Sunday Worship Service December 28, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship John 14:15
Hymn JBC # 69 Softly now the light of day
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC #263 Hover o’er me, Holy Spirit
The Lord’s Suffer
Offering
Scripture Deuteronomy 11:8~12
Prayer
Sermon “From the beginning of the year to its end”
Prayer
Hymn JBC# 81 God, our Father, we adore Thee!
Doxology JBC # 679
Benediction
Postlude
Today is the final Sunday worship of 2025. I am thankful for the blessing of having been able to listen through to the word of God together this year.
Today let us listen to God’s message from Deuteronomy in the Old Testament.
Deuteronomy explains about the period of time right before the Israelites enter the promised land in Canaan. Before that they had wandered in the wilderness for 40 years after escaping slavery in Egypt, where they had been for 400 years.
Actually, most of the first generation of Israelites that had escaped from Egypt died in the wilderness. Those who arrived at the promised land were mostly of the second generation and after.
Moses was the one who led the people of Israel out of Egypt and through their time in the wilderness.
Moses was also unable to enter the land of Canaan, dying right before. Moses’ death is described at the end of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy consists largely of the words that Moses continually conveyed to the people of Israel as commandments they should keep and as God's teachings, having received them from God.
Moses, the leader of the people, died before entering the land of Canaan. However, the Israelites journey into the land of Canaan continued with a new leader, Joshua.
Moses taught the people God’s word and commandments. This was because God’s word was the most important thing for them to continue in faith in their journey.
Leaders like Moses and Joshua do not lead the people. They merely assist the people in living in obedience to the Lord God.
No matter how spiritually superior a person may be, human leaders are still human, and they will certainly make mistakes. People cannot be the target of our obedience.
What we should be constantly listening to and obeying is the word of the Lord God.
We humans, even if our positions, vocations, or roles are different, are all the same believers before God. We all also need to remember that we are all sinners who were forgiven by Jesus Christ. Therefore, let us cherish constantly listening to and obeying the word of God.
The first verse in today’s passage, verse 8 says “Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today”
Here the “I” refers to Moses who is saying this word, but Moses is conveying the word he was given by God, so it should be understood that “I” is God.
Observe therefore all the commands I (God) am giving you today. This command for you to observe the commands of God appears here in Deuteronomy as well as in several other passages in the Bible.
Observing God’s word (commands) is of utmost importance to us, and the Bible repeatedly tells us this.
In our church worship, church school, and prayer meetings, we listen to God’s word together and share. We also read our Bibles on our own and receive from God’s word.
We listen to the same passages from God’s word over and over. It is the same word, but the Bible (God’s word) is new and holds pertinent meaning to each situation we are placed in.
We spend our whole life listening to God’s word continually. This is because God’s word is eternal, constantly giving us life, and giving us strength to live.
The second half of verse 8 says the following:
so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess,
We each have different paths that we need to walk. As individuals, as families, we all walk different paths. We also have a path we need to walk as a church.
s the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the land of Canaan, we may also have our own Jordan river to cross in order to get to our promised land.
The path we need to walk may seem rough. We may sometimes feel anxious, wondering what kind of life awaits us in that land ahead, and whether we will actually be able to get there.
However, in times like that, what should we do? God has clearly given us the answer. We should “observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today.”
We should listen to the Lord’s word. Not just listen, but we should observe all of the commandments that God tells us.
In doing so, we can receive courage and strength from the Word in order to walk our paths in faith.
Verse 9 says the following:
9 and so that you may live long in the land the Lord swore to your ancestors to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Through obeying the Lord’s Word (commands), we will be able to live long in the land ahead.
The word of God gives us life. The word of God sustains us.
God’s commands are not those of a tyrant or dictator who rules over people as they please and uses people for their own benefit.
God's commandments are truly a gift given to us by God so that we may receive them, obey them, and live true life on this earth.
God’s word became flesh in a form that people can see as Jesus Christ. This is what happened on the Christmas.
We desire to walk together on the path of faith, receiving the words of the Bible, God's commandments, illuminated by the light of Jesus Christ and enlightened by the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of God, and living according to that Word.
The Israelites lived 400 years enslaved in Egypt. And now they were about to enter into the land that God promised them.
Verses 10-11 tell about what type of place Egypt was to them, and what type of place the land they were about to enter was.
10 The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. 11 But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven.
In verse 10 where it says, “The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden,” refers to the fact that they were forced to labor there.
At the same time, “where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot” may also carry this meaning:
In order to live, people had to rely on their own strength and abilities, relying on themselves (or at least thought they could live by their own strength).
People cannot live without God’s help and grace. Without knowing this, people (mistakenly) believed that they were able to live by their own strength in their life in Egypt.
This can also be said about ourselves before we understood the grace of the true God.
However, to believers, the place where we live is like what is described in verse 11 where it says it “is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven.”
The path of believers, where believers live, is where God gives us what we need. However, that does not mean that it is ok for us to just do nothing.
If we believe in God, it does not mean that we will live richly with no suffering without any work or effort.
Rather, as believers live on this earth, even though life is full of trials and difficulties, we can believe God is with us and will give us what we need.
Even when we cannot see what is ahead and are anxious, God gives us the strength to continue walking the path, and we can receive wisdom and courage from the Word.
To believers, “a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven,” means that our Heavenly Father is always thinking of us, gives us what we need without fail, and protects us.
It is not some fantastical dream that we are just believing. The fact that God provides for us and protects us is guaranteed in the word of the Bible and Jesus himself.
The last part of today’s passage, verse 12, says the following:
12 It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.
God’s eyes are constantly on the path that we walk, and He is protecting us and guiding us.
In the land where we obey the Word of the Lord, God is always watching over us from the beginning of the year to its end. God is always with us in that land.
Through Moses God gave the people of Israel his Word (commands) and guided them repeatedly to obey and live according to His commands.
Now as we are in a new day and approaching a new year, let us renew our resolution to listen to and obey God’s Word and commandments.
The Lord God is always watching over us in the paths we walk and the places we are going to. From the beginning of the year to the end He is always watching over us.
Let us remember and take comfort in the fact that we are given the Lord’s protection and guidance, and His loving gaze is always upon us as we walk together.
Saturday, December 20, 2025
4th Advent/Christmas Sunday Worship Service December 21, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Jeremiah 23:5
Lighting of the Advent Candle
Hymn JBC # 162 Angels, from the realms of glory
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC #263 Hover o’er me, Holy Spirit
Confession of Faith
Offering
Scripture 1 John 3:11~18
Prayer
Sermon “This is the message you heard from the beginning”
Prayer
Hymn JBC# 157 O come all ye faithful
Baptismal Ceremony
Doxology JBC # 679
Benediction
Postlude
We are now in the Advent season, which is the four-week period leading up to Christmas on December 25th.
Each of the four Sundays during Advent, we have lit a candle at the beginning of our worship service.
In Christian tradition, the flames of these four candles each symbolize hope, peace, joy, and love.
They are the virtues and gifts that Jesus Christ brought into this world, and through them it is allowed for us to live in this world.
Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent, and also the Christmas Sunday Worship Service. The candle lit at the beginning of today's worship service represents love.
Jesus Christ was born as a human being approximately 2025 years ago. He came to bring hope, peace, joy, and love into this world.
Jesus was born into this world with the mission to save all of us.
What did we need to be saved from? We needed to be saved from the sins we ourselves had committed.
Today's Bible passage contains frightening words like “hates a brother or sister” and “murderer.”
Some of you may be wondering, “Why must we hear such words during a festive occasion like Christmas?”
However, in order for us to truly understand Jesus' love and salvation, it is absolutely essential that we confront our sins head-on through the Bible.
To understand why Christmas is such a time of thanksgiving and joy, it is essential that we understand what it is we have been saved from.
Verse 15 of today's passage reads:
15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
“Anyone who hates their brother or sister is a murderer, and no murderer has eternal life residing in them.” These words are based on the teachings that John, who wrote this letter, heard directly from his teacher, Jesus.
Jesus said the following in Matthew 5:21-22:
21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’(*an Aramaic term of contempt) is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Most of us probably think we're at least somewhat decent people, even if we don't consider ourselves perfectly righteous or good.
We think somewhere deep down in our hearts, “There are many people out there who are worse and more evil than I am, and I believe that compared to them, I am striving to live rightly.”
But Jesus' words are uncompromising: whoever is angry with their brother or sister will incur judgment, and whoever looks down on their brother or sister by calling them a “fool” will be thrown into the fire of hell.
That is God's standard of righteousness. No one can reach that standard through their own efforts or righteousness. We all must face judgment for our sins.
Today's passage talks about Cain murdering his younger brother Abel, which is recorded at the beginning of the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament.
Cain, whose deeds were evil, killed his brother Abel, whose deeds were righteous.
We think to ourselves, “I have nothing to do with such bad things,” but deep within our hearts, in our sinful nature, we are all Cain.
The wicked rebel against the righteous and try to destroy the righteous by force.
When I honestly confront myself about how incapable I am of truly loving others, how incapable I am of forgiving others, I am compelled to acknowledge that Jesus' words are indeed true.
Yet upon us, who are imperfect like this, a great and unimaginable ray of hope has been shed: For the One who perfectly embodies all these virtues and gifts—hope, peace, joy, and love—has appeared.
Yes, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, came into the world for us, to save us from sin and evil—that is, the Lord Jesus Christ was born.
That is the event of Christmas. Christmas is an event of grace so great, so profoundly significant for us, that our words cannot fully describe it.
Let's read verse 16 from today’s passage.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
Here, one of the Lord Jesus' own disciples, John, says of Jesus' death on the cross, “The Lord laid down His life for us. By this we know what love is and what it means to love.”
John, along with the other disciples of Christ, were shown that they must continue to proclaim this truth: “We know love, because the Lord Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.”
Christians and Christian churches continue to carry on that spirit and spread the joyous news to the world that “Jesus Christ laid down His life for us, and through this we have come to know what love is.”
However, there is more to verse 16. Let me read all of verse 3:16 again.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
It is a frightening statement that we should lay down our lives for the sake of our brothers and sisters.
This certainly does not mean we should treat our own lives carelessly. Rather, it is precisely because our lives are precious and important that they possess value sufficient to save the lives of others.
And what is important is that those who have come to know true love through the Lord Jesus Christ should be transformed in their way of life to become such people.
The Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, died for me (for us), so that we may know true love.
If this is the case, then those who have come to know true love through Christ—Christians—must have their lives transformed by Christ's love.
If our way of life has not changed at all from before we believed in Christ, then we need to seriously ask ourselves whether or not we are truly living in the grace of Christ.
The teaching that “we too should lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” means we are transformed into a mindset and way of life that repents of self-centered living, recognizing that our lives are also for the sake of giving life to others, that our existence is for the benefit of others.
As the last verses of today's passage, 17-18, say, it means to unite our hearts with those close to us who are suffering, empathizing with the suffering of others, seeing their pain as our own, and taking some concrete action (even if it is small).
The Lord laid down His life for us. Through this, we came to know love. I came to know that I am loved, that I am precious. Therefore, I too love others. The Lord's love transforms us in this way.
The first verse of today's passage, verse 11, states as follows:
11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
This teaching, passed down by the Apostle John and the Christian church throughout the ages—to respect others, to live for their benefit and for their sake, and for us who do so to “love one another”—is the way of faith that believers in Christ have heard from the very beginning.
This important teaching remains unchanged, guiding us as the compass of our faith and providing us with strength.
As we approach Christmas, we are called to “love one another” based on Christ's love. We desire to hold this precious teaching (the Word) in our hearts and put it into practice as our own way of life.
Prelude
Call to Worship Jeremiah 23:5
Lighting of the Advent Candle
Hymn JBC # 162 Angels, from the realms of glory
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC #263 Hover o’er me, Holy Spirit
Confession of Faith
Offering
Scripture 1 John 3:11~18
Prayer
Sermon “This is the message you heard from the beginning”
Prayer
Hymn JBC# 157 O come all ye faithful
Baptismal Ceremony
Doxology JBC # 679
Benediction
Postlude
We are now in the Advent season, which is the four-week period leading up to Christmas on December 25th.
Each of the four Sundays during Advent, we have lit a candle at the beginning of our worship service.
In Christian tradition, the flames of these four candles each symbolize hope, peace, joy, and love.
They are the virtues and gifts that Jesus Christ brought into this world, and through them it is allowed for us to live in this world.
Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent, and also the Christmas Sunday Worship Service. The candle lit at the beginning of today's worship service represents love.
Jesus Christ was born as a human being approximately 2025 years ago. He came to bring hope, peace, joy, and love into this world.
Jesus was born into this world with the mission to save all of us.
What did we need to be saved from? We needed to be saved from the sins we ourselves had committed.
Today's Bible passage contains frightening words like “hates a brother or sister” and “murderer.”
Some of you may be wondering, “Why must we hear such words during a festive occasion like Christmas?”
However, in order for us to truly understand Jesus' love and salvation, it is absolutely essential that we confront our sins head-on through the Bible.
To understand why Christmas is such a time of thanksgiving and joy, it is essential that we understand what it is we have been saved from.
Verse 15 of today's passage reads:
15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
“Anyone who hates their brother or sister is a murderer, and no murderer has eternal life residing in them.” These words are based on the teachings that John, who wrote this letter, heard directly from his teacher, Jesus.
Jesus said the following in Matthew 5:21-22:
21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’(*an Aramaic term of contempt) is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Most of us probably think we're at least somewhat decent people, even if we don't consider ourselves perfectly righteous or good.
We think somewhere deep down in our hearts, “There are many people out there who are worse and more evil than I am, and I believe that compared to them, I am striving to live rightly.”
But Jesus' words are uncompromising: whoever is angry with their brother or sister will incur judgment, and whoever looks down on their brother or sister by calling them a “fool” will be thrown into the fire of hell.
That is God's standard of righteousness. No one can reach that standard through their own efforts or righteousness. We all must face judgment for our sins.
Today's passage talks about Cain murdering his younger brother Abel, which is recorded at the beginning of the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament.
Cain, whose deeds were evil, killed his brother Abel, whose deeds were righteous.
We think to ourselves, “I have nothing to do with such bad things,” but deep within our hearts, in our sinful nature, we are all Cain.
The wicked rebel against the righteous and try to destroy the righteous by force.
When I honestly confront myself about how incapable I am of truly loving others, how incapable I am of forgiving others, I am compelled to acknowledge that Jesus' words are indeed true.
Yet upon us, who are imperfect like this, a great and unimaginable ray of hope has been shed: For the One who perfectly embodies all these virtues and gifts—hope, peace, joy, and love—has appeared.
Yes, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, came into the world for us, to save us from sin and evil—that is, the Lord Jesus Christ was born.
That is the event of Christmas. Christmas is an event of grace so great, so profoundly significant for us, that our words cannot fully describe it.
Let's read verse 16 from today’s passage.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
Here, one of the Lord Jesus' own disciples, John, says of Jesus' death on the cross, “The Lord laid down His life for us. By this we know what love is and what it means to love.”
John, along with the other disciples of Christ, were shown that they must continue to proclaim this truth: “We know love, because the Lord Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.”
Christians and Christian churches continue to carry on that spirit and spread the joyous news to the world that “Jesus Christ laid down His life for us, and through this we have come to know what love is.”
However, there is more to verse 16. Let me read all of verse 3:16 again.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
It is a frightening statement that we should lay down our lives for the sake of our brothers and sisters.
This certainly does not mean we should treat our own lives carelessly. Rather, it is precisely because our lives are precious and important that they possess value sufficient to save the lives of others.
And what is important is that those who have come to know true love through the Lord Jesus Christ should be transformed in their way of life to become such people.
The Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, died for me (for us), so that we may know true love.
If this is the case, then those who have come to know true love through Christ—Christians—must have their lives transformed by Christ's love.
If our way of life has not changed at all from before we believed in Christ, then we need to seriously ask ourselves whether or not we are truly living in the grace of Christ.
The teaching that “we too should lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” means we are transformed into a mindset and way of life that repents of self-centered living, recognizing that our lives are also for the sake of giving life to others, that our existence is for the benefit of others.
As the last verses of today's passage, 17-18, say, it means to unite our hearts with those close to us who are suffering, empathizing with the suffering of others, seeing their pain as our own, and taking some concrete action (even if it is small).
The Lord laid down His life for us. Through this, we came to know love. I came to know that I am loved, that I am precious. Therefore, I too love others. The Lord's love transforms us in this way.
