Sermons of 2020

Today is Christmas worship service. Today’s text from the Gospel of Luke says, “In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered.” (1:1-3)

It was told that the author of the Gospel of Luke was a medical doctor. His description was well-ordered, chronological, and concrete. So, we know that Jesus’ birth was not a myth nor a fairy-tale, but the incident in the history of the world. It shows that the power of God entered into our daily world. Today’s text says, “All went to their own towns to be registered.” Now we live daily, greatly influenced by worldly socio-economic changes. Especially, we have been influenced by new coronavirus. Today’s text shows that Christmas was the incident in the midst of our daily lives.

“Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.” (1:4)

How far is Bethlehem from Nazareth? Google map shows that Bethlehem is 157 kilometers from Nazareth, 1 hour and 53 minutes by car. We can easily know it by a cellphone. By the way, it takes 9 hours by bicycle, 32 hours on foot or three days on foot.

Bethlehem is 800 meters above sea level. So, the journey to Bethlehem must have been awful for Mary, a pregnant woman. Joseph appeared on the scene for the first time in the Gospel of Luke. Here, Joseph’s embarrassment or emotional turmoil before Jesus’ birth was not described unlike the Gospel of Matthew. Today’s text says, “He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.” (2:5)

“What!” I wondered. The text says, “Mary, to whom he was engaged.” According to the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not to be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” So, we are likely to assume that Joseph and Mary married soon after the dream. But they were still engaged, not married. So, Joseph could have been registered as bachelor, if he would. However, Joseph decided to take Mary as his wife with a baby conceived in her. Joseph’s “Go To Bethlehem” was decided on his faith. Christmas is the time for us to decide to live with Jesus.

We remember the day when each of us received the baptism. Some of you may be going to be baptized in the future. The baptism is the day when each of us is registered with Jesus in Heaven. Today the confirmation is going to take place. A confirmer confesses that he has been tied with Jesus by the baptism and has been registered in Heaven.

Today’s text says, “While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (2:6)

The word of ‘inn’ may mean family’s space for sleep in an ordinary private house, or a room for guests. As a matter of fact, a common house had only one room in those days. All the people in the territory were on the way of journey. So, the houses must have been filled with guests. What’s more, a birth must have been a troublesome matter. So, an interpretation is that Joseph and Mary must have been out the house of their own accord, and have stayed in cattle shed. Mary wrapped the baby in bands of cloth. It would be dangerous for a newborn baby in cold cattle shed. So, warmth was vital to him. And laying him in a manger was done lest he would be kicked or stepped by cattle. The idea must have come to them at the moment. According to today’s text, the angel of the Lord stood before the shepherd in the fields said to them about the birth of a Savior in the city of David, and “This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” (2:12)

“Wrapped in bands of cloth” reminds us of a body wrapped in bands of cloth in a funeral service. “Lying in a manger” also reminds us of “putting a body in a coffin.” The chapter 23 of the Gospel of Luke says about Joseph, a member of the council, who went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. “Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid.” (23:53)

“No one had ever been laid” and “lying in the manger” is originally the same Greek word. And it is told that a manger in those days was made of stone. This also reminds us of a rock-hewn tomb. So, “a child wrapped in bands of cloth” and “lying in a manger” reminds us of the incident of the crucifixion of Jesus. We could say that Jesus’ birth already connotes Jesus on the cross.

To be sure, Mary took after the baby to the best of her ability, though her care might not be enough. But God used her work to show that the baby is the Savior. God is working in our history, and is revealed in our bitter lives.

This year a lot of things have happened. Our everyday lives have been restricted. We lived as if we had stayed in a long tunnel. Our church was also forced to handle unusual situations. But our faith is to rely on God and to go our own way. We have been at the mercy of new coronavirus epidemic. But the Bible tells us clearly that our Lord is Jesus Christ. Jesus on the cross surely leads us in our lives.

Last week I had an opportunity to read the Bible with some college students. We studied the meaning of the good news that the Bible tells us. We experienced the influence of the Holy Spirit working on the young hearts. They absorbed the words of the Bible.

“Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.” (Revelation 3:20)

I realized at the time, “Now Jesus is standing here, knocking the door of our hearts.” There was no room for Jesus at the night of first Christmas. But Joseph and Mary had room for Jesus in their hearts. The room for Jesus is not visual, but within our own heart. Today Jesus comes in to our own heart. Jesus is knocking the door. Jesus comes in through the door of this worship service.

We are afflicted with disease, or are living in suffering. But Jesus comes in the midst of our bitter lives. This is the grace of Christmas. Let’s follow Jesus and live our daily lives!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Make Straight the Way of the Lord（John 1:6-8, 19-28）

December 13, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

A pastor, a friend of mine, poses a riddle in his face-book, “Christmas is a station of the Shinkansen.” The answer is Hikari (Light) and Nozomi (Hope) come.

This year is hard to see ahead because of new coronavirus. Some of you may have had a dark experience in your lives. The Gospel of John tells us that “What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.” (John 1:4,5) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.

When do we use the word of “testify?” It is often used in the church. It is originally used in a law court. It means “give evidence as a witness in a law court,” like “I surely watched it.” We often tell our experience to church people after we were baptized, like “how I met Christianity in my life, and was encouraged by it, and became to believe in Jesus.” This is to testify that Jesus is surely our Savior. We can testify only when we truly saw or experienced. So, when we testify our belief in Jesus, it means that we know what we are before God.

According to today’s text from the Gospel of John, the Pharisees and Levites asked John, “Who are you?” When someone asks you, “Who are you?” you will probably answer such things as your name, your work, or the place in which you live. But John was asked about the relationship with God. He said first of all that he was not the Messiah. He said that I was not worthy to untie the thong of Jesus’ sandal. John knew that he was small and weak. And he testified that Jesus was the Son of God. Today’s text tells us that we are not saved by ourselves, and Jesus came to us as the Savior.

“He confessed, ‘I AM not the Messiah.’” (1:20) This use of word is based on God’s word when He revealed Himself to Moses. God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” (Exodus 3:14) The “AM” means “surely exist.” Jesus used the same word many times in the Gospel of John. “I AM the bread of life.” (6:35) “I AM the light of the world.” (8:12) “I AM the good shepherd.” (10:11)

The use of the word “confess” is noteworthy. When the Gospel of John was written, the church to which the author belonged was under the severe persecution. “The Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.” (9:22) The people in John’s church at the time must have thought the Gospel of John 9:22 with their own severe situation. John the Baptist confessed that he was not the Messiah, but the one who was coming after him was Jesus to be the Messiah.

Then, what did John testify? He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness.” He began to work in the wilderness. When you want to appeal to as many as possible, you would go out to broad streets or big cities rather than to the wilderness. Because the choice is more effective.

