Sunday, November 9, 2008

The Persecuted Church

Taken from a web site on the Persecuted Church, we can find: “The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) is a global day of intercession for persecuted Christians worldwide. Its primary focus is the work of intercessory prayer and citizen action on behalf of persecuted communities of the Christian faith. We also encourage prayer for the souls of the oppressors, the nations that promote persecution, and those who ignore it.”

“We believe that prayer changes things. Exactly what happens is a mystery of faith. God invites us to present to Him our requests and to pray without ceasing. Persecuted Christians often plead for prayer to help them endure. The most we can do is the least we can do — pray.”

Other web sites point to the need for prayer for these countries that have made life very difficult for Believers.

Christian Freedom
International Christian Solidarity
Worldwide Christians in Crisis
Gospel for Asia
Greater Calling
International Christian Concern
Compassion Radio
Iranian Christians International
Jubilee Campaign
Mission India
Open Doors
The Voice of the Martyrs
World Evangelical Alliance
The Last Harvest

One web site also says: “International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) is a global day of intercession for persecuted Christians worldwide. We also encourage prayer for the souls of the oppressors, the nations that promote persecution, and those who ignore it. IDOP is a rallying point for Christians across all denominations to stand behind those who suffer for their faith.
We believe that prayer changes lives.

This year join thousands of churches around the world on Sunday, November 9 and send the greatest gift of all—prayer.

Why is the focus this year on children of the persecuted Church?
* Christian girls are kidnapped and forced to I....
* College students risk expulsion or worse if they profess the Word of God.
* Pastors who give their lives for their faith, leave behind traumatized children.”

Believers in Pakistan, Laos, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, India…others around the world. Over 200,000,000 Believers area finding persecution a day to day reality and that number is really low...

Why this problem? 2 Timothy 3:12 & has some answers.
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
テモテへの手紙二 / 3章 12節 キリスト・イエスに結ばれて信心深く生きようとする人は皆、迫害を受けます。
Hebrews 11:36-39 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.
ヘブライ人への手紙 / 11章 36節 また、他の人たちはあざけられ、鞭打たれ、鎖につながれ、投獄されるという目に遭いました。彼らは石で打ち殺され、のこぎりで引かれ、剣で切り殺され、羊の皮や山羊の皮を着て放浪し、暮らしに事欠き、苦しめられ、虐待され、 荒れ野、山、岩穴、地の割れ目をさまよい歩きました。世は彼らにふさわしくなかったのです。

A look into the past…: China's Boxer Rebellion
During China's Boxer Rebellion of 1900, insurgents captured a mission station, blocked all the gates but one, and in front of that one gate placed a cross flat on the ground. Then the word was passed to those inside that any who trampled the cross underfoot would be permitted their freedom and life, but that any refusing would be shot. Terribly frightened, the first seven students trampled the cross under their feet and were allowed to go free. But the eighth student, a young girl, refused to commit the sacrilegious act. Kneeling beside the cross in prayer for strength, she arose and moved carefully around the cross, and went out to face the firing squad. Strengthened by her example, every one of the remaining ninety-two students followed her to the firing squad.
From~Today in the Word, Feb. 89, p. 17

It cost something to follow Jesus. If it doesn’t cost you yet…it still might.

You may have heard that this Gift of Salvation is free. Is it? It Cost ... It cost Mary and Joseph the comforts of home during a long period of exile in Egypt to protect the little babe. It cost mothers, in and around Bethlehem, the massacre of their babies by the cruel order of Herod. It cost the shepherds the complacency of their shepherd's life, with the call to the manger and to tell the good news. It cost the wise men a long journey and expensive gifts and changed lives. It cost the early Apostles and the early church persecution and sometimes death. It cost missionaries of Christ untold suffering and hardship to spread the Good News. It cost Christian martyrs in all ages their lives for Christ's sake. More than all this, it cost God the Father His own Son, He sent Him to the earth to save men. It cost Jesus a life of sacrifice and service, a death cruel and unmatched in history. It has a price!!!
~Source unknown

Pray for young women around the world. Many are taken and forced to marry much older men when they are not yet teenagers.
Along with the forced marriages, they are forced to become followers of Islam.

Our response: PRAYER

So often, when faced with hardships or pain, we ask the Lord to remove these adversities. Others ask God to strengthen their back to carry the load He has for them.

When we live in anticipation of seeing Jesus and hearing Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: enter into the joy of your Lord,” we can endure suffering. Why? Because such a focus helps us realize that the worst thing that happens to us here and now can never separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. With our focus not on self but Jesus, we more fully realize the truth of 2 Corinthians 4:17: “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”
Taken from ~<>

What is needed in our churches today is a Theology of Suffering.

How Not to Respond During Suffering. The Lord not only teaches us how to respond, but now not to respond when we are suffering. Here are some ways He mentions.
1. Don’t be afraid, for He is with us. Isa.41:10. See John 14:27, 1 Pet. 3:14
2. Don’t be ashamed to suffer as a Christian. 1 Pet. 4:16
3. Don’t be dismayed, for He is our God. Isa. 41:10
4. Don’t be fainthearted, because the Lord goes with us. Deut. 20:3
5. Don’t be overcome by evil; overcome evil with good. Rom. 12:21
6. Don’t be surprised at painful trials, as though something strange were happening to us. 1 Pet. 4:12
7. Don’t complain. Num. 11:1
8. Don’t disown God. 2 Tim. 2:12
9. Don’t do evil by turning away from God. Ps. 18:21
10. Don’t fret, because it leads only to evil. Ps. 37:8
11. Don’t fret when the wicked succeed. Ps. 37:7
12. Don’t get angry. Ps. 37:8
13. Don’t grumble. Ps. 106.25
14. Don’t let our hearts be troubled. John 14:1
15. Don’t shrink back. Heb. 10:39
16. Don’t throw away our confidence. Heb. 10:35

How to Relate to God’s Word in Suffering God’s Word is a wonderful resource when we are hurting. But we must consciously make use of it, in ways the Lord shows us in it. Here are some ways God teaches us to relate to His Word.

