Passages:
Ephesians 6:12 from the Amplified Bible 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 from the Amplified Bible 3 For though we walk in the flesh [as mortal men], we are not carrying on our [spiritual] warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man. 4 The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ, 1 Peter 5:8-9 from the Amplified Bible 8 Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.] ------------------------------ Good morning from Long Beach CA where it is still hot but not as bad as Kobe! Today’s message is a core theme for me, and Kelly and I could easily do a semester long series on this- which would be fun if people were interested, but today, I am going to try to make it very simple and practical but let me know if you want more! The topic is Our unseen struggle. It’s the spiritual part of our lives and what effect it has on us and – importantly- how we affect things in that way or realm. So first, we have to recognize this aspect of our lives- the spiritual- we easily see the physical, most of us recognize an emotional realm but often in our cultures here and in the US we miss the impact, or relevance or significance of the spiritual- it’s much harder to see and feel and recognize. I have said before that one can imagine the spiritual world like radio or TV shows- they are here, in the air, I mean if you turn on a radio and tune in- wow, music and talks shows and where was it? It was there but we did not see it. We don’t realize it’s here around us till we tune in. Another example like the movie the Matrix- there seemed to be a real world but in fact it was partly real. We live in one world but in fact there is here and now another dimension we tend to miss- the spiritual world and what it means to and for us. The Bible tells us there are essentially 3 teams- God and angels Satan and demons and us. In Ephesians 6:11-12 amplified version it says: 11 Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. Ok, so my goal today is to help remind us that we live in a world with a dimension we cannot see but is real and that many things which affect us have a hidden part or element and that is the spiritual. Kelly and I have a lot of stories and these can be challenging to share. Many get quite uncomfortable when we share about really spiritual experiences which we have seen or faced but it feels wrong not to share if there is a struggle or battle like we read about here in Ephesians. So, if we recognize or accept that there is a spiritual world and that the struggle is our trying to be influential or effective or strong spiritually and not just physically – how or what can we do practically. Ephesians 6 famously gives us the armor of God and that’s worth studying. Paul was writing to the church, to believers and he lists what could be counted as 6 tools or weapons or components that he describes as the “whole armor of God”—7 if one counts prayer – which I do. You can read in Ephesians 6:13-18 and we will talk about these in Sunday School today at 1030. But if I could simplify those verses for a friend and just had 15 minutes, I would say there are 3 major areas to work on to be better able “to stand firm” and not get taken down. Three words that start with UN to help you remember them. First, I call it Unknown promises and passages- this means you need to know your Bible. It’s the sword and the weapon Jesus used when Satan came to tempt him in the wilderness. You remember? Satan posed 3 challenges or temptations to Jesus and each was a sort of twisted version of scripture- tricky! But Jesus was able to respond appropriately with scripture. The second one in Matthew 4 says: Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test. Good response! This may seem old school or simple or not intellectual but that’s a trick as well, we need to respect God’s word and truth and not get so smart you miss it! What did we hear today from 2 Corinthians 10:5 “We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,” Last week I talked about Spiritual authority and this is that. IF you see who God says you are and see what he has given us in Christ it changes everything. But you have to see it – you have to know it. Know the unknown! Imagine going to the ATM machine for the first time. You need to know how it works and your PIN #. If you type in the wrong pin # you won’t get your money, but it doesn’t mean you don’t have money in the bank- it means you don’t have the correct information. Many people we pray with or for have no idea what the Bible says regarding their condition or situation. Not really. I try to encourage people to at least have one Bible passage they memorize and they can stand on- that they can use so to speak out! When our #2 daughter was little, she was unusually afraid of almost everything. One of the passages I gave her was 2 Timothy 1:7 which in the Amplified version reads: 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]. We would review that every morning when she first went to public school in the US. She literally threw up every morning for the first week and we would read and recite that passage- gradually she broke thru and better! I think she was shy as a child but I think there was a spiritual element which we fought partly like this and largely with the second UN. So first we have the UNknown promises we must find and recognize in the Bible and our second challenge is: Unbelief. Many read their Bible, and many can even quote a passage but to believe it is to activate it for yourself. I have to say Lindsey at that time embraced and believed that verse and that was huge- she owned it. She received it and I feel it changed her. God gave her that verse and she took it- God’s part and our or her part. Unbelief in the Bible is actually a sin but in today’s church and world we don’t usually see it like that. We tend to focus on doing bad things. When Moses led God’s people through the desert, their worst sin was unbelief as cited in Hebrews 3:8. They did not trust God and we are often like that but its