But it is noteworthy that John the Baptist testified Jesus to be the Messiah in the wilderness rather than in broad streets in Jerusalem. The wilderness in the Palestine is vast under a burning sun, entailing a constant element of danger of death. However, the salvation starts from the place. All of us has a wilderness in our hearts. God comes to such a place. This is the very message of Christmas.

The wilderness is the place where God worked ever since the age of the Old Testament. When Israeli people with Moses as their leader came out of Egypt, they travelled in the wilderness for forty years. They learned trust in God through the travelling. Though they often experienced God’s help on the way of the travel, they failed in following God in a pinch. The Old Testament described their weakness as they were. However, they always walked with God and were trained materially and spiritually.

Our daily lives sometimes may also be dark like the wilderness. John said about Jesus, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me.” (1:15) The salvation does never come out of ourselves. Rather we know our weakness and sins. But God will come to a desolate place like the wilderness.

Jesus, who is “the light of all people,” comes into our reality of our daily lives. John the Baptist testified that Jesus came everywhere.

Then, how do we testify Jesus? When we look back our life in the past, we find our ways were twisted, not like the straight ways of the Lord. But we always find Jesus’ grace through our ways in the past. We do not know where we go from now on. But it is sure that Jesus will lead us through our way.

Kids’ Christmas took place yesterday. I was worried about online Christmas in advance. We held it by trial and error. We improvised the program, watching kids’ response. But we enjoyed it. We had Christmas story, games, animation and so on. It ended with prayer. It is wonderful to see that the kids who are studying at the center could pray well in English. My heart was filled with gratitude. God surely worked on the kids, though new coronavirus solely has attracted our attention. Our ways are bumpy and twisted, but Jesus leads us straight. We testify that Jesus is surely our Savior.

Let’s receive Christmas, though we live every day like in the wilderness! Let’s receive Jesus’ leadership, and walk on the way of the Lord!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Keep Awake（Matthew 25:1-13）

November 8, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

We experience everyday not only something good but also something painful or failure. At that time we pray for help but often feel unanswered. Though we believe that God will answer our prayer, we worry His answer might be late, and in time our heart might waver. Today’s text from the Gospel of Matthew teaches us that God will never abandon us and surely will lead us.

Today’s text is the parable of ten brides-maids who are going to meet the bridegroom at the night of the wedding ceremony. Five of them took the flasks of oil with their lamps. The other five had no oil with them. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight the bridegroom arrived. Five brides had flasks of oil, but the other five had not. So, they went to the dealers to buy the oil. When they came back, the door was shut. What does the parable tell us?

First of all, I would like to call your attention to “As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept.” (25:5) This was the very situation of the church to which Matthew belonged. When Jesus was carried up into heaven, he surely promised that he would come again. When the Christians were persecuted severely, they bore hardships, hoping “Jesus will come soon.” Though the Christians who directly met Jesus were martyred or called to heaven, the end of the world did not yet come. So, the doubt about their faith arose. “Where is the promise of his coming? Ever since our ancestors died, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:4) They began to think that their hardship would end in vain. In this situation the parable of ten brides was told. It encouraged the Christians to believe that the bridegroom surely would come, though the coming of the bridegroom was delayed.

We also experience that our prayer would not be answered, or we continue to wait for God’s help. When we feel that the bridegroom’s coming is late, our faith wavers, or we begin to doubt that he would come. We also feel our hardship would end in vain. But today’s text tells us that the bridegroom will surely come and God will never abandon us.

Today’s text tells us, “All brides became drowsy and fell asleep.” The difference between wise and foolish is not whether they fell asleep or not, but whether they had flasks of oil or not. The flasks of oil mean that we are prepared for oil to continue our faith.

Many theologists have argued what the flasks of oil indicate. But, I think, the important thing is not what the flasks of oil stand for, but whether the brides-maids are prepared for continuance of light of lamps or not. Briefly speaking, what is important is our preparation. The bridegroom will surely come, even if he might come lately. Out trust in Jesus’ promise matters.

Today’s text says, “The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” You may feel that the wise brides are coldhearted. But the oil means our faith that cannot be borrowed from the others. Each of us has own faith.

Today’s text refers to “the wise brides.” “Wise” means, according to the Old Testament, “knowing God.” It does not mean “full of wisdom” nor “knowing how to get on in the world.” We cannot rely on such kind of wisdom, when we suddenly encounter a severe trial. At the time, we need faith in God’s help. This faith is being wise.

We happen to meet with what we had not imagined. It may be a severe trial or a long-enduring hardship. At the time our faith should be our trust in Jesus’ words.

There is one theme which goes through the Bible. It is the teaching of “end.” We personally experience “end” through “death.” It is difficult for us to talk about “death,” or “end.” But we Christians are those who look at things in terms of “end.” We live in the world, but knows its end. Though we do not know when it comes, we believe Jesus will be with us at the time. Today’s text teaches us through the parable of ten brides-maids that the faith to prepare for “the end of the world” is necessary for us.

Frankly speaking, I often fail. I often repent. I am afraid I might belong to the foolish five. My preparation is always insufficient. So, I would not be allowed to enter the wedding banquet. How about you?

Well, the story is just a parable. It teaches us to be ready for the end of the world. But, to my regret, I am hopelessly foolish and idle. So, it is difficult for me to follow God’s words.

However, Jesus was crucified for those who are foolish and idle like me.

The bridegroom said to the foolish brides-maids, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” When the end of the world comes, it is important that we are known by Jesus. What a big achievement you have done in life does not matter. Then, who are known by Jesus? What does it mean that those who are ill-prepared are forgiven by the cross of Jesus?

It means that we are allowed to say to Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And, at the time, Jesus surely says to us, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Therefore, we, who are weak and powerless, can start to walk forward with Jesus’ help. The oil of our faith that continues to make a light is Jesus’ forgiveness through the cross.

Today, we have studied through the parable that we have to keep awake so that we could continue to make a light of faith. The bridegroom surely comes, even if his arrival seems to be late. Jesus is with us! Let’s go forward this week, too!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

God Is Our Fortress (Psalm 46)

October 25, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

Today is Reformation Sunday. A friend of mine who belongs to a Lutheran church in U.S.A. told me that people must attend church in a mask, and the masks on which “Here I stand” is printed are available at a church shop. This is Martin Luther’s words. In addition, there is notice, “You stand over there,” suggesting Social Distance! Good taste, isn’t it?

Today’s Church Hymn 450 is Martin Luther’s favorite song, which is sung on Reformation Sunday. Its words come from the Psalm 46. Martin Luther was in peril of his life, because he objected to the doctrinal content of Catholic Church. The Holy Roman Empire imposed on him the Imperial Ban (Reichsacht), which was a form of outlawry in the Holy Roman Empire (he may be killed by anyone without threat of punishment.) Martin Luther had nothing to rely on. The psalm 46 supported him in such a severe situation.

