Sorry for the Delay!

Christmas Greetings!

I have been away from my post for about 15 days. Traveling, as it were.
But, I am back once again! Please return to this site for this month's Christmas messages.

This Sunday, we will have Ken Nishiono share the message. He will be speaking in Japanese and Tim Timura will be translating! This will be a first for Tim, so pray for him. Ken is a student at a Bible School near Osaka.

Please note the different activities that are happening around ICCS this month. We will be hosting a team from Singapore this month. They will help us in the Enoki-Cho area. There are a lot of handouts to pass out telling the Christmas Message of The Savior, a free offer to get a new Manga that tells the story of Jesus and an invite to ICCS to learn how to sing Christmas Carols. The Christmas party will be on December 19. Join us if you can. If you are reading this from outside the Tokorozawa area and are unable to attend, PLEASE pray for the moving of God on our neighbors. Over the past months, the Lord has opened many doors of relationships with many of them and there are some deep personal needs. Some are very sick, some are alone, and some are very eager to become close friends.

Please check back during the week for details on what is in store here at ICCS.

Your place to belong.

KEEPING CHRIST CENTERED IN CHRISTMAS!

What God Is Looking For In Our Community?

What Community Is:

God created us to be in community—beginning “in the beginning with Adam and Eve”. The Old Testament is the story of God interacting with the people of Israel, a community united by genetics and a special relationship with God. When Jesus comes, to this community, He selects the twelve disciples to be His primary community. And as He comes to the night before His crucifixion, He prays for them:

John 17:20-23

He not only prayed for those twelve, He prayed for those who believe because of the message of those twelve. He prayed for the community of believers down through the ages. He prayed for you and for me.

The apostle Paul teaches much about living in community.

Romans 12:4-5

Paul teaches that we are connected to one another through our relationship with Christ. We belong to one another. We are linked together.

1) What God is looking for?

When God looks at us, as His community, what does He hope to see?

1. Love for God

Ephesians 3:14-19

God is looking for people who have their hearts prepared to make room for Him to live, through our faith in Him. Because of our faith, we have the Holy Spirit, God-in-us, giving us the power to grasp, together in community, how big God’s love actually is. He is looking for people who are open to receiving the love that God has—this immense, immeasurable love.

What can be our natural response to that knowledge but to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and strength?

2. Love for one another

If this is who God is looking for—this is how He wants us to live:

Ephesians 4:1-5

Live a life worthy of the calling we have received. That is demonstrated through humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love. All of these are characterized by a unity of the Spirit of God that is living within us. Unity doesn’t mean “same”. “ keep the harmony and oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit” Amplified Bible. So we can, as a community, disagree humbly, disagree gently, disagree patiently because we are united in the Spirit, and we have the love of Christ at work in us.

1 John 3: 11 ~ talk about how we need to love one another. This is the sign that we are alive in Christ. If we don’t demonstrate Christ’s love through love for one another, then John asks in verse 17 if God’s love can actually be in him. Love for one another is not just words, but actions.

3. Image of a body, working together

So how does a community of believers demonstrate our love for God and our love for one another?
Hebrews 10:22-25

1. Draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, being forgiven!
2. Hold on to the hope we have in Christ.
3. And spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
4. Keep on meeting with one another, to encourage one another.

a. All are important

Paul uses the image of a body in three different passages, to describe how we work together in community.

Romans 12:4-8

Just as our physical bodies have different parts or members, but work together to make a working “us” so the community of believers, the church has different parts or members who function doing what they do best so that the whole body works together.

b. Not all are the same

We have different parts, but one body.

Paul elaborates on this in 1 Corinthians 12.

We can go into a study of what are called “spiritual gifts” here, but that will have to happen in the New Year. As a sampler, though, here are a list of what people have summarized as gifts the Holy Spirit gives the different parts of the body to contribute to the working of the whole community—

Look for the List in this passage...

Paul says in Romans 12:6, we have different gifts, according to the grace given us. And the following verses show that if you have a certain gift, use it as a service to the Lord.

4. Heart for the world.

In Jesus’ prayer for his disciples (John 17:23), the reason Jesus prayed that we would live in unity was so that the world would know that God had sent Him.

“This concern for the survival of the church down through the ages provides the explanation for the anguished tones of Jesus’ prayer. He knew that if the church should fail to demonstrate community to the world, it would fail to accomplish its mission, because the world would have reason to disbelieve the gospel. According to that prayer, the most convincing proof of the truth of the gospel is the perceptible oneness of his followers.” Gilbert Bileziakian quoted in Building a Church of Small Groups, p 32.

2) How do we measure up?

As we look around at each other, how do we measure up?

1. How is our relationship with God?

Are we as a community grasping the extent of God’s love for us? Are we being rooted and established in the love of Christ? What do we do to nurture that relationship in community?