The first verse of today's passage, verse 11, states as follows:
11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
This teaching, passed down by the Apostle John and the Christian church throughout the ages—to respect others, to live for their benefit and for their sake, and for us who do so to “love one another”—is the way of faith that believers in Christ have heard from the very beginning.
This important teaching remains unchanged, guiding us as the compass of our faith and providing us with strength.
As we approach Christmas, we are called to “love one another” based on Christ's love. We desire to hold this precious teaching (the Word) in our hearts and put it into practice as our own way of life.
Saturday, December 13, 2025
3rd Advent Sunday Worship Service December 14, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalm 47:2
Lighting of the Advent Candle
Hymn JBC # 153 Lo, how a rose e’er blooming
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC #263 Hover o’er me, Holy Spirit
Offering
Scripture John 15:11~16
Prayer
Sermon “Joy of Christ”
Prayer
Hymn JBC# 379 We’ve a story to tell to the nations
Doxology JBC # 679
Benediction
Postlude
We are now in the 2025 Advent season. The year 2025 itself is also drawing to a close. In just half a month, we will welcome the new year.
Though the year changes, we who live by the hope found in Christ know that the blessings and hope of the Lord God will remain unchanged with us in the new year.
This is because we believe that God has promised us this unchanging blessing and hope through Jesus Christ, and we believe that our Lord God is faithful to His word and promises.
The New Testament in Titus 2:11-13 states the following:
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
The grace of God that brings salvation to all people is referring to the grace of Jesus Christ.
And the grace of Christ teaches us to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.
And God teaches us to wait for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ.
This Christmas, let us rejoice greatly, celebrate, and offer thanks to God for the birth of Jesus Christ—the very blessing and hope God has given us.
And let’s pray that this Christmas will renew our hope as we await the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, who will come again to this earth.
Today is the worship service for the Third Sunday of the Advent. The third Advent candle signifies “Joy.”
Today's verses are the words of Jesus Himself in John 15. In verse 11, Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
Jesus desires for us to be filled with joy, and He has given us everything necessary for that.
This world offers many joyful experiences. Many people may seem to live fulfilling, happy lives even if they don't attend church, read the Bible, or believe in God.
But Jesus tells us that for our joy to be completely fulfilled by an unshakable, certain hope, we absolutely need God's grace—the true, gracious word of God.
Only through God's word, and only by connecting with God, can our joy be fulfilled, overflowing, and an unchanging satisfaction be given to us.
At the beginning of this chapter 15, Jesus spoke, comparing Himself to the “vine.”
Jesus tells us that by remaining firmly connected to Him, the true vine, we will bear abundant fruit.
Being connected to the vine means being connected to the church, which is the body of Christ; being connected to one another (our family of faith, our companions) as branches of that same vine; and remaining spiritually connected to God through Scripture and prayer.
All who are connected to this vine—the church, which is the body of Christ—are nourished by Jesus' words, support one another, bear abundant fruit, and are filled with joy.
The source of our joy is the grace of Jesus Christ. And indeed, Jesus spoke to us through His words about many things.
In last week's sermon, I stated that during His earthly life, Jesus spoke everything He needed to say to His disciples and to us and left nothing out.
Because Jesus spoke every word necessary for our lives and for our joy to be fulfilled, we are filled with joy and hope today.
Our joy, our true joy, the source of our joy, lies in the words of Jesus. It is only through His words that we can be certain that God is with us, after which this fact becomes our supreme joy.
And we, filled with joy through Jesus' words, also express our care and love for one another through words. Of course, words alone without action are meaningless.
Yet, through the words given to us, can we not convey love, care, and gratitude to others? And through loving words of faith, can we not also encourage one another?
Putting thoughts into words is difficult. There are many times when we don't know how to express what we want to say, what we think, or what we feel.
Or we might think, “Even if I say it, they won't understand,” and give up on sharing our thoughts with others.
But Jesus never gave up teaching His disciples through words, never stopped communicating His message. No matter how uncomprehending His disciples were, Jesus continued to speak the word of God (the Gospel).
He kept speaking and left His words with the disciples so that my joy—the joy of Christ—might be full in me.
Through Jesus' words—the words He never gave up speaking—we too are filled with joy even now. Let us give thanks for this blessing.
Moreover, in today's passage, Jesus says something truly astonishing to His disciples, and to us.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
God dwells on high, and we could never approach Him on our own. God is so great that we cannot fully comprehend His greatness.
Yet such a Being calls us friends. Could such a thing be possible?
If we were friends with someone famous or wonderful, it would be a source of pride for us.
If we say we know, are related to, or are friends with someone of very high status—like a prime minister, president, or king—most people would consider it a great honor and something to boast about.
Now, God Himself, the Son of God, calls us friends. Through Jesus Christ, we have received this unimaginable, supreme honor and glory: to be friends with God.
It is not because we possessed any special qualities or outstanding virtues that God called us His friends.
God simply chose us, sinful as we are, out of His great, overflowing love. He led us out of the world through His Word, filling us with joy, so that we might become His friends.
However, there is something we must keep in order to truly become God's friends. It is written in verse 14: “If you keep my commandments.”
And in today's passage, the one thing Jesus commands His disciples (and us) is this:
１７
This is my command: Love each other.
This command of Jesus given to all Christians is both a great blessing for us and the most demanding commandment.
For we are unable to love others. Is there anyone who would say, “No, I actually love people”?
If someone is wonderful, good, and lovable, of course we love them. But Jesus did not say, “Love only those you like, only those you get along with.”
What Jesus said was, “Love one another unconditionally.” Even someone you feel you could never love, even someone you find utterly impossible to respect—Jesus commands, “Love one another.”
And if we keep this command, then the highest honor becomes ours: “I (Jesus) will call you friends.”
After hearing all this, some of you may be thinking, “That's impossible for me. I can't do it.” To be honest, I myself am in the same position.
But let's listen to Jesus further in verse 13.
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
“Greater love has no one than this, to lay one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus Himself fulfilled these very words.
Jesus Christ came into the world at Christmas with a great purpose and mission. It was that He would lay down His own life for us.
Jesus proved this by saying, “I call you friends. You are my friends,” and to forgive our sins, He died on the cross.
Christmas is the time we remember the birth of this Savior, the one true, supreme God who calls us friends (even though we had no qualifications or qualities whatsoever to become friends of God) and gave His life for us.
Our Savior, Jesus Christ—the God who calls us friends—was born into this world for us.
Let us receive this glory beyond compare and celebrate this Christmas with great and supreme joy and gratitude.
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalm 47:2
Lighting of the Advent Candle
Hymn JBC # 153 Lo, how a rose e’er blooming
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC #263 Hover o’er me, Holy Spirit
Offering
Scripture John 15:11~16
Prayer
Sermon “Joy of Christ”
Prayer
Hymn JBC# 379 We’ve a story to tell to the nations
Doxology JBC # 679
Benediction
Postlude
We are now in the 2025 Advent season. The year 2025 itself is also drawing to a close. In just half a month, we will welcome the new year.
Though the year changes, we who live by the hope found in Christ know that the blessings and hope of the Lord God will remain unchanged with us in the new year.
This is because we believe that God has promised us this unchanging blessing and hope through Jesus Christ, and we believe that our Lord God is faithful to His word and promises.
The New Testament in Titus 2:11-13 states the following:
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
The grace of God that brings salvation to all people is referring to the grace of Jesus Christ.
And the grace of Christ teaches us to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.
And God teaches us to wait for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ.
This Christmas, let us rejoice greatly, celebrate, and offer thanks to God for the birth of Jesus Christ—the very blessing and hope God has given us.
And let’s pray that this Christmas will renew our hope as we await the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, who will come again to this earth.
Today is the worship service for the Third Sunday of the Advent. The third Advent candle signifies “Joy.”
Today's verses are the words of Jesus Himself in John 15. In verse 11, Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
Jesus desires for us to be filled with joy, and He has given us everything necessary for that.
This world offers many joyful experiences. Many people may seem to live fulfilling, happy lives even if they don't attend church, read the Bible, or believe in God.
But Jesus tells us that for our joy to be completely fulfilled by an unshakable, certain hope, we absolutely need God's grace—the true, gracious word of God.
Only through God's word, and only by connecting with God, can our joy be fulfilled, overflowing, and an unchanging satisfaction be given to us.
At the beginning of this chapter 15, Jesus spoke, comparing Himself to the “vine.”
Jesus tells us that by remaining firmly connected to Him, the true vine, we will bear abundant fruit.
Being connected to the vine means being connected to the church, which is the body of Christ; being connected to one another (our family of faith, our companions) as branches of that same vine; and remaining spiritually connected to God through Scripture and prayer.
All who are connected to this vine—the church, which is the body of Christ—are nourished by Jesus' words, support one another, bear abundant fruit, and are filled with joy.
The source of our joy is the grace of Jesus Christ. And indeed, Jesus spoke to us through His words about many things.
In last week's sermon, I stated that during His earthly life, Jesus spoke everything He needed to say to His disciples and to us and left nothing out.
Because Jesus spoke every word necessary for our lives and for our joy to be fulfilled, we are filled with joy and hope today.
Our joy, our true joy, the source of our joy, lies in the words of Jesus. It is only through His words that we can be certain that God is with us, after which this fact becomes our supreme joy.
And we, filled with joy through Jesus' words, also express our care and love for one another through words. Of course, words alone without action are meaningless.
Yet, through the words given to us, can we not convey love, care, and gratitude to others? And through loving words of faith, can we not also encourage one another?
Putting thoughts into words is difficult. There are many times when we don't know how to express what we want to say, what we think, or what we feel.
Or we might think, “Even if I say it, they won't understand,” and give up on sharing our thoughts with others.
But Jesus never gave up teaching His disciples through words, never stopped communicating His message. No matter how uncomprehending His disciples were, Jesus continued to speak the word of God (the Gospel).
He kept speaking and left His words with the disciples so that my joy—the joy of Christ—might be full in me.
Through Jesus' words—the words He never gave up speaking—we too are filled with joy even now. Let us give thanks for this blessing.
Moreover, in today's passage, Jesus says something truly astonishing to His disciples, and to us.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
God dwells on high, and we could never approach Him on our own. God is so great that we cannot fully comprehend His greatness.
Yet such a Being calls us friends. Could such a thing be possible?
If we were friends with someone famous or wonderful, it would be a source of pride for us.
If we say we know, are related to, or are friends with someone of very high status—like a prime minister, president, or king—most people would consider it a great honor and something to boast about.
Now, God Himself, the Son of God, calls us friends. Through Jesus Christ, we have received this unimaginable, supreme honor and glory: to be friends with God.
It is not because we possessed any special qualities or outstanding virtues that God called us His friends.
God simply chose us, sinful as we are, out of His great, overflowing love. He led us out of the world through His Word, filling us with joy, so that we might become His friends.
However, there is something we must keep in order to truly become God's friends. It is written in verse 14: “If you keep my commandments.”
And in today's passage, the one thing Jesus commands His disciples (and us) is this:
１７
This is my command: Love each other.
This command of Jesus given to all Christians is both a great blessing for us and the most demanding commandment.
For we are unable to love others. Is there anyone who would say, “No, I actually love people”?
If someone is wonderful, good, and lovable, of course we love them. But Jesus did not say, “Love only those you like, only those you get along with.”
What Jesus said was, “Love one another unconditionally.” Even someone you feel you could never love, even someone you find utterly impossible to respect—Jesus commands, “Love one another.”
And if we keep this command, then the highest honor becomes ours: “I (Jesus) will call you friends.”
After hearing all this, some of you may be thinking, “That's impossible for me. I can't do it.” To be honest, I myself am in the same position.
But let's listen to Jesus further in verse 13.
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
“Greater love has no one than this, to lay one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus Himself fulfilled these very words.
Jesus Christ came into the world at Christmas with a great purpose and mission. It was that He would lay down His own life for us.
Jesus proved this by saying, “I call you friends. You are my friends,” and to forgive our sins, He died on the cross.
Christmas is the time we remember the birth of this Savior, the one true, supreme God who calls us friends (even though we had no qualifications or qualities whatsoever to become friends of God) and gave His life for us.
Our Savior, Jesus Christ—the God who calls us friends—was born into this world for us.
Let us receive this glory beyond compare and celebrate this Christmas with great and supreme joy and gratitude.
Saturday, December 6, 2025
2nd Advent Sunday Worship Service December 7, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalm 29:11
Lighting of the Advent Candle
Hymn JBC # 149 Veni, Veni, Emmanuel
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC #263 Hover o’er me, Holy Spirit
The Prayer Time
Offering
Scripture John 14:25～31
Prayer
Sermon “Peace of Christ”
Prayer
Hymn JBC# 515 When peace, like a river, attendeth my way
Doxology JBC # 679
Benediction
Postlude
Today we are offering our worship on this second Day of our Lord (Sunday) of Advent, eagerly awaiting the advent of Christmas when Jesus Christ was born.
The Bible passage I have chosen for today is the passage in chapter 14 of John’s gospel where Jesus is talking to his disciples and giving them his final teachings, his final words before dying on the cross.
The reason I chose this passage for this time of advent which celebrates eagerly awaiting the birth of Christ is that Jesus’ words in this passage speak clearly of the true hope and peace which Jesus gives to us.
Chapters 14 to 17 in John’s gospel contain the last words of Jesus that he spoke to his disciples before he was arrested and crucified.
In the first verse in today’s passage, verse 25, Jesus is telling his disciples “All this I have spoken while still with you.”
And in verse 30, it says that Jesus told them “I will not say much more to you,”.
Looking at these words “All this I have spoken while still with you”, and “I will not say much more to you”, it makes me think that Jesus really lived his life on earth without any regrets.
Jesus lived his life on earth as a man with a limited lifespan. There was only so much he was able to say while he was alive.
After Jesus said “I will not say much more to you”, he says “for the prince (ruler)of this world is coming”.
Perhaps when he said that, he meant “since the authorities will soon arrest me, I will not be able to tell you (teach you) much more than I already have”.
Yet at the same time, I think Jesus might also have meant that “I have told you (told the disciples) everything I need to tell you”, and “I have fulfilled the mission entrusted to me by Father God.
From this point on, Jesus is taken and crucified. Jesus had the ultimate mission, of taking all our sins upon himself and dying on the cross.
Yet, before being arrested and dying on the cross, Jesus had told his disciples everything he needed to tell them.
Jesus said everything that needed to be said, telling the disciples God’s word without leaving anything out, so that when he left this world, they would be able to draw strength from God’s word to continue living in faith.
Jesus’ words have been left to us now as the Bible, as the gospel, and even now we can listen to the words of Jesus through the Bible.
What at encouragement that is to us, having the word of God left to us. Isn’t that such a great source of hope and joy for us?
But, the words of the Bible are not easily understood. Amongst the words of the Bible and the words spoken by Jesus, there are difficult passages and parts that are very difficult for us living in this day and age to accept.
However, in today’s passage, Jesus promises that when we listen to or read the words of Scripture, our heavenly father God will send us a helper to teach us about those words.
In verse 26 it says:
26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Just as is written, even today the invisible Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, is working in our hearts and teaching us the meaning of God’s Word.
If not for the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, there is no way that we would be able to make the words of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus our own.
The Holy Spirit is truly a mysterious being. We believe in the triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is also equal to God.
We may not be able to see the Holy Spirit, but even now the Spirit is surely guiding us, enabling us to listen to and believe in the Scriptures as the Word of God.
The Holy Spirit connects us with the Son, Jesus Christ, and God the Father through the Word.
If anyone here thinks “I just don’t really understand what the Bible says”, please open your heart and welcome God’s spirit into your heart, and please open up the scriptures again with that in mind.
And, I also hope that you will all pray that the words of the messages spoken like this in our church, that the Holy Spirit that is the Spirit of God would aid us, that the words spoken here as God’s message would resonate deeply within each and every one of our hearts, and would strengthen us.
Let us also continue living our lives of faith, placing great hope in the power of the Holy Spirit who makes clear the meaning of the Word to us and gives us the strength to live spiritually through the Word.
Let’s look at verse 27.
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.
At the beginning of today’s worship service, we lit the second Advent candle. The meaning of the second Advent candle is “Peace”.
The second Advent candle is lit to show us that even now, the peace of Christ shines within us and in the world.
Jesus said “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”
What does “peace as the world gives” mean?
One way would be to acquire the power or weapons needed to oppose those who go against you, forcing anyone who won’t heed what you say to listen to you.