subtle. The way to beat Unbelief to me is to call it out- recognize it and decide to do like Proverbs 3:5 says: 5Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; The third practical point and UN is UNforgiveness- we have seen this be a spiritual battle in maybe a third of cases where we prayed for healing or a breakthrough and in praying, we found that there was some kind of unforgiveness I have shared this before but will again - we used to help pastor a small home church here in Kobe and a woman came who had heard of all the miracles we had seen and asked for prayer for her an injured shoulder. Most of the time when we pray for something for someone, we ask God for guidance for our praying- sort of pre-prayer. So, in this case it seemed the woman had unforgiveness and when asked about it she agreed that her mother in law had pushed her down many years ago and caused her to have a miscarriage – so actually killed her baby. She has passed away but the unforgiveness had not! Yea, heavy and terrible stuff BUT the Bible tells us in several places to forgive- no matter what - like here in Mark 11:25 25 Whenever you [a]stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him [drop the issue, let it go], so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions and wrongdoings [against Him and others]. So, we explained this to her and she finally agreed and when she spoke the forgiveness out loud - well, it was dramatic and pretty surprising- she made some crazy noises and I will spare you the details as it could be distracting but can I just say it looked like spiritual warfare! Finally, she became quiet and needless to say we were all a bit shocked BUT the shoulder was completely healed – no pain at all. So as happened many times for Jesus- healing was related to spiritual issues- often called demons in the Bible So, the breadth and depth of this topic is a challenge but hopefully we can agree that even though we don’t always see it – there is a spiritual realm in which we live and need to navigate. Also, its unsettling for most us- me too! Battling or struggling with or against spiritual powers as described in Ephesians 6 is vital for us to see and recognize to not only help ourselves but again as we need to remind ourselves- for those around us- this is our mission! We as Christians are carriers of light and God’s presence which when we overflow, we are blessed as we bless others. If you would like to start a class on this topic let me know and maybe, we can do that – spiritual authority and spiritual warfare…to win for us and others. Ok, lets pray: God help us see the spiritual world we live in Help us discern when things are spiritually hindering us and others Help us to see, know, believe and use our authority Help us recognize the power of the scriptures and the name of Jesus Thanks for giving us power and authority and that you are with us – for us – and in us In Jesus name amen Ok- see you at Sunday school for more stories and tips
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August 23, 2020: “Are we asking for permission when we have a commission!" (Pastor Chuck Grafft)8/23/2020 Matthew 10:7-8
7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Luke 10:19 19 Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you. Today’s message is one I carry in my heart and share often with people in various ways but with a simple core theme: IF you knew you who were (as a Christian) and knew what you had- it would change everything. I mean if you REALLY knew. I think I can say it would bring true inner Peace- (this is my phrase to tie into this month’s theme of peace ☺) I lived for 6 months in Israel while in college and lived on a Kibbutz which was an amazing experience and lots of great stories from that time. I was amazed at the diversity there. Everyone- I mean everyone- was from everywhere. An absolute country of immigrants from all over the world but united in their Jewishness and then as Israeli citizens. So, people still retained their origin but now…they were Israeli citizens. One thing that was required: ALL men had to serve 3 years in the military and women 2 years and then every year they would spend a couple of weeks training and staying ready to return to active military service. As Israeli citizens they now had all the rights and responsibilities of a citizen. As Christians its similar- you might be an American Christian or a Japanese Christian (like Japanese American or African American) so you have your roots and heritage but now you have all the rights and responsibilities of your new citizenship. You could also say we are citizens of a country BUT not living in that country now- so like someone who became an Israeli citizen but right now- they are an expat living in Japan. Hope this helps. So, we are citizens of heaven – the kingdom of God but living in this world. So, we still have all our rights and responsibilities BUT we also live in a country with different values and systems and so we are navigating in both of these. This is where we must remind ourselves of our TRUE citizenship and our mission because we are not just living in a foreign country but one where we are assigned to bring God’s presence (the Kingdom of God) and act on his behalf – we have the help of the HS and we are essentially ambassadors or consulate people here representing our country. It’s easy to “fit in” so much though that we forget who we really are! Most of us know the words of what we call the great commission and it’s a central tenant of our faith: Matthew 28:18-20 18 Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.” So here we are foreigners in a country and it’s our job to represent our King and our ways- we are assigned, and we have been given what we need – which is key! In Luke 9:1-2 it says When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Just now we heard the message in Luke 10:19 read to us that Jesus gave his followers- “power over all the power of the enemy”- that’s good news! So, God has given us a job, a mission, The Great commission might