would you have felt? Here was your Lord and Master—being treated ever so poorly.  Someone comes up to you and asks “Are you one of His followers?”  The pressure to lie—to deny that statement is overwhelming. 

Or, at school, a fellow classmate asks you if you go to that stupid church meeting on Sunday. How do you answer?

A neighbor is talking with you about the upcoming funeral of a close relative and asks if you will go along with the traditions of Shintoism and offer prayers at the coffin.  Do you offer the ash during your prayer? Do you tell them of your Faith?

Is there any difference for anyone of us when we deny Jesus’ claim on us in ANY situation? When we are tempted to lie? When we are tempted to steal? When we are tempted to covert? When we are tempted to become silent rather than defend the Name of Jesus?  Has that ever happened? What do you feel?  How do you move on? 

I can really feel for Peter.  His heart was in the right place but he was afraid.   I’ve been afraid. I have felt the tug to conform. The pressure NOT to stand up for what I know is right! And when I did not—I felt as Peter did.  Rejected.  Alone.  Unforgiven.  “I might as well go fish.  I am not worth anything anyway.”

And Jesus is there, preparing not only a meal, but also a great invitation to remember God’s Grace.

“And when you return to Me…”  Jesus knew all along and He wanted Peter to know too.  “Go tell My disciples AND PETER…” AND here in this section of God’s Word, we see Jesus once again putting His mouth where His heart is: 

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me私を本当に愛するか more than these?”

   “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

   Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

 16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” 私を本当に愛するか

   He answered, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love you.”

   Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

 17 The third time He said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?”

   Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” 私を愛するか He said, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”

   Jesus said, “Feed My sheep.”

What a caring God we serve! He forgives. He restores.  Fully restores. And in this wonderful example of His tender care of the beast of a man like Peter, we can see that God’s plans are once again not like ours. His ways are not like ours.  Seven Times Seventy.  Forgiveness beyond counting.  Our response: 私たちの反応And that is just were we are today. He has forgiven you and me.  Of all the horrid things we felt inside against Him and other people. All the attitudes that were kept hidden. All the dirt we covered ourselves with!  All the wrong we did-our jealously, our pride, our self-centeredness. Covered!  Where are you going?　あなたはどこへ向かうLet’s not go fishing!>>>Let’s go follow this Forgiving God for He is alive still!

He Has COme and He is alive! 主は戻ってきた、 主は生きている！

He Has Come and He is alive!

Father, we are about to study Your Word. Without You we can do nothing. What we do not know, please teach us. What we do not have, would You please give us. What we are not, would You make us. We pray for the help of the Holy Spirit so that our time this morning will bring honor to You in everything.  For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

First Corinthians 15:1-17  (コリント第１15:1-7)

The very core of the Gospel is really found in this passage. During this weekend, Believers around the world celebrate The Death, Burial and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  This is the WHOLE Gospel in one statement.  As we stated in the Apostle’s Creed this morning, I trust it was as meaningful to you today than ever before as we realize the Truth of those statements are really brought home to our hearts as we remember what happened on that Sunday AM—a long time ago. 

Indeed, this very powerful force and teaching of Christianity is felt around the world. It’s central message of God’s open love with mankind is both embraced (welcomed) and rejected by many. Some would find it hard to believe that there is such a loving God ready to forgive—ready to make clean the darkest sinner, but the truth is out; He is ready to do just that!

Have you heard the name Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin? During his day he was a powerful man in Russia. As a Russian Communist leader he took part in the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. He was editor of the Soviet newspaper Pravda (which by the way means truth), and was a full member of the Communist executive committee. In 1930, he spoke in Kiev addressing a huge assembly on the subject of atheism. As he spoke, he aimed his heavy artillery at Christianity hurling insult, argument, and proof against it.

 An hour later he was finished. He looked out at what seemed to be the smoldering ashes of men's faith. "Are there any questions?" he asked. Deafening silence filled the auditorium but then one man approached the platform and mounted the lectern standing near the communist leader. He surveyed the crowd first to the left then to the right. Finally he shouted the ancient greeting known well in the Russian Orthodox Church: "CHRIST IS RISEN!" En masse the crowd arose as one man and the response came crashing like the sound of thunder: "HE IS RISEN INDEED!"
 

Bukharin was executed by Stalin in 1938.

I say to you this morning: CHRIST IS RISEN! (congregational response: HE IS RISEN INDEED!). I am convinced! I have faith that Christ was dead and He was buried. That I believe! But, this too I accept as true: He rose from the dead and will come again in all His Glory.



This is Resurrection Sunday. And to stand here on this day in this pulpit and proclaim this Word. . . I cannot begin to tell you how this defines all that I am.

 But, you could say to me, how do you know that the Resurrection is real? How do you know that it is really valid?