1. Delight in it. Ps. 119:92,143
2. Don’t forget it. Ps. 119:61,83,109
3. Don’t forsake it. Ps. 119:87
4. Don’t stray from it. Ps. 119:110,157
5. Find comfort in it. Ps. 119:52
6. Keep His commands. Ps. 119:115
7. Hope in it. Ps. 119:81,114, 130.5
8. Let His promises comfort us in suffering. Ps. 119:50
9. Love it. Ps. 119:165
10. Meditate on it. Ps. 119:78
11. Ponder it. Ps. 119:95
12. Remember the word of encouragement. Heb. 12:5
13. See the promises & welcome them from a distance. Heb. 11:1
14. Tremble at it. Ps. 119:161

Please pray for the Believers who find themselves in differcult times as they face persecution on a day in, day out reality. Pray that their hearts would remain strong. Pray also for those who are inflicting harm on them, that they would find mercy and open their hearts to the Savior!

PRAY FOR JAPAN’S CHURCHES
  • Unity - 一致(いっち)
  • Growth - 成長
  • Boldness - 大胆さ
  • Power - 力
  • Forgiving Spirit - 寛容な心
  • Purity - 純粋
  • Leadership - 新しいリーダーシップ
  • New Believers - 新しいクリスチャン
  • Families - 家族
  • Evangelism - 伝道(でんどう)

PRAY AS GOD WOULD! John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

The Persecuted Church is a Growing Church


Next week: Lord willing, How did Paul respond to his sufferings and how can we develop a Theology of Suffering?

Sunday, November 2, 2008

God and Man's Concerns

Please read Jonah 4 for background understanding.

Does God REALLY know about your concerns? Really? What does He do about them? Ever really wonder if He does? Is it just FATE that drives us along? Is it deeper than that?

Look at what God did in the life of our Hero Jonah. Father God provided for everything. EVERYTHING!

In Matthew 6:19~29, Jesus teaches us about how to view real life from His point of view. With His heart and understanding. What we find there does not sound like the way man has been viewing life nor his heart or with human understanding. He speaks about two areas of 'concern.'

Treasures in Heaven.
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Do Not Worry.
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

God provided:
In the book of Jonah, we can see that Father God provided all things for Jonah--even things that he did not appreciate nor want. Even things that went against his belief system.

God provided:
Message to carry to Nineveh.
Ship to carry Jonah.
Fish to hold Jonah.
Mission to Nineveh.
Open hearts of the people.
Compassion for the lost.
Answers to Jonah.
A vine.
A worm.
A wind.
An answer.
Mercy.

With Man, and with most of us (meaning those other people who are reading this blog--not you...) have some things in our lives that take up our time and energy. Things that drive us. Could be a video game, or education, advancement in the work place, a relationship. Some, in themselves, are not so bad. Indeed, we need certain things to move us to advance and help others along the way. The problem is when they get out of balance.

As surely as the compass needle follows north, your heart will follow your treasure.

Now, that is one side of the same coin. On the other side, we find something that is personal. That being:

Man’s Concern:

What are some things that people concern themselves with? Think of any? Try this list of concerns. MAybe you will find your compass needle in there somewhere.

Comfort. Money.
Answers. Health.
Little pressure. Power.

When it come right down to the truth, we might understand that our concerns are as the vine VS God’s plan to reach out to the lost of the World.

Jesus said: "Consider the lilies of the field..."
Jesus said: "Consider the birds of the air…"

All these 'things' are common things that are covered…by His Grace+
They are not any effort at all by our side.

Now ---
Consider the needs/wants/desires of our heart.
Is Jesus enough?

Yes! No! Don’t know!?! .

And with those three answers, there are a lot of room for movement one way or another.
Tight relationship with Jesus.
Loose relationship.

What concerns God with our approach? We need to KNOW that His love for you is eternal. He does not love one more than another. There are no favorite sons or daughters with God. His LOVE is FULL and it is ready to experience.

Just open your heart to accept it!
In balance with what God wants/has for us.
All these concerns are covered by being IN JESUS.

2 Corinthians 7:10~12 (NIV)
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. Things were made right! Repented! So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong or of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are.

Philippians 4:18~20 (NIV)
I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

•Here’s something to Praise God for!•

He will meet all your needs—according to His Glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Are you in Christ?
Then He is yours!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

David May asks: "Do you know where you are going?"

October 12, 2008



Each Sunday Pastor Stan teachers us from the Bible, principles for our everyday Christian living. We do need to be constantly reminded of how the Bible gives us guidelines to be used in our daily life. When I first started coming to ICCS Pastor Stan asked me,”What do you like about ICCS?” And I told him,”The teaching emphases.” But also I think we need to be reminded from time to time, where we as Christians are going. Where is our final goal? And who is going to take us there.


As some of you know, I like to jog. And last February, I join in the Tokyo Marathon. One of the things I did in preparation for the marathon was to try and memorize the map of the course the marathon would take. Show map. The marathon started in Shinjuku going east to Idobashi. And then south to Shinagawa. I was doing well to Shinagawa. At Shinagawa the course turned north heading to Asukusa. I knew, once I made the turn at Asukusa, I was ¾ of the way to the finish line. But it seemed like it was taking forever to get there. With each turn the course made, I would ask myself, “Are we there yet?” A little further, again I ask myself, “Are we there yet?” I kept asking myself this question until finally the course made the turn heading south toward the finish line. Now I knew where I was on the course. I knew that ¾ of the race was behind me. With each distance marker, I knew I was draw close to my goal. The point in all this is, that it helps in the same way in our Christian race to know were we headed, the points along the way, and where the final goal is.




Let us now turn to the text for today.


Jesus Comforts His Disciples
1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going."
Jesus the Way to the Father
5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;

The Chapters of John (13-17) records the last meal Jesus would have with His twelve disciples. In these chapters Jesus reveals his heart to them. And not only to them, but also to those who would read these recorded words at a later time, which includes us. When he had convicted and discarded Judas, he set himself to comfort the remaning11, who were full of sorrow upon what he had said of leaving them, and a great many good words and comfortable words he here speaks to them.



I am going to look at this passage in reverse order. I will start with Jesus statement, ”I am the way.” Jesus Himself is the way that we follow to reach God. In other words, he is the only way that we can come to God. There is no other way. Some people say that other religions lead to God, too. This is not true. People cannot come to God by means of a religion, any way. The only way to God is by means of a person: God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And I would like to add that Christianity is not a religion. It is a Faith. Heb. 11:1 & 6 gives a very clear definition of what faith is.



1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see…Without faith it is impossible to please God Because any one who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.