be easier to understand as our assignment or duty AND very important is that we have also been given the power and authority to do it! This is key! Or as we read in John 20:21 amplified version Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives].” Some have compared it to a policeman who on his day off is just a regular guy but when on duty he has the authority to stop cars and direct traffic and people obey him- BUT not as a regular guy- BUT as a representative of the police/the government. So, he has a badge which represents authority and is trained and given the ability to do his job. It’s his duty to keep law and order but he did not make the laws and without his authority he would not be allowed to do the things he does. He GETS to do them and is SUPPOSED to do them for the rest of us. I have two son-in-laws who work for the power company- Southern California Edison here in Long Beach. Here is another way we can look at this- God supplies the power, but he has given us the authority. So, if I want to have light in my bedroom it’s up to me to flip the switch- I need to plug in the fan if I am hot. I need to turn on the light or flip the switch for the lights. Imagine if I called the power co and said, “hey help me out. I have no lights. Please send someone.” They might ask “Do you have an account with us?” That’s like being a Christian – you get power when you sign the contract and make an account and then the power is turned on- you have access and your whole house is energized. BUT you will need to plug things in and turn things on. You follow? So likewise, I think many of us miss when God says, “That’s your part not mine” Many of us pray for God to do things for us when he wants to do things thru us. For example, Jesus never said to pray for the sick. Think about think this- it’s a major shift in our thinking- do you pray for the sick? What did Jesus say we should do? What is the difference? He said, in many places, “go heal the sick”. Think about it. How does it sound when we pray for the sick - God please heal my friend Toshi. On the other hand: “Toshi, in the name of Jesus I speak to this knee -be healed.” A friend says, “don’t speak to God about the cancer- speak to the cancer about God!” In other words, are we praying for the lights to go on and waiting when God is saying “turn on the lights for you and others too!” Many of you may remember our story with the guy, Neil, with the bad knee- 30 years he had a bad knee and pain and 3 surgeries – pain 24/7. We simply said “knee be healed in the name of Jesus” – now we did it twice but it was that simple and I spoke with him just the other day- that knee got healed – it was amazing – he cried and was so thrilled and 3 years later is still so happy what God did for him and how its changed his life. It took us less than a minute. We all need to do that! This is our job! This is our commission, our duty, our task! We are to bring light and love and compassion and Jesus in us to the country we live in. We are to be the light- we have the switches and yes, God supplies the power, but we hold the switches! How many are asking permission – begging often- for God to do something when he has said it is your commission! - that part is yours! I’ve shared before about a time I was in trouble – as usual – sadly- I tried to do all I could but had not prayed- like playing with the light but not flipping the switch- then I prayed, and God’s power came and things worked out. I offered a funny but sincere, heartfelt, candid prayer of thanks: “Man”, I said to God, “I couldn’t have done that without you!” I really meant it like I would say to a friend- it just came out. And immediately, I felt a God response strong in my spirit- it was so clear - I felt like he said, “I couldn’t have done it with YOU!” Seriously, I almost cried. It was so real, and it warmed my heart as it reminded me of our closeness when I let that happen and access that power- God wants to work thru us and in us but it requires cooperation. Okay, so 3 practical points if you are now on the same page with me that God supplies the power and we control the switch. How does it work: First, it matters what you know and what you think. In my neighborhood in the US it has always been a painful issue when working with the homeless and those in need that many did not know they could see a doctor- they thought they could not afford it- they did not know about free health care options. We took many to get signed up or even directly to doctors because they did not know what they could have. They suffered because of what they of they thought was true and what they did not know or understand. So, first, we must read and study our Bibles which give us the starting point to know what to think and what our rights are. Second, before you ask someone else or google it – just ask The Holy spirit. Give it a try; to test John 14:26; which in the amplified says: 26 But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you. I’m not against commentaries on “the book” but ask the author first… because we can! Third- pray. Prayer is probably the closest thing to the switch. My friend Neil’s knee was healed by power from God and a prayer from me and Kelly. We flipped the switch, but we can’t heal people- not us but as God representatives, in the name of Jesus we can do crazy stuff! Alright, lets pray- I mean I’ll pray for us- so you can close your eyes or do what you do and if you agree as I pray you nod or say amen which means so be it. Father, Thanks for giving us what we need - to do what we you want us to do- and we do too in our renewed hearts We want to be…. bringers of peace and love and joy We want to be…. light for the darkness Thank you for the power and authority you have given us to do this. Help us figure out how to flip the switches! In Jesus name – amen And for anyone who does not yet have the power connected to their home or God’s power connected to your heart I challenge you to reach out to me and we’ll get your account set up! Good morning, and how are you? Again today?