Another way would be to acquire financial power and social status, making people listen to you or achieving your desires or getting what you want through money or authority over them.
But Jesus’ promises to give us peace in a way completely different to those ways, a way that we can’t even imagine, and he lived this way himself.
The peace Jesus promised to give us, “my peace, the peace of Christ”, is the peace that comes through Jesus himself, who is equal to God, dying on the cross, bearing all our sins with him on the cross and dying in our place.
Jesus Christ took that sin that we ourselves should have had to bear, and took it onto himself. The price that we should have paid for our sins was instead paid for by Jesus.
To forgive our sins, the evil that destroys peace, Jesus nailed both evil and sin to the cross along with himself.
Jesus did not take on the power of evil by opposing it with more power, but instead he took the power of evil and affixed it to the cross along with himself, rendering evil completely powerless.
The peace that Jesus promised to us, “my peace, the peace of Christ”, is the peace that comes through Jesus himself, who is equal to God, dying on the cross, bearing all our sins with him on the cross and dying in our place.
But with the world the way it is, doesn’t it seem like evil isn’t getting any weaker? That’s certainly true.
We shouldn’t turn our eyes away from the reality of the world where evil seems to be rampant.
Rather than turning our eyes away from the world, shouldn’t we instead turn to the Word of God, and then look again at the reality of society and world through the faith that is given to us?
Looking up at the cross of Christ that has defeated the evil of the world, believing that Jesus has already destroyed the evil of this world on the cross and given us true peace, this is how we can live among the reality of this world.
As Christians who believe in the words of Jesus Christ on the cross who promised us the “Peace of Christ”, let us go on living even amongst the realities of this world, knowing that we have been given the Peace of Christ.
Let’s read the words of Jesus in verse 31, the last verse in today’s passage. I will conclude the message for today’s worship service being guided by these words.
31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
“Come now; let us leave.
The Son, Jesus Christ, loves God the Father, and he himself was loved by God the Father. Amidst this relationship of love, Jesus lived in obedience to his Father’s commands.
Jesus urged his disciples “Come now; let us leave.”
Even now Jesus urges us to “believe that in this world filled with evil and sin, God already has the victory, and to show that hope to the world”.
As we worship together at church like this, we are blessed to be encouraged and strengthened by God’s voice, and to receive hope.
And when Jesus’ voice says “Come now; let us leave.”, by this we are being sent out from this place to where we live our own lives.
When Jesus said “Come now; let us leave”, the path Jesus was heading out to take in today’s passage was the path towards the cross.
Jesus was setting out towards the place where he would bear the cross to atone for our sins, a burden that only he could bear.
We also set out on the path of faith walking with Jesus, following Him who bore the cross, the heaviest of burdens, for our sakes.
Day by day, let us rise and walk the path of faith alongside Jesus. Even in the tough times, Jesus is with us, that is something we can be sure of.
The Lord takes us by the hand and helps us to rise, and the Lord walks alongside us. Because of this, we can be at peace.
Just as he promised, the Lord Jesus Christ will always be there walking alongside us. As the Savior of peace, he gives peace to us. For this reason, we need have no fear.
The Lord is with us. Jesus Christ, the savior of peace, is the source of our peace.
Without Him, there is no true peace. Let us rejoice greatly that true peace has been given to us through Christ.
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalm 29:11
Lighting of the Advent Candle
Hymn JBC # 149 Veni, Veni, Emmanuel
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC #263 Hover o’er me, Holy Spirit
The Prayer Time
Offering
Scripture John 14:25～31
Prayer
Sermon “Peace of Christ”
Prayer
Hymn JBC# 515 When peace, like a river, attendeth my way
Doxology JBC # 679
Benediction
Postlude
Today we are offering our worship on this second Day of our Lord (Sunday) of Advent, eagerly awaiting the advent of Christmas when Jesus Christ was born.
The Bible passage I have chosen for today is the passage in chapter 14 of John’s gospel where Jesus is talking to his disciples and giving them his final teachings, his final words before dying on the cross.
The reason I chose this passage for this time of advent which celebrates eagerly awaiting the birth of Christ is that Jesus’ words in this passage speak clearly of the true hope and peace which Jesus gives to us.
Chapters 14 to 17 in John’s gospel contain the last words of Jesus that he spoke to his disciples before he was arrested and crucified.
In the first verse in today’s passage, verse 25, Jesus is telling his disciples “All this I have spoken while still with you.”
And in verse 30, it says that Jesus told them “I will not say much more to you,”.
Looking at these words “All this I have spoken while still with you”, and “I will not say much more to you”, it makes me think that Jesus really lived his life on earth without any regrets.
Jesus lived his life on earth as a man with a limited lifespan. There was only so much he was able to say while he was alive.
After Jesus said “I will not say much more to you”, he says “for the prince (ruler)of this world is coming”.
Perhaps when he said that, he meant “since the authorities will soon arrest me, I will not be able to tell you (teach you) much more than I already have”.
Yet at the same time, I think Jesus might also have meant that “I have told you (told the disciples) everything I need to tell you”, and “I have fulfilled the mission entrusted to me by Father God.
From this point on, Jesus is taken and crucified. Jesus had the ultimate mission, of taking all our sins upon himself and dying on the cross.
Yet, before being arrested and dying on the cross, Jesus had told his disciples everything he needed to tell them.
Jesus said everything that needed to be said, telling the disciples God’s word without leaving anything out, so that when he left this world, they would be able to draw strength from God’s word to continue living in faith.
Jesus’ words have been left to us now as the Bible, as the gospel, and even now we can listen to the words of Jesus through the Bible.
What at encouragement that is to us, having the word of God left to us. Isn’t that such a great source of hope and joy for us?
But, the words of the Bible are not easily understood. Amongst the words of the Bible and the words spoken by Jesus, there are difficult passages and parts that are very difficult for us living in this day and age to accept.
However, in today’s passage, Jesus promises that when we listen to or read the words of Scripture, our heavenly father God will send us a helper to teach us about those words.
In verse 26 it says:
26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Just as is written, even today the invisible Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, is working in our hearts and teaching us the meaning of God’s Word.
If not for the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, there is no way that we would be able to make the words of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus our own.
The Holy Spirit is truly a mysterious being. We believe in the triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is also equal to God.
We may not be able to see the Holy Spirit, but even now the Spirit is surely guiding us, enabling us to listen to and believe in the Scriptures as the Word of God.
The Holy Spirit connects us with the Son, Jesus Christ, and God the Father through the Word.
If anyone here thinks “I just don’t really understand what the Bible says”, please open your heart and welcome God’s spirit into your heart, and please open up the scriptures again with that in mind.
And, I also hope that you will all pray that the words of the messages spoken like this in our church, that the Holy Spirit that is the Spirit of God would aid us, that the words spoken here as God’s message would resonate deeply within each and every one of our hearts, and would strengthen us.
Let us also continue living our lives of faith, placing great hope in the power of the Holy Spirit who makes clear the meaning of the Word to us and gives us the strength to live spiritually through the Word.
Let’s look at verse 27.
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.
At the beginning of today’s worship service, we lit the second Advent candle. The meaning of the second Advent candle is “Peace”.
The second Advent candle is lit to show us that even now, the peace of Christ shines within us and in the world.
Jesus said “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”
What does “peace as the world gives” mean?
One way would be to acquire the power or weapons needed to oppose those who go against you, forcing anyone who won’t heed what you say to listen to you.
Another way would be to acquire financial power and social status, making people listen to you or achieving your desires or getting what you want through money or authority over them.
But Jesus’ promises to give us peace in a way completely different to those ways, a way that we can’t even imagine, and he lived this way himself.
The peace Jesus promised to give us, “my peace, the peace of Christ”, is the peace that comes through Jesus himself, who is equal to God, dying on the cross, bearing all our sins with him on the cross and dying in our place.
Jesus Christ took that sin that we ourselves should have had to bear, and took it onto himself. The price that we should have paid for our sins was instead paid for by Jesus.
To forgive our sins, the evil that destroys peace, Jesus nailed both evil and sin to the cross along with himself.
Jesus did not take on the power of evil by opposing it with more power, but instead he took the power of evil and affixed it to the cross along with himself, rendering evil completely powerless.
The peace that Jesus promised to us, “my peace, the peace of Christ”, is the peace that comes through Jesus himself, who is equal to God, dying on the cross, bearing all our sins with him on the cross and dying in our place.
But with the world the way it is, doesn’t it seem like evil isn’t getting any weaker? That’s certainly true.
We shouldn’t turn our eyes away from the reality of the world where evil seems to be rampant.
Rather than turning our eyes away from the world, shouldn’t we instead turn to the Word of God, and then look again at the reality of society and world through the faith that is given to us?
Looking up at the cross of Christ that has defeated the evil of the world, believing that Jesus has already destroyed the evil of this world on the cross and given us true peace, this is how we can live among the reality of this world.
As Christians who believe in the words of Jesus Christ on the cross who promised us the “Peace of Christ”, let us go on living even amongst the realities of this world, knowing that we have been given the Peace of Christ.
Let’s read the words of Jesus in verse 31, the last verse in today’s passage. I will conclude the message for today’s worship service being guided by these words.
31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
“Come now; let us leave.
The Son, Jesus Christ, loves God the Father, and he himself was loved by God the Father. Amidst this relationship of love, Jesus lived in obedience to his Father’s commands.
Jesus urged his disciples “Come now; let us leave.”
Even now Jesus urges us to “believe that in this world filled with evil and sin, God already has the victory, and to show that hope to the world”.
As we worship together at church like this, we are blessed to be encouraged and strengthened by God’s voice, and to receive hope.
And when Jesus’ voice says “Come now; let us leave.”, by this we are being sent out from this place to where we live our own lives.
When Jesus said “Come now; let us leave”, the path Jesus was heading out to take in today’s passage was the path towards the cross.
Jesus was setting out towards the place where he would bear the cross to atone for our sins, a burden that only he could bear.
We also set out on the path of faith walking with Jesus, following Him who bore the cross, the heaviest of burdens, for our sakes.
Day by day, let us rise and walk the path of faith alongside Jesus. Even in the tough times, Jesus is with us, that is something we can be sure of.
The Lord takes us by the hand and helps us to rise, and the Lord walks alongside us. Because of this, we can be at peace.
Just as he promised, the Lord Jesus Christ will always be there walking alongside us. As the Savior of peace, he gives peace to us. For this reason, we need have no fear.
The Lord is with us. Jesus Christ, the savior of peace, is the source of our peace.
Without Him, there is no true peace. Let us rejoice greatly that true peace has been given to us through Christ.
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Saturday, November 29, 2025
1st Advent Sunday Worship Service November 30, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Proverbs 23:18
Lighting of the Advent Candle
Hymn JBC # 146 Com, Thou long-expected Jesus
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC #554 All the way my Saviour leads me
Remembering the World Baptist Prayer Week – Special Hymn
Offering
Scripture Romans 5:1~11
Prayer
Sermon “Hope in the Glory of God”
Prayer
Hymn JBC# 40 O Thou, in whose presence
Doxology JBC # 676
Benediction
Postlude
From today the Christian church enters the season of ‘Advent’. This is a special period where we look forward to the birth of Jesus Christ.
Advent is an approximately four week period, including 4 Sundays before Christmas on December 25th.
This year in 2025 from today (November 30th) until Christmas Eve on December 24th (Wed) is Advent.
Jesus Christ was born as a man approximately 2025 years ago. It is a historical fact that Christ was born into this world.
However, Christ is also the Son of God, equal with God, and is God.
Therefore, such a person being born into this world holds a completely different meaning than the birth of any other ordinary person throughout history.
The infinite, eternal, and limitless God was born as a man, and this special event is continuing even now.
The reason the Christian church celebrates Christmas every year as such a special day is that we believe Jesus Christ came to this world is the eternal life and Christ lives through the Holy Spirit and He is with us even now.
Approximately 2025 years ago in what is now Palestine and Israel, Jesus Christ was born. Jesus was raised as a Jew and lived a human life.
Jesus Christ was born into this world to give us immesurable grace and gifts. In order to do so, He offered His own life.
As a representation of the grace that Jesus Christ has given us, we light four candles in Advent, which represent hope, peace, joy, and love.
In today’s Bible passage (Romans 5:1-11) this grace is shown in a concentrated manner.
If we can receive Christ’s blessings of hope, peace, joy, and love, our lives will be blessed and fulfilled beyond anything else.
The first candle of Advent which we lit today represents hope. Let’s listen to what the scripture has to say about hope today.
Hope gives our mind, heart, and soul strength and gives us strength to live.
However, if that hope is built upon our own thoughts and desires, then it is merely temporary and will fade away.
As we live there are things that we want to achieve, objects we desire, and standing we want. The desire for these things can become our hope for a time.
These hopes are not necessarily bad, but if our hopes are based on our own desires, they will not become a proper foundation for supporting the most important part of our lives: our souls.
We need hope that is not of our own making and is unshakeable.
It is a hope that even if times and place change, even if we are put into difficult circumstances (failures or setbacks), it does not change.
This type of hope (a certain hope) is called “the hope in the glory of God” in today’s Bible passage.
The hope of the glory of the eternal Lord who created the world is what we have been given through Christ.
People were originally created to live under the glory of God. However, the Bible teaches that we let go of that through our own volition (sin).
Romans 3:23～24
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
“All have sinned”. In other words, we have separated from the God whom we were supposed to be with and serve in order to live self-centeredly.
In ‘Genesis’ in the Old Testament, the first people, Adam and Eve, in defiance to God’s commandments, ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which was the beginning of sin.
Human history since then demonstrates that people began living by the principle that “what is right is what I decide for myself,” “pursuing the hopes and glory they themselves created, and living to attain them.”
To us, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ calls us to return to the way of hope—the way that enables us to live within the true glory that only He can give.
Even though we became unable to receive God’s glory of our own will due to our sin, God forgave our sins through Jesus Christ and gave us a second chance to live in His glory.
We can partake in the glory given by the eternal God, demonstrated clearly through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Let us believe in that hope.
Reading today's Scripture passage carefully, we see that the hope of sharing in God's glory presupposes (requires) suffering.
In order to arrive at true hope which does not falter, we must endure suffering (hardship).
It is said that the experience of suffering gives us the “perseverance (endurance)” to endure any circumstance, and perseverance builds character, and character leads to hope.
I believe that here “perseverance” and “character” are a deepening of faith in the Lord due to relying on Him more in the midst of difficulty.
We all would desire to avoid suffering if possible. However, the Bible says that through after hardships we will be given true hope.
In verse 3 Paul, the author of this letter, even says “we glory in our sufferings.”
We may think that someone who can say such a thing may have an incredible fortitude (strength) of mind and heart.
However, this is not the case. Saying that we also glory in our sufferings is something only someone who understands that we cannot face suffering or overcome it of our own strength.
Only people who understand the truth that we have no strength to overcome, but our Lord is bearing this suffering with us can say such a thing.
Jesus Christ is the one who bears our suffering with us.
Christmas is a time when we give thanks for the birth into this world of the God who became man and shared our burdens.
In our lives we may have to deal with sickness, separation, lifestyle worries, and many other difficulties. Family and relational problems are also painful.
Let’s remember that we do not face these things alone.
The Lord walks with us, and through our faith that the Lord walks with us, we can grow in perseverance, character (learn more and more and experience that God is living with us and supporting us), and unshakeable hope.
Advent and Christmas is a time that we remember the birth of Jesus, who is our Savior and true companion (who lives with us).
The Bible tells us that, form the time He was born, Jesus experienced suffering.
When Jesus was born, the Bible says that Jesus and His family were only provided with a manger where livestock like horses lived.
In a sense, Jesus experienced rejection from the moment he was born and was treated like an outcast. Jesus’ life was far from glorious.
After beginning his public evangelism after turning 30, there times Jesus received praise and honor from people.
However, Jesus never sought such praise from man as true glory.
Through His own way of life and his words, Jesus showed that true glory is only in the Lord God, and that in God’s glory there is true and certain hope.
Jesus told us to live seeking true glory (not uncertain and fickle glory from people).
As written in verse 6 of today’s passage, Jesus died at His appointed time “for the ungodly (people)”.
If now anyone is thinking that they do not understand who they are, what the meaning of their life is, or what the value of their life is, let’s look together to Jesus Christ who died on the cross.
Let us take joy in the birth of Jesus who was born into this world to give His life for us sinners, not for the good and the righteous.
In Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection, our purpose in life and worth and God’s limitless love are all clearly shown in.