Then, what did the psalm tell him?

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

The psalm 46 begins by this phrase. Refuge means a shelter which provides accommodation in a tempest or snowstorm. While the trial still exists, or stormy wind is blowing, we may feel reassured within it. So, we can wait there till the storm goes far away. The psalm says, “A very present help in trouble.” God will never abandon us.

What was the context of the psalm?

“Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.” (46:2-3)

When the psalm was made, a great earthquake or disaster might have taken place. We are apt to think in such a situation, “Why are we assailed by the violent disaster, if God really exists?” This question comes from our inner hearts. But it is very difficult for us to find an answer. The psalm says that God is with us in such s severe trouble. When we are attacked by a violent storm in life, and unable to recover ourselves, God gives refuge to us till we can start to walk again.

“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved.” (46;4-5)

The psalm mentions “river.” But there is no great river in Jerusalem. The　river means water which runs through the underground passage. Water is valuable in Palestine. When an enemy besieges Jerusalem and stops supply water, the city would easily fall. So, the underway passage for water supply was secretly built. By the way, you remember “The pool of Siloam.” Jesus said to the man blind from the birth, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.” (John 9:1-7) This pool was a reservoir of water through the conduit located within the city walls of Jerusalem. Jerusalem seemed to be fragile in terms of defense against an enemy but in fact it had solid foundation like water flowing through the underway passage. We meet various trials in life but we are provided with God’s protection like water flowing on ceaselessly. This is the faith of Psalm 46. When we are upset by the trials in life, God is always with us.

“Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” (46:10)

The Hebrew word of “be still” also means “cease” or “give up.” You shall cease to rely on something unreliable. This word also means “give up arms.”

“He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.” (46:9) This psalm is God’s cease-fire order. God orders you shall cease attack on the city of God. This also means cease-fire order against our inner heart struggle. You shall not attack on yourself as the city of God. You shall give up arms which are used for wars against others and yourself. When we are in fear, we want to have arms. This psalm teaches us that we shall not be disturbed and cease attack on others, because God is our refuge and fortress. So, you shall rely on God alone.

Jesus is the fulfilment of the promise of the psalm. Jesus said to his disciples, “In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” (John 16:33)

Martin Luther was also supported by the Bible which taught him to rely on Jesus, God, when he had lost everything in the world.

Martin Luther was going to be professor of law at first. He was in a doctoral course after he got master’s degree in law. One day, caught in a thunderstorm, a nearby lightning strike knocked him from his horse. Fearing death, he cried, “Saint Anna help me! I will become a monk!” People believed that Saint Anna would protect them in difficult situations.

Martin Luther also experienced two years ago that he hovered between life and death. He hurt by mistake the artery of his thigh by his dagger and somehow was saved from death. He was seized with fear of death. Soon after that, he experienced the lightning strike. Luther was always afraid of his own sin and God’s wrath. But even after he entered the monastery, his fear of death and sense of guilt had never been taken away. He was possessed by fear of God’s wrath. He was worried about “the righteousness of God” in the Bible.

Justification is, to speak in plain language, to recognize what is righteous. It is to recognize good as good, evil as evil. So, we, sinners before God, are judged. Therefore, Martin Luther stood in fear and trembling of God’s judgement. However, in due course of time reading the Bible, Luther knew that righteousness of God; God receives us as righteous, though we cannot be received as just at all. The righteousness of God is not the justice to condemn us as sinners but God’s grace to give us righteousness. Jesus received God’s judgment on the cross. Therefore, we have only to receive the righteousness of God. The faith is to receive it. We easily waver in the midst of the trials or storm. But God recognizes us as just. Jesus is with us. So, we can start today, too. The second verse of Church Hymn 450 is “We would be lost and rejected. But now a champion comes to fight, whom God himself elected. Jesus Christ, Lord of hosts.” Jesus is with us! So, we are not afraid of anything.

Today, we have learnt from the Psalm that God is always with us whatever may happen. Our everyday lives are not as usual. Storm and winds come to us. But God recognizes us righteous and is always with us. Let’s trust God and walk in faith this week, too!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Too Generous, Aren’t You? (Matthew 20:1-16)

September 20, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

There are some passages in the Bible which we find “How strange!” But they tell us about important messages in the Bible. Today’ s text from the Gospel of Matthew tells us about the parable of the workers in the vineyard. The landowner of the vineyard hired men to work in the vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

Strangely enough, the landowner went out four times and saw men standing in the marketplace, and hired them. He went out to the marketplace at nine o’clock in the morning, twelve at noon, three in the afternoon, and five in the evening. Though he knew that those who began to work at five had only one hour left, he hired them.

It seemed to us that the landowner wished to hire men so that no one might go home having no job.

When the evening came, the landowner did something strange again. He paid men their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going to the first. When those, who were hired first, saw that those who came last were paid each a denarius, they expected to receive more. But their wage was paid a denarius each. They began to grumble against the landowner. They said, “These men who were hired last worked only one hour, and you have made equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.”

It seemed to us that they rightly said. It was told that there was a similar story in the Jewish literature. According to it, those who came last were paid the same wages as those who came first. But those who came last were so able that their performance was equal to those who came first. So, their wages were paid on performance. This case seemed to us acceptable. But today’s text says nothing about it. Then, we think, “why?”

This parable is about the kingdom of heaven. When you think about the parable in terms of our daily systems such as entrance examination, payment based by the hour or performance etc., we cannot understand the meaning of the parable. Likewise, it is difficult for us to understand, according to worldly wisdom, that God receives us into the kingdom of heaven.

“A landowner” in today’s text means God. God goes out to invite us. Some people are ready to accept His invitation. But some other people fail to find His invitation soon. However, God continues to find them. He promises to pay workers a denarius for the day. The fourth verse of today’s text says, “You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” “I will pay you whatever is right” means God is just and righteous, and He will never do anything unjust. What matters here is you are invited to the vineyard. And your work performance (how many hours you work or not) is not considered. The parable of the kingdom of heaven teaches us that God gives us the righteousness by Jesus’ crucifixion—His grace alone.

If the order of giving wages had been reverse, no one would have complained. If men, who came first to the vineyard, had been paid a denarius of the day as promised, they would have been satisfied and came back home. They would have not known that those who came later also had been given a denarius of the day. But the landowner paid the same wage first to the workers who came last. Seeing that, those who received last grumbled against the landowner. Though we are given God’s grace abundantly, it would be changed into complaint against God, when you compare it one another. Jesus knows our weakness.