Every time I seem to start my sermon to ask you this and one other question to you. The meaning of the day. For instance, on the 7th of July in 2019, I preached at KUC and asked you, “what is special today?” July 7th, 7-7 is Tanabata-day, an ancient Chinese tradition, a young couple could have annual meetings or dating on this very night, only if it is fine weather, So what about today? Not exactly this time, and I would like to ask about yesterday. What was special on 15th of August in Japan!? There are some thoughts about that, and my answer is “Shusen Kinennbi.;” Kinenbi is a term to signify “memorial day. ''Shusen Kinenbi” means “Anniversary of the End of the War, ” the Pacific War or WWII. Japanese Empire fought the war over four years against the Allied Force, began at the Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii, on 7th December 1941, and ceased the fire on 15th August 1945. Japanese Emperor Hirohito made the announcement, broadcasted on radio total and unconditional surrender of the Japanese Imperial Army to the allied nations. So in in Korea it is National Liberation Day of their country but in Kanji “Light Recovery Day (KOUFUKUSETSU)”, and In Indonesia, the Independence Day, both country celebrates their independence from Militaristic Imperial Japan. We commemorate this day as WWII ended, but did Japan won or lost, it is not clearly stated here, If we are to fully recognize the historical meaning of this day, it should be named as “the Total Surrender Day” or “the Defeated Day” (Haisen Kinenbi), rather to call the End of the War. The reason why I stick to how to name 15 of August in Japan, is here, we can see our tendency or nature to cover up the reality of the things and not convey the full meaning of it or the true significance or importance of this historical day. Japan fought against the world and lost. We had war and numberless people in many nations were victimized. Hiroshima Nagasaki were devastated and many other places in Asia were also severely damaged and destroyed and people were killed. We, not only Japanese but any other people should recall this historical fact calling this day with more historical accurate naming. And the term “peace” could be used and understood in the same way, that is to hide the true nature of the situation, make it ambiguous, and lead our focus to different directions, yes misleading, especially in Japanese language. In August, as many of you may know, sermons for KUC has common theme or topic as “peace,” and Claudia-sensei or Hiroko-san have already talked about it, today’s New Testament scripture is just the same as last week. We have repeatedly heard about the Hebrew term for Peace, Shalom, And this word peace/shalom could convey quite different meanings from time to time, and people to people. For example, Japanese government sends the Self Defense Forces abroad to collaborate with UN forces, under the name of the Peace Keeping Operations, out to Near East area. To keep and create peace, the real fighting force is needed. For the Japanese government, or United Nation allies, there is no peace without military forces, and is that “peace”? It is meaningless to just utter the word “peace” in our mouths. Prophet Jeremiah prophesied this issue in front of the Jerusalem temple as we heard this morning, “’Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.” At his age, Country of Judah was enjoying certain prosperity, and from the King to the ordinary people were enjoying the peace. However, to the eyes of Jeremiah, he could foresee the approaching the Babylonian army to Jerusalem. But he was not a political commentator talking only about the enemy, but as the reason for its coming, they would come as God’s tool to punish the people in Judah for their unfaithfulness according to Jeremiah’s thought. 6:10 “The word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it. 11 But I am full of the wrath of the Lord, and I cannot hold it in. At that time the Babylonians had not be seen in the sight of the people, and people could never expected its approach. But people’s behaviors and attitude to the Lord was gradually inviting the crisis, invasion of the great enemy and destruction of the Kingdom of Judah. 6:13“From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. 14 They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. For the prophet Jeremiah, peace should be kept though the way of people’s relationship to the Lord, and if people failed to listen and live with the word of the Lord, they would abandon their peace by themselves, without realizing it, As such, the biblical sense of peace/shalom, totally depends on our relationship to God, and Jesus himself shows this point clearly to us with a very shocking expression, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34) Not peace but sword, it is quite a contradictory idea for our common understandings. No, he didn’t come for our peace which lacks any relationship with God. It is natural to try to find and realize peace in our life. But when you feel your peace, how about your neighbors, are they sharing your peace, are they having the same peace as you are enjoying? It is important to have “peace of mind”, but it should not only be the peace of “my” mind, but peace of “our” mind. We should pray like give us this day OUR daily bread, not my bread. Sometimes peace to myself ignores someone else’s peace, just like the war. One country’s victory means another nation’s defeat. Pearl Harbor’s success of Japanese sudden air raids was included victimising of the American people, and the Allied Forces victory over the Pacific War was given through the enormous death and sufferings of the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The peace as the result of this tragedies, can we call it peace? No, it is not the peace but swords, and Jesus never brought us this kind of peace at all. Never! And we still stubbornly call this situation “peaceful.” St.Paul, we have heard Hiroko-san last week, insists Christ “himself is our Peace,” and “His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. “ Put to death their hostility! How can we overcome the difference of the opinions, standards of values or judgements? How can we compromise and negotiate each sides’ claim at that crucial moment? On these occasions, we are comparing each party’s point which is better and more reasonable. But if we follow St. Paul, instead to seek the reconciliation between these two sides, we need to reconcile to God only. We need to be humble in front of God, even Jesus Christ was “becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!”