In living together with the Lord God Jesus Christ, we will certainly experience various suffering. Through enduring that suffering with the Lord, and receiving strength from the Lord in those experiences, we are promised a great and certain hope.
Just as written in verse 5 of today’s passage, that hope does not put us to shame. It is an eternal hope that never ends.
If we surrender ourselves to God and acknowledge that we have nothing of our own worthy of pride or glory, and only seek God’s glory, then God will generously let us live in that glory.
We have various failings each day. There are also many things that may depress us.
However, God richly gives (gave) us glory in Christ and that hope supports us.
Let us partake of the glory of the hope of God which is unchanging and walk in faith daily during this Advent season.
Prelude
Call to Worship Proverbs 23:18
Lighting of the Advent Candle
Hymn JBC # 146 Com, Thou long-expected Jesus
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC #554 All the way my Saviour leads me
Remembering the World Baptist Prayer Week – Special Hymn
Offering
Scripture Romans 5:1~11
Prayer
Sermon “Hope in the Glory of God”
Prayer
Hymn JBC# 40 O Thou, in whose presence
Doxology JBC # 676
Benediction
Postlude
From today the Christian church enters the season of ‘Advent’. This is a special period where we look forward to the birth of Jesus Christ.
Advent is an approximately four week period, including 4 Sundays before Christmas on December 25th.
This year in 2025 from today (November 30th) until Christmas Eve on December 24th (Wed) is Advent.
Jesus Christ was born as a man approximately 2025 years ago. It is a historical fact that Christ was born into this world.
However, Christ is also the Son of God, equal with God, and is God.
Therefore, such a person being born into this world holds a completely different meaning than the birth of any other ordinary person throughout history.
The infinite, eternal, and limitless God was born as a man, and this special event is continuing even now.
The reason the Christian church celebrates Christmas every year as such a special day is that we believe Jesus Christ came to this world is the eternal life and Christ lives through the Holy Spirit and He is with us even now.
Approximately 2025 years ago in what is now Palestine and Israel, Jesus Christ was born. Jesus was raised as a Jew and lived a human life.
Jesus Christ was born into this world to give us immesurable grace and gifts. In order to do so, He offered His own life.
As a representation of the grace that Jesus Christ has given us, we light four candles in Advent, which represent hope, peace, joy, and love.
In today’s Bible passage (Romans 5:1-11) this grace is shown in a concentrated manner.
If we can receive Christ’s blessings of hope, peace, joy, and love, our lives will be blessed and fulfilled beyond anything else.
The first candle of Advent which we lit today represents hope. Let’s listen to what the scripture has to say about hope today.
Hope gives our mind, heart, and soul strength and gives us strength to live.
However, if that hope is built upon our own thoughts and desires, then it is merely temporary and will fade away.
As we live there are things that we want to achieve, objects we desire, and standing we want. The desire for these things can become our hope for a time.
These hopes are not necessarily bad, but if our hopes are based on our own desires, they will not become a proper foundation for supporting the most important part of our lives: our souls.
We need hope that is not of our own making and is unshakeable.
It is a hope that even if times and place change, even if we are put into difficult circumstances (failures or setbacks), it does not change.
This type of hope (a certain hope) is called “the hope in the glory of God” in today’s Bible passage.
The hope of the glory of the eternal Lord who created the world is what we have been given through Christ.
People were originally created to live under the glory of God. However, the Bible teaches that we let go of that through our own volition (sin).
Romans 3:23～24
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
“All have sinned”. In other words, we have separated from the God whom we were supposed to be with and serve in order to live self-centeredly.
In ‘Genesis’ in the Old Testament, the first people, Adam and Eve, in defiance to God’s commandments, ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which was the beginning of sin.
Human history since then demonstrates that people began living by the principle that “what is right is what I decide for myself,” “pursuing the hopes and glory they themselves created, and living to attain them.”
To us, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ calls us to return to the way of hope—the way that enables us to live within the true glory that only He can give.
Even though we became unable to receive God’s glory of our own will due to our sin, God forgave our sins through Jesus Christ and gave us a second chance to live in His glory.
We can partake in the glory given by the eternal God, demonstrated clearly through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Let us believe in that hope.
Reading today's Scripture passage carefully, we see that the hope of sharing in God's glory presupposes (requires) suffering.
In order to arrive at true hope which does not falter, we must endure suffering (hardship).
It is said that the experience of suffering gives us the “perseverance (endurance)” to endure any circumstance, and perseverance builds character, and character leads to hope.
I believe that here “perseverance” and “character” are a deepening of faith in the Lord due to relying on Him more in the midst of difficulty.
We all would desire to avoid suffering if possible. However, the Bible says that through after hardships we will be given true hope.
In verse 3 Paul, the author of this letter, even says “we glory in our sufferings.”
We may think that someone who can say such a thing may have an incredible fortitude (strength) of mind and heart.
However, this is not the case. Saying that we also glory in our sufferings is something only someone who understands that we cannot face suffering or overcome it of our own strength.
Only people who understand the truth that we have no strength to overcome, but our Lord is bearing this suffering with us can say such a thing.
Jesus Christ is the one who bears our suffering with us.
Christmas is a time when we give thanks for the birth into this world of the God who became man and shared our burdens.
In our lives we may have to deal with sickness, separation, lifestyle worries, and many other difficulties. Family and relational problems are also painful.
Let’s remember that we do not face these things alone.
The Lord walks with us, and through our faith that the Lord walks with us, we can grow in perseverance, character (learn more and more and experience that God is living with us and supporting us), and unshakeable hope.
Advent and Christmas is a time that we remember the birth of Jesus, who is our Savior and true companion (who lives with us).
The Bible tells us that, form the time He was born, Jesus experienced suffering.
When Jesus was born, the Bible says that Jesus and His family were only provided with a manger where livestock like horses lived.
In a sense, Jesus experienced rejection from the moment he was born and was treated like an outcast. Jesus’ life was far from glorious.
After beginning his public evangelism after turning 30, there times Jesus received praise and honor from people.
However, Jesus never sought such praise from man as true glory.
Through His own way of life and his words, Jesus showed that true glory is only in the Lord God, and that in God’s glory there is true and certain hope.
Jesus told us to live seeking true glory (not uncertain and fickle glory from people).
As written in verse 6 of today’s passage, Jesus died at His appointed time “for the ungodly (people)”.
If now anyone is thinking that they do not understand who they are, what the meaning of their life is, or what the value of their life is, let’s look together to Jesus Christ who died on the cross.
Let us take joy in the birth of Jesus who was born into this world to give His life for us sinners, not for the good and the righteous.
In Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection, our purpose in life and worth and God’s limitless love are all clearly shown in.
In living together with the Lord God Jesus Christ, we will certainly experience various suffering. Through enduring that suffering with the Lord, and receiving strength from the Lord in those experiences, we are promised a great and certain hope.
Just as written in verse 5 of today’s passage, that hope does not put us to shame. It is an eternal hope that never ends.
If we surrender ourselves to God and acknowledge that we have nothing of our own worthy of pride or glory, and only seek God’s glory, then God will generously let us live in that glory.
We have various failings each day. There are also many things that may depress us.
However, God richly gives (gave) us glory in Christ and that hope supports us.
Let us partake of the glory of the hope of God which is unchanging and walk in faith daily during this Advent season.
Saturday, November 22, 2025
Sunday Worship Service November 23, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship 1 Peter 3:15
Hymn JBC # 146 Thou didst leave Thy throne
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 554 All the way my Saviour leads me
Offering
Scripture 1 Kings 8:27~29, 41~43
Prayer
Sermon “All the people of the earth may know your name”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 384 I love to tell the story
Doxology JBC # 676
Benediction
Postlude
Today, I will deliver a worship message commemorating the “Baptist World Prayer Week,” a week of prayer promoted by the Japan Baptist Women's Union.
To be precise, this year's Baptist World Prayer Week runs from next Sunday, November 30th, through Sunday, December 7th.
Though it's a week early, in today's message, as we remember the Baptist World Prayer Week, we want to listen to God's message.
During the Baptist World Prayer Week, we remember in prayer the various missionary works both domestically and internationally promoted and supported by the Japan Baptist Women's Union, and we remember and pray for those who serve in these ministries.
The specific details of their work will be introduced by the members of our Women's Group in next week's worship service.
Any missionary (evangelical) work requires the prior, and ongoing prayer of fellow Christians and their continuous support based on prayers.
Fortunately, our church is a member of the Japan Baptist Convention, a nationwide missionary cooperation organization. Our church continues to be supported by the prayers of the churches and missions connected to the Convention.
And not only are we supported, but do we also remember the churches connected to the Convention and the work of the Convention, by offering our prayers and support.
I understand that the Baptist World Prayer Week is also an opportunity for us to confirm that we support one another through prayer, and it is an opportunity for us to rejoice that we can do so.
This year, we have been hearing God's word as our worship messages from the Book of Acts in the New Testament.
Today, let us take time to hear God's message from a prayer found not in the New Testament, but in 1 Kings chapter 8 of the Old Testament. Let us also reflect on the missionary work being done both domestically and abroad, and on the workers involved in that work.
The book of 1 Kings, chapter 8, is largely comprised of a prayer offered by Solomon, who succeeded his father King David as king of Israel, after completing the construction of the temple.
Solomon's prayer in this chapter teaches us many valuable lessons about prayer.
How do you all perceive prayer?
Some may think prayer is difficult and hard to do. Certainly, prayer can be difficult. Yet prayer is also a source of great, great joy for Christians.
One of the gifts Christians receive from God, a grace so precious it could be called the most precious gift is prayer.
Today's passage from Solomon's prayer teaches us that prayer draws us closer to God and also draws us closer to others beyond ourselves.
I believe it is fair to say that the Christian walk is one in which the joy of praying to God increases, and in which one grows closer to God and to others through prayer.
I myself pray to God, saying, “I want to acquire the joy of prayer more and more,” “I want to know the joy of prayer. Please teach me the joy of prayer.”
I once heard a story from someone who visited our church for the first time, saying that they were deeply moved and impressed by the sight of Christians (us) praying in church.
The day that person came was the first Sunday of the month, a day when our worship service included a “prayer time.”
That person said they were deeply moved and impressed by the fact that we pray together in church, remembering each other, as well as pray for the society and the world.
Of course, prayer is not something we do to be seen by others. Yet the very act of our fervent praying also conveys to others one important aspect of faith, the joy of being able to pray to God, the joy of connecting with Him.
How wonderful and joyful it is that our prayers can convey, even a little, the magnificence of God who hears our prayers.
We desire to know more about the joy of prayer, as well as the power and effect (influence) that prayer possesses.
Solomon fulfilled his father King David's wish and completed the magnificent temple. Over seven years, using vast quantities of materials and labor, King Solomon completed the temple for the Lord God.
Yet even after accomplishing such a great undertaking, Solomon's heart remained humble before God. Let us listen once more to the opening words of Solomon's prayer in today's passage.
27 “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!
The temple Solomon completed was incredibly massive and majestic for its time.
Therefore, I think it would not be surprising at all if Solomon had become consumed by pride, declaring, “This is what I have accomplished.”
However, Solomon never boasted about the temple construction project he had accomplished. For he never forgot how great God truly is.
People must have marveled at the newly built, immense and majestic temple, and also at Solomon's immense wealth.
But Solomon himself knew well that this temple (and his wealth) was nothing compared to the greatness of God.
”God does not dwell on earth. Heaven, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you.”
“How much less this temple I have built!” Solomon prayed.
Solomon is NOT being submissive (debasing himself) here.
Rather, Solomon knew well, or had been made to know how small and insignificant he was in relation to God, and how little value anything he accomplish on earth held before God.
This shows just how intimate and rich Solomon's relationship with God was.
It may sound paradoxical, (as if it is saying two contradictory things) but the more we build a rich and intimate relationship with God, the more we come to know how small and insignificant we are, and how little we amount to before Him.
We desire to remember that intimate prayer to God, a rich relationship with God, humbles us before Him and causes us to just bow down before His greatness.
We also wish to reaffirm today who (what kind of person) on earth it is that hears our prayers.
It is God, the Creator of heaven and earth, who sent Jesus Christ to earth for our salvation (the salvation of Christ we definitely need!) and gave His life on the cross.
Such a God hears our prayers.
Therefore, when we pray, we desire to be believers who sincerely pray with hearts that say, “Please hear the prayer I offer,” like Solomon's prayer in today's passage, rather than assuming, “Of course God will surely hear my prayer.”
Let me repeat: that God hears our prayers is never something to be taken for granted.
Let us now consider the extraordinary grace that allows us to ask and pray for anything from God in the name of Jesus.
Let us read 1 John (letter) 5:14
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
We desire to deepen our conviction and joy that by building a rich and intimate relationship with God, offering prayers in accordance with His will, and we will be convinced that those prayers will surely be heard by Him.
I would like to turn our attention to the passage beginning at Chapter 8 Verse 41 of today’s verse. From there, Solomon's prayer extends to “the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel.”
The people of Israel were strongly convinced that they were a special people chosen by God, a special people who embraced Abraham, the father of faith.
However, this time’s Solomon's prayer already clearly expresses God's desire that the Lord God's grace would extend to gentiles too, over the people of Israel, foreigners (from the Jew’s perspective), and all peoples.
King Solomon prayed, “May the name of the Lord be widely proclaimed, and may the Gentiles who have come to believe in God also be able to come to this temple. And when they pray, may You also hear their prayers.”
Solomon offered a prayer here, envisioning a temple where all peoples from various nations and regions would gather.
Solomon offered his prayer here, envisioning a temple where all the people would gather, pray together, and offer worship, a temple based on that very dream (vision).
Here in Beppu, where people from many countries and regions gather, we at Beppu International Baptist Church have been granted a vision for mission and permitted to stand as a Christian church. It is here that people from many nations come together.
What binds us together in this way is not the work of human hands or our desires. It is the grace of Jesus Christ, the power of the gospel of Christ.
Jesus died on the cross for me. Christians are kept alive by that grace. As an expression of gratitude and response to that grace, we gather in church.
The precious grace of Jesus Christ, Christ's grace alone, binds us together as one.
And the solidarity among us, being forged by the grace of Jesus Christ, solidarity among Christians, solidarity among churches transforms us into those who pray for one another.
The Lord God uses us, bound together by His grace and made to pray for each other, for the work of His gospel ministry.
At the recent our church’s organization anniversary service, we took time to reflect on our church's journey and history thus far.
In the past, the prayers of our spiritual forebears, along with earnest prayers and generous offerings from overseas, particularly from Baptist churches in America were given to us.
We know that missionaries were sent all the way to Japan to carry out the work of evangelism in Japan.
We wish to remember and give thanks once more for the believers who, in an era when traveling overseas was far from easy as it is today, concretely envisioned and prayed for the gospel mission in distant Japan, sent out missionaries, and offered precious donations.
And we desire to pass on the grace we have received, that very grace, to others who need the gospel of the Lord.
We desire to serve in the gospel ministry within the community where we live, and let us remember and support with prayer and offerings for those workers serving in the gospel ministry in distant lands.
Let us rejoice that we may share in the work of being sustained by the gospel of Christ and proclaiming the gospel of Christ.
Prelude
Call to Worship 1 Peter 3:15
Hymn JBC # 146 Thou didst leave Thy throne
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 554 All the way my Saviour leads me
Offering
Scripture 1 Kings 8:27~29, 41~43
Prayer
Sermon “All the people of the earth may know your name”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 384 I love to tell the story
Doxology JBC # 676
Benediction
Postlude
Today, I will deliver a worship message commemorating the “Baptist World Prayer Week,” a week of prayer promoted by the Japan Baptist Women's Union.
To be precise, this year's Baptist World Prayer Week runs from next Sunday, November 30th, through Sunday, December 7th.
Though it's a week early, in today's message, as we remember the Baptist World Prayer Week, we want to listen to God's message.
During the Baptist World Prayer Week, we remember in prayer the various missionary works both domestically and internationally promoted and supported by the Japan Baptist Women's Union, and we remember and pray for those who serve in these ministries.
The specific details of their work will be introduced by the members of our Women's Group in next week's worship service.
Any missionary (evangelical) work requires the prior, and ongoing prayer of fellow Christians and their continuous support based on prayers.
Fortunately, our church is a member of the Japan Baptist Convention, a nationwide missionary cooperation organization. Our church continues to be supported by the prayers of the churches and missions connected to the Convention.
And not only are we supported, but do we also remember the churches connected to the Convention and the work of the Convention, by offering our prayers and support.
