December 17th (Sat) Children's Christmas at BIBC. from 13:00 ~ 14:30
Everyone is welcome to join. (call: 0977-66-0084 for inquiries)
Saturday, December 10, 2022
December 11, 2022 3rd Sunday of Advent Worship Service
Call to Worship 1 Chronicles 16:31
Lighting of the Advent candle ~ Prayer
Hymn JBC # 153 “Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming”
The Lord’s Prayer
Sign Language Hymn
Scripture Philippians 2:1~11
Prayer
Sermon “Make my joy complete”
https://youtu.be/rvzH2MEdrPA
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 526 My Jesus, I love Thee
Doxology JBC # 679
Benediction
In moments of pain or sorrow, I believe that everyone had also the experience of being supported or the feeling of depression is comforted by being told of gentle or encouraging words from someone.
And on the other hand, don’t we also have the experience that having told a word to someone has strengthened or consoled that person?
There is an encouraging effect in our words beyond our thoughts that strengthens a person. In the past, I have casually told a subordinate at my workplace [Don’t worry about it], since he seemed to be depressed.
As for me, if possible, I wished in my heart not just such a brief remark, but that I could take an action (deed) that can help him more in actuality.
However, I didn’t have the courage to such extent, and just by that short utterance was all I could do. Then, I remember that he (with a little smile) simply said [thank you].
After several months, when he was to change workplace, he told me [I was truly comforted by your brief remark at that time when you said 『Don’t worry about it』
Honestly, I have thought [I could just tell him an utterance of that degree when he was really depressed] but he was strengthened from my words more than I’ve known.
Now we are made to realize once again that our words (the more if they are faithful words as possible) surpass our thoughts, strengthen people and have comforting power.
As a pastor, I am given the privilege to give the message in the weekly worship service. Personally, I usually have the intended point “I have given emphasis (focused) particularly on this (these) point” in one message.
However, I often get feedback as [I was strengthened (encouraged or given an idea) from this point of today’s message] even on points where I myself did not intend to give much emphasis.
I am always made to think that the words of the bible, become a message in the worship service (while being supported through everyone’s prayer as well), and when that message receives the breath (power) of the Holy Spirit, it becomes an encouraging message that surpasses the thoughts of the messenger himself.
It is God’s grace and guidance that by far surpasses the thoughts or ability of the pastor that speaks the message. I ask everyone to always by all means pray that I may be able to speak such a message in the worship service.
Anyone of us needs encouragement as we live. As I have just mentioned, we are also encouraged and comforted by words from a person other than us.
However, we receive a more powerful, basic encouragement than comfort from other people, meaning “encouragement in the Lord God, Jesus Christ”.
Verse 1 of today’s scripture is written as follows.
“Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion”,
As said, if there be any in you “encouragement in Christ”, “comfort of love”, “fellowship in the Spirit” ～heart of love or mercy～, Paul ( who wrote the letter to the Philippians) asks this matter to the recipients of the letter (Believers of church in Philippi).
And this question is also addressed to us at present as words of the bible.
And I would like us to confirm from these words today (today too) that “there certainly is encouragement in Christ”, “there surely is the comfort of Christ’s love” and that “there is to us the assurance of love and mercy in Christ”.
How is the “encouragement in Christ” given to us at present? Jesus does not live in visible form as a human being.
How can we at present receive the encouragement of Jesus? That is through God’s Word of the bible. His Word of the bible receives the breath (power) of the Holy Spirit and speaks even to us to this day as God’s message.
Thus, when we are depressed or in sorrow, when we are hopeless and the like, the word of the bible is given to us and becomes word to comfort us.
I believe that we have the experience when we are in real sorrow, we become hopeless by our own strength and when we are about to give up, the word of the bible penetrates our heart with a great comforting power.
This word of Jesus is well known that I have also quoted it several times in my past sermons. In John 16:33, Jesus said as follows.
[In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world]
In Romans 8:35, missionary Paul said as follows.
[Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?]
“No hardship can separate us from the love of Christ” ~ the words of Paul who had experienced hardship and danger in every aspect of faith in believing Christ resonate even to us to this day as words of faith.
And even in whatever situation we are now, the words of the bible give us the strength to walk without losing our hope that is in God.