Before this parable was talked about, there was an incident in which the Pharisees, who strictly kept the law, had an argument with Jesus to try Jesus. They firmly believed that they worked for God from the morning and were quite different from the others. But Jesus invited tax collectors and people who were called ‘sinners.’ Those who were called first had complaint against Jesus, because He was equally merciful on those who came later. Jesus wanted to teach the Pharisees that God was merciful on everyone.

Then, how about us? Someone may think, “At what time am I worthy of receiving my landowner’ s invitation?”

You may interpret the parable as follows; a person is invited from early the morning on one occasion and, on another occasion, the same person is invited in the evening. We may experience a tough time as if we stood all day long doing nothing in the market place, and tasted our helplessness and weakness. But God is merciful on us so that no one might be left in the market. We may sometimes grumble and feel tired when we invite our neighbors in daily lives. We are likely to forget God’s grace poured on us. It is important for us to know that God’s love is poured alike on those who start their work at break of day, and God calls them “My friends!” God takes care of us, even when we are tired or grumble. God saves everyone equally. God’s love is so abundantly poured on us that we think “too generous.”

“Early in the morning” or “late in the evening” may mean the time of life. No one can know exactly his or her remaining period of own lives. Someone may think, “My life is about the middle.” However, the truth may be “the latter part of life.” We can never foresee the future. Last year we could not foresee the new coronavirus. Our lives may change greatly, as the last will be first, and the first will be last. But the parable tells us that God’s love is always poured on us. Even when we may suddenly enter into the latter part of life, standing bewildered, God’s love is poured on us.

　Entering into the vineyard means that we have met the landowner to support us. Let’s walk, hereafter, looking up God our Lord! God gives us whatever is right. God’s love is poured on us even when we are in the latter part of life. So, we trust God’s plan.

Let’s walk together this week, too, with the faith in God who has found us out!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Have Mercy On Your Fellow Servants Just As God Had On You（Matthew 18:21-35）

September 13, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

Jesus teaches us, “Forgive others” and “Do not Judge others.” But it is very difficult for us to forgive others. Even when I look back just last week, many cases clicked in my head. In some cases, I thought, “why should I forgive him/her?”

In other cases, I would not forgive myself. You may probably have various experiences that you would not accept yourselves in your lives.

It is told that Mother Teresa says, “People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.”

We see what you want to grumble at. Forgive them anyway. But you may argue back against us, saying, “Mother Teresa is a wonderful person. She is a saint, but it is impossible for an ordinary person like me to forgive them anyway.” Today’s text from the Gospel of Matthew tells that Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me.? Up to seven times?” Then, Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (18:21-22)

Jesus tells about a parable. It is the parable about one servant who owed his king ten thousand talents. Ten thousand talents are massive. It is equal to about 600 billion yen. The whole amount of the revenue of the Jewish country was 50 billion yen at that time. So, it was equal to more than ten times of the national revenue. It was so colossal that ordinary citizens could not imagine.

We could not imagine how the man, who owed the king such massive debt, lived as a servant of his master. The amount of his debt was so immeasurably huge that the man must have got out of touch with reality and could not recognize the amount of the debt. What matters here is that the Bible teaches us our sin is huge like that. Our sin is so great that we cannot recognize that we are incomplete and sinful before God.

According to the parable, the king, to begin with, ordered the servant to pay back the debt. But the amount was so massive that he could not pay back the debt to the king. Even when he had made strenuous effort to sell all his possessions, it would have been impossible for him. The parable says the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. It is told, as a matter of fact, that there was not such a law in Israel. Anyway, it was impossible for him to repay the debt.

Then, an unimaginable thing happened. The king canceled the debt. It meant that the king himself would incur the great damage. The motive was just “the master took pity on him.” Here, the Bible tells us how sinful we are before God. We owe God so much debt that we could not repay it, however greatly we might make effort. The forgiveness of our sin just depends on God’s pity on us.

But this parable does not yet end. It says nothing about his joy nor the gratitude to the king. On the contrary, the servant refused to have mercy on the man who owed the servant 100 denarii. The amount of 100 denarii is equal to one million yen. The amount of ten thousand talents is unimaginable to us, but 100 denarii is practical. In addition, the fellow servant begged him to be patient. But he did not have mercy on the debtor. God promises the kingdom of heaven to us, but we easily forget the promise, once we step into our real human relations. Jesus knows our weakness.

Then, what would Jesus teach us through the parable? It continues as follows.

“Then, the master called the servant in and said, ‘You wicked servant, I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’” (18:32-33)

It is not easy for us to forgive persons. Without God’s support on us, we cannot forgive them. But the parable tells us that God, first of all, has mercy on us. We are very sinful, but God has already forgiven us.

Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus said, “not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” The word -for-word translation of the Greek Bible is “I would not say ‘seven times’ at all. I say, ‘seventy-seven.’” “Seventy-seven times” means “limitless.”

Jesus teaches us to forgive our brothers heartily. It means that we are invited to forgive our brothers as the witness to God’s forgiveness to us. Forgiveness does never come out of our sinful hearts. We sometimes can never control our own hearts. But Jesus has forgiven us through his death on the cross. God teaches us to forgive our brothers on the basis of this God’s love.

What Jesus teaches us through the 18 chapter of Gospel of Matthew is that we shall not make each of little ones stumble. We are invited to live, believing God’s teaching of forgiveness. Though you may make various excuses for your claim, “Forgive them anyway.” Because you have already been forgiven.

We live in the world of “100 denarii,” though we have been forgiven in the world of “ten thousand talents.” We are apt to forget God’s grace soon, and we entirely worry about the world of “100 denarii.” Today’s text says, “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owed me!’ he demanded.” (18:28)

“Went out” deserves your greater attention. He went out of the world of “ten thousand talents,” and entered into the world of “100 denarii.” Just at the time, he forgot gratitude or joy. That is the reason why we are unable to link our faith with our daily lives. But this worship service ties us with the world of “ten thousand talents.” It gives us the heart of forgiving others.

We, as those who forgive one another, are sent from this worship to our daily lives. We are going to live as Jesus’ disciples in our office or home. “Forgive them anyway.” Let’s go forward, as those forgiven by God, with Jesus’ help this week, too!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

The Faith Jesus Admired (Matthew 15:21-28)

August16, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

We have had unusual summer this year because of the new coronavirus infection. We feel nervous when we hear the news. We live every day in anxiety. We have also other worries in our lives. We come to worship service to confess such matters to Jesus. Today’s text from Matthew tells us that a mother with an ill child came to Jesus.

“A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.’ Jesus did not answer a word.” (15:21-23)

When you read this, you probably become perplexed. We know many people who met Jesus were healed and saved. Why did Jesus not accede to the appeal of this woman? Jesus here was totally different from the picture of Jesus we have imagined.

