Sunday Worship Service December 8, 2024
Prelude
Call to Worship Romans 12:16
Lighting of the Advent Candle (Peace)
Hymn JBC # 149 Veni, veni Emmanuel
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 301 Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
Confession of Faith
Offering
Scripture Zechariah 6:9～15
Prayer
Sermon [There will be harmony between the two]
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 330 Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight
Doxology JBC # 679
Benediction
Postlude
Today is the 2nd Sunday of the Advent period (about 4 weeks before Christmas) before Christmas to commemorate, give thanks and to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
The second Advent candle was lit at the beginning of the worship service.
The 2nd candle of Advent is filled with the meaning and wish for “Peace”. Today, let us together listen to God’s words of peace from a passage in the [book of Zechariah] of the Old Testament.
It is written in verse 9 in the beginning of today’s passage [The word of the Lord came to me] This word “me” refers to the prophet named Zechariah.
Zechariah was a prophet of the era where the Israelites were allowed to return to Jerusalem at the end of the Babylonian Captivity (an event where countless Israelites were taken to Babylon when the nation was overthrown by the Babylonian Empire)
The Babylonian Captivity lasted for about 70 years. Due to the Babylonian Empire that overthrew Israel being overthrown by the Persian Empire, the Israelites that were exiled to Babylon were at length allowed to return to their country.
The beginning of the [the book of Ezra] is written as follows.
Ezra 1:1～4
1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:
2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
“‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.
3 Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.
4 And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’”
The bible says that the Israelites were allowed to return to Jerusalem from Babylon for God the Lord has moved the heart of Cyrus the king of Persia.
It says that the Israelites could return to their own country, so then were also allowed to rebuild the temple that was once destructed by Babylon because God has moved the heart of Cyrus the king of Persia.
Meaning, the end of the Babylonian Captivity was God’s grace and was not an event that the Israelites could accomplish with their own strength.
When we get across such a message of the bible, we come to know that the good things that we receive even to this day are all gifts and blessings from God.
When we think we get something good by our own effort and strength, and think that we have accomplished it, we are led to a humbling experience that “everything is given to us as God’s grace”, by His message through the bible.
Let us always continue to be grateful keeping in mind that the source of all blessings is the Lord God.
The reconstruction of the temple that was destroyed by Babylon has begun in Jerusalem. However, the temple reconstruction is obstructed by other inhabitants that were against its reconstruction by the Israelites (that matter is written in the book of Ezra chap. 4)
Hence, the temple reconstruction was suspended. But, written as follows in the beginning of the [book of Ezra] chap. 5, the temple reconstruction is resumed.
Ezra 5:1～2
1 Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jozadak set to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.
By conveying the words of God to the people by Haggai and Zechariah who were prophets, the people rose and could once again start the temple reconstruction.
The words of God encourage us human beings, it gives us courage, hope and strength when one time we had setback or are about to begin something new from now on.
Even as this, we listen to and share God’s Word together through the weekly worship service because we are living beings that receive spiritual strength and spiritual food through worship.
It is through the Word of God that we receive true life and can live. By firstly listening and sharing the Word of God in the worship service, we learn that it is God’s Word that strengthens us and makes live, let the Word of God be as our strength.
What is the reason that we are to listen to this passage of the book of Zechariah (chap. 6:9～15) today, the 2nd Sunday of Advent?
It’s because the words of today’s passage, though it is an incident that happened hundreds of years (about 600 years ago) before Jesus Christ was born, the event of today’s passage is one that predicts the coming of the yet to be born Jesus Christ.
Verse 11 to 12 says as follows
11 Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jozadak. 12 Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord.
Through the words of Zechariah, the command [set a crown on the head (make this man king) of this man (refers to Joshua the high priest)] is conveyed here.
And it is written that that man who is to be king is [the Branch] It says that that man is a small Branch, king that is like a freshly growing young branch.
He is not a man of strong image as of a large tree, but his figure is one who resembles a small young branch. A man like sprout that has just sprouted from the ground. That is exactly, our Lord Jesus Christ.