The encouragement in Christ through God’s Word is surely given to us. The comfort in Christ, fellowship in the Holy Spirit (fellowship of mutual believers), the heart of love and mercy in Christ is given to us from the moment we believed Jesus Christ.
And says, “if so…”, Paul continues in verse 2 and writes as follows.
“then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.”
Let me also read verses 3～4.
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
[Be humble, and mutually think that the other person is excellent more than our self ] ～ I guess to practice this utterance is much difficult for us.
What then if that someone is like the one “whom you can’t regard him/her excellent than yourself”? Still this utterance is addressed to us as words of the bible.
Before we say, “this matter is so impossible”, we are exhorted to look up to Jesus Christ that is depicted in this passage. Is it written in here who Jesus Christ is?
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
It says, Christ was in very nature of God, yet did not consider equality with Him as God (not stick to the nature of God) but was made in human likeness. This is the essence of Christianity.
God himself had far-reaching demonstrated to us “humility” that no one can imitate, nor we human beings can never even think of.
Even now, that matter is as this, vividly handed down as God’s word of the bible and is addressed to us at present as a great challenge or rather, more than that, as a message of God’s great love. God says, “Humble yourself, and consider that the other party is more excellent than yourself”.
So, since God Himself far-reaching humbled Himself and lived, be imitators of Christ as well.
Look up to Jesus, respect and comfort each other especially among mutual believers, make every efforts as such ～ God so speaks to us from today’s passage.
Jesus lived obediently to the calling that was given from God to the end, undergone unjust trial and finally on the cross that lead to death. Therefore, (v.9) God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name.
The One who thoroughly humbled Himself was far-reaching given the highest place and the name that is above every name at the end. What a work of God it is!
Such a Man is Jesus Christ. We believe and worship Him as God, Lord. As in verse 11, we confess [Jesus Christ is Lord] and worship God the Father.
The resolution that only Jesus Christ as our Lord should be worshipped by us, and we follow Him is the Christian’s confession of faith.
The One who says [follow Me], who calls each one of us, who denied and thoroughly humbled Himself, look up to Him, and with that Man Christ as our example, let us spend this period of advent as we also aim for the unity of our faith and spirit.
Call to Worship 1 Chronicles 16:31
Lighting of the Advent candle ~ Prayer
Hymn JBC # 153 “Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming”
The Lord’s Prayer
Sign Language Hymn
Scripture Philippians 2:1~11
Prayer
Sermon “Make my joy complete”
https://youtu.be/rvzH2MEdrPA
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 526 My Jesus, I love Thee
Doxology JBC # 679
Benediction
In moments of pain or sorrow, I believe that everyone had also the experience of being supported or the feeling of depression is comforted by being told of gentle or encouraging words from someone.
And on the other hand, don’t we also have the experience that having told a word to someone has strengthened or consoled that person?
There is an encouraging effect in our words beyond our thoughts that strengthens a person. In the past, I have casually told a subordinate at my workplace [Don’t worry about it], since he seemed to be depressed.
As for me, if possible, I wished in my heart not just such a brief remark, but that I could take an action (deed) that can help him more in actuality.
However, I didn’t have the courage to such extent, and just by that short utterance was all I could do. Then, I remember that he (with a little smile) simply said [thank you].
After several months, when he was to change workplace, he told me [I was truly comforted by your brief remark at that time when you said 『Don’t worry about it』
Honestly, I have thought [I could just tell him an utterance of that degree when he was really depressed] but he was strengthened from my words more than I’ve known.
Now we are made to realize once again that our words (the more if they are faithful words as possible) surpass our thoughts, strengthen people and have comforting power.
As a pastor, I am given the privilege to give the message in the weekly worship service. Personally, I usually have the intended point “I have given emphasis (focused) particularly on this (these) point” in one message.
However, I often get feedback as [I was strengthened (encouraged or given an idea) from this point of today’s message] even on points where I myself did not intend to give much emphasis.
I am always made to think that the words of the bible, become a message in the worship service (while being supported through everyone’s prayer as well), and when that message receives the breath (power) of the Holy Spirit, it becomes an encouraging message that surpasses the thoughts of the messenger himself.