(Phiipplians 2:8) Peace should not be realized by the surrender of one party to the other, and no need to make winner to loser. If we should win something at that time, we must win God’s favor, and we must surrender ourselves to God, both sides. That is the Peace in Christ. Christ shows the realities of God’s peace on the Cross, surrendering himself to God, his Father. This is the Christian Peace. At the very end of today’s sermon, I will pray the prayer of St. Francis. Historically speaking, it is not clear that St. Francis wrote these lines by himself, but his followers attributed it to him, since the message of the prayer surely reflects his life, to give up all materialistic and physical richness to seek poverty in our life. Actually he was ignored from the established members of the Church, for he severely criticized the wealth and power of the Vatican. St Francis, following the footsteps of Jesus, served God in serving the poor and needed. He was Christ-centered and God-centered person, and if we want to learn something from him, we may utter this prayer as our prayer at the time of reconciliation through Christ’s peace. Please join to sing or pray with the words of St Francis as our today’s concluding prayer for the sermon, Make me a channel of your peace. Where there is hatred let me bring your love; Where there is injury your pardon, Lord; And where there's doubt true faith in you. Oh, Master grant that I may never seek So much to be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love with all my soul. Make me a channel of your peace. Where there's despair in life let me bring hope; Where there is darkness, only light; And where there's sadness, ever joy. Oh, Master grant that I may never seek So much to be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love with all my soul. Make me a channel of your peace. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; In giving to all men that we receive; And in dying that we're born to eternal life. Make me a channel of your peace. Where there is hatred let me bring your love; Where there is injury your pardon, Lord; And where there's doubt true faith in you. Isaiah 48:17-18 “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.”
Ephesians 2:14-18 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. I remember last year when Pastor Tabuchi preached about Peace at this time of the year, and I didn't even know there is such thing as the Sunday of Peace in the Christian calendar until I was asked to preach about peace this time. So, I checked why this Sunday is called as the Sunday of Peace. In 1962, the United Church of Christ in Japan (UCCJ) decided that the first Sunday of August every year was the Sunday of Peace, and it was a day to pray for peace. UCCJ reflected that the Church had sinned by supporting and endorsing World War II. This day was set aside to remind us of this sin with deep pain and to ask the Lord for the forgiveness of the people in our country. UCCJ also seeks for God’s forgiveness for the sins committed against the Asia and of the churches therein and our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world. As you know, the trigger for ending the war started when the uranium atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima August 6th in 1945, and 3 days later of today August 9th, the plutonium atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Have you ever been to Hiroshima or Nagasaki before? It is one of those things we don’t want to talk much about because of the misery of atomic bombs are beyond our imagination. But, let me say a few facts about the explosion of the atomic bomb. At the very moment of the explosion of an atomic bomb, the temperature generated is estimated at 4000 to 6000°C at the point of the blast zone. Did you know that the sun's surface temperature is about 6000°C which is not far from the atomic explosion temperature? The melting point of iron is about 1500°C and our body temperature is about 36°C. So, people in the vicinity of the hypocenter of the bomb evaporate instantly or the body becomes charcoal caused by the thermal blast wave. Another feature of the explosion is a large amount of radiation produced causes radiation sickness resulting in death later on. As of today, the total number of atomic bomb-related deaths in Hiroshima and Nagasaki is about half a million which is nearly as same as the number of death due to COVID-19 in the world now. Nuclear weapon is the ultimate violence that destroys not only human life but also human dignity. However, about 14,525 nuclear weapons are currently possessed by nine countries around the world. Have you ever wondered why such a nuclear weapon is considered as a legitimate deterrent power to world peace? Why? We would like to think about Peace this Sunday praying and seeking for the Lord’s guidance. Peace in the Old Testament: I often hear that the OT is only war and that we don't feel much of the concept of God's love and Peace. When you think of Peace, many of you may think of two things. You may think of a state of no war, or peace of mind that focuses on the inner serenity. Of course, these are fundamental concepts of peace, but the concept of biblical peace is even broader and deeper. Let’s see what the Shalom Peace means in the OT. Peace means Shalom in Hebrew which refers to “wholeness” or “well-being”. Shalom relates to everyday aspect of life – It involves harmony with God Himself, harmony with fellow human-beings, harmony with our inner-selves, and harmony with the