We know that Jesus Christ was born to Mary and Joseph as a Son of man (an infant) on Christmas.
A newly born human baby cannot live not even a single day without a guardian’s protection and care, a weak existence indeed.
It is unbelievable that the One who is God was born to this world in such a figure. But it was the Lord God’s plan.
Let us welcome as our King, the Lord who is coming to us in a figure as a little infant, just like a newly growing sprout, and let us offer Him the crown.
We hold the sin of being self-centered. In other words, we are the king of our self.
With Jesus Christ that the bible conveys as our King, let us cast off our own crown and return the crown of that Worthy King, to Christ the King.
And today’s passage says that (v.12), that King will [build the temple] The reality is, this temple refers to the temple of Jerusalem that was destructed by the Babylonian Empire.
However, in terms of faith, here, the temple that that King builds refers to each one of us believers. It’s because Christ our King is the One who builds us as His temple.
Each one of us is God’s temple. In 1 Corinthians 3:16 of the New Testament is written as follows.
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
Christ our King, will again build each one of us believers, and our church as well as the Lord’s temple.
I believe for some reasons, that there are times when we ourselves seem like to be broken, we no longer believe in the things (or our own self) that we believed until then, and completely lose self-confidence.
There must be even a time when having failed on something, we feel despair that we can only think, “I can no longer recover, and hopeless for my life ahead”.
To my idea, there is also a time when we don’t know where to go. However, our Lord came to this world as the One who rebuilds us as His temple.
Therefore, though we fail many times or fall, let us trust God’s Word of the bible that Christ the Lord God as our King will rebuild us.
And let us never give up, and live having hope from God’s Word of the bible.
Let me read verse 13.
13 It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony (*peace) between the two.’
Christ builds the temple which is us the believers, and He reigns over us as our King.
It is written that [beside that throne is a (one person) high priest], and to my understanding this refers to Christ as King, and this fulfills His work as the High Priest connecting God and man.
Christ as the King as well as the High Priest leads and rules over us.
And when we are ruled by Christ, “peace” (translated “harmony” in English) arises between us people that time.
When Christ rules over us and we worship Him as our True King, listen to, obey His Word and live, true Peace (Shalom in Hebrew) arises between us humans.
In that sense, ahead of Christmas which commemorates the birth of Christ, His coming who is the True King of Peace, let us now once again give back all the glory to Christ the King.
Let us offer a heartfelt thanksgiving to the Lord remembering the Lord God giving us Himself and the One who brings us Peace even to this day.
Friday, November 29, 2024
Sunday Worship Service December 1, 2024
Prelude
Call to Worship Isaiah 7:14
Lighting of the Advent Candle (Hope)
Hymn JBC # 148 Come, Thou long-expected Jesus
Prayer Time
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 301 Amazing grace! how sweet the sound
Offering
Scripture Romans 8:18～25
Prayer
Sermon “Hope for what is unseen”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 491 Have faith in God
Doxology JBC # 679
Benediction
Postlude
From today, we will begin the period known as Advent (the time of waiting for the birth of Christ) according to the church calendar.
Advent is the period of about four weeks before Christmas, and the Advent period begins today and ends on December 24 (Christmas Eve).
On Christmas, we, the Christian Church, commemorate and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ into the world.
The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ came to this world as the Savior of all people.
In the New Testament, in ‘the First epistle of John’, chapter 2, verse 2, it says,
“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”
The “our” may refer to Christians’ who believe in Christ.
Or perhaps it refers to the Israelites who were first chosen by God in the Old Testament, and to whom God's salvation was announced.
But with the birth of Christ, it became clear that forgiveness and redemption of sins extend to all peoples of the world.
In the same “First Epistle of John,” chapter 4, verse 14, we read
“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son (*Jesus) to be the Savior of the world.”
Here, too, we are told that “Jesus Christ has come into the world as the Savior of the whole world.”