It is God’s grace and guidance that by far surpasses the thoughts or ability of the pastor that speaks the message. I ask everyone to always by all means pray that I may be able to speak such a message in the worship service.
Anyone of us needs encouragement as we live. As I have just mentioned, we are also encouraged and comforted by words from a person other than us.
However, we receive a more powerful, basic encouragement than comfort from other people, meaning “encouragement in the Lord God, Jesus Christ”.
Verse 1 of today’s scripture is written as follows.
“Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion”,
As said, if there be any in you “encouragement in Christ”, “comfort of love”, “fellowship in the Spirit” ～heart of love or mercy～, Paul ( who wrote the letter to the Philippians) asks this matter to the recipients of the letter (Believers of church in Philippi).
And this question is also addressed to us at present as words of the bible.
And I would like us to confirm from these words today (today too) that “there certainly is encouragement in Christ”, “there surely is the comfort of Christ’s love” and that “there is to us the assurance of love and mercy in Christ”.
How is the “encouragement in Christ” given to us at present? Jesus does not live in visible form as a human being.
How can we at present receive the encouragement of Jesus? That is through God’s Word of the bible. His Word of the bible receives the breath (power) of the Holy Spirit and speaks even to us to this day as God’s message.
Thus, when we are depressed or in sorrow, when we are hopeless and the like, the word of the bible is given to us and becomes word to comfort us.
I believe that we have the experience when we are in real sorrow, we become hopeless by our own strength and when we are about to give up, the word of the bible penetrates our heart with a great comforting power.
This word of Jesus is well known that I have also quoted it several times in my past sermons. In John 16:33, Jesus said as follows.
[In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world]
In Romans 8:35, missionary Paul said as follows.
[Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?]
“No hardship can separate us from the love of Christ” ~ the words of Paul who had experienced hardship and danger in every aspect of faith in believing Christ resonate even to us to this day as words of faith.
And even in whatever situation we are now, the words of the bible give us the strength to walk without losing our hope that is in God.
The encouragement in Christ through God’s Word is surely given to us. The comfort in Christ, fellowship in the Holy Spirit (fellowship of mutual believers), the heart of love and mercy in Christ is given to us from the moment we believed Jesus Christ.
And says, “if so…”, Paul continues in verse 2 and writes as follows.
“then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.”
Let me also read verses 3～4.
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
[Be humble, and mutually think that the other person is excellent more than our self ] ～ I guess to practice this utterance is much difficult for us.
What then if that someone is like the one “whom you can’t regard him/her excellent than yourself”? Still this utterance is addressed to us as words of the bible.
Before we say, “this matter is so impossible”, we are exhorted to look up to Jesus Christ that is depicted in this passage. Is it written in here who Jesus Christ is?
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
It says, Christ was in very nature of God, yet did not consider equality with Him as God (not stick to the nature of God) but was made in human likeness. This is the essence of Christianity.
God himself had far-reaching demonstrated to us “humility” that no one can imitate, nor we human beings can never even think of.
Even now, that matter is as this, vividly handed down as God’s word of the bible and is addressed to us at present as a great challenge or rather, more than that, as a message of God’s great love. God says, “Humble yourself, and consider that the other party is more excellent than yourself”.
So, since God Himself far-reaching humbled Himself and lived, be imitators of Christ as well.
Look up to Jesus, respect and comfort each other especially among mutual believers, make every efforts as such ～ God so speaks to us from today’s passage.
Jesus lived obediently to the calling that was given from God to the end, undergone unjust trial and finally on the cross that lead to death. Therefore, (v.9) God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name.
The One who thoroughly humbled Himself was far-reaching given the highest place and the name that is above every name at the end. What a work of God it is!
Such a Man is Jesus Christ. We believe and worship Him as God, Lord. As in verse 11, we confess [Jesus Christ is Lord] and worship God the Father.
The resolution that only Jesus Christ as our Lord should be worshipped by us, and we follow Him is the Christian’s confession of faith.
The One who says [follow Me], who calls each one of us, who denied and thoroughly humbled Himself, look up to Him, and with that Man Christ as our example, let us spend this period of advent as we also aim for the unity of our faith and spirit.
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