We also similar experience in our lives. Even though we pray again and again, Jesus does not respond to our appeal soon. Some of you may experience that now. It seems to us that Jesus keeps now quiet.

　This woman was a foreigner. Judaism provided that foreigners should be far from salvation. But it is noteworthy that this woman here called Jesus “Lord, Son of David.” It meant that she confessed that Jesus was the Messiah, Lord of salvation. On the other hand, teachers of the law and the Pharisees, religious elites, did not believe Jesus. However, this woman, who was a foreigner and was in a weak position in the society, knew who Jesus was.

　Then, why did Jesus keep silence, and say, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel,” and “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs?”

　When Jesus sent his disciples for disseminating the good news, he said, “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.” (10:5-6) It was the reason that the salvation came from Israel and it was the fulfilment of the promise of the Old Testament. But teachers of the law and the Pharisees, who were supposed to be the sheep of Israel, did not believe Jesus. The children did not receive the bread of grace, and the bread fell from the table. Jesus grieved over the situation. Jesus might have thought that his miraculous work could not be performed here. Today’s text shows two things. One is God was always faithful to the Israel, but the Israel did not receive the grace of God. The other is that Jesus did not abandon the appeal of the foreigner and His grace would extend to everyone.

　Jesus said to the woman, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” But she did not give up. She said, “Yes Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbles that fall from their masters’ table.” (15:27)

The Canaanite woman believed that Jesus was also her master. So, she appealed to Jesus so that she wanted to receive the crumbles that fell from her master’s table. Then, Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” (15:28)

Thus, today’s text teaches us that the salvation of Jesus, who is the Lord of all human beings, is given to all whether Jews or foreigners.

What does it mean that Jesus’ salvation is given to all whether Jews or foreigners? It means that we follow Jesus and we receive with trust what the Lord does. According to Martin Luther, it is giving God justice.

When you read the text at first, you must have had impression that Jesus was cold. But at that time, you would be about to make God follow you. You expect Jesus to do in your own way. It is our sin to try to make God work in our own way.

But, when Jesus refused her request, this woman said, “Yes, Lord.”

She knew that she was not worthy of receiving Jesus’ compassion. The first point of teaching of the Bible is that we should be humble before God and believe Jesus as your Lord.

She clung to Jesus for mercy. That was wrestling with God. Though she knew that she was unworthy of Jesus’ mercy, she had no one except Jesus to depend on. So, she could not withdraw from Jesus. She continued to cry, “Lord, pity me!” “Lord, help me!” This was her prayer. The 32 chapter of Genesis tells us that Jacob wrestled with God till daybreak, and finally made God bless him. God gave Jacob a new name, Israel. Israel means a man who wrestles with God. This became the name of the Jewish people. We who believe Jesus are called new Israel. We cling to Jesus for his bless in our prayer. Though the teachers of the law and the Pharisees did not believe Jesus, the Canaanite woman called Jesus as the Messiah, and clung to him for mercy, and she became a new Israel.

We, new Israel, are allowed to pray to Jesus “Lord, help me!” in suffering. Jesus will give his mercy to all. Today’s text tells us that the woman’s request was granted, not that it was refused. It is not taken for granted that our prayer is answered. This is God’s grace which is given to those who are essentially unworthy of it. Our faith is that we believe God loves us and He gives us His grace. Even when it seems us that God will not answer to our prayer, He will never abandon us. That is the very time you trust God and cry “Lord, help me!”

This woman said, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” However, we eat the bread of Jesus who died for us, not the crumbs that fall from the table. Now we are obliged to hold back the Communion service. But the Lord’s Supper service is the sign of the promise given by Jesus that we will surely enter the kingdom of heaven. Through the Sacrament, we are given the promise that we will never be abandoned. We are essentially “dogs” but are permitted to pray to God, “Our Father.”

We have had uneasy lives this summer. But God gives us compassion on our world. God loves us, gives us grace, and helps us. So, we continue to pray “Lord, help us.”

Let’s believe that God will surely help us, and go forward this week, too!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

God Provides (Matthew 14:13-21)

August 2, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

This summer is different from an ordinary one. We now live under various social restrictions because of prevention of the coronavirus infection. We are very afraid of the infection each time we hear the news. But surely God is working on us in our everyday lives.

Today’s text from the Gospel of Matthew tells that when Jesus heard John was killed by Herod, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Some people believed that Jesus was one of John’ s disciples. So, it turned to be difficult for Jesus to continue his work. But even in such situation, God’s work went forward.

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” (14:13)

We have recited the Kyrie in the worship. “God, the Creator have mercy; Christ, the Redeemer have mercy; The Holy Spirit, the Comforter have mercy.” We are the same of the crowd. We now cry, “God have mercy,” facing the prevalent coronavirus. Jesus has compassion on us. His compassion is the start of his healing and works. What do you want now? We want the comfort to the world. We want the wisdom for development of the vaccine and effective measures. We want security and peace in mind. We want heart to love one another and to serve one another, not criticize nor judge one another. We want Jesus to help those who are now in trouble and anxiety. The crowd wanted Jesus’ help.

Today’s text says, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” (14:14) ‘Healed their sick’ means not only getting rid of the illness, but also restoring our relationship with God so that we may restart to live in faith. God takes care of us when we have physical and mental pain. Heal here also means ‘serve’ and stands for Jesus’ salvation.

I am now reading “The Plague” by Albert Camus. Main character is a doctor. He works hard when the plague becomes prevalent. People live under social restrictions like us. The doctor is skeptical about the religion in terms of institution and organization. But he thinks that healing matters before discussing the truth. Scholars in the Bible discuss the truth, but first Jesus has compassion on people and begins to take care of them. This is healing.

Then, how is his compassion delivered to them?

In the evening Jesus told his disciples to give the crowd something to eat. But the disciples thought it was impossible. They say, “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish.” (14:17)

They thought that they could not deal with this matter at all in the present situation. They were so powerless. The number of the crowd was about to more than five thousand men. When you include women and children, the number of the crowd by far exceeds the five thousand.

But this reminds us of the harsh reality we are now facing. Our society as a whole is now in suffering. Someone says, “All the people in a society as a whole are the victims of the prevalent coronavirus.” We have usually watched the news as bystanders up to now. But now we hear the news as those concerned. Now our daily lives are deeply affected by the news. And we think what we should do about the situation, and we are likely to think of littleness of human beings. We say, “This is all that I can do.”