I understand that the Baptist World Prayer Week is also an opportunity for us to confirm that we support one another through prayer, and it is an opportunity for us to rejoice that we can do so.
This year, we have been hearing God's word as our worship messages from the Book of Acts in the New Testament.
Today, let us take time to hear God's message from a prayer found not in the New Testament, but in 1 Kings chapter 8 of the Old Testament. Let us also reflect on the missionary work being done both domestically and abroad, and on the workers involved in that work.
The book of 1 Kings, chapter 8, is largely comprised of a prayer offered by Solomon, who succeeded his father King David as king of Israel, after completing the construction of the temple.
Solomon's prayer in this chapter teaches us many valuable lessons about prayer.
How do you all perceive prayer?
Some may think prayer is difficult and hard to do. Certainly, prayer can be difficult. Yet prayer is also a source of great, great joy for Christians.
One of the gifts Christians receive from God, a grace so precious it could be called the most precious gift is prayer.
Today's passage from Solomon's prayer teaches us that prayer draws us closer to God and also draws us closer to others beyond ourselves.
I believe it is fair to say that the Christian walk is one in which the joy of praying to God increases, and in which one grows closer to God and to others through prayer.
I myself pray to God, saying, “I want to acquire the joy of prayer more and more,” “I want to know the joy of prayer. Please teach me the joy of prayer.”
I once heard a story from someone who visited our church for the first time, saying that they were deeply moved and impressed by the sight of Christians (us) praying in church.
The day that person came was the first Sunday of the month, a day when our worship service included a “prayer time.”
That person said they were deeply moved and impressed by the fact that we pray together in church, remembering each other, as well as pray for the society and the world.
Of course, prayer is not something we do to be seen by others. Yet the very act of our fervent praying also conveys to others one important aspect of faith, the joy of being able to pray to God, the joy of connecting with Him.
How wonderful and joyful it is that our prayers can convey, even a little, the magnificence of God who hears our prayers.
We desire to know more about the joy of prayer, as well as the power and effect (influence) that prayer possesses.
Solomon fulfilled his father King David's wish and completed the magnificent temple. Over seven years, using vast quantities of materials and labor, King Solomon completed the temple for the Lord God.
Yet even after accomplishing such a great undertaking, Solomon's heart remained humble before God. Let us listen once more to the opening words of Solomon's prayer in today's passage.
27 “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!
The temple Solomon completed was incredibly massive and majestic for its time.
Therefore, I think it would not be surprising at all if Solomon had become consumed by pride, declaring, “This is what I have accomplished.”
However, Solomon never boasted about the temple construction project he had accomplished. For he never forgot how great God truly is.
People must have marveled at the newly built, immense and majestic temple, and also at Solomon's immense wealth.
But Solomon himself knew well that this temple (and his wealth) was nothing compared to the greatness of God.
”God does not dwell on earth. Heaven, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you.”
“How much less this temple I have built!” Solomon prayed.
Solomon is NOT being submissive (debasing himself) here.
Rather, Solomon knew well, or had been made to know how small and insignificant he was in relation to God, and how little value anything he accomplish on earth held before God.
This shows just how intimate and rich Solomon's relationship with God was.
It may sound paradoxical, (as if it is saying two contradictory things) but the more we build a rich and intimate relationship with God, the more we come to know how small and insignificant we are, and how little we amount to before Him.
We desire to remember that intimate prayer to God, a rich relationship with God, humbles us before Him and causes us to just bow down before His greatness.
We also wish to reaffirm today who (what kind of person) on earth it is that hears our prayers.
It is God, the Creator of heaven and earth, who sent Jesus Christ to earth for our salvation (the salvation of Christ we definitely need!) and gave His life on the cross.
Such a God hears our prayers.
Therefore, when we pray, we desire to be believers who sincerely pray with hearts that say, “Please hear the prayer I offer,” like Solomon's prayer in today's passage, rather than assuming, “Of course God will surely hear my prayer.”
Let me repeat: that God hears our prayers is never something to be taken for granted.
Let us now consider the extraordinary grace that allows us to ask and pray for anything from God in the name of Jesus.
Let us read 1 John (letter) 5:14
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
We desire to deepen our conviction and joy that by building a rich and intimate relationship with God, offering prayers in accordance with His will, and we will be convinced that those prayers will surely be heard by Him.
I would like to turn our attention to the passage beginning at Chapter 8 Verse 41 of today’s verse. From there, Solomon's prayer extends to “the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel.”
The people of Israel were strongly convinced that they were a special people chosen by God, a special people who embraced Abraham, the father of faith.
However, this time’s Solomon's prayer already clearly expresses God's desire that the Lord God's grace would extend to gentiles too, over the people of Israel, foreigners (from the Jew’s perspective), and all peoples.
King Solomon prayed, “May the name of the Lord be widely proclaimed, and may the Gentiles who have come to believe in God also be able to come to this temple. And when they pray, may You also hear their prayers.”
Solomon offered a prayer here, envisioning a temple where all peoples from various nations and regions would gather.
Solomon offered his prayer here, envisioning a temple where all the people would gather, pray together, and offer worship, a temple based on that very dream (vision).
Here in Beppu, where people from many countries and regions gather, we at Beppu International Baptist Church have been granted a vision for mission and permitted to stand as a Christian church. It is here that people from many nations come together.
What binds us together in this way is not the work of human hands or our desires. It is the grace of Jesus Christ, the power of the gospel of Christ.
Jesus died on the cross for me. Christians are kept alive by that grace. As an expression of gratitude and response to that grace, we gather in church.
The precious grace of Jesus Christ, Christ's grace alone, binds us together as one.
And the solidarity among us, being forged by the grace of Jesus Christ, solidarity among Christians, solidarity among churches transforms us into those who pray for one another.
The Lord God uses us, bound together by His grace and made to pray for each other, for the work of His gospel ministry.
At the recent our church’s organization anniversary service, we took time to reflect on our church's journey and history thus far.
In the past, the prayers of our spiritual forebears, along with earnest prayers and generous offerings from overseas, particularly from Baptist churches in America were given to us.
We know that missionaries were sent all the way to Japan to carry out the work of evangelism in Japan.
We wish to remember and give thanks once more for the believers who, in an era when traveling overseas was far from easy as it is today, concretely envisioned and prayed for the gospel mission in distant Japan, sent out missionaries, and offered precious donations.
And we desire to pass on the grace we have received, that very grace, to others who need the gospel of the Lord.
We desire to serve in the gospel ministry within the community where we live, and let us remember and support with prayer and offerings for those workers serving in the gospel ministry in distant lands.
Let us rejoice that we may share in the work of being sustained by the gospel of Christ and proclaiming the gospel of Christ.
Saturday, November 15, 2025
Sunday Worship Service November 16, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Isaiah 64:8 (NIV)
Hymn JBC# 105 There is sunshine in my soul today
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 554 All the way my Saviour leads me
Offering
Scripture Acts 9:1~19a
Prayer
Sermon "You will be told what you must do"
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 339 The church’s one foundation
Doxology JBC # 676
Benediction
Postlude
Welcome & Announcements
Since the beginning of this year, we have been reading the New Testament book of Acts as our bible passage in worship service. Today, we will be reading from Chapter 9.
Today's passage describes the dramatic conversion of Saul (later known as Paul), in which he was transformed from a persecutor who violently persecuted those who followed Christ into a believer in Christ and a zealous evangelist who spread the word about Christ.
Every Christian has had a conversion experience, a change from not believing in Christ to believing in Christ.
Some people may have Christian family members or guardians and have been attending church since childhood.
In such cases, the change (circumstances) that led to faith in Christ may not necessarily be clear (or at least, there may not be much awareness of it).
However, in our Baptist church in particular, we place great importance on the practice of publicly confessing one's faith and being baptized to become a Christian based on one's own clear desire and decision.
Baptism is not just a ritual (a formality), but a very significant event in that it represents a believer's new birth (conversion).
In my case, I was baptized 26 years ago.
I was not born and raised in a Christian home.
When people hear that I became a Christian and even became a pastor, they often ask me, "What was the trigger that led you to become a Christian and even to become a pastor?"
The initial trigger was when I met my current wife, who was a Christian. She invited me to church, encouraged me to read the Bible, and prayed fervently for me.
In addition, so many people from the church prayed for me.
Through being led into the fellowship of the church, being exposed to the words of the Bible, and having many people pray for me, I was led to the decision to believe in Christ.
In my case, it was not a dramatic (instant) event, as described in today's passage, where a light suddenly shone from heaven and I heard the voice of the resurrected Jesus directly.
However, in my case too, I believe it was a major turning point, a conversion, in the sense that it changed (changed direction) my way of life, which had been self-centered, and I (at the very least) decided to live my life with Jesus, rather than myself, at the center of my life.
The reason I was able to make this decision was because God had already performed the gracious act of having Jesus Christ die on the cross to atone for my sins, forgive me, and give me eternal life and hope through his resurrection.
Through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the way for our salvation has already been prepared.
We believe this and want to be grateful for the blessing of being able to walk the path of salvation prepared by God, the path of hope that leads to eternal life.
In today's passage, Saul was planning to find "anyone who followed the Way, whether male or female, and bring them bound to Jerusalem." He received permission to do so from the high priest.
"Those who belong to the Way" refers to those who believe in Jesus Christ and walk the path of Christ (those who practice their faith).
Saul was never going to show any mercy to anyone as long as they believed in Christ.
That's how thorough Saul's attitude towards persecution was.
To Saul, anyone who claimed to be a follower of Christ was intolerable, regardless of who they actually were.
Anyone who followed this path, who said he was following Christ, was his enemy.
When people are driven by anger and resentment, they are unable to focus on the existence of each actual (living) person, their individuality and character, just as Saul did when he viewed all Christians as the enemy.
Excessive feelings of anger and resentment thus rob us of sound judgment.
I hope that we can cherish the ability to care for the existence of each and every person and the heart of each and every person we meet.
As Saul hurried along the road to Damascus, excited and ready to arrest and persecute anyone who followed the way of Christ, a light shone from heaven.
Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice speaking to him.
“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
The voice was that of the Lord Jesus Christ, who spoke to Saul by name, "Saul, Saul."
To Saul, all Christians were his enemies, enemies to be persecuted, and it didn't matter to him that they all had names.
The resurrected Lord Jesus Christ called out to Saul by his name, "Saul, Saul." Calling someone by their name means acknowledging and respecting their character.
Our Lord God is the one who calls each of us by name. He calls us by name and recognizes each of us as a special person before Him.
God calls each of us by name, and He knows everything about us, even our innermost hearts. Let us rejoice in the knowledge that we are known and treasured by such a God.
The voice of the Lord told Saul, "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do" (verse 6).
I have chosen the Lord's words, "You will be told what you must do," as the title of today's message.
Up until then, Saul had been violently persecuting Christians out of his own volition and anger, and he may even have thought that this was righteous before God.
However, I believe that in today's passage, the Lord is telling Saul, "Stop living your life based on your own thoughts and beliefs, and live by listening to and obeying the voice from outside that is shown to you, the voice of God."
This is a message that is also directed at us: we should not be self-centered, but rather seek out what God wants for us, what God's will is as revealed to us by God and through the people around us, and listen to and live in obedience to it.
A Christian is someone who has decided to stop putting oneself at the center of themselves.
We want to be people who are not self-centered, but who allow God to enter the center of our hearts and live according to what God shows us.
At that time, Saul was on his way to Damascus, where a disciple of Christ named Ananias was, and the Lord appeared to him in a vision and told him to go to the house where Saul was.
To Ananias (and not just to Ananias, but to many Christians), Saul was a horrible man.
It was widely known that Saul was a violent persecutor of the followers of Christ, and Ananias was certainly aware of this.
I believe that Ananias' words in verses 13-14 express his feelings that he absolutely did not want to go to such a man.
But the Lord said of Saul, "This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel."
This word "instrument" is also very important. We are instruments chosen by God. We are instruments to receive God's Word, God's love, and the Gospel, and to share the Gospel with others.
God uses us as instruments (vessel) to spread His gospel.
As God's "vessels," God expects us to live by surrendering control to God, who uses those vessels.
Are we ready to live as such a "vessel"? Are we ready to live in obedience to God as a vessel through which God can use us to spread His gospel, His good news?
Or will we cling to ourselves and continue to live self-centered lives?
We are created by God. As created by God, we can live our truest lives when we live according to God's plan and as vessels serving the great purpose that God has ordained.
Therefore, let us renew our resolve and determination to become believers who live as God's "vessels."
Ananias obeyed the voice of the Lord and went to Saul's house as instructed by the Lord. Ananias laid his hands on Saul and he called out to him, "Brother Saul."
Unless Ananias had been led by the Lord to meet Saul, for Ananias, Saul was not someone he could call “brother” (a fellow believer).
However, Saul, whom the Lord had brought together with Ananias, was now his “brother.” We too call each other “brothers and sisters,” especially those in the family of faith (friends) whom God has brought together with us.
How fortunate we are that we believe in the same God, that God has brought us together, that we are a family of faith, and that we can call each other "brothers and sisters."
First, I talked about the trigger that led each of us to become a Christian. In my case, as I mentioned, the first direct trigger was meeting my wife.
From then on, I was accepted, supported, and loved at the church I was led to, and the people of the church poured out their fervent prayers on me, even though I was selfish and cheeky.
God has put me in contact with so many people who pray for me.
I believe that their prayers and wishes led to my decision to live by faith in Christ and to serve as a pastor.
Prayer is a great blessing (gift) that we as a church have received from God, and at the same time, it is also an important responsibility.
We can pray to the true God, and we can remember and pray for one another, and it is our Christian responsibility to do so.
In today's passage, Saul experiences a dramatic conversion, but Ananias, who placed his hands on him and prayed, would continue to be a special person to Saul and a friend in faith.
Let us each have friends in faith, and as we become new friends in faith, let us pray for others and live in relationships of prayer for one another.
We can live in joy as members of God's family, relating to one another, calling one another by name, and praying together in encounters of faith.
Let’s live such a blessed faith.
Prelude
Call to Worship Isaiah 64:8 (NIV)
Hymn JBC# 105 There is sunshine in my soul today
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 554 All the way my Saviour leads me
Offering
Scripture Acts 9:1~19a
Prayer
Sermon "You will be told what you must do"
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 339 The church’s one foundation
Doxology JBC # 676
Benediction
Postlude
Welcome & Announcements
Since the beginning of this year, we have been reading the New Testament book of Acts as our bible passage in worship service. Today, we will be reading from Chapter 9.
Today's passage describes the dramatic conversion of Saul (later known as Paul), in which he was transformed from a persecutor who violently persecuted those who followed Christ into a believer in Christ and a zealous evangelist who spread the word about Christ.
Every Christian has had a conversion experience, a change from not believing in Christ to believing in Christ.
Some people may have Christian family members or guardians and have been attending church since childhood.
In such cases, the change (circumstances) that led to faith in Christ may not necessarily be clear (or at least, there may not be much awareness of it).
However, in our Baptist church in particular, we place great importance on the practice of publicly confessing one's faith and being baptized to become a Christian based on one's own clear desire and decision.
Baptism is not just a ritual (a formality), but a very significant event in that it represents a believer's new birth (conversion).
In my case, I was baptized 26 years ago.
I was not born and raised in a Christian home.
When people hear that I became a Christian and even became a pastor, they often ask me, "What was the trigger that led you to become a Christian and even to become a pastor?"
The initial trigger was when I met my current wife, who was a Christian. She invited me to church, encouraged me to read the Bible, and prayed fervently for me.
In addition, so many people from the church prayed for me.
Through being led into the fellowship of the church, being exposed to the words of the Bible, and having many people pray for me, I was led to the decision to believe in Christ.
In my case, it was not a dramatic (instant) event, as described in today's passage, where a light suddenly shone from heaven and I heard the voice of the resurrected Jesus directly.
However, in my case too, I believe it was a major turning point, a conversion, in the sense that it changed (changed direction) my way of life, which had been self-centered, and I (at the very least) decided to live my life with Jesus, rather than myself, at the center of my life.
The reason I was able to make this decision was because God had already performed the gracious act of having Jesus Christ die on the cross to atone for my sins, forgive me, and give me eternal life and hope through his resurrection.
Through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the way for our salvation has already been prepared.
We believe this and want to be grateful for the blessing of being able to walk the path of salvation prepared by God, the path of hope that leads to eternal life.