1. Because なぜならthe Scriptures tell me about the Resurrection.

2. Because なぜなら the Resurrection has stood the test of time.

3. Because なぜならI have experienced the Resurrection in my own life.

And it is this passage this morning that makes that very same claim.  Either it is true OR it is a down right lie!  Either God can and did raise His Son from the Grave-or He did not and IF He did not, we are all fools and we are all very lost in our sins.

Paul wants to remind us of his message that he had taught.  He preached it and they put their trust in that very message.  They received it and they made it the foundation of their Faith in God. He assures them that as they trust in that message, they are saved if  we would hold on to it (The Message/ Good News).

Point One: Belief Is A Life Long Process.  信仰は一生続く歩み

Not a once and it will last you for all time but a continue building of that Faith in your life with evidences found in your life style, your speech and your conduct.  If our life does not showing such evidence-we are living a lie.

Paul assures us that this message he passed on to us is of great importance.  That truth being (as found in verse 3) “…that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.”  Even though the sentence goes on from this point, let’s just sit on this for a little while. This message of God providing a payment for Man’s sin is found in the Scriptures. As we read through the Bible (I hope you still are reading your way thru), you might be in the Book of Leviticus by now. Here you will find detailed instructions on how to prepare all the different kinds of sacrifices to the Lord. Blood here, inners there, the kidneys separated with the fat; parts of the animal burnt here and some burnt outside the camp.  Blood is ever present.  Without the sheading of blood—without something dying, no forgiveness could be granted. 

So, that was The Plan.  God would send His only Son to die in place of you and me so that the penalty of our sins could be made. His death for our freedom.

Point two: He died for our sins…according to the Scriptures.   Not just made up stuff but in God’s plan since the beginning. 主は私たちの罪のために死なれた・・・と聖句にある

Verse 4 gives a list of four events that are also extremely important to the Gospel.  ⁴ that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵ and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.  That is what we recited in the creed! This was a fact of history! This really happened!  We learn that some who were eyewitnesses to these events were still alive when this was written.  (v ^6b most of whom are still living).

A personal testimony is powerful—don’t you agree? The My Story we watched on March 11 was an example. This is what happened to me and I did this and my thoughts went that way. I understood this and now I believe that this is true.  That is my story.  Hard to refute such a claim.

Someone who had an UFO sighting is questioned, evaluated and certain things are understood about his comments. As he tells us the story, it seemed real, it was creditable. But, it is believed or not believed. One needs to make a judgment call. Similarly, with the Resurrection.  Problem is, I was not there. I did not see it. I heard about it when I was very young but did not really trust it until I was in my mid-teens. Later, when I was 18, I REALLY believed it and I was assured of its truthfulness as I studied the scriptures. 

(Yes, we always come back to this.  The Scriptures need to be our center. Our knowledge of God really comes from the Word of God.  No getting around that! Scripture is key and belief in the Scriptures is imperative, vital, central—the very core of our Faith is found here. We put our Faith NOT in the Bible itself but in the God of the Bible.)

  Well, Paul goes on to write about others who witnessed His Resurrection.  More than 500 men and women at the same time, plus He appeared to James, and then the rest of the apostles and then He appeared to Paul himself.  Paul calls himself “the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle…”

And why? “…because I persecuted the church of God.”

Here was a man who was—at one time—a person who tried to destroy the Church.  He had them arrested, put in chains, brought them before the leaders in Jerusalem and put some to death.  And now, he is one of them!  His life changed—big time—and now, he was preaching this Message with deep conviction and with the Power of God speaking through him. That is GOD’S GRACE!

But here is the main point today. Verse 12—Point three: If Christ has not been raised from the dead, we are all in deep trouble.  If there was no resurrection at all, then Jesus did not raise from the dead. もしキリストが死からよみがえらなかったならば、私たちは皆深い悩み苦しみの中にいる。

But, my friends, by the authority of the Word of God, He was raised from the dead—according to the scriptures. He rose from the cold tomb—His Body which was in Death’s grasp, was set free.  Blood ran through His veins again, His organs were regenerated. His eyes were fluid. His heart beat.  He became warm. His Hands moved and He stood up and He walked out of the tomb!  Death could not hold Him.  He lives! He lives today! Jesus Christ lives! And He now sits at His Father’s Right Hand interceding for us. No one else can do that.  No saint, no mother, no holy person…no one but the One who was nailed on the Cross, died, went into the grave and walked victoriously out of Death and lives today.

He is Risen!  He is Risen, indeed.

COL 2: 6-7  “⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, ⁷ rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the Faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” コロサイ 2:6-7 このように、あなたがたは主キリスト・イエスを受けいれたのだから、彼にあって歩きなさい。また、彼に根ざし、彼にあって建てられ、そして教えられたように、信仰が確立されて、あふれるばかり感謝しなさい。