And I ask, if there where other ways, why did Jesus suffer and die on the cross? And if there are other ways, Jesus is a liar. And if He was lying, none of He statements can be trusted. C.S. Lewis wrote, “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great teacher. He’d either be insane or else he’d be the ‘devil of hell.’ You must make your choice.” He writes, “Either Jesus was and is the Son of God, or else He was insane or evil.” C.S. Lewis goes on, “Let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”


But His disciples witness Jesus betrayed, lead off to be falsely accused before Pilate, hung on a cross, to die. Put in the tomb by Joseph of Arimathea. Then on that Sunday morning, some of his disciples went to see the empty tomb. Sometime later, a doubting Thomas put his finger in the nail holes in Jesus’ hand and feet. And touch the cut in His side and exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!!!” Yes, Jesus is exactly who he said He was and is today; the Son of God.


Therefore we can trust the promises that He made.


When we believe in Jesus, we are following the only way to eternal life with God. This way is available to every person on the earth. But each person is free to choose it or to reject it

In life we have many choices to make. Some are not too important. For example, I go to the store to buy some coffee. The first choice I make is what brand, then should I buy mocha or espresso, or regular blend. Then do I want whole bean, ground our freeze-dried. After making the choice, I go home and brew a pot. At the first taste, I know that I have made a bad choice. Pouring it out I say to myself, "I will never buy that brand again." No bad consequence. Just a few hundred yen.


On the other hand, there many choices we make that, if we choose the wrong one, there are severe consequences. For example, Should I stop at this red light, and wait for the green light. Or should I ignore it and keep going. If I do go through the red light one of two things will happen. One, a policeman will see it and pull me over, resulting in the loss of my licenses. Or more seriously, a collisions with the cars going through on the green light, which could lead to death.


When I was in High school, I witnessed such an event. A friend and I were on our way to an auto parts store in a part of Portland that we were both unfamiliar with. While I was busy giving directions from the map, my friend was driving. He stopped for a red light waiting for it to turn green. Hearing a car pass us, I looked up from the map in time to see the car ignore the red light and collide with a car that was going through the intersection on the green light. Fortunately, other then three smashed cars, there were no fatalities. It could have been much worse. Definitely, the driver made a very bad choice.


Of all the choices in life, there is one of the greatest importance; where to spend eternity.


Matt.7:13, 14 tells us to take the narrow road to God.
13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.


Japan is a good example only a few will find it. What is the population of Japan? And of this big number, there is less then 1% who are Christians.



So here are just two choices. The broad way to destruction…where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mat.8:12 )…where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.(Mark 9:48)…Their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. (Rev. 21:8). Not a pretty picture. Or the narrow road that leads to life. Let's talk a little bit about this narrow road.



We all know about narrow roads in Japan. When I first started driving in Japan, I disliked driving down narrow roads. In fact, I still do. If I can avoid them, I do. One route I take to church goes down a narrow road for about one kilometer. Sometimes I take the long way around to avoid it. But then I tell myself, “take the short cut, you must get over your fear of narrow roads.” But the narrow road of Christian life is a one-way road; everyone is going the same direction; no on coming traffic. That makes a big difference.



Now, Jesus never said that His road would smooth. He never said there would be no bumps, no ups and downs. In fact, He says just the opposite. He said the world hated Him and it the same way the world will hate us. He also said, ”in the world you will have tribulations, but take heart, I have over come the world.” (John 16:33). I have a song on a CD that I listen to which says, “the trials and tribulation I face on this road of life draw me nearer to Him.” And that should be our attitude. Remember to spend your time counting your blessings, not airing your complaints.

When I was thinking about what kind of illustration to use, this though came to mind. When we choose Jesus as the Way, or The Road to God, Jesus gives us His ETC card, from the bank of Grace (Eph. 2:8,9), with a never ending supply paid in full by His death on the cross. In other words, He gives a free pass to Heaven paid by Him. One of the main points of the book of Hebrews is that Jesus’ sacrifice was once and for all times. He paid it all.



I remember the first time I used my ETC, as I approached the gate I thought to myself, is the gate going to open? I moved closer and closer. Is it going to open? Finally, to my great relief the gate opened, and I went through with no problem. When we use Jesus’ ETC called Grace, one needs not fear because the gate will always open.



A kind woman gave me this suica card. Actually it was Ann. Now I don’t know how much yen is on it. Maybe nothing or then many 1000 yen. I don’t know. But fortunately, there is a machine that will read this card and tell me how much is on it. And with the same machine, I can add more yen to it. Now if someone is relying on good works, there is no machine, which tells that person if he or she, has done enough to get into heaven.


From time to time, I get an update telling me how many frequent flier miles I have acquired. I also have a chart that lists the number of frequent flier miles I need to fly to Hawaii, or to North America, or Europe, etc. But have you ever seen a printout of the points required to enter Heaven?



It is a sad thing, that some are on this road thinking their own ETC card, bought with good works will open the gate into heaven. But they are going find out that the gate won’t open for them. It will be just the opposite, the gate will slam shut on them.



I imagine that some of you have had the same experience as I did going through the ticket gate at the eki. I purchase a ticket from the machine. But unknown to me, I had purchase a ticket at the wrong price. Thinking I had bought the right ticket, I had no worry about exiting the gate at my destination. Wrong. As I was quickly going through the ticket gate, I was rudely stopped by a shutting gate; embarrassing to say the lest. And that is the exact experience that will happen to them.



Now, Jesus not only gives us His ETC card , but also by means of the Holy Spirit He seals us guaranteeing our safe arrival to Heaven. If you have an important document that you want to make sure the one who you are sending it to receives it, what do you do? Using a special envelope, you seal with your signature or hanko, and a tracking code is placed on it. The person who receives it at the other end must sign for it proving that he indeed received it and you receive back a note that proves the person you intended to receive it received your document. And this is the same idea the Holy Spirit does. He seals us for the day of redemption guaranteeing one’s safe arrival to heaven.



Now we as believer not only have Jesus’ ETC card and are seal by the Holy Spirit. But here is the amazing thing, Jesus Himself is coming back to give us, His children, a personal escort to the Kingdom.


Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." Jesus had given His promise that He would return. This promise was given some two thousand years ago and it still remains to be fulfilled.
When? We don’t know.



Scholars and theologians have written many volumes about the second coming and have draw elaborate time lines showing what sequences will take place. But still we don’t know when Jesus’ return will be.



My take on prophecy is like viewing Mt. Fuji from a distance. My route to church is via road #407 and then road # 50. Now road #50 crosses road #16 Saiyama Shi. Just before crossing road #16, on a clear morning, Mt. Fuji can be seen in all its beauty. It doesn’t look that far away. If I turn right on to road # 16 and head toward Hachiyoji, at one point, Mt Fuji again can be seen looking oh so close. I think in just a few minutes I will be at the mountain. But then I go down into a valley and cannot see the mountain for awhile. Then I come up on a hill top and they is Mt Fuji looking so close yet in reality it is still very far away.