The Christian Church commemorates Christmas repeatedly each year so that we may always remember, appreciate, and rejoice in the event of the coming of the Savior of the world, and so that we may continue to carry the joyful news of that event to the world.
Christ's coming to our world as Savior means that we are in need of salvation.
From what condition do we need to be rescued?
In verse 20 of today's scripture, we read, “For the creation was subjected to frustration.” The English translation (NIV) uses the word “frustration.” (while in the Japanese version “subjected to emptiness”
I believe that “emptiness” or “frustration” can both be translated as “disappointment” or “discouragement” as well.
The Bible says that we all live in the world with disappointments, discouragements, and unfulfilled desires.
The Bible tells us that the reason we live with an unfulfilled heart, dissatisfaction, and anxiety in this world created by God is because of human sins.
Through sin, man has alienated himself from the glory of God, the Creator of our world.
Man was originally created to follow God and live for His glory. However, sin entered our lives because we became self-centered.
Because we have become self-centered, we have become separated from God and from others, and we live as beings who do not fully understand each other.
One of the reasons for our suffering is that we, who were originally created to live in abundance with the glory of God and to understand each other without hiding anything from others, have chosen to live in a self-centered way.
Because we have separated ourselves from God, we no longer understand God's plan, God's will. Therefore, we are troubled.
We also suffer because we do not fully understand others, and sometimes we even become angry and hateful.
We suffer from emptiness and frustration in our hearts, which cannot be satisfied by the things of this world.
But let us read the first verse of today's passage, Romans 8:18.
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Those who are suffering for various reasons and circumstances may not be convinced if told, “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us in the future,” or “it’s not a big problem” may be hard to accept.
However, I believe that the writer of Romans (Paul) expressed himself in this way not to downplay the sufferings of people, but to desperately want to emphasize the splendor of the “glory that will be revealed in us” in the future.
We all have suffering in this world, and we all suffer from incomprehensible and unreasonable misfortunes. Yet, “there is hope at the same time,” today's passage says (and the whole Bible says so).
Today's verse 21 uses the phrase “bondage to decay.”
It is a state of separation from God, a failure to receive God's glory, and a consequent inability to truly understand and accept others. It is a state of separation from both God and man.
However, today's passage tells us that there is hope to be freed from this bondage to decay.
Although the words “Jesus Christ” do not appear explicitly in today's passage, it is clear that the hope of freedom and deliverance through Jesus Christ is described in today's passage.
We have suffering in this world today, and we may not always be able to solve that suffering very well on our own.
But the Bible tells us that there is hope that our present sufferings will eventually be transformed into glory through God.
I said earlier that “today's passage does not downplay of human suffering”. I think that can be clearly explained through verses 22-23 too.
Verses 22-23
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
The verse says that everyone is groaning and suffering, even those who are believers in God now (and even those who are not believers).
Through these words, we can see that God, our Maker, truly understands and shares in our sufferings.
Beyond our present suffering, beyond the unfulfilled hearts in this world, there is the hope that we can be partakers of God's glory. With that hope, we can receive the strength to live.
To be partakers of the glory of God means that we will be made sons of God and our bodies will be redeemed, that is, we will be made alive to eternal life with the resurrected Jesus Christ.
In this world, we are imperfect, limited, and flawed. We are kept alive in an unstable and insecure state apart from the true God.
But God, by sending His Son Jesus Christ into this world, has given us the grace that through Him we too can become children of God.
Romans 6:5, which precedes today's passage, says
5 For if we have been united with him (*Christ) in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.
We can receive the status of sons of God through Christ and by faith in Him. We become one with the resurrected Jesus Christ, and the power and hope of the resurrection are given to us as well.
Today's passage tells us that “in this hope we are saved from the sufferings of this world”. No matter how difficult things may be, nothing can take this hope away from us.
We are connected to Christ and to the Church in order to share this hope of becoming sons of God and being resurrected.
We are building up Christ's Church to continue to share this hope with the world.
This hope is not clearly visible (or fully understood) now.