The disciples say, “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish.” But Jesus just says, “Bring them here to me.” We, believing Jesus, leave the matter to him. And his miraculous work took place. “Taking the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.” (14:18-21)

If the disciple had not brought the five loaves of bread and two fish to Jesus, no miracle would have taken place. “This is the only thing that is left” in terms of human beings’ use. But Jesus changes it into the thing that is full of compassion and care. We ourselves may be little like no more than small loaves of bread, but if we pray that little beings may be used for Jesus’ plan, our work will be filled with compassion and care.

In the Old Testament, there are some stories that Elijah or Elisha, the prophets, did miraculous things. Elisha divided small loaves of bread among one hundred people, yet that wheat and oil left over ever remained. (2Kings 4:42-44)

The miracle was a sign that the prophets were sent by God. Though Jewish people knew the stories well, they had never thought that those stories were related to those who were living then. But the incident in today’s text made them understand that the miracles they had known through the Old Testament happened “just now before our eyes.” The miracles will also take place now before our eyes.

Jesus has compassion on our world and takes care of us. Therefore, with trust in Jesus, we should perform our works before our eyes.

The doctor of “the Plague” says, “The best way to cope with the plague is honesty.” “In my case it is to perform my duty.”

We are very small like five loaves of bread and two fish before the gigantic power of the coronavirus which is attacking us. But we should perform our daily works for God such as house works, office works and various volunteer activities. God will use those works for the world.

Therefore, though we are weak in fear of the coronavirus, let’s go forward with trust in Jesus this week, too! Jesus has compassion upon us. God’s work is always going in spite of our fear and anxiety. Let’s march forward with trust in God!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Until the Harvest (Mathew 13:24-30)

July 19, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

2020 is so grave year that it has surpassed all imagination. We have met with the disaster of new coronavirus infection. We surely have such a severe trial in the world. What message does the Bible tell us now?

Today’s text from the Gospel of Matthew tells us about the parable that weeds were sowed secretly in the field, though good seeds had been sowed. It is told that there was in Palestine a way of letting wheat and weeds grow together until the harvest. Because pulling the weeds in earlier time may root up the wheat with them. The important thing is that Jesus says about the parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field…” The kingdom of heaven is not only the place where we are going after we end our lives on earth, but also starts to exist in us since Jesus came to us.

　The parable here tells us that the devil exists in this world. We have sins, evils, and suffering in this world. The devil or Satan exists in the world so that he may keep us from God.

Why does the Satan exist in the world which God created as good? Why do evil and suffering exist in the world? “Did you sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did weeds come from?” The Bible does not explain the reason well. The evil or Satan is, in essence, inexplainable. But it exists in the world. The Bible tells us how we should face up to it. The way is trusting God, and asking God for help so that we may overcome the evil. The Bible teaches us that the evil will be finally perished by God.

　The parable teaches us that we should be patient until the harvest. Though we do not understand why such trouble occurs, we just wait with trust in God.

The parable tells us that God loves us deeply and takes good care of us. The reason why the owner waits until the harvest is that the wheat might never be rooted up with weeds. Here we see the owner’s love. We cannot distinguish accurately good wheat and the weeds. We should not make a rash judgement on a person whether he or she belongs to the weeds or not. Judgement is entrusted to Jesus alone. The parable just tells us that Jesus sows good seed.

Then why does today’s text tell us, “The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their of their Father?” What is the righteous? The righteous is a person who has been made righteous by Jesus. Though we are weak and sinful, we have been made righteous by the cross of Jesus. As the baptismal liturgy teaches us, we are born sinful but are newly reborn by baptism as sons of God or good wheats. Jesus tells us that we will shine like the sun in the kingdom of God. Though there is the power of the evil in the world and we may face suffering, Jesus teaches us to be patient and believe God. The harvest will surely come. This is the whole story of the parable.

　Then, how should we live with trust in God? In the Jewish history the kingdom of Judah once perished, and the main people were taken away as captives to the Babylonia. This was called the Babylonian captivity. A theologian calls our present condition as “the Coronavirus captivity.” We cannot see far into the future now, and we live under various social restrictions. We now live in the limitless trial. In the time of Jeremiah, many false prophets appeared. They told the people that the trial would end soon and they would be freed from the captivity. The people were likely to believe the false prophets.

　But the prophet Jeremiah told the people God’s words. The chapter 29 of Jeremiah carries his letter. He told the people that the trial would continue for some time and they would not be released soon. So, he urged them to accept the reality they were facing without resignation, and to perform what you should do faithfully with patience. He advised them to build houses and settle down in Babylon; plant gardens and eat what they produce; keep their families. Jeremiah advised them to seek the peace and prosperity of the foreign city. He presupposed that the trial would continue for more time. But he urged them not to lose their hope, neither to fear the authority. He advised them to trust in God and pray to the Lord for the city.

It is the same of us. We should do what we can do now and pray for the society in the very time of trial. Jeremiah told the people, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Hope and a future are in the God’s plan which transcends all human understanding. Today, Jesus has promised us that the harvest time will surely come to us. Though undesirable incidents, suffering and trials are likely to occur in our world, we believe that God sows the good seed and reaps it at the harvest. God’s plan gives us hope and a future.

According to the chapter 32 of Jeremiah, when Jeremiah knew that Judea would perish soon, he bought the field, though almost all the people were about to escape, because the neo-Babylonian army surrounded Jerusalem. The people must have thought that Jeremiah had wasted money. But he thought that in due course the people would resume to buy fields in this land. His behavior symbolized his conviction that God would never abandon the people in the trial.

　Surely, we are often at a loss as to what to do in time of tough trial. We are apt to think that we have no ways or measures to overcome it. But the harvest surely comes. So, let’s trust in God and live daily lives with faith! This is the way which leads to our future and hope.

Jesus promises that we will shine like the sun in the kingdom of God. So, let’s go forward this week, praying for the people in suffering in the world!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Receive (Matthew 10:40-42)

June 28, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

“He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.” (10:40)

　This is Jesus’ message which was said to the twelve disciples. They were about to be sent for their journey which was supposed to be followed by much troubles and persecutions. Their journey resembles our lives now. And it is just like the situation in which Hongo church is put. Today we are also keeping worship service limiting members’ attendance for prevention of coronavirus infection. Today’s text from the Gospel of Matthew tells us that God takes care of us even in a tough situation.

“Receive” is repeated in Jesus’ message. The disciples were sent by Jesus. Receiving them means receiving Jesus, and receiving God. That is to say, the disciples are linked to Jesus and to God who sent Jesus. They were not faultless. They were weak, common, and unreliable. They were apt to fail. But Jesus sent them to the people as his disciples. For they had been forgiven and received by God. It was the starting point of their journey.

The same is true of us. We are weak and sinful. Particularly so am I. But today’s text tells us that we are surely received by God. Our church is now managed to go in trial and error. But God surely receives our church, too.