This is the same with the Second coming of Jesus. To the disciples, His return was near, so they though. To the early Christians, they too though Jesus return was near. In fact, some were not working, but waiting around for Jesus return. Paul had to write and tell them to get back to work, because the time of His return is not known. This has been the same sequence down through church history; Jesus return seems so near at one point and then it seems so far away.



But Jesus did say, in Matt. 24:4-8, "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.



II Timothy 3:1-5
1"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”


Sounds like a description of today doesn’t it. Although we don’t know when Jesus will return, we do have a good description of what will happen when He does return.


This time, no baby in a manger. No announcement to lowly shepherds. No visitors from the east. But read to the following:

I Thess. 4:15-18
15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.


And again in II Corin. 15:51-58

51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.


In closing let us look in Rev. 21, and 22, for a description of the Kingdom were Jesus has prepare dwelling places for us. I am giving you a ten-minute, open book test. List everything describing what it will be like in heaven. Here are two free answers.



1. We already know that we will have dwelling places prepared by Jesus.

2. And Paul tells us, for those who have longed for his appearing, a crown of righteousness.
II Tim. 4:8

“Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Living in Forgiveness

Psalm 130
1 Out of the depths I cry to You, O LORD;
2 O Lord, hear my voice. Let Your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
3 If You, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 O Israel, put Your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

It is hard to forgive yourself. We tend to live in regret. We have the propensity to live in the past. We are inclined to live not forgiving ourselves or for our blunders. Jonah was every much like that as we are.

He remembers the way it was back before the boat to the fish’s tummy. Before he went away from God’s plan for him. He found it really hard to live in the forgiveness that was already his.
We find it hard to live in the forgiveness we already have in the Lord as well!

Look at Jonah 3:10. “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.”

God’s forgiveness is nothing like the forgiveness of humans. Again, we are liable to remember evil done against us. We are predisposed to hold on to the past.

Time to let go!
Time to let yourself be healed of the pain.
Healed of the sorrow.
Healed of the reminder of our past life away from the Lord.

We will get to our text soon, but first, let’s look at the problem Jonah had. He is displeased because WHY? Because God answers prayers. Strange reason to be bitter, but a real issue for some--for most. We are inclined to keep count.

In Matt 18, Jesus is asked an important question. They knew it was the right thing to do in forgiving people, but how many times do we need to forgive them before we can’t forgive them any more?

We are looking for a way to give then what they deserve. If the truth be know, they want to hurt them back. We want justice--but on our terms and not the same justice when it comes to our own lives with it’s disappointments. Jesus sees right into the heart of the matter and finds a place to touch-a God-Touch Place.

Chapter 18 deals with humbling one self like a little child in order to be the greatest in the Kingdom of God. (So much for the proud.) He speaks of the one sheep that took off from the herd and how the Good Shepherd went after it and brought it back. A real picture of the Lve of God toward us! Then the question of people who sin against you..then, this:

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

Jesus then goes and tells a lengthy parable of the unmerciful servant. The whole idea of this parable was to point out that the huge debt he had was canceled but the man held onto a small debt owed him. He was unmerciful. Mercy was lacking in his life.

Is mercy lacking in your life?

Mercy was great to get but was not so great to give!

Sounds like our man Jonah! He was so thankful for the second chance on life after the experience in the stormy sea and from inside the fish. He was not to happy with what happened with the city that was at war with Israel. God forgave them. God’s compassion was great toward them and did not bring the destruction He had threatened them with.

Now Jonah was angry, yet he prayed. He not only prayed but he justified his anger with God. “This is why I disobeyed You” ...because of Your Character.

Gracious /
compassionate God /
Slow to anger /
abounding in love

Real positive traits of God and Jonah was angry about his God’s Character. Jonah also FORGETS that this same God was that way toward this evil city was the same toward him!

With God, there is no distinction? I am the same in His eyes as a pagan person? In truth, yes...and no. His love toward me as a Child of God is secure in His Son’s Blood over me but His love for the pagan is just as real. When He looks at me, He sees His Son: when He looks at someone who is not yet His Child, He sees a potential family member.

The God who relents from sending calamity… “therefore take my life away.” “Let me die!” “Better to die than to live!”

What is the meaning of LIFE?
If you have been forgiven, why throw your life away?

ILL: A train accident in the Osaka area a while ago. In the tangled mess of train cars, people were found...some alive, some injured, some without a scratch. One such man made the news last week. He was one of the survivors. Spent some time in the Hospital, overcoming some physical injuries and mental stress. Last week, he ended his life. He, who was spared death in that terrible accident, took his own life. Found it hard to handle why he was alive while others died. Now the families of the ones who died wonder, why did he get to live and then kill himself while our loved one was not given that same chance? Seemed unfair/sad!

Chapter 4:4 “‘But the Lord replied:’“Have you any right to be angry?”
“Do you have any right to say, KILL ME!?”

Was Jonah forgiving? Who did he hate? Not just the people and nation of Nineveh but also, God and himself. Not a really nice person to be around. All this hate and angry is unhealthy. It created in Jonah a desire for self-destructive. These types of feelings are somewhat common--even in small areas of our lives.

How many times have you said: “I don’t deserve this!” “Oh, no, not me! I am not good enough…” “I could just die.” “I wish I were dead.” “If I could just end this…”

Your feelings are real. Now, move from there.
Don’t dwell there.
Don't build a house there in that hate filled area of living.
See how God handled them with Jonah?

He was patient with Jonah. He is patient with you.

Please read the following passage and ask God for this kind of heart.
Joel 2:12-14
12 "Even now," declares the LORD, "return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." 13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. 14 Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.
______________

Please go to www.gdopjapan.com for information on the next evening of Prayer on November 1. Those in the Tokyo area are encouraged to come to the GDOP 1/2 Year Check-In at the Seibi Kaikan in Higashi Kurume at 6:30-8:30 PM.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

The Same Word; The Second Time Around-Jonah 3

Let's start this morning with a passage from Luke 8:4-15

LUKE 8:4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, He told this parable: 5 "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."
When He said this, He called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

9 His disciples asked Him what this parable meant. 10 He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
" 'though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.'

11 "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the Word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Just how do we respond to the Word of God does really matter. The question for us today is this: Which soil are you? Which soil do you want to be to have growth and life?