earth. Shalom is wholeness in every sphere of life. Shalom is not merely wishing for the absence of war, but the full presence, the full Peace, and prosperity, health and blessing of God. The prophet Isaiah was a prophet who aspired for Peace. At the time of Isaiah, the war was a constant occurrence and he said that "Peace" is fundamental to the right relationship with God. Isaiah 48:18 says "If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea." Isaiah prophesied the birth of “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). The long-awaited Messiah which the prophets foretold was a Counselor who had the right relationship with God and achieved Shalom Peace with "fairness" and "justice." To better understand Shalom, let's take a look at the depiction of Shalom in the Bible. Isaiah 11: 6 - 9 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and lion, and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Hosea 2:18-20 “In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety. I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.” Isaiah 2:4 “They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.” Can you believe “The wolf will live with the lamb”? This is incredible! This is Shalom Peace! In the OT, Isaiah believed that if we knew and trusted the Holy God from the bottom of our heart, God would truly achieve Peace in this world and there would be no barrier or hostility. Shalom is a sacred gift promised by God Himself. Let us look at today’s verse from New Testament, Ephesians 2:14-15 “ For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. ” Contrary to an idea of the Jewish Shalom Peace, there seems to have been a wall of separation and hostility between the two groups. What on earth do they mean? What does it mean that the Lord Jesus broke down this wall and destroyed the hostility? Before the description of two groups, verse 11says that Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised”. So, there are 2 groups of people – Firstly, the chosen ones the Jews. Secondly, the Gentiles who were brought into the Kingdom of God by the blood of Christ. Both the Jew and Gentiles are meant to be two groups. The wall of the separation came from thinking that the Jews were different and they were special while the Gentiles were not and were considered as dogs and far from humans. This is prejudice and your mind becomes clouded. The Gentiles, who were called "dogs," began to hate the Jews. This created a wall of separation that brings all divisions and hostility between the Jews and Gentiles. Prejudice creates negative feelings such as, hostility, fear, wariness, anger, hatred, resentment, shame, and desire for revenge. Basically, the Peace of God, Shalom, and the commandments in the OT were given as gifts to the Jews. But Jewish teachers and Pharisees nullify the word of God for the sake of their traditions. They have neglected the more important matters of the law- justice, mercy and faithfulness. These very Jewish commandments have created hostility as the law itself made the Jews feel self-righteous and superior. As a result, the law with its commandments and regulations became a symbol of the dividing wall between the Gentiles and the Jews. Jesus Christ destroyed this hostility. How was it destroyed? By abolishing the law that Pharisees imposed. The law with the commandments and regulation doesn’t secure God's salvation and grace, and these are obsolete. The message of the Gospel is that only believing in Christ will be sufficient. As a result, the dividing wall between the Jews and the Gentiles was destroyed. With the wall collapsing, the hostility was overcome. Verse 16 says “and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” Here, the Shalom Peace and the Gospel are brought together. Therefore, Shalom is a sacred gift, "Christ himself is our Peace," the "Prince of Peace" that Isaiah prophesized was to become true. It is the first step for being in Shalom Peace to believe firmly that the dividing wall symbolized by hostility was redeemed by the Lord Jesus. If you can't be in a Shalom state with God, hostility will continue to exist in your hearts. Various countries are fighting over various interests. It is obvious that many citizens have been sacrificed by dying for the cause. If their country’s self-defenses are not in Shalom relationship with God, it will create hostility towards other countries and it will be difficult to achieve Peace. Today we place the security of our nation on the possession of nuclear weapons and advanced strategic weapons to ensure our own self-defense. Christians must be aware that this situation is far from God's will and Shalom. If our hearts are not in line with Shalom's peaceful relationship with God, the feelings of self-defense and tension may overtake and look at the other party as hostile. Look around yourself – see how much anger, conflicts, enmity, etc. there is. In our daily life, there are family quarrels, tension between husband and wife, bullying at schools and neighbors, and conflicts between boss and subordinates at work. Let’s take a more familiar example of family issues where we create a ‘dividing wall’ and hostility. When the husband and wife are in good terms, love prevails, however, once you start a quarrel or misunderstanding occurs, the relationship becomes rough and sour- don't you suddenly feel the wall is going up? We all experience how fragile Shalom is. Even Christians who know Shalom / have different ideals on how a marriage should be. Family relationships can only get worse if you don't manage your emotion, anger well, and you are upset, ignored or become violent. Thomas Gordon, a Psychologist in the United States, says in his Parent Effectiveness Training that it is important to make an effort to find out what the root feelings are that cause you and the other person to show anger. It could be caused by fear, pain, worry, jealousy, loneliness, financial burden, insults, etc. Marital and family Peace do not occur naturally but need efforts. Lots of effort. God gives us a desire for Peace through