However, “receiving” is rather difficult for us. For example, it is difficult for us to receive others. It is really hard for us to receive different opinions with love. We cannot receive unexpected situations that often take place in our everyday lives. Surely “receiving” is difficult for us.

Jesus says, “He who receives you.” But do we receive ourselves? It is sometimes difficult for us to receive what we have done and what we are now doing. We often complain of various troubles we face. The twelve disciples might also have had such experience, thinking why their journey was followed by so many hardships. But that was the very situation in which they walked as Jesus’ disciples. Their suffering was on behalf of Jesus. When we receive ourselves as Jesus’ disciples, we can receive our own ways. Though it is difficult for us to receive ourselves, it is to receive ourselves as Jesus’ disciples that we receive God and believe in God.

Today, confirmation and moving-in ceremony are going to be held. A lady who is going to receive confirmation has chosen Mary Andrew as her Christian name. Mary is the name of Jesus’ mother who had hardly received her pregnancy becoming the mother of the Son of God. It also meant her subsequent trial at that time in the Jewish society. Christmas teaches us that God is with us, when we are greatly troubled with an incident that we can hardly receive.

Mary answered, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38)

　It is difficult for us to receive an incident that we suddenly encounter. But she said, “May it be to me.” Because Mary believed that God was with her, and that God’s power would work on her. The lady has chosen “Mary” so that she might devote her life to God in faith.

She also has chosen “Andrew,” because she respects Andrew who brought his brother Simon Peter to Jesus. She thinks much of the role.

Today’s text tells us about Jesus’ promise that he will never abandon his disciples, even if they may be little.

“If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciples, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.” (10:42)

To tell the truth, one of the themes of the Gospel of Matthew is “little.” Jesus says, “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones.” (18:10) And he says, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (18:3) He will not abandon the disciples who have little faith. When Peter was about to be drowned in the lake, Jesus saved him, saying, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” The Gospel of Matthew tells repeatedly that Jesus pays his attention to little people with weak faith. Today’s text never says that God will reward people who perform something wonderful as Jesus’ disciples. Jesus says that God will reward even anyone who takes care of his disciples just because they were Jesus’ disciples. God surely takes care of little ones.

We continue to live as Jesus’ disciples. We may be troubled with much difficulty. We are little and weak ones. But God always takes care of us. We are received by God. “Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” (Psalm 126:5) Now we may be weeping, carrying seed to sow. But God will never abandon us. We will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with us.

Let’s go forward with faith in Jesus this week, too!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Jesus’ Compassion (Matthew 9:35-10:8)

June 14, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

Have you ever experienced that you were harassed, could not pray, and just cried, “God, help me!” This is the Kyrie “Lord have mercy!” in the worship of the Lutheran church. Today’s text from Matthew tells that Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. (9:35) The important words from today’s text is “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd.” (9:36)

When you read it, you may probably think that you are just “harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd.” When Jesus went through all the towns and villages, he knew that people were withered, tired, and helpless. We are just like them. We do not know what we should rely on.

Today’s text tells us what is the good news. When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them. The Greek word of compassion means not just pity but so deep sympathy that one’s bowels are twisted. This word appears only in the Gospels. When Jesus saw people in suffering and had compassion on them, he performed miracles. In the parable of the prodigal son, his father saw him, while he was still a long way off, and was filled with compassion for him. And a wonder took place. His father ran to his son and threw his arms around him and kissed him. Jesus stands for the compassion. The first point of today’s text from Matthew is that Jesus sees us, who are harassed like sheep without a shepherd, has compassion on us.

The second point of today’s text is that Jesus sees us, who are harassed, and let us stand up.

Mathew, tax collector, was one of the twelve disciples Jesus selected. The Gospel of Matthew 9:9 tells us how he followed Jesus. Matthew did not come to listen to Jesus. But Jesus called him. When we are about to go away from God, Jesus keeps his eye on us, and continue to call us.

Matthew was a tax collector. Israel was a colony of the Roman Empire. The Jewish people groaned under heavy taxes. The tax collectors were called sinners, hated and despised by the people, though they were also Jewish. Those tax collectors must have been distressed in their lives. Matthew was sitting at the table of the tax collector’s office. The Greek word of “Sitting” here means “unable to stand up.” Matthew was sitting in the midst of people’s derision.

But Jesus kept his eye on Matthew. Jesus takes notice of us in our daily lives, when we hardly expect him to be aware of us. When Jesus said to Matthew, “Follow me,” he got up and followed him. When we read this passage, we are apt to think why he followed promptly, or whether he had any doubt or hesitation. But there is no explanation at all. The important point here is that Jesus looked at him, and called him. When we are tired and harassed, Jesus takes notice of us, and calls us.

When Jesus called to Matthew, the Bible tells us that he stood up. The Greek word of “Stand up” here means “resurrect.” Matthew, who had been sitting like a sheep without a shepherd, stood up and started to walk under the shepherd of Jesus. The second point of today’s text is that Jesus sees us, who are harassed, and let us stand up.

The third point of the text is that what it means to believe in Jesus and start to go forward. Jesus selected the twelve disciples. They were not particularly talented. Their ages were diverse. They were sheep who were tired and withered. But Jesus gave his power to each of them in order to tell people about Jesus’ compassion. Jesus makes each of us send his compassion to the world in suffering.

Jesus sent out the twelve disciples including Matthew for the journey. And he said to them, “Freely you have received, freely give. Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.” (10:9-10)

The disciples must have needed pretty courage for them to obey his instructions. To tell the truth, it is told that there were various touring preachers of Judaism or other religions at the time. In the Jewish towns, there were some people who always took care of travelers and preachers concerning foods and clothes. So, the disciples could continue their journey without money or extra tunic. Jesus does not deny that we now have some money or belongings, but he emphasizes what we should rely on in our lives. Jesus says to us, “you should rely on God, not on your power nor material things.” At any rate his instructions to the disciples were severe, even if there were some people who took care of them. Those instructions must have been a tough trial to Matthew, too. The disciples could have been unable to go for the journey, if they had no firm belief in Jesus. It is our decision to trust Jesus that we, harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd, believe in Jesus and start to go forward with Jesus, our shepherd.

Jesus’ instruction to the disciples was his promise that he would never abandon them. Briefly speaking, he told them that God should be reliable, and would give what they would need. After a while Jesus asked the disciples, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” They answered, “Nothing.” (Luke 22:35, 36)

Our daily lives look like our journey with belief in Jesus. We, like weak sheep, are unable to see through to the future in time of suffering. But God is surely ready for us. The third point of today’s text is that believing Jesus is trusting God’s guidance and provision for us.