Jonah 3:6~10
When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh:
"By the decree of the king and his nobles:
Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish."
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.

The Word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time. It was the SAME word. Same message: GO! God will give the message.It was not up to Jonah.
The Message we tell and live out in front of people is not OUR story but His.
(His story/history) It is/may be OK to share about your way as long as you keep the Main thing His Story!

Verse 5 “After one day---the city believed!” Must have been some message!
Believe? What does believe mean?

Surface recognize Truth There it is-no personal involvement or need to change.
A Little Deeper weight Truth out. Yes=go this way. No=don’t go that way. Can you be neutral? Not really. You are either for Me or against Me! is what Jesus said. There is no middle road.
Heart motivated by Truth Take action/move
I.E. Jesus’ teaches on the soil and seeds. (see Luke 8, above)

  • King heard and responded really fast! (Like Joel 2:14)
  • Declared a FAST: Change behavior big time
  • Put on sackcloth: Change of dressing—difference would make things uncomfortable.

Steps to Repent:
Do we follow this form? Is this the Biblical Way?

1. Leave your place of power-rose OFF the throne, humility. You are not the center. Not even near center!

2. Took off his royal robe-“Just as I am” from the Hymnal.

3. Covered himself with sackcloth
Not ‘put on' sackcloth...
Not ‘changed into' but COVERED!
Who is our covering? “Put on Christ”
Who covers us? God’s Grace, Mercy, Power, Compassion, …

4. Sat down in the dust.
“Dust I came from; dust I am going.”
Simple life—cut off from the business of life
Deal with THIS issue. Not let other things take over.

Lowest place to go: the ground. Basic place to start. Go back to the beginning. Then move ahead/don’t stay in the past. Try as you might, you can’t change the past.

Then the King issued a proclamation. This took time. Not off the cuff. Not acted in haste. Didn’t put it off. Took time to deal with it. (Like a ball in the water—hard to keep it under the surface!)

5. Fast. No food or drink-man, woman, child AND animals! All of creation was effected by sin. Waiting for us to bring this to an end. Our action yields redemption because of what Christ did on the Cross.

6. Call urgently on God.
Easy to say ‘sorry’ Sumimasen. すめません! Shitsure shimasu. しつれします! Easy to repent but hard to life in repentance. Live in light of how your sin was such an offense to God, He needed to provide a way to bring you back to Himself. Your sin was a deeply hurtful action that caused Him much pain. The call on Him needs to be urgent! Must be dealt with! Can’t put it off any more!

7. Give up their evil ways. Take off the Old and put on the New. Transformed lives are the ones that are followed. Be that for others today!

Give up their violence. A new heart with new desires. Desires that please God! Our reaction is different. Reaction is fast yet prolonged. This is an on going repentance. Have a short list. Faith AND Works. Faith and action. All this goes together. Really can't do one without the other. This makes a balanced life!


Vs 10. God provided Salvation. This is His Plan for man’s repentance. Father God provided it all: fish, a vine, a worm, a scorching wind, an answer, and provided mercy to that city, to Jonah, to Israel, and to us, in Christ Jesus. All from His Hand.

How then shall we then live? Start with repenting—not just being sorry—Godly sorrow goes a long way. Shallow sorrow does not move at all.

Start with repenting—He will provide the rest.

___---Next week: He is coming Back! Get ready!---____

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Repent--a hard word

Please read Jonah 3 before you read the sermon...

I need to ask this morning, what did it take to bring this Assyrian Evil Empire of to her knees and repent?

What does it take to bring anyone to his or her knees?

What would it take today to repent?

All over the world today, there are prayer movements setting aside days, weeks and months for repentance!
  • 11/1 is one of them. (At the Higashi Kurume Seibi Kaikan at 6:30-8:30 P.M.)
  • 10/6, there is a Prayer walk around the Diet Building.
  • 10/5 is the World Wide Day of Prayer for Jerusalem. 6:30-8 PM at Shalom Ch. in Shinjuku.
  • 10/4 Prayer for Kanto in Higashi Kurume.
(If you have any questions about these prayer times, contact ICCS at iccsjapan@aol.com for more details.)

WHY?
Because God has called us to seek His Face and repent.

All our respective countries need our governments to come to some form of repenting and mean it. There are things that go on in the halls of government around the world that would make you and I sick if we knew of their intent. The Bible tells about some who even dream evil so that in the morning they can put those actions into practice.

Cold and heartless laws are in place that put the poor out of proper housing. Laws that do not protect the orphans or widows. Laws that cover Big business’ budgets all the while taking huge cash windfalls on unfair loopholes in the law that are unknown by the public. It seems unfair that some get away with murder while others are heavily fined for the slightest miss-spoken word.

There is a teaching out ‘there’ that says Man is really bigger than God because we can change His mind. (Manipulate God.) In fact, God does not really know what to do in certain circumstances because we have not yet made up our mind what to do. That is a very low understanding of who God is! God is eternal. He is Lord of ALL that is! He made it all and we are part—just part—of His creation. He knows our heart and will deal with us in light of that and within His perfect plans—made from the foundation of the world. If you feel uncomfortable with that, sorry! That is the way IT is. Get over it. We are not bigger than God. His ways are far beyond our own YET He wants us—desires us to have a close relationship with Him. That is why He made us. And that relationship brings Him Glory…somehow.

Here in this passage, God sends Jonah BACK on the mission He wanted Jonah to do earlier. Because of his stubborn heart, Jonah rebelled and went the other direction. God in His Mercy—both for Jonah and for the pagan city of Nineveh, now has His man doing what is best.

Resistance is futile. Even when Jonah ran away, God was there to bring him back. It is best not to resist God’s pull on your heart.

Be like the frog that comes out of his well and see the ocean. Much more to life than what I can see.

Obedience is a wise choice. Jonah obeyed the Lord.

Because the bigger picture was not just this city of Nineveh’s need for repentance! No, it was deeper than that! It was for JONAH and Israel to repent and see that God would have ALL people come to Him. Not just the Jew-but the American, the British, the Japanese, the Singaporean, the Ugandan, the Nigerian, the Norwegian, the people from the north, south, east and the west…until ALL people have heard! And Nineveh.

What do we know of this great city? Does not really matter/we can’t compare them to us! But they are like us…cruel, mean-spirited, and selfish, you fill it in…

But "IF" we repent? What is the problem with that? Nineveh’s reputation was not a good one. Assyria was mean and nasty. Taking babies from the bodies of expecting mothers was common practice. Skinning the enemy alive of their tattoos was expected. Not to mention the server tactics of the military on the battlefield. Serious bad guys. At this time of Jonah, the Assyrian king was Adad-Nirai, the 3rd, (810-783 BC). He had promoted the worship of a single god, Nebo, thus getting the people ready for this major change from the monotheistic others around them.