But it is a sure hope, guaranteed by the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was indeed born into this world as a human being 2000 years ago.
I think we all know from experience how joyful it is to wait in anticipation for something.
When we know that there is some joyful plan or appointment ahead, we are willing to work hard in the present to achieve it.
Even in our studies and work, having a dream or goal ahead of us makes us do our best to somehow endure the pain of the present.
If we do not have such dreams and goals, it will be very difficult for us to face our current suffering.
Again, there are sufferings in our lives. We may even wonder if there is any meaning to this suffering now, or if we don't want to live this life if it is so painful.
But God has given us Jesus Christ as our ultimate hope and has given us the promise of hope that we will be made sons of God with Christ and eventually be united with Him in His resurrection.
Because we have been promised eternal life with Christ, we can live in hope even in this life.
It is through this hope that we are saved. We are saved by this invisible but sure hope.
We can believe that because Jesus Christ was born as a human being, the life we live has a precious meaning, that our sufferings are not in vain or meaningless.
By believing in and connecting with the One who was born a human being, who died on the cross for our sins, and who rose again three days later, we can have hope.
Christmas is the event that marks the beginning of that sure hope. Let us remember Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, and together receive the hope that is in Christ.
Advent is the season of waiting for the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us spend this Advent season together, remembering the blessing of waiting for the Lord and being kept alive by that hope.
Prelude
Call to Worship Isaiah 7:14
Lighting of the Advent Candle (Hope)
Hymn JBC # 148 Come, Thou long-expected Jesus
Prayer Time
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 301 Amazing grace! how sweet the sound
Offering
Scripture Romans 8:18～25
Prayer
Sermon “Hope for what is unseen”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 491 Have faith in God
Doxology JBC # 679
Benediction
Postlude
From today, we will begin the period known as Advent (the time of waiting for the birth of Christ) according to the church calendar.
Advent is the period of about four weeks before Christmas, and the Advent period begins today and ends on December 24 (Christmas Eve).
On Christmas, we, the Christian Church, commemorate and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ into the world.
The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ came to this world as the Savior of all people.
In the New Testament, in ‘the First epistle of John’, chapter 2, verse 2, it says,
“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”
The “our” may refer to Christians’ who believe in Christ.
Or perhaps it refers to the Israelites who were first chosen by God in the Old Testament, and to whom God's salvation was announced.
But with the birth of Christ, it became clear that forgiveness and redemption of sins extend to all peoples of the world.
In the same “First Epistle of John,” chapter 4, verse 14, we read
“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son (*Jesus) to be the Savior of the world.”
Here, too, we are told that “Jesus Christ has come into the world as the Savior of the whole world.”
The Christian Church commemorates Christmas repeatedly each year so that we may always remember, appreciate, and rejoice in the event of the coming of the Savior of the world, and so that we may continue to carry the joyful news of that event to the world.
Christ's coming to our world as Savior means that we are in need of salvation.
From what condition do we need to be rescued?
In verse 20 of today's scripture, we read, “For the creation was subjected to frustration.” The English translation (NIV) uses the word “frustration.” (while in the Japanese version “subjected to emptiness”
I believe that “emptiness” or “frustration” can both be translated as “disappointment” or “discouragement” as well.
The Bible says that we all live in the world with disappointments, discouragements, and unfulfilled desires.
The Bible tells us that the reason we live with an unfulfilled heart, dissatisfaction, and anxiety in this world created by God is because of human sins.
Through sin, man has alienated himself from the glory of God, the Creator of our world.
Man was originally created to follow God and live for His glory. However, sin entered our lives because we became self-centered.
Because we have become self-centered, we have become separated from God and from others, and we live as beings who do not fully understand each other.
One of the reasons for our suffering is that we, who were originally created to live in abundance with the glory of God and to understand each other without hiding anything from others, have chosen to live in a self-centered way.
Because we have separated ourselves from God, we no longer understand God's plan, God's will. Therefore, we are troubled.
We also suffer because we do not fully understand others, and sometimes we even become angry and hateful.