2. Do we know one another?

Look around you in your worshiping community. How many of you know everyone’s name? This is the reason for the name tags on covered dish Sundays. Is there one other person in our community you know well enough to share a personal concern and receive prayer? Are there people in the community who you could call in if you needed help?

3. How do we show love for one another?

How do we demonstrate love for one another?

Colossians 3: 12-17

This gives a great overview of what our life should be like in the community, in the body of Christ. How much of this is at work in the life of the ICCS Community?

4. How do we work together as a body?
I realize that some might wonder why I chose to talk on this today. Stan and I recently looked at some demographic data on ICCS. We were looking for some trends, and for the answers to a couple of questions we get from people outside of this fellowship, such as “what proportion of your congregation is Japanese?” We discovered that our off the top, ball-park figure of 1/3 is actually correct!

One of the last things we looked at was how many of our people are involved in the ministry at ICCS in one way or another. This encompasses anything from leadership and teaching, to helping with the coffee. I have read that in most churches, 10% of the people do most of the work. But at ICCS, we found that 65% of our people are doing something to contribute to the community! I praise God for His work in this community, this body!

This is a great piece of news, but you know, I think we can do better! Some of us are not using the gifts and abilities God has given us for the ministry at ICCS. Some of us are doing too many jobs—working in and out of our gifting in order to cover things that need to be done. And then some of us have held off from getting involved, for whatever reasons. As you looked at the photos from years at ICCS, one thing you will notice is that you didn’t know a lot of those people. Turnover is a big part of an International fellowship. Yet whether you are a part of our community for a long time or a short time, God wants you to function in your part of the body!

3) Personal inventory
I want to close with a few personal questions. I don’t expect you to verbalize the answers to me, but I want you to think about and pray about what God wants to do in your life as you grow to know and love Him more in this community of believers.

1. What is one thing I can do to know God better?

2. Who do I need to get to know here?

3. Where do I fit in the life of this community?

a. Do I need help finding a place?

4. Who do I know that needs to find Christ?

a. Am I praying for them?

If you are interested in finding a place to serve, please let Stan or me know. We want to help you grow in your understanding of how God has made you and where you fit into the body. It is possible that in the New Year we will have a “gifted to serve”.

Conclusion

Ephesians 4:13 says that we exercise the gifts God has given us so to prepare God’s people for works of service so that the body of Christ might be built up until we reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God; and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. V 16 From [Christ] the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

I think this is a lifetime process—and at ICCS we’re well on the way, but we need to continue to build one another up in love, exercising our gifts, doing our part.

Ephesians 3:20, 21 as closing prayer.

Community

We have several opportunities coming up to function as a community—

Next Sunday we have scheduled a Cleaning Day after church of the worship hall and classrooms. Not only do we all need to come prepared to do our share, we need to develop a plan for the ongoing upkeep of the chapel. Stan has mentioned before that we do not have a custodial staff—and if you’ve used the toilets in the past few months, or looked at the kitchen floor recently, you will recognize that! Come next week prepared to pitch in. We all have our specialties—some like windows, some of you may have looked at the toys upstairs and thought, these should be sorted, cleaned and some need to be tossed…where you have thought “this should be done” — perhaps next Sunday is the time to do it.

On December 4 we are hosting a Gospel Choir Workshop. This is an excellent time for our community to invite family and friends to a delightful evening of practice. Will those we invite see that we love Christ and one another? I hope so! Do you want to help in some way, in addition to bringing someone? See Fumi or Yumi. Do you think we could fill the room?

Christmas Outreaches, including Christmas Eve

There are always many concerts scheduled throughout this time of year. The Charity concert at the Muse is on the 6th, and we have tickets here that can be purchased ahead of time.

Our church has become known as a Caroling Church…and last year we were able to greet friends in the neighborhood on Christmas Eve with Christmas Carols after our Candlelight service. This year we are again going caroling, but this time we’re offering a pre-caroling practice! The date is still not clear, but it will be announced so please check again.


Christmas Eve is a night when we have many neighborhood people come. There have been many Christmas Eve services where there has been almost no one from the ICCS community here, though. Consider putting this into your calendar for December 24. And if you want to be a part of putting together the cookies and hot drinks reception after the caroling that evening, let me know.

Now, let's be thankful for ALL the Lord has both given to us and provided for us IN CHRIST JESUS. Apart from Him, we would have a huge need. He cares for us and loves us deeply!

Oh, the Pain! Oh, the agony!

Suffering Theology is what we need.

If you would, please go to the following web address and download the ten page paper of this very timely article. I could not say this any better. Thank you Dr. Ken Williams for all the work of love you put into getting this together. The team you work with is awesome.

I, for one, find this material a life line!

http://www.relationshipskills.com/articles/Toward%20a%20Theology%20of%20Suffering.pdf

May the Lord of Creation continue to give each of you a fresh look into His Heart.

He cares so much for each of you.

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?

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!

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.

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.

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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.