the Holy Spirit. Shalom Peace cannot be achieved without making an effort among people and within a family. The important thing is to make the Shalom relationship with Christ and to believe that the dividing wall with God is gone and our security and self-defense are in Christ’s hands. So, we are so glad to accept the reconciliation with God achieved by the Lord Jesus. I believe our pathway to Peace will spread when we put ourselves in Christ. And then, our Peace will flow like a river and our righteousness like the waves of the sea. Finally, Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. At the awards ceremony, newspaper reporters asked, “What can we do to promote world Peace?” Mother Teresa, answered: "Please go home and love your family today.” This is the term “Shalom Bayit”. In English, it is translated as "Peace at home", and "the realization of Peace on this earth depends on the realization of Peace at home, which is the smallest unit in society." Peace in the house where we live is related to the realization of a greater Peace achievement. Friends, contributing to Peace is not something we should do a big thing. Going home and keeping home in harmony are for us to love our family. Think about achieving Peace with church friends, our social friends, colleagues at work, etc which would then lead to loving others. Accumulation of such a small relationship with others will bring about a greater Peace that the Lord desires. Let us Pray. Lord, Your Peace is so far away from our reality here now. We rely on so much on other things without finding our Peace in You Lord. Here we acknowledge and confess our deep sins. Lord, help us to keep Shalom Peace with you so that the wall in our hearts will be melted away. Lord, there are many conflicts, hatred, pride, self-righteousness in our surroundings. Lord, make us an instrument of Your peace; Lord, please help us to take one step in our daily life and strengthen us with the help of the Holy Spirit, so that we can come closer to Shalom with You. Amen. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” --Matthew 5:9
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” --- John 14:27 Shalom. Many of you are familiar with the Hebrew word shalom or “peace.” When I was in Israel over 23 years ago, I heard Shalom or, when I was in the State in Palestine, I heard the “Salaam” (Arabic), used each time someone greeted another person. The word means more than just peace. “Shalom” is taken from the root word shalam, which means, “to be safe in mind, body, or estate.” It speaks of completeness, fullness, or a type of wholeness that encourages you to generously give back in some way. In the biblical Hebrew understanding of shalom, there is a point at which you have so much shalom that it spills out from you, and is given to others. And so, as you make others peaceful and inwardly complete, that makes you a peacemaker. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” --Matthew 5:9 The search for peace, at home and around the world, is a holy endeavor; Jesus calls those who pursue peace the children of God. In a few moments you will also hear from Carol Sack who is my dear friend and a Lutheran missionary in Tokyo. We have known each other over 27 years and she attended West Tokyo Union Church where I was the pastor. We have been involved in women’s retreats together, Sunday School, confirmation classes, started a healing ministry, prayer ministry, and I have admired her gifts in teaching and music. She ministers with her pastoral harp in a hospice with the homeless, in hospitals, and also does prison ministry. Carol has been to Kobe almost every year the last 9 years and to KUC a number of times to speak. Recently she has done online ZOOM devotions for WOW (Women on Wednesday) and for our Midweek Wednesday Worship Online Service. I invited her today to speak about peace which is the theme for the pastors during this month of August. We are in a special time when peace is most needed. In a few moments Carol is going to share with us her thoughts on peace.
o As followers of Christ, and peacemakers, we do not live lives free of fear or conflict or challenges or suffering or tough times. But we live with the peace Jesus gave us.
The world needs peace and we need peace. Places like Asian Rural Institute, one of KUC’s Global Missions partner organization in Tochigi ken, works for peace through training for people from around the world, sharing resources, showing servant leadership, and through sustained organic farming. I quote from their mission statement: “ The mission of the Asian Rural Institute is to build an environmentally healthy, just and peaceful world, in which each person can live to his or her fullest potential. This mission is rooted in the love of Jesus Christ.” When we are rooted in the love of Jesus Christ, we also are called to love one’ neighbor as another way to bring peace to the world. Another way to do shalom. Do you feel rooted in the love of Jesu Christ? Perhaps we feel rooted when we share God’s love through helping those in need in our world ad looking for ways to make our world a better place. Perhaps you feel rooted when you take time to pray and stay connected to a community of faith. Where in your life do you need the peace of Jesus? Perhaps in a relationship, or in our work, or just in our heart, our finding inner peace within yourself. Having inner peace helps not only us but also gives us the strength to reach out to others. Jesus said in John 14:27; “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” The Good News is that the peace we experience from our faith in Jesus surpasses any temporary peace the world can give; it can ease your deepest fears and soothe your troubled heart. o Throughout the Old and New Testament there are echoes of the words we read in one of the scripture for today. ‘Do not be afraid’ and ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled.’ The evil forces of this world have no power over Jesus, and need have no power over us as his disciples. That is why we need not be afraid.