We suffer from emptiness and frustration in our hearts, which cannot be satisfied by the things of this world.
But let us read the first verse of today's passage, Romans 8:18.
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Those who are suffering for various reasons and circumstances may not be convinced if told, “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us in the future,” or “it’s not a big problem” may be hard to accept.
However, I believe that the writer of Romans (Paul) expressed himself in this way not to downplay the sufferings of people, but to desperately want to emphasize the splendor of the “glory that will be revealed in us” in the future.
We all have suffering in this world, and we all suffer from incomprehensible and unreasonable misfortunes. Yet, “there is hope at the same time,” today's passage says (and the whole Bible says so).
Today's verse 21 uses the phrase “bondage to decay.”
It is a state of separation from God, a failure to receive God's glory, and a consequent inability to truly understand and accept others. It is a state of separation from both God and man.
However, today's passage tells us that there is hope to be freed from this bondage to decay.
Although the words “Jesus Christ” do not appear explicitly in today's passage, it is clear that the hope of freedom and deliverance through Jesus Christ is described in today's passage.
We have suffering in this world today, and we may not always be able to solve that suffering very well on our own.
But the Bible tells us that there is hope that our present sufferings will eventually be transformed into glory through God.
I said earlier that “today's passage does not downplay of human suffering”. I think that can be clearly explained through verses 22-23 too.
Verses 22-23
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
The verse says that everyone is groaning and suffering, even those who are believers in God now (and even those who are not believers).
Through these words, we can see that God, our Maker, truly understands and shares in our sufferings.
Beyond our present suffering, beyond the unfulfilled hearts in this world, there is the hope that we can be partakers of God's glory. With that hope, we can receive the strength to live.
To be partakers of the glory of God means that we will be made sons of God and our bodies will be redeemed, that is, we will be made alive to eternal life with the resurrected Jesus Christ.
In this world, we are imperfect, limited, and flawed. We are kept alive in an unstable and insecure state apart from the true God.
But God, by sending His Son Jesus Christ into this world, has given us the grace that through Him we too can become children of God.
Romans 6:5, which precedes today's passage, says
5 For if we have been united with him (*Christ) in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.
We can receive the status of sons of God through Christ and by faith in Him. We become one with the resurrected Jesus Christ, and the power and hope of the resurrection are given to us as well.
Today's passage tells us that “in this hope we are saved from the sufferings of this world”. No matter how difficult things may be, nothing can take this hope away from us.
We are connected to Christ and to the Church in order to share this hope of becoming sons of God and being resurrected.
We are building up Christ's Church to continue to share this hope with the world.
This hope is not clearly visible (or fully understood) now.
But it is a sure hope, guaranteed by the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was indeed born into this world as a human being 2000 years ago.
I think we all know from experience how joyful it is to wait in anticipation for something.
When we know that there is some joyful plan or appointment ahead, we are willing to work hard in the present to achieve it.
Even in our studies and work, having a dream or goal ahead of us makes us do our best to somehow endure the pain of the present.
If we do not have such dreams and goals, it will be very difficult for us to face our current suffering.
Again, there are sufferings in our lives. We may even wonder if there is any meaning to this suffering now, or if we don't want to live this life if it is so painful.
But God has given us Jesus Christ as our ultimate hope and has given us the promise of hope that we will be made sons of God with Christ and eventually be united with Him in His resurrection.
Because we have been promised eternal life with Christ, we can live in hope even in this life.
It is through this hope that we are saved. We are saved by this invisible but sure hope.
We can believe that because Jesus Christ was born as a human being, the life we live has a precious meaning, that our sufferings are not in vain or meaningless.
By believing in and connecting with the One who was born a human being, who died on the cross for our sins, and who rose again three days later, we can have hope.
Christmas is the event that marks the beginning of that sure hope. Let us remember Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, and together receive the hope that is in Christ.
Advent is the season of waiting for the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us spend this Advent season together, remembering the blessing of waiting for the Lord and being kept alive by that hope.
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