In today's passage, Saul was planning to find "anyone who followed the Way, whether male or female, and bring them bound to Jerusalem." He received permission to do so from the high priest.
"Those who belong to the Way" refers to those who believe in Jesus Christ and walk the path of Christ (those who practice their faith).
Saul was never going to show any mercy to anyone as long as they believed in Christ.
That's how thorough Saul's attitude towards persecution was.
To Saul, anyone who claimed to be a follower of Christ was intolerable, regardless of who they actually were.
Anyone who followed this path, who said he was following Christ, was his enemy.
When people are driven by anger and resentment, they are unable to focus on the existence of each actual (living) person, their individuality and character, just as Saul did when he viewed all Christians as the enemy.
Excessive feelings of anger and resentment thus rob us of sound judgment.
I hope that we can cherish the ability to care for the existence of each and every person and the heart of each and every person we meet.
As Saul hurried along the road to Damascus, excited and ready to arrest and persecute anyone who followed the way of Christ, a light shone from heaven.
Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice speaking to him.
“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
The voice was that of the Lord Jesus Christ, who spoke to Saul by name, "Saul, Saul."
To Saul, all Christians were his enemies, enemies to be persecuted, and it didn't matter to him that they all had names.
The resurrected Lord Jesus Christ called out to Saul by his name, "Saul, Saul." Calling someone by their name means acknowledging and respecting their character.
Our Lord God is the one who calls each of us by name. He calls us by name and recognizes each of us as a special person before Him.
God calls each of us by name, and He knows everything about us, even our innermost hearts. Let us rejoice in the knowledge that we are known and treasured by such a God.
The voice of the Lord told Saul, "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do" (verse 6).
I have chosen the Lord's words, "You will be told what you must do," as the title of today's message.
Up until then, Saul had been violently persecuting Christians out of his own volition and anger, and he may even have thought that this was righteous before God.
However, I believe that in today's passage, the Lord is telling Saul, "Stop living your life based on your own thoughts and beliefs, and live by listening to and obeying the voice from outside that is shown to you, the voice of God."
This is a message that is also directed at us: we should not be self-centered, but rather seek out what God wants for us, what God's will is as revealed to us by God and through the people around us, and listen to and live in obedience to it.
A Christian is someone who has decided to stop putting oneself at the center of themselves.
We want to be people who are not self-centered, but who allow God to enter the center of our hearts and live according to what God shows us.
At that time, Saul was on his way to Damascus, where a disciple of Christ named Ananias was, and the Lord appeared to him in a vision and told him to go to the house where Saul was.
To Ananias (and not just to Ananias, but to many Christians), Saul was a horrible man.
It was widely known that Saul was a violent persecutor of the followers of Christ, and Ananias was certainly aware of this.
I believe that Ananias' words in verses 13-14 express his feelings that he absolutely did not want to go to such a man.
But the Lord said of Saul, "This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel."
This word "instrument" is also very important. We are instruments chosen by God. We are instruments to receive God's Word, God's love, and the Gospel, and to share the Gospel with others.
God uses us as instruments (vessel) to spread His gospel.
As God's "vessels," God expects us to live by surrendering control to God, who uses those vessels.
Are we ready to live as such a "vessel"? Are we ready to live in obedience to God as a vessel through which God can use us to spread His gospel, His good news?
Or will we cling to ourselves and continue to live self-centered lives?
We are created by God. As created by God, we can live our truest lives when we live according to God's plan and as vessels serving the great purpose that God has ordained.
Therefore, let us renew our resolve and determination to become believers who live as God's "vessels."
Ananias obeyed the voice of the Lord and went to Saul's house as instructed by the Lord. Ananias laid his hands on Saul and he called out to him, "Brother Saul."
Unless Ananias had been led by the Lord to meet Saul, for Ananias, Saul was not someone he could call “brother” (a fellow believer).
However, Saul, whom the Lord had brought together with Ananias, was now his “brother.” We too call each other “brothers and sisters,” especially those in the family of faith (friends) whom God has brought together with us.
How fortunate we are that we believe in the same God, that God has brought us together, that we are a family of faith, and that we can call each other "brothers and sisters."
First, I talked about the trigger that led each of us to become a Christian. In my case, as I mentioned, the first direct trigger was meeting my wife.
From then on, I was accepted, supported, and loved at the church I was led to, and the people of the church poured out their fervent prayers on me, even though I was selfish and cheeky.
God has put me in contact with so many people who pray for me.
I believe that their prayers and wishes led to my decision to live by faith in Christ and to serve as a pastor.
Prayer is a great blessing (gift) that we as a church have received from God, and at the same time, it is also an important responsibility.
We can pray to the true God, and we can remember and pray for one another, and it is our Christian responsibility to do so.
In today's passage, Saul experiences a dramatic conversion, but Ananias, who placed his hands on him and prayed, would continue to be a special person to Saul and a friend in faith.
Let us each have friends in faith, and as we become new friends in faith, let us pray for others and live in relationships of prayer for one another.
We can live in joy as members of God's family, relating to one another, calling one another by name, and praying together in encounters of faith.
Let’s live such a blessed faith.
Saturday, November 8, 2025
Sunday Worship Service November 9, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalm 121:7~8
Hymn JBC # 125
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 554
Offering
Thanksgiving to our church anniversary
Special Hymn
Scripture John 14:6
Prayer
Sermon “Step on me and Go”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 534
Doxology JBC # 676
Benediction
Postlude
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalm 121:7~8
Hymn JBC # 125
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 554
Offering
Thanksgiving to our church anniversary
Special Hymn
Scripture John 14:6
Prayer
Sermon “Step on me and Go”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 534
Doxology JBC # 676
Benediction
Postlude
*No sermon script posted today.
Saturday, November 1, 2025
Sunday Worship Service November 2, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalm 96:3
Hymn JBC # 61 Morning has broken like the first morning
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 554 All the way my Saviour leads me
The Prayer Time
Offering
Scripture Acts 8:26~40
Prayer
Sermon “Do you understand what you are reading?”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 510 When we walk with the Lord
Doxology JBC # 676
Benediction
Postlude
In today's Bible passage, the angel of the Lord appeared to Philip and said, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
Philip was a Christ preacher and he was one of the seven men chosen to oversee the “fair distribution of food,” an issue that had arisen within the Jerusalem church.
This was about 2000 years ago. It was after Jesus Christ had been crucified, died, risen, and ascended into heaven.
Jesus no longer lived on earth as a human being. He was no longer physically present with His disciples.
However, the disciples received the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of God, the Helper whom Jesus promised to send to them.
Through these disciples who received the Holy Spirit, the Gospel of God (the Gospel of Jesus Christ) began to be proclaimed to many people.
Even now, we in the Christian church and each individual Christian connected to the church continue this work as bearers of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
It is a great joy for us to believe in Christ, to be kept alive by the gospel of Christ, and to be able to serve in the work of proclaiming the gospel of Christ.
We are kept alive by the grace of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen.
Believing and rejoicing in this, we desire to serve joyfully in the work of sharing this good news with others.
As I mentioned at the beginning, in today's passage Philip hears the voice of the Lord's angel. The Lord's angel is a being who conveys God's message to people.
Believing in God is not merely acknowledging God's existence intellectually in one's mind.
Believing in God means following God's voice and walking the path God shows.
However, while Philip clearly heard the Lord's (angel's) voice, I believe it is not common for us today to hear God's voice clearly with our ears—though it is not entirely impossible.
Yet, when we pray seeking the path God shows us and look for answers within the words of Scripture, God conveys His voice to us.
Moreover, when we pray together with fellow believers, our spiritual family, seeking the path God shows us, the way forward may be revealed.
Therefore, being part of a community of faith is very important.
It is a great joy for us to be members of this community of faith, to be a spiritual family praying together, seeking the voice of God speaking to us.
We desire to love and cherish our church, which is such a community of faith.
The road shown to Philip in today's passage is described as “the road from Jerusalem down to Gaza,” and it is written that it was a “desert road.”
As you all know, the places named Jerusalem and Gaza are precisely where intense, tragic conflict and fighting are currently taking place.
We hear that many people are suffering there, and precious lives are being lost.
We pray without ceasing, hoping that the cycle of hatred and conflict will end, and that precious lives will be protected.
Philip was directed by the Lord to proceed along that “desert road” leading from Jerusalem to Gaza.
Since it was a desert road, it was likely a path few people desired to take—a lonely, deserted road (place).
Philip himself may have preferred not to go down such a desolate road. Yet he obeyed the voice of the Lord (God).
There may be times when the path we are called to walk—the path shown by God—leads us to a place that feels less than desirable or joyful to us.
Yet, if God has given us this direction, we desire to be believers who can move forward in that direction.
For beyond it may lie wonderful encounters and events prepared by God—far beyond what we could ever think or imagine.
What unfolds in today's passage was precisely such an encounter.
An Ethiopian eunuch appears—a high official (a person of high rank) of Queen Candace of Ethiopia who managed all her possessions.
A “eunuch” was typically a castrated man serving as a high official in the royal court of that time.
Since this man managed all the queen's property, he could be called the kingdom's treasurer. That was a position of considerable high rank.
Even such a man of high standing, and he was an Ethiopian—a foreigner and a Gentile from the Jewish perspective—had come to Jerusalem to worship the true God.
No matter how high his position, no matter how much social status or fame he possessed, this man had been given a heart that sought the true God.
This eunuch had finished his worship in Jerusalem and was returning home by chariot. And in his chariot, he was reading aloud from the Book of Isaiah (one of the books of the Old Testament).
According to verse 29, the Spirit said to Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” When Philip ran up, he heard the eunuch reading aloud from the Book of Isaiah.
Philip then asked the eunuch, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
What Philip said could be interpreted as quite a rude remark.
It was essentially asking, “You seem very enthusiastic about reading the Scriptures, but do you actually understand what you're reading?”
However, from the eunuch's fervent reading of Isaiah, Philip could sense his earnest desire to seek God's word and his genuine longing to hear God's message from it.
So Philip intuitively sensed that “now is the time” and seized the opportunity to tell God's word (to share God's message) by asking, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
The eunuch replied, “How can I unless someone explains it to me?”
The eunuch's answer is remarkably honest. He confesses, “I cannot understand the meaning of what is written here (in the Scriptures) on my own.”
Admitting what we don't know is quite difficult for us. This is because we have pride.
Doesn't pride get in the way, preventing us from saying (or making us unwilling to say), “I can't do it,” or “I don't know”?
Yet in reality, we don't know many things—most things. It is crucial to humbly admit we don't know most important matters and seek instruction from others.
In this sense, Philip and the eunuch engage in a remarkably candid, open-hearted conversation (dialogue) in today's passage. Such dialogue is also vital for us.
We can read the words of the Bible alone.
Yet, at the same time, when we read the Bible together with other believers, teaching each other its contents and listening to others' understanding and interpretations, we can grasp the deep meaning of God's Word in Scripture—meaning we would never discover (or notice) reading alone.
As mature believers who delight in hearing and teaching the words of Scripture together, let each one of us grow within the church.
Philip explained the gospel about Jesus Christ to the eunuch, starting from the passage of Isaiah 53 he was reading.
That passage in Isaiah 53 reads as follows (today's verses 32-33):
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”
This passage from the Old Testament Book of Isaiah prophesies how Christ would bear the sins of humanity and be crucified—how Christ would accept this mission without resistance, remaining silent.
Philip explained to the eunuch that these prophetic words from Isaiah were fulfilled in Jesus Christ—that Christ truly came into the world, bore the sins of humanity, and died on the cross.
The words of Scripture throughout the Old and New Testaments point to Jesus Christ.
The messages proclaimed in church through the preacher (pastor) are also founded on the Bible, and their central theme is Jesus Christ.
My earnest desire as a preacher and evangelist is that through the weekly worship service and the biblical message shared there, each of you may encounter Jesus Christ anew.
When you leave the church after worship, I hope each and every one of you will think, “Through today's words of Scripture, I met Jesus.”
As Philip and the eunuch continued on their way, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, they came to a place where there was water (verse 36).
It is said that this was a “desert road,” meaning a location like a wilderness. Being a wilderness, water was likely extremely scarce there.
In a place where finding water would normally be difficult, Philip and the eunuch, who were sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, came to a place where there was water.
Then the eunuch said,
“Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”
The eunuch believed, “Now is the time,” and “I now understand what the Scriptures say. It is the grace of Christ.”
Moreover, there was water there. The eunuch was given the conviction: “Now is the time for me to believe in Christ and be baptized as a sign of that faith.”
This remarkable encounter between the two men, and the fact that they found water in a place where it is usually hard to find along the road they were traveling, both show that these were instances of God's (the Holy Spirit's) guidance.
It was the Holy Spirit, God's Spirit, who led Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in today’ scene. Human encounters are truly mysterious events. We can believe that God's providence is at work there.
We gather weekly in church for worship. We always hear God's word together in this way.
I believe that even this seemingly ordinary event—our shared worship, too—is itself a miraculous act of grace, brought about by the guidance of God's Spirit.
Each time we acknowledge the immeasurable grace of God's Word, give thanks, hear His Word, and share it together—each time we worship—let us be granted a fresh encounter with Jesus.
And shall we resolve to believe in Christ and live anew?
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalm 96:3
Hymn JBC # 61 Morning has broken like the first morning
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 554 All the way my Saviour leads me
The Prayer Time
Offering
Scripture Acts 8:26~40
Prayer
Sermon “Do you understand what you are reading?”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 510 When we walk with the Lord
Doxology JBC # 676
Benediction
Postlude
In today's Bible passage, the angel of the Lord appeared to Philip and said, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
Philip was a Christ preacher and he was one of the seven men chosen to oversee the “fair distribution of food,” an issue that had arisen within the Jerusalem church.
This was about 2000 years ago. It was after Jesus Christ had been crucified, died, risen, and ascended into heaven.
Jesus no longer lived on earth as a human being. He was no longer physically present with His disciples.
However, the disciples received the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of God, the Helper whom Jesus promised to send to them.
Through these disciples who received the Holy Spirit, the Gospel of God (the Gospel of Jesus Christ) began to be proclaimed to many people.
Even now, we in the Christian church and each individual Christian connected to the church continue this work as bearers of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
It is a great joy for us to believe in Christ, to be kept alive by the gospel of Christ, and to be able to serve in the work of proclaiming the gospel of Christ.
We are kept alive by the grace of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen.
Believing and rejoicing in this, we desire to serve joyfully in the work of sharing this good news with others.
As I mentioned at the beginning, in today's passage Philip hears the voice of the Lord's angel. The Lord's angel is a being who conveys God's message to people.
Believing in God is not merely acknowledging God's existence intellectually in one's mind.
Believing in God means following God's voice and walking the path God shows.
However, while Philip clearly heard the Lord's (angel's) voice, I believe it is not common for us today to hear God's voice clearly with our ears—though it is not entirely impossible.
Yet, when we pray seeking the path God shows us and look for answers within the words of Scripture, God conveys His voice to us.
Moreover, when we pray together with fellow believers, our spiritual family, seeking the path God shows us, the way forward may be revealed.
Therefore, being part of a community of faith is very important.
It is a great joy for us to be members of this community of faith, to be a spiritual family praying together, seeking the voice of God speaking to us.
We desire to love and cherish our church, which is such a community of faith.
The road shown to Philip in today's passage is described as “the road from Jerusalem down to Gaza,” and it is written that it was a “desert road.”
As you all know, the places named Jerusalem and Gaza are precisely where intense, tragic conflict and fighting are currently taking place.
We hear that many people are suffering there, and precious lives are being lost.
We pray without ceasing, hoping that the cycle of hatred and conflict will end, and that precious lives will be protected.
Philip was directed by the Lord to proceed along that “desert road” leading from Jerusalem to Gaza.
Since it was a desert road, it was likely a path few people desired to take—a lonely, deserted road (place).
Philip himself may have preferred not to go down such a desolate road. Yet he obeyed the voice of the Lord (God).
There may be times when the path we are called to walk—the path shown by God—leads us to a place that feels less than desirable or joyful to us.
Yet, if God has given us this direction, we desire to be believers who can move forward in that direction.
For beyond it may lie wonderful encounters and events prepared by God—far beyond what we could ever think or imagine.
What unfolds in today's passage was precisely such an encounter.
An Ethiopian eunuch appears—a high official (a person of high rank) of Queen Candace of Ethiopia who managed all her possessions.
A “eunuch” was typically a castrated man serving as a high official in the royal court of that time.