Jonah 3:8b says: "Let them give up their evil ways and their violence."

This is a matter of the will on their part. What do they have to loose? Look at this man Jonah! We know what happened to him. The oral story had come to us even before he showed up outside our city with the message God had for us. We really know what the God of Israel is like—even when His own people reject Him: we know!

If we repent, well… …He may relent… "Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from His fierce anger" 9

The question might be better asked: “What is the worst that could happen?” The history of the God of the Hebrew People was known! It was feared from before the battle of Jericho. They knew what God did in Egypt. They learned what He did at Jericho and beyond.

“What if we do repent ... we know that this God they call Jehovah could change His mind and let us live. What not repent? We know we are evil! We know we kill. We know we lie. We know we have lived our lives outside God’s plan for us. It is known in our heart of hearts. Let’s do it! Let’s repent!”

And they did. And He changed His mind-from our point of view and that of Jonah’s. He gave them a second chance. Just like what He’d do for us and we are not even anything like the Assyrian people—yet we know we have done wrong. We know our heart has pushed Him out. We know we have not given Him first place—in our lives. We do not get what we deserve; the One who made us has MERCY for us to respond.

We are to seek Godly wisdom from His Word. From His revelation. SEEK Me and you will find Me! It does not come to us on autopilot. A matter of our WILL!

God is FULL of Mercy—just for us! God is FULL of Compassion—just for us! Yet, He is also a just God. A God who cannot go against His Own Word! “If you are not with Me,” Jesus said, “you are against Me.” “Those who have not put their trust in Me will perish.” “If you follow Me, you will keep my Word!” “If you love Me, you WILL keep what I say!”

Reject Me & you reject Life itself. Apart from Me, there is no life.

I am not making this up! ‘Good’ is not good enough! Putting your best foot forward does not merit eternal life. First John says that if we say we have not sinned, we lie and the Truth is not in us. Why did he say that? Wouldn’t it have been easier for God to say, “do the best you can and I’ll see you in Heaven!?”

Best’ is not what He is looking for. What He is looking for is found in what the people of Nineveh did. And we will look at that next week. But for this week, what is my job? What should I do with this?

Don’t push it away with those old questions of doubt and miss-information we have stored up over the years. Know that He is God and He is calling you and me to Himself. Where He is, He wants us to be and where He is, He has prepared a place for us to be with Him.
  • No more tears.
  • No more pain.
  • No more trying.
  • No more doing-the-best-you-can.

"It is finished!" That is what Jesus said on the Cross. The way to the Father is now ready for ALL to come to Him.Through Jesus. He is the Way! He is the Truth! He is the Life. No other way. All I have to do is follow.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

The ART of Returning to God: Jonah 2

神様のもとへ戻る方法 ヨナ書2章
Think back to when you were a disobedient child…some just need to think back to this morning…how did it feel for you to know that your actions really hurt your parent's heart? How did you face them after this breaking of the family rules? Were you able to look at them in their face-eye to eye-and tell them that you were sorry?

反抗的だった子供のころのことを思い出してください。この中で今朝、思い出さなければならない人もいるでしょうが・・・あなたの行動で両親を本当に悲しませたことを知ったとき、どんな気持ちでしたか?家族との約束を破ったとき、どう両親に顔向けしましたか?
両親の目を見てごめんなさいと言えたでしょうか?

As a parent, is it better not to respond at all to the disobedience of the child-just let it go-or is it better to confront the child-showing them their error, dealing with the broken rules and thus dealing with the broken relationship?
親として、反抗的な子供に対して何の反応も示さないほうが良いでしょうか?それとも子供の過ちを指摘し、約束を破ったことや関係を悪くしたことに対処した方が良いでしょうか?
Isn't that what really happens when there is a law or rule that is broken? This action of disobedience produces a break in the relationship.
法律や規則が破られるとそういうことが本当に起きるのでしょうか?この反抗的な態度は人間関係を壊してしまうのです。

Both Japan and the US are experiencing some rather hard times with the rainstorms that had invaded our countries. The Philippines, Taiwan, China and the host of island countries in the Caribbean are in the same situation. Some of these countries have special jetties that keep out the sea or stop rivers from spilling into the inhabited areas.
日本とアメリカの両国は台風などの被害で大変な経験をしています。フィリピン、台湾、中国、カリブ海の国々も同じと言えます。それらの国々では堤防をつくり海や川から水が居住地域へと行かないようにしています。

In some cases, the sea surge has been so server, the jetties have collapsed or caved into the pressure and lives have been taken. We feel bad when we see the reports on the TV. This was such a waste of lives and of money. Some areas have been flooded EVERY year for the past 10-20 years. Why go back there? Why try and rebuild? In Haiti, some homes were destroyed three times in one month! How can there be a rebuild and with what?
ある場所では大波が来て堤防が押し曲げられたり崩れたりして人々が犠牲になりました。
そのようなニュースをテレビで見ると辛くなります。これはお金と人の命を無駄にしていることなのです。ある地域は過去10-20年間、毎年洪水に見舞われます。そんな地にどうして戻っていくのでしょうか?ハイチでは一ヶ月に3回も壊れてしまった家があります。どうやって立て直すのでしょうか?なぜ、立て直すのでしょうか?

Relationships are very much like that. The storms of disobedience or anger have taken their toll on us. Relationships have had their jetties broken in, caved into the pressures of the world, broken down because of -sin. What to do?
人間関係もそれに似ています。反抗や怒りという嵐は私たちに犠牲をもたらします。人間関係の防波堤は世界の圧力に負け、罪によって壊されてしまったのです。みなさん、これをどう処理しますか?