May the God of Peace, our constant companion, lead us along paths of peace, and give us the joy of being united in God’s love. _____________________________________ Message from Carol Sack Hello, everyone. I am Carol Sack, and I was delighted to be asked by my dear friend, Pastor Claudia, to partner with her in today’s message on the topic of Peace. Every year, all of us who are here in Japan in the early days of August are compelled by a painful history to think about peace~~ peace between nations, peace between each other, peace within ourselves, and ultimately, peace with God. We have seen the theme of Peace and Reconciliation front-center in my country of America in the past two months, since the murder of Mr., George Floyd, at the hands and knees of Minneapolis policemen. As you no doubt know, his death sparked the global Black Lives Matter movement, in a way we had not seen before. Actually, I have had a keen interest in those events. My mother is 103 years old, and she lives right in the neighborhood where George Floyd was killed on May 25 in Minneapolis. Two nights later, Minneapolis became like a war zone with protestors expressing their long-held anger and frustration. When I saw the news about the protests on TV here in Tokyo, I could see - the stores that I know, the streets and bridges where I take my morning walks. I even saw my mom’s apartment in the news here in Tokyo!。 Let me tell you about one of the stores in that neighborhood. Every time I go back to my home in Minnesota, I shop at a charming Scandanavian import store, named Ingebretson’s~ it is filled with authentic items, clothing and foods from Sweden and Norway. On the night of May 27, the riots and protests broke out. Stores were broken into, looted, and sometimes burned. In my opinion, the outbreak was, in a sense, the natural human reaction to decades, I daresay generations, and even centuries of systematic injustices that have been experienced by persons of color, persons who are at the same time beloved children of the Living God. In the process of these protests, my favorite store, Ingebretson’s, also got damaged, broken into, and things were stolen. The next day, the store owners boarded up the windows, like a giant plywood band-aid on the gaping wounds of the storefront. I thought the store owners would be so angry at the protesters who had harmed them. But on the wood that covered the windows was written these words: “ONE HUMAN FAMILY. We see your royalty we share your grief.” THIS, I thought, was one example of what REAL peace-making is about. SEEING THE ROYALTY, THE DIGNITY, IN EACH HUMAN BEING. ONE-TO-ONE. SEEING THE PAIN THAT CAUSED THE BEHAVIOR. AND RESPONDING WITH COMPASSION. Not responding to violence with more violence, but rather with seeing through the eyes of dignity and love- the eyes of God that sees each one of us a pricelessly valuable existence.. As Christians, we believe in Christ who is "the Prince of Peace.” Jesus Himself said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they are the children of God.” Paul said in Philippians 4:7 , “And the peace of God, which passess all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” The Prayer attributed to the spirit of St. Francis says, “Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.” Usually my work is offering prayer through harp and voice in a hospice for homeless persons in Sanya, a slum area of Tokyo. But today I will share another story. Each month I volunteer as an “Active Listener” at a large prison in Tokyo. The life in the prison is so dark and difficult. Thankfully, the prisoners are not so fearful about their physical safety, but the harsh treatment by some of the guards is a terrible psychological suffering, especially for the foreigners who often do not even understand what the guards are yelling at them. Several years ago, one of the foreign prisoners came to talk with me. At the beginning, I asked him, “How are you doing?” He answered, “I’m doing so well.” I was so surprised to hear such a response, and to see such a peaceful countenance on his face--so I asked him, “How can you say that?” He continued to explain, “I have a garden in my heart, and I can go back to it at any time. It is a beautiful garden, so I am doing so well.” He had peace in his heart~ right there in the harsh realities of the prison! We can plant seeds of love in our hearts. God’s garden of hope and peace~a beautiful garden that we can go to at any time! Jesus says in ---John 14: 27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Please now listen to some music which I hope can bring you a sense of peace and calm. “Do not be afraid do not be afraid I am with you, I am with you always. Do not be afraid, do not be afraid, I am with you. 恐るな、恐るな、私は共にいます。 恐るな、恐るな、共にいます。 |
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