Since this man managed all the queen's property, he could be called the kingdom's treasurer. That was a position of considerable high rank.
Even such a man of high standing, and he was an Ethiopian—a foreigner and a Gentile from the Jewish perspective—had come to Jerusalem to worship the true God.
No matter how high his position, no matter how much social status or fame he possessed, this man had been given a heart that sought the true God.
This eunuch had finished his worship in Jerusalem and was returning home by chariot. And in his chariot, he was reading aloud from the Book of Isaiah (one of the books of the Old Testament).
According to verse 29, the Spirit said to Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” When Philip ran up, he heard the eunuch reading aloud from the Book of Isaiah.
Philip then asked the eunuch, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
What Philip said could be interpreted as quite a rude remark.
It was essentially asking, “You seem very enthusiastic about reading the Scriptures, but do you actually understand what you're reading?”
However, from the eunuch's fervent reading of Isaiah, Philip could sense his earnest desire to seek God's word and his genuine longing to hear God's message from it.
So Philip intuitively sensed that “now is the time” and seized the opportunity to tell God's word (to share God's message) by asking, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
The eunuch replied, “How can I unless someone explains it to me?”
The eunuch's answer is remarkably honest. He confesses, “I cannot understand the meaning of what is written here (in the Scriptures) on my own.”
Admitting what we don't know is quite difficult for us. This is because we have pride.
Doesn't pride get in the way, preventing us from saying (or making us unwilling to say), “I can't do it,” or “I don't know”?
Yet in reality, we don't know many things—most things. It is crucial to humbly admit we don't know most important matters and seek instruction from others.
In this sense, Philip and the eunuch engage in a remarkably candid, open-hearted conversation (dialogue) in today's passage. Such dialogue is also vital for us.
We can read the words of the Bible alone.
Yet, at the same time, when we read the Bible together with other believers, teaching each other its contents and listening to others' understanding and interpretations, we can grasp the deep meaning of God's Word in Scripture—meaning we would never discover (or notice) reading alone.
As mature believers who delight in hearing and teaching the words of Scripture together, let each one of us grow within the church.
Philip explained the gospel about Jesus Christ to the eunuch, starting from the passage of Isaiah 53 he was reading.
That passage in Isaiah 53 reads as follows (today's verses 32-33):
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”
This passage from the Old Testament Book of Isaiah prophesies how Christ would bear the sins of humanity and be crucified—how Christ would accept this mission without resistance, remaining silent.
Philip explained to the eunuch that these prophetic words from Isaiah were fulfilled in Jesus Christ—that Christ truly came into the world, bore the sins of humanity, and died on the cross.
The words of Scripture throughout the Old and New Testaments point to Jesus Christ.
The messages proclaimed in church through the preacher (pastor) are also founded on the Bible, and their central theme is Jesus Christ.
My earnest desire as a preacher and evangelist is that through the weekly worship service and the biblical message shared there, each of you may encounter Jesus Christ anew.
When you leave the church after worship, I hope each and every one of you will think, “Through today's words of Scripture, I met Jesus.”
As Philip and the eunuch continued on their way, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, they came to a place where there was water (verse 36).
It is said that this was a “desert road,” meaning a location like a wilderness. Being a wilderness, water was likely extremely scarce there.
In a place where finding water would normally be difficult, Philip and the eunuch, who were sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, came to a place where there was water.
Then the eunuch said,
“Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”
The eunuch believed, “Now is the time,” and “I now understand what the Scriptures say. It is the grace of Christ.”
Moreover, there was water there. The eunuch was given the conviction: “Now is the time for me to believe in Christ and be baptized as a sign of that faith.”
This remarkable encounter between the two men, and the fact that they found water in a place where it is usually hard to find along the road they were traveling, both show that these were instances of God's (the Holy Spirit's) guidance.
It was the Holy Spirit, God's Spirit, who led Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in today’ scene. Human encounters are truly mysterious events. We can believe that God's providence is at work there.
We gather weekly in church for worship. We always hear God's word together in this way.
I believe that even this seemingly ordinary event—our shared worship, too—is itself a miraculous act of grace, brought about by the guidance of God's Spirit.
Each time we acknowledge the immeasurable grace of God's Word, give thanks, hear His Word, and share it together—each time we worship—let us be granted a fresh encounter with Jesus.
And shall we resolve to believe in Christ and live anew?
Saturday, October 25, 2025
Sunday Worship Service October 26, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalm 40:5 (NIV)
Hymn JBC #650 Serve the Lord with gladness
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 146 Thou didst leave Thy throne
The Lord’s Supper
Offering
Scripture Acts 8:1~25
Prayer
Sermon “Mission in Samaria”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 549 Come, ye disconsolate, where’er ye languish
Doxology JBC # 674
Benediction
Postlude
Welcome & Announcements
Today’s bible passage begins with the sentence [And Saul approved of their killing him]
The Stephen that was killed refers to Stephen who was told to be the first martyr in Christianity.
In the book of Acts chap. 7 prior to today’s passage was depicted a scene where Stephen was interrogated at the Jewish Supreme Court with the suspicion of blasphemy.
Stephen did not defend himself but by speaking the story of God that was conveyed in the bible, he confronted those that accused him and tried to proclaim the news about the True God.
Eventually, however, Stephen was killed through sentence of stoning by the people that were consumed by anger.
We heard in the worship message last week that Stephen’s last words were [Lord, do not hold this sin against them] (chap. 7: 60)
Saul who was written to have consented the killing of Stephen at that time was a zealous Jewish person. He detested and severely persecuted those who proclaimed and believed the man called Jesus Christ as the Savior and Lord.
Later, Saul is named Paul. Paul having encountered the resurrected Jesus Christ, was dramatically transformed, had a major transformation from Christ’s persecutor to becoming a zealous evangelist of Christ.
The bible clearly mentions that, that Paul consented to Stephen’s killing.
Through it, the bible teaches that no human being is perfectly pure, righteous and has never committed a sin.
Starting with Paul, the bible never depicts any human being a heroic figure.
The bible consistently tells the truth that all people have weakness, imperfections and bear a sin that he himself can never wash away.
To carry such weakness and imperfections that we bear, and to forgive our sins, one Man who is perfectly pure, Jesus Christ the Son of God came to the world.
And the bible tells that Jesus has completed our salvation on the cross.
Saul (Paul) was listening nearby as Stephen faced those that stoned him and cried with a loud voice, [Lord, do not hold this sin against them]
We can only imagine what thought was going through Saul’s mind as he listened to Stephen’s voice since it is not written in the bible.
Perhaps, Saul may have been touched by those Stephen’s words (cry). Or maybe, he was just stubbornly nurturing his hatred for Stephen.
Stephen’s cry [Lord, do not hold this sin against them] is also the words of cry that Jesus prays to the heavenly Father God about us even now.
Let us keep in mind and be grateful that Jesus prays for us and carries our sins, and once again be determined to continue listening to God’s Word and live in obedience to Him.
It is written in today’s passage (latter half of chap. 8:1) [On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria]
Was it due to Stephen’s punishment. A great persecution broke out in the church of Jerusalem (a gathering of Christ believers)
[All except the apostles] were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. I don’t know the reason why the apostles (central figures of Christ’s disciples) stayed in Jerusalem。
Jerusalem is the place where Jesus was crucified and killed, on top of that, it was the place where the resurrected Jesus appeared to the disciples.
Jerusalem was a place to be considered the central area of faith. Therefore, though many Christians were scattered to various places, the apostles being the core (leaders of faith) may have continued to stay at that central place of faith.
The apostles may have continued to stay in Jerusalem as a place where those who were scattered could eventually return.
Even our present church carries the role and responsibility as a central area of faith where we can come back.
It is not us that protect the church; it is God who protects and guides it.
As we hope relying on God, let us treasure the place of faith that is given to us, the church which is the place where the family of faith gather.
Reading from verse 4 onward, the people were scattered due to persecution, however, they walked around [ while proclaiming the gospel]
The people were scattered because of persecution, but as a result, that matter served as an opportunity to convey the gospel of Christ even to distant regions and nations.
According to verse 5, a man named Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed Christ.
The fact that Philip went to the city of Samaria, there proclaimed Christ, and as the crowd saw the signs he performed, they listened to him, was a surprising matter.
It’s because to the Jews, the region of Samaria was the former kingdom of North Israel, overthrown by the Assyrian Empire and a region of mixed heritage with the Gentiles that have migrated there.
To the Jews that value racial purity, the people of Samaria having mixed race with the Gentiles were object of contempt.
Triggered by persecution, the news about Jesus Christ being made known to the region where the people of Samaria who were at odds against the Jews lived was also one of God’s mysterious divine works.
In verse 9 onward, a man named Simon appears. This man was one who [proclaimed himself a great man, amazing the people of Samaria using sorcery]
I don’t know what this thing called “sorcery” was like.
In any case, that sorcery was like something that captivated the heart, astonished people, moreover, the people gave him (Simon) their attention.
To Simon, the fact that [he can perform sorcery] seemed to be a basis for him to think [I am a great man]
And the people were captivated by the amazing sorcery that he performed more than Simon’s personality himself or his inner being.
In other words, could it be that Simon was unable to build a deep personal feelings relationship with the people.
In that sense, I think we can say that Simon who could only connect with others through external condition called sorcery and knew his own value only through that matter was a pitiable person before God.
The people of Samaria believed Philip who proclaimed the gospel about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.
If we look at verses 12～13、probably many people believed and were baptized.
And it is written that Simon also believed and was baptized, followed Philip everywhere and was astonished as he saw the signs and miracles (driving away evil spirit, healing diseases) done by Philip.
Let’s look at verse 14 onward.
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.
The apostles in Jerusalem sent the two, Peter and John to Samaria as representatives maybe to ascertain that even the people of Samaria believed God.
Peter and John came down to Samaria and prayed for the people that they “might receive the Holy Spirit”. (v.15)
Let me read verses 16～17.
16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
I’m not clearly sure about what it means by [the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus]
That is, so to speak, could it be that basing on a single piece of knowledge “the name of the Lord Jesus”, the people of Samaria were baptized depending on one’s thoughts, but still haven’t sincerely changed heart or repented to God by the leading of the Holy Spirit (God’s Spirit).
Therefore, desiring that they may have the faith to believe the Lord Jesus, faith to entrust oneself to the Holy Spirit (God’s Spirit) with sincere change of heart, Peter and John placed their hands on them and prayed.
As written (verse 17), then the people received the Holy Spirit.
Simon was watching that situation. And guess what, when he saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said [Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit]
Let’s look at Peter’s first words on that matter.
[May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!]
Simon thought he could buy the ability to give the Holy Spirit (the ability to astonish people) in exchange for what he has, so called money.
However, the gift that God gives is not something that is received in exchange for something we have.
God has already given us numerous wonderful gifts, all for free. To know God is for us to realize that matter.
What we have gained on our own, everything that we possess and others (even if we think so) are nothing at all.
Simon must have been completely consumed by the thought that “he can buy anything with money” or “he can only obtain something by offering up something he has as payment for it”.
I was made to think that even we now have the way of thinking as Simon.
God says (through Peter’s words) to such Simon and to us.
[The things that you have, what you have in your hands are all gifts, free gifts from Me, the Lord God], [You have nothing of your own, nothing you've earned yourselves.]
God says [Live believing God who gives all things, believe the leading of the Holy Spirit, be thankful and rely on Him]
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the message that God has paid all the price and sacrifice by Himself for our salvation.
Such message is that Jesus was crucified.
Let us acknowledge with the eyes of faith that we receive all things, the fact that we abundantly receive good things as gifts and let us walk the blessed days guided by the Holy Spirit.
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalm 40:5 (NIV)
Hymn JBC #650 Serve the Lord with gladness
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 146 Thou didst leave Thy throne
The Lord’s Supper
Offering
Scripture Acts 8:1~25
Prayer
Sermon “Mission in Samaria”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 549 Come, ye disconsolate, where’er ye languish
Doxology JBC # 674
Benediction
Postlude
Welcome & Announcements
Today’s bible passage begins with the sentence [And Saul approved of their killing him]
The Stephen that was killed refers to Stephen who was told to be the first martyr in Christianity.
In the book of Acts chap. 7 prior to today’s passage was depicted a scene where Stephen was interrogated at the Jewish Supreme Court with the suspicion of blasphemy.
Stephen did not defend himself but by speaking the story of God that was conveyed in the bible, he confronted those that accused him and tried to proclaim the news about the True God.
Eventually, however, Stephen was killed through sentence of stoning by the people that were consumed by anger.
We heard in the worship message last week that Stephen’s last words were [Lord, do not hold this sin against them] (chap. 7: 60)
Saul who was written to have consented the killing of Stephen at that time was a zealous Jewish person. He detested and severely persecuted those who proclaimed and believed the man called Jesus Christ as the Savior and Lord.
Later, Saul is named Paul. Paul having encountered the resurrected Jesus Christ, was dramatically transformed, had a major transformation from Christ’s persecutor to becoming a zealous evangelist of Christ.
The bible clearly mentions that, that Paul consented to Stephen’s killing.
Through it, the bible teaches that no human being is perfectly pure, righteous and has never committed a sin.
Starting with Paul, the bible never depicts any human being a heroic figure.
The bible consistently tells the truth that all people have weakness, imperfections and bear a sin that he himself can never wash away.
To carry such weakness and imperfections that we bear, and to forgive our sins, one Man who is perfectly pure, Jesus Christ the Son of God came to the world.
And the bible tells that Jesus has completed our salvation on the cross.
Saul (Paul) was listening nearby as Stephen faced those that stoned him and cried with a loud voice, [Lord, do not hold this sin against them]
We can only imagine what thought was going through Saul’s mind as he listened to Stephen’s voice since it is not written in the bible.
Perhaps, Saul may have been touched by those Stephen’s words (cry). Or maybe, he was just stubbornly nurturing his hatred for Stephen.
Stephen’s cry [Lord, do not hold this sin against them] is also the words of cry that Jesus prays to the heavenly Father God about us even now.
Let us keep in mind and be grateful that Jesus prays for us and carries our sins, and once again be determined to continue listening to God’s Word and live in obedience to Him.
It is written in today’s passage (latter half of chap. 8:1) [On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria]
Was it due to Stephen’s punishment. A great persecution broke out in the church of Jerusalem (a gathering of Christ believers)
[All except the apostles] were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. I don’t know the reason why the apostles (central figures of Christ’s disciples) stayed in Jerusalem。
Jerusalem is the place where Jesus was crucified and killed, on top of that, it was the place where the resurrected Jesus appeared to the disciples.
Jerusalem was a place to be considered the central area of faith. Therefore, though many Christians were scattered to various places, the apostles being the core (leaders of faith) may have continued to stay at that central place of faith.
The apostles may have continued to stay in Jerusalem as a place where those who were scattered could eventually return.
Even our present church carries the role and responsibility as a central area of faith where we can come back.
It is not us that protect the church; it is God who protects and guides it.
As we hope relying on God, let us treasure the place of faith that is given to us, the church which is the place where the family of faith gather.
Reading from verse 4 onward, the people were scattered due to persecution, however, they walked around [ while proclaiming the gospel]
The people were scattered because of persecution, but as a result, that matter served as an opportunity to convey the gospel of Christ even to distant regions and nations.
According to verse 5, a man named Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed Christ.
The fact that Philip went to the city of Samaria, there proclaimed Christ, and as the crowd saw the signs he performed, they listened to him, was a surprising matter.
It’s because to the Jews, the region of Samaria was the former kingdom of North Israel, overthrown by the Assyrian Empire and a region of mixed heritage with the Gentiles that have migrated there.
To the Jews that value racial purity, the people of Samaria having mixed race with the Gentiles were object of contempt.
Triggered by persecution, the news about Jesus Christ being made known to the region where the people of Samaria who were at odds against the Jews lived was also one of God’s mysterious divine works.
In verse 9 onward, a man named Simon appears. This man was one who [proclaimed himself a great man, amazing the people of Samaria using sorcery]
I don’t know what this thing called “sorcery” was like.
In any case, that sorcery was like something that captivated the heart, astonished people, moreover, the people gave him (Simon) their attention.
To Simon, the fact that [he can perform sorcery] seemed to be a basis for him to think [I am a great man]
And the people were captivated by the amazing sorcery that he performed more than Simon’s personality himself or his inner being.
In other words, could it be that Simon was unable to build a deep personal feelings relationship with the people.
In that sense, I think we can say that Simon who could only connect with others through external condition called sorcery and knew his own value only through that matter was a pitiable person before God.