At times, it maybe better for the two parties to separate for a while until they can face each other with a controlled mind. But yet, God does not really want us to remain separated from Him because of our sin.
始めは彼らが感情をコントロールできるまでは問題の二人を離しておいたほうがいいでしょう。しかし、神さまは罪のゆえに私たちが、神さまから離れているというのも放っては
おかないとおもいます。

The jetties have been broken. God really wishes to be reconciled to us and to see us continue walking with Him as growing learners. (You need to remember that Jesus Himself has provided THE way for us to be restored to a right relationship with God through Himself.) So, when we sin, He is the one who seeks us out in His compassion, brings us to repent and points us back to the right way once again---once again, and again.
堤防が崩れてしまいました。神さまは私たちと和解し、互いに主にあって成長しながら歩み続けることを本当に望んでおられます。(イエス様ご自信が私たちと神さまと正しい関係を回復させる道を用意してくだ去ったことを忘れないで下さい。)だから私たちが罪を犯したとき、イエス様は同情をもって私たちを悔い改めに導き正しい方を指し示してくださるのです。何度でも、何度でも・・・・

That is where we are in the book of Jonah. Running away from what God wanted him to do…what God wanted him to say…to a people who he already wanted God to burn up and get the punishment they dissevered.
だから今、ヨナ書を学んでいるのです。ここには神さまがして欲しいこと言って欲しいことから逃げ去った話しがあります。ヨナは神さまが当然の罰としてニネベを焼き尽くすことを望んでいました。

Yet, when we sin, God seeks us out and He did the same for our sprinter from God, Jonah. And he did it in the belly of a fish-for three days!
God does not throw us away! He sees much worth in our lives. Even when we blow it! He sees one of His image bearers in need of comfort and love and forgiveness and reconciliation-of re-formation!
しかし、私たちが罪を犯したとき、神さまは私たちを探しヨナを追いかけたようにするでしょう。ヨナは三日間、魚のお腹の中にいました。
神さまは私たちを見捨てることはしません。私たちの命の価値を見てくださるのです。たとえ私たちが失敗したとしてもです。神さまは私たちを神の似姿として見てくださり、必要に応じて慰め、愛、許し、和解を与え、また造り替えてくださるのです。

Read Chapter Two

The Art of Returning To God
Cry Out for God's Mercy and God is Merciful to the Humble.
A. Return in Brokenness.
My dear older brother has a church out on Cape Cod, Mass. A great location yet has had a number of financial challenges over the years with different large employment leaving the area. Dealing with this topic of repenting, Ed wrote this week:
神さまのもとへ戻る方法
神の憐れみを叫び求める:神様はへりくだる者には憐れみ深い。
A. 砕かれた魂の戻り
私の兄がマサチューセッツで牧師をしています。立地条件はとてもいいのですが、ここ数年は経済的にも苦しい状況です。大勢の労働者たちがこの場所を離れてしまったためです。
悔い改めに関して兄はメールを送ってきました。

we have noticed that real repentance is far from easy. Certainly, you can move through a worship service designed to kindle repentance, but to really repent? Now, that's something completely different. It is hard to repent. In fact, we resist repentance. When we do repent, sometimes it seems as though we are just going through the motions. Not often do we see repentance for real and with real effect on our lives.
本当の悔い改めは簡単なことではないと気がつきました。確かに礼拝で悔い改めるように促すこともできます。しかし本当に悔い改めるでしょうか?それは別問題です。
悔い改めは大変なことです。事実、私たちは悔い改めを拒否しています。私たちが悔い改めるとその瞬間、何かが出て行った感じがします。私たちが本当に悔い改め、生活を変えるのはそんなに多くあることではありません

I really wonder what was going on in the mind of Jonah just before he said what we read this morning. I wonder if he was trying to figure this whole mess out. I wonder if he was really sorry for his running away from God.
私たちが先ほど読んだ箇所では、ヨナの心の中に何が起きていたのでしょうか?
たぶんヨナは自分の大失敗の答えを出そうとしていたかもしれません。そして神さまにそむいたことを本当に悔いていたのではないでしょうか?

Was Jonah really MADE to repent? Or, did it take real humility for this man to cry out to God from inside the fish? If Jonah remained mad at God … I mean really mad at Him, would God have rescued him?」
ヨナは本当に悔い改めたのでしょうか?それとも魚の腹の中で本当に謙遜になり神さまに叫び求めたのでしょうか?もし、ヨナが神さまに怒り続けたのなら神さまはヨナを救ったでしょうか?

Breaking things happen. A dish, a flowerpot, a window. Once it happens, there is little to do but clean it up. Sometimes it can be put back together again.
物は壊れるものです。お皿、鉢、窓ガラス。もし割れてしまったら片付けます。時々、もと通りにくっつけることも出来ます。


With this God we are talking about, He is really ready and able to make it well again! He hears Jonah's heart-he realizes his mistake of disobeying God.
私たちが今日、語っている神は再びもとに戻すことが出来るお方です。
神に逆らい間違いを犯したことに気がついたヨナの心を神さまは見ておられたのです。

Why is it so hard to ask for forgiveness? Because we don't believe it will happen. If I break our relationship, and then ask for forgiveness, you could say, Yes, Stan, I forgive you…but you still will not forget the offense. It stays.
赦しを求めるのなぜそんなに大変なのでしょうか?赦されることを信じていないからです。
もし私が関係を壊し、赦しを求めたなら、あなたはこういうでしょう。「スタンさん、赦しますよ」と口では言いますが、やられたことをあなたは忘れないでしょう。心の中にそれが残るのです。

But with God, even though He says He will take the offense as far away as the East is from the West and that He will not remember it no more-We don't believe Him. Remember His Name? G-O-D. He is not man! He is not like one of us! Gone are the memories of past offenses once forgiveness was sought after. Jonah tried to end his life and found it ended in a belly of a fish. But God's way lead to mission and meaning. You make the choice: Belly or brokenness and healing?
しかし神さまはこう言っておられます。東が西から離れているように私たちの罪を遠く離してくださいます。そして罪を忘れてくださるのです。しかし、私たちはそれを信じません。誰が忘れてくださるのですか?神さまです。人間ではありません。私たちとは違うのです。私たちが赦しを求めれば過去の罪の記憶も神さまは消してくださいます。
ヨナは死のうとしましたが魚の腹の中で見つかりました。しかし、神の方法は意味のあることまた、宣教へと導きくことでした。皆さんも腹の中、砕かれること、癒されることから選ぶことができます。

1. Return _in brokenness_
"From the depths of the grave I called for help, and You listened to my cry."
Our God hears our cries-even when we don't feel He does. He may be saying-“Not yet My daughter… Not yet, My Son…a little more and then I will get more Glory.” Not about Me! I need to be a growing learner.
1. 砕かれて戻る
  私が悲しみの底から助けを求めるとあなたは私の叫びを聞かれた
  私たちの神さまは私たちの叫びを聞いてくださいます。たとえそう感じなくてもそうしてくださっているのです。神さまの答えが「娘よ、まだダメだよ。息子よ、もう少し待ちなさい。わたしがより多く栄光を受けるときまで。」私のためではないのです。
私は学び成長になる必要があるのです。