The people of Samaria believed Philip who proclaimed the gospel about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.
If we look at verses 12～13、probably many people believed and were baptized.
And it is written that Simon also believed and was baptized, followed Philip everywhere and was astonished as he saw the signs and miracles (driving away evil spirit, healing diseases) done by Philip.
Let’s look at verse 14 onward.
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.
The apostles in Jerusalem sent the two, Peter and John to Samaria as representatives maybe to ascertain that even the people of Samaria believed God.
Peter and John came down to Samaria and prayed for the people that they “might receive the Holy Spirit”. (v.15)
Let me read verses 16～17.
16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
I’m not clearly sure about what it means by [the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus]
That is, so to speak, could it be that basing on a single piece of knowledge “the name of the Lord Jesus”, the people of Samaria were baptized depending on one’s thoughts, but still haven’t sincerely changed heart or repented to God by the leading of the Holy Spirit (God’s Spirit).
Therefore, desiring that they may have the faith to believe the Lord Jesus, faith to entrust oneself to the Holy Spirit (God’s Spirit) with sincere change of heart, Peter and John placed their hands on them and prayed.
As written (verse 17), then the people received the Holy Spirit.
Simon was watching that situation. And guess what, when he saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said [Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit]
Let’s look at Peter’s first words on that matter.
[May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!]
Simon thought he could buy the ability to give the Holy Spirit (the ability to astonish people) in exchange for what he has, so called money.
However, the gift that God gives is not something that is received in exchange for something we have.
God has already given us numerous wonderful gifts, all for free. To know God is for us to realize that matter.
What we have gained on our own, everything that we possess and others (even if we think so) are nothing at all.
Simon must have been completely consumed by the thought that “he can buy anything with money” or “he can only obtain something by offering up something he has as payment for it”.
I was made to think that even we now have the way of thinking as Simon.
God says (through Peter’s words) to such Simon and to us.
[The things that you have, what you have in your hands are all gifts, free gifts from Me, the Lord God], [You have nothing of your own, nothing you've earned yourselves.]
God says [Live believing God who gives all things, believe the leading of the Holy Spirit, be thankful and rely on Him]
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the message that God has paid all the price and sacrifice by Himself for our salvation.
Such message is that Jesus was crucified.
Let us acknowledge with the eyes of faith that we receive all things, the fact that we abundantly receive good things as gifts and let us walk the blessed days guided by the Holy Spirit.
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Sundy Worship Service October 19, 2025
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalm 31:5 (NIV)
Hymn JBC #327 Lead on, O King eternal
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 146 Thou didst leave Thy throne
Offering
Scripture Acts 7:51~60
Prayer
Sermon “Look up the Glory of God”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 21 Worthy of worship
Doxology JBC # 674
Benediction
Postlude
Welcome & Announcements
Today's Scripture passage is the final section of the scene in Acts chapter 7 of the New Testament, where Stephen, a preacher of Christ, is accused before the Jewish Sanhedrin (high court) of “blaspheming God.”
Stephen is said to be the first Christian martyr—that is, the first person who believed in Christ, preached His teachings, and was persecuted and killed for it.
In today's passage, Stephen is martyred. Stoned by the people (the Jews), he died. We can say Stephen met a tragic end, suffering immense pain and agony.
In today's passage, let us hear God's message through the words Stephen spoke, the words he spoke just before his death, and his figure at that moment.
In the first verse of today's passage, verse 51, Stephen says to those accusing him (the members of the Sanhedrin), “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised.”
He then continues, “You always resist the Holy Spirit!” The Holy Spirit is God's Spirit, used here as the same meaning as God Himself.
What does it mean to be “stiff-necked, with uncircumcised hearts and ears”?
Circumcision, the removal of the foreskin, held profound significance for the Israelites.
Circumcision was commanded by God to Abraham, who is called the “father of faith” for the Israelite people.
In Genesis chapter 17 of the Old Testament, it is written that Abraham received the commandment (order) concerning circumcision from God.
At that time, Abraham received the promise from God: “You will become the father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you the father of many nations.” (Genesis 17:4-6)
This passage in Genesis depicts God establishing an eternal covenant with the people of Israel through Abraham.
At that time, God commanded Abraham to circumcise every male child (on the eighth day after birth) as a sign that the people of Israel were God's chosen, special people.
Circumcision was the visible sign that the Israelite nation was God's specially chosen people, and that the eternal covenant and blessings given through their forefather Abraham had been bestowed upon them.
But Stephen says: "You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You always resist the Holy Spirit!"
Stephen pointed out the essence of the faith of the members of the Sanhedrin (the priests and scribes).
Even though they diligently observed circumcision and other religious rituals and regulations in form, Stephen pointed out the state of their hearts.
Among the people of Israel, especially those in privileged positions like priests and scribes, there were likely those who took pride in being specially chosen simply because they were circumcised—that is, because they were Israelites (Jews).
They began to look down on other nations and Gentiles outside the Israelite people, or even fellow Israelites who, like them, could not strictly observe the religious rules.
However, circumcision and other religious rules must be accompanied by faith in God within the heart and by actually living according to God's teachings—faith in the heart.
The meaninglessness of circumcision performed merely as a formality had already been stated repeatedly, long before the New Testament era, during the Old Testament era (the time of the prophets).
In the Old Testament, Jeremiah 6:10, it is written as the word of God:
To whom can I speak and give warning?
Who will listen to me?
Their ears are closed (uncircumcised)
so they cannot hear.
The word of the Lord is offensive to them;
they find no pleasure in it.
Even if one appears to observe religious rules in name only, without opening one's heart and ears to the Lord God, without humbling oneself before Him, one cannot receive the Holy Spirit's guidance.
There are times when we do not know what God's will is, or how the Holy Spirit's guidance is given.
At such times, we may need to examine whether it is because of our own stubborn hearts, whether we ourselves have closed the ears of our hearts, preventing us from hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.
We are stubborn people. We are those who only want to hear what we want to hear, see what we want to see, and believe only what we want to believe.
In such times, we desire to be those who humbly listen to the voice addressed to us: “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised.”
And we desire to pray to God: that He would open our hearts, the eyes and ears of our hearts; that we would listen to His word, which is stern yet true; that we would recognize our own sin of turning away from God; and that He would turn us back to Himself.
Stephen tells the council members, “Just as your ancestors persecuted the prophets, you have killed the Saviour, (the Righteous One in verse 52).”
“You have a faith that is only skin deep, and in your hearts you always resist the Holy Spirit, who is God's Spirit. You have killed the true Savior.” Who could remain calm hearing such words?
The people who heard Stephen say this were filled with rage. It is written that they gnashed their teeth at him (verse 54). They were like wild beasts, ready to pounce on Stephen.
The anger of the people (the Jewish council members, the authorities) had reached its peak. How did Stephen respond to this?
Let us read verses 55-56.
55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Stephen's example teaches us that even in the face of terrifying human anger, hostility, malice, and even murderous intent, we can be filled with the Holy Spirit, who is God's Spirit.
And instead of responding to the hostility and anger directed at him with hostility and anger of his own, Stephen fixed his eyes on heaven.
Stephen looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus (Jesus Christ) standing at the right hand of God.
On this earth, people hurl malice at one another, hating and quarreling. Even when people and nations deeply wound one another, if we lift our eyes to heaven with the eyes of faith, we can see God's glory and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
There is Jesus, who was crucified for us, who now sits at the right hand of God the Father in heaven, and who intercedes for us.
Those accusing Stephen shouted loudly, covering their ears (refusing to hear Stephen's voice), and rushed at him, dragging him out of the city.
Verse 58 states that a young man named Saul was there, and the people laid their clothes at his feet.
Saul later became Paul. Paul initially persecuted Christians fiercely, but after encountering the resurrected Jesus Christ, he was transformed into a passionate preacher of Christ.
The fact that Saul, who would later do great work for Christ, was present at Stephen's martyrdom and witnessed it, can be said to have profoundly influenced Saul's subsequent life (faith).
It can be said that Stephen, even as he died, left an invaluable legacy of faith to many people, including Saul (Paul).
Let us listen to the two statements Stephen made just before his death, as recorded in today's passage, while being stoned by the people.
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
Stephen was convinced to the very end that there was One who would receive his soul. That One is the Lord Jesus Christ.
No matter how dire, miserable, or painful his circumstances became, Stephen was certain that Jesus would never abandon him, but would love and receive him.
That assurance of faith is given to us today as well. If we open our hearts and ears and receive the Lord Jesus Christ, He will receive our souls just as He received Stephen's soul.
And so Stephen was able to say at the end, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” He could pray this way for the very people who accused him, who continued to stone him, and who killed him.
These were also the words spoken by Jesus from the cross. When Jesus was flogged, nailed to the cross, and hung there, He said the following:
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, prayed to God the Father in heaven for us human beings, saying these words.
So why was Stephen, a mere human, able to pray like that? Why could Stephen pray at the very end, “Do not hold this sin against them”?
I believe it was because Stephen himself was certain that his sins had been forgiven through Jesus, and he was overflowing with gratitude for that.
The conviction that he had been forgiven of his sins through Christ, that he was therefore kept alive, and that he was deeply loved by God—this conviction enabled Stephen to pray for others in that way at the very end.
Such divine love, such power of forgiveness from Jesus, is also given to us.
Let us reflect on ourselves as believers living in the present, receiving the power of God's love and forgiveness conveyed to us through the life and words of Stephen, the first Christian martyr.
Prelude
Call to Worship Psalm 31:5 (NIV)
Hymn JBC #327 Lead on, O King eternal
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn JBC # 146 Thou didst leave Thy throne
Offering
Scripture Acts 7:51~60
Prayer
Sermon “Look up the Glory of God”
Prayer
Hymn JBC # 21 Worthy of worship
Doxology JBC # 674
Benediction
Postlude
Welcome & Announcements
Today's Scripture passage is the final section of the scene in Acts chapter 7 of the New Testament, where Stephen, a preacher of Christ, is accused before the Jewish Sanhedrin (high court) of “blaspheming God.”
Stephen is said to be the first Christian martyr—that is, the first person who believed in Christ, preached His teachings, and was persecuted and killed for it.
In today's passage, Stephen is martyred. Stoned by the people (the Jews), he died. We can say Stephen met a tragic end, suffering immense pain and agony.
In today's passage, let us hear God's message through the words Stephen spoke, the words he spoke just before his death, and his figure at that moment.
In the first verse of today's passage, verse 51, Stephen says to those accusing him (the members of the Sanhedrin), “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised.”
He then continues, “You always resist the Holy Spirit!” The Holy Spirit is God's Spirit, used here as the same meaning as God Himself.
What does it mean to be “stiff-necked, with uncircumcised hearts and ears”?
Circumcision, the removal of the foreskin, held profound significance for the Israelites.
Circumcision was commanded by God to Abraham, who is called the “father of faith” for the Israelite people.
In Genesis chapter 17 of the Old Testament, it is written that Abraham received the commandment (order) concerning circumcision from God.
At that time, Abraham received the promise from God: “You will become the father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you the father of many nations.” (Genesis 17:4-6)
This passage in Genesis depicts God establishing an eternal covenant with the people of Israel through Abraham.
At that time, God commanded Abraham to circumcise every male child (on the eighth day after birth) as a sign that the people of Israel were God's chosen, special people.
Circumcision was the visible sign that the Israelite nation was God's specially chosen people, and that the eternal covenant and blessings given through their forefather Abraham had been bestowed upon them.
But Stephen says: "You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You always resist the Holy Spirit!"
Stephen pointed out the essence of the faith of the members of the Sanhedrin (the priests and scribes).
Even though they diligently observed circumcision and other religious rituals and regulations in form, Stephen pointed out the state of their hearts.
Among the people of Israel, especially those in privileged positions like priests and scribes, there were likely those who took pride in being specially chosen simply because they were circumcised—that is, because they were Israelites (Jews).
They began to look down on other nations and Gentiles outside the Israelite people, or even fellow Israelites who, like them, could not strictly observe the religious rules.
However, circumcision and other religious rules must be accompanied by faith in God within the heart and by actually living according to God's teachings—faith in the heart.
The meaninglessness of circumcision performed merely as a formality had already been stated repeatedly, long before the New Testament era, during the Old Testament era (the time of the prophets).
In the Old Testament, Jeremiah 6:10, it is written as the word of God:
To whom can I speak and give warning?
Who will listen to me?
Their ears are closed (uncircumcised)
so they cannot hear.
The word of the Lord is offensive to them;
they find no pleasure in it.
Even if one appears to observe religious rules in name only, without opening one's heart and ears to the Lord God, without humbling oneself before Him, one cannot receive the Holy Spirit's guidance.
There are times when we do not know what God's will is, or how the Holy Spirit's guidance is given.
At such times, we may need to examine whether it is because of our own stubborn hearts, whether we ourselves have closed the ears of our hearts, preventing us from hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.
We are stubborn people. We are those who only want to hear what we want to hear, see what we want to see, and believe only what we want to believe.
In such times, we desire to be those who humbly listen to the voice addressed to us: “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised.”
And we desire to pray to God: that He would open our hearts, the eyes and ears of our hearts; that we would listen to His word, which is stern yet true; that we would recognize our own sin of turning away from God; and that He would turn us back to Himself.
Stephen tells the council members, “Just as your ancestors persecuted the prophets, you have killed the Saviour, (the Righteous One in verse 52).”
“You have a faith that is only skin deep, and in your hearts you always resist the Holy Spirit, who is God's Spirit. You have killed the true Savior.” Who could remain calm hearing such words?
The people who heard Stephen say this were filled with rage. It is written that they gnashed their teeth at him (verse 54). They were like wild beasts, ready to pounce on Stephen.
The anger of the people (the Jewish council members, the authorities) had reached its peak. How did Stephen respond to this?
Let us read verses 55-56.
55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
Stephen's example teaches us that even in the face of terrifying human anger, hostility, malice, and even murderous intent, we can be filled with the Holy Spirit, who is God's Spirit.
And instead of responding to the hostility and anger directed at him with hostility and anger of his own, Stephen fixed his eyes on heaven.
Stephen looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus (Jesus Christ) standing at the right hand of God.
On this earth, people hurl malice at one another, hating and quarreling. Even when people and nations deeply wound one another, if we lift our eyes to heaven with the eyes of faith, we can see God's glory and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
There is Jesus, who was crucified for us, who now sits at the right hand of God the Father in heaven, and who intercedes for us.
Those accusing Stephen shouted loudly, covering their ears (refusing to hear Stephen's voice), and rushed at him, dragging him out of the city.
Verse 58 states that a young man named Saul was there, and the people laid their clothes at his feet.
Saul later became Paul. Paul initially persecuted Christians fiercely, but after encountering the resurrected Jesus Christ, he was transformed into a passionate preacher of Christ.
The fact that Saul, who would later do great work for Christ, was present at Stephen's martyrdom and witnessed it, can be said to have profoundly influenced Saul's subsequent life (faith).
It can be said that Stephen, even as he died, left an invaluable legacy of faith to many people, including Saul (Paul).
Let us listen to the two statements Stephen made just before his death, as recorded in today's passage, while being stoned by the people.
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
Stephen was convinced to the very end that there was One who would receive his soul. That One is the Lord Jesus Christ.
No matter how dire, miserable, or painful his circumstances became, Stephen was certain that Jesus would never abandon him, but would love and receive him.
That assurance of faith is given to us today as well. If we open our hearts and ears and receive the Lord Jesus Christ, He will receive our souls just as He received Stephen's soul.
And so Stephen was able to say at the end, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” He could pray this way for the very people who accused him, who continued to stone him, and who killed him.
These were also the words spoken by Jesus from the cross. When Jesus was flogged, nailed to the cross, and hung there, He said the following:
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, prayed to God the Father in heaven for us human beings, saying these words.
So why was Stephen, a mere human, able to pray like that? Why could Stephen pray at the very end, “Do not hold this sin against them”?
I believe it was because Stephen himself was certain that his sins had been forgiven through Jesus, and he was overflowing with gratitude for that.
The conviction that he had been forgiven of his sins through Christ, that he was therefore kept alive, and that he was deeply loved by God—this conviction enabled Stephen to pray for others in that way at the very end.
Such divine love, such power of forgiveness from Jesus, is also given to us.
Let us reflect on ourselves as believers living in the present, receiving the power of God's love and forgiveness conveyed to us through the life and words of Stephen, the first Christian martyr.
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