2. Return in Thanksgiving
感謝とともにもどってくる
Now that God heard his heart cry, the fish threw Jonah up and set him on his way to do ministry.
ここで神さまはヨナの叫びを聞かれ、魚はヨナを吐き出しヨナは宣教地へと向かいました。

But was Jonah joyful? He was still going to a place he really did not want to go. Yet, Jonah said: “BUT I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You.” Go to 1 Thessalonians 5:18 When we don't feel like it, it becomes a sacrifice of joy and thanksgiving.
What was Jonah's reward of repenting? He did not know he was going to live. See verse 10.
しかし、ヨナは喜んでいたでしょうか?行き先は行きたくない場所でした。ヨナは言いました。「私は感謝の声をあげてあなたにいけにえを捧げましょう。」
第一テサロニケ5:18
私たちがそうしたくないときにすると、喜びと感謝のいけにえとなるのです。
2. Return _in thanksgiving_
"But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You."
Just a word of care: God and humans don't really like being around people who are negative and joyless, around discontent, whiny people who complain all the time and never seem satisfied. Community works better in the light than it does in sourness. If this is a problem with you, work at it. Ask for help!
感謝しながら返ってくる
「私は感謝の声をあげてあなたにいけにえを捧げましょう。」
人も神さまも否定的で喜びがなく、不満を抱き、いつも小さなことで人に文句を言う人の近くに行きたいと思わないでしょう。コミュニティでの働きは暗いところよりも明るいところにあるほうがいいと思います。何か問題があるなら解決してください。また助けを求めてください。

B. God is Merciful to the Humble.
He hears our prayers.
This has to be one of the greatest truths of Scripture. Remember Jonah, there in the belly, covered with fish stuff and seaweed, feeling alone and lost and finally coming to his senses and seeks God's forgiveness. He deserved banishment, deep sea death, separation from God BUT, this same God, who is rich in Mercy and compassion was able to hear his confession, forgive him and restore him in the relationship.
神さまはへりくだるものに憐れみ深い
これは聖書の中の一番素晴らしい真理のうちの一つです。ヨナのことを思い出してください。魚の腹の中に海草や魚が食べたものがある中で、寂しさを感じていました。最終的には正気にもどり神様の赦しを求めました。彼は神さまから見放され海の底にいて当然でした。しかし、憐れみと同情に富んでいる神さまは、ヨナは赦しの告白を聞き、ヨナとの関係を回復しました。

1. He _hears our prayers__
"my prayer rose to You, to Your Holy Temple."
Words and Music by Tommy Walker © 1996 Doulos Publishing
Jeremiah 1:5_"Before I formed you in the belly I knew you."
I have a Maker. He formed my heart, Before even time began, My life was in His hands
He knows my name. He knows my every thought. He sees each tear that falls. and He hears me when I call
I have a Father, He calls me His own._He'll never leave me,_ No matter where I go _
神さまは私たちの祈りを聞いてくださる。
私のいのりはあなたの聖なる宮に届きます。
エレミヤ1:5
わたしはあなたを体内に形造る前から知っていた。
私には造り主がいます。彼は私の心臓をつくり、時が始まる前にから私のいのちは御手の中にありました。神さまは私の名前を知っていました。私の思い全てを知っておられました。こぼれ落ちる涙の一滴の訳も聞いてくださいます。私が呼ぶときには応えてくださいます。私には父なる神がいる。神さまは私を息子と呼んでくださいます。どこに行っても神様は私から離れません。

In the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9~14), Jesus describes two different men who went to God in prayer. The Pharisee was full of self-righteousness and pride, and he praised himself before God rather than offering true praise to the Father.
パリサイ人と収税人のたとえ(ルカ18:9-14)祈っている二人の違う男性を描写しました。パリサイ人はプライドと自分本位で満ちていました。そして神の前で父なる神を褒め称えずにに自分をほめました。

The tax collector humbled himself and cried out to God for mercy and forgiveness. He knew he had sinned and wanted to be truly right with God. He allowed God room to show him love and mercy. How did the Pharisee's attitude prevent God from answering any prayers he offered?
収税人はへりくだり神に憐れみと赦しを叫び求めました。彼は自分が罪を犯したことを知っていました。そして神さまにあって正しくなりたいと思っていました。彼は神さまに愛と憐れみを示してくれる余地を与えました。パリサイ人の態度が神さまからの祈りの答えをどう妨げたでしょうか?

How does pride hinder our prayers? Why does God require humility of us when we pray?
Do you think God could have still used Jonah if Jonah prayed, "O God, I'm a sinner and will always be a sinner. Please comfort me because I am a wretched person with no hope of getting better?" That is false humility. What is true humility? Be Like Him!
プライドが祈りの邪魔をするでしょうか? 何故神様は私たちが祈るとき、へりくだるようにと言われるのですか?
もしヨナがこのように祈ったのなら神様はまだヨナを用いたと思いますか?
神さま、わたしは罪人です。これからもそうです。どうか私を慰めてください。なぜなら私はひどい人間で、良くなる望みもありません。」これは間違った謙遜です。
本当の謙遜とはイエス様のようになることです。

I am wrong and I grieve my sin before You. It sickens me to know You were offended because I said that-because I did that, and I am so, so sorry.
私が間違ってました。私の罪をあなたの前に捧げます。私が言ったこと私がしたことであなたを怒らせたことを知りました。本当にごめんなさい。

2. He _Rescues Us From our Sin__
"But You brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God."
罪から助けてくださる
主よ、私の神。あなたは私を穴から引き上げてくださいました

1 Corinthians 10:12-14 (NIV) So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

He is a Holy God. Set apart from us by His Character of Holiness. We cannot fool Him nor should we want to. He tells us to come to Him, yet we are covered with sin's dirt. His Holiness can remove that from us and restore us to Himself. Go & do that!
神さまは聖なる神です。あなたの聖なるご性質と私たちを分けてください。私たちはあなたをバカにすることはできませんし、したくもありません。神さまは私のもとへ来なさいといってくださいました。しかし私たちは罪に覆われています。神さまのきよさがたちの罪を取り除き、再建させてくださいました。行って御心を実行するのです。

Just like His prayer He taught us... On earth as it is in Heaven…
イエス様が教えてくださったように祈り 地でも天でも ...

(Outline and some ideas come from a Web page Bible site Power Point Bible Lessons.)