　I once took care of teaching the Bible at the lifelong seminar sponsored by a newspaper. An attendant to the seminar came to church later. In a due course of time, she was baptized, and bore witness to her faith. She said, “My family was not Christian, but I attended a missionary school, and studied the Bible. The teachings of the Bible supported my life even after finishing the school. When I was about forty years old, my husband died, and I fell into a serious disease. I gradually went away from Christianity. I was always troubled and felt futility of life. I was disappointed at myself.”

　She was harassed and helpless. But she continued to say, “I happened to know the Bible seminar. I remembered that Jesus was crucified to save us, and we were forgiven by Him.” “I knew, through learning the book of Job, that our suffering was not the result of God’s punishment, and God would never abandon us. Then, I have accepted Jesus as the Savior. Though I went a long way around, I am now going to live with the faith in God for my remaining life.” Through her witness we know Jesus has kept constant eye on her to call her.

Today’s text tells us as follows:

① Jesus sees us, who are harassed like sheep without shepherd, has compassion on us.　

② Jesus sees us, who are harassed, and let us stand up.

③ believing Jesus is trusting God’s guidance and provision for us. And though we are little beings, each of us comes to stand for Jesus’ compassion.

Matthew, who followed Jesus, became his disciple to disseminate Jesus’ consolation to people. Jesus is also working for our church. His compassion is poured on the people of the world. Though we ourselves are powerless, we are supported by Jesus and given the way to go.

Let’s go forward this week too, just as the disciples went for their journey with firm belief in Jesus!

Let’s pray for people in suffering in the world!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Salvation Starts from Here (Acts 2:1-21)

May 31, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

Last week the declaration of Emergency State was lifted in Tokyo, too. But, from now on, we will have more serious situation. We have to be more careful about running our church after this lifting. As far as our church is concerned, we will still continue worship at home for a little while. One church member said to me, “It is for the first time in the history of the Hongo church that we cannot have worship service nor meeting at the chapel.” The member continued to say, “But, each Sunday we have worship at our own house, listening to pastor’s sermon on YouTube. This is another new experience.” Today’s text from the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles refers to Joel, the Old Testament. It says, “Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers?” (Joel 1:2)

When Joel worked as a prophet, large disasters continued to happen in Israel. It suffered from major damages caused by great locusts. Large amounts of grains for tens of thousands of people were eaten up just for a few hours by the outbreaks of great locusts, which darkened the sky, in the Africa and the Middle East. This year some African countries suffered from the outbreaks of locusts so much that they declared state of emergency.

When Joel lived, Israel suffered from drought after outbreaks of locusts. It was also attacked by large-scale fire. People were struck with horror. They thought that the end of the world was near. The book of Joel records his messages as a prophet. His messages were made not only in the great disasters but also after those disasters were going to pass. People were restoring their lives little by little and groped for new way of life, even though they had sorrow and sense of loss. In those situations, they listened to Joel. It also tells us, as we are going to grope for new way of life in coronavirus infection. It is difficult for us to come together for worship. Even if we come together for worship, the style of worship will be different from ordinary worship because of prevention of coronavirus infection. Worship will be performed in a short time, and social distance will be observed. We will sing hymns to ourselves, and liturgy will be shortened. Some of us may look back to our previous style, and miss it.

But, Joel says, “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” (Joel 2:28)

Here we know that God will never abandon us in time of suffering. God will watch us carefully and encourage us. In time of the Old Testament it was considered that God pours His Spirit only on the chosen people. But Joel tells us that God would pour out His Spirit on all people. God promises solidarity with us, and He will always with us. And none will be left out of the salvation. God is always with us, when we are at home or about to start new lives.

The Bible tells that those who God pours the Spirit will prophesy, dream, and see visions. Dreams or visions are used when God shows His plan to people. For example, we think of Joseph in the Book of Genesis. Prophesy is the words God trusted to the people through His Spirit. People, who are smothered in a sense of helplessness, know God’s words, and are able to stand up. And they can walk step by step and do what they can do now. We are embarrassed now rather than we have visions in the future. But Joel tells us that we will be supported by God and we will be able to have hope to live. The time is when God pours the Spirit on us.

“The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved;” (Joel 2:31-32)

The Bible emphasizes here not that the terrible things will happen at the end of the world, but that God’s salvation will be made clear, even though we will undergo severe trials. God will never abandon us. It is the promise that God pours the Spirit on us. The people of Israel believed the promise, and they began to walk.

In a few hundred years after Joel made the promise, his promise came true to Jesus’ disciples. They watched Jesus’ crucifixion, and stayed home. They lost their confidence to live, and were at a loss. But God never abandoned them, as Joel said to the people.

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.” (Acts 2:1-3)

Jesus said to his disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;” (Acts 1:8) God is always with us and supports us, even when we face impasse, and are discouraged. Though the disciples had been discouraged, they began to speak to the people around them. This is the reason why Pentecost is the birthday of the church.

It is important to know what the disciples spoke in various languages.

They spoke about “the wonders of God.” What Peter spoke about was written in the second chapter of the Acts. Peter said, “God has raised this Jesus to life,” (32) and “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins.” (38) This is the very thing of the evangel that the church has preached thereafter. It is important not only that the disciples were given supernatural power by the Holy Spirit but that they started to tell that Jesus was the Messiah, the Savior. We face unexpected things in our lives, but we have believed in Jesus and trusted him. We will also do in the future.

When I was in charge of the church in Kumamoto, a junior high school student attended church. She came to church for the first time. She attended church the following week too. In due course she was baptized. I wanted to know what appeal the church had to make her come to church. When she was baptized, she said to me, “I didn’t know worship at all but I found my heart comforted when I was on my way home. It was a mysterious experience. I felt purged of stress.” This is the power of the Holy Spirit. She continued to say, “When I felt blue because of school or family, I experienced that God told me in various ways. I was healed through reading the Bible. My prayer was answered. It was “Halleluiah!” to me. So, I decided to leave my worries to God and to believe in Jesus. I found my heart completely changed after I became a Christian. Even if I was troubled and felt hopeless, I could believe God was with me, and God would never abandon me.” The Holy Spirit makes us believe that Jesus is the Messiah.

The promise, that the Prophet Joel made to the Israel people, was God would never abandon us, and never abandon this world. God reveals His plan through the Holy Spirit. God tells about the promise to the disciples, churches, the people all over the world, and now to us.

Our church is unable to be together now. Even if we will come together, worship manners might be different from before. We might worry what would become of church mission in the future. Could we have vision or dream in the future?

You are all right! When the Holy Spirit is poured on us, we are able to have a new vision or dream. Though it might be different from before, God will surely show us a new plan. Jewish people, in the age of the Old Testament, who travelled in the deserts complained that they were better in Egypt, but Moses, their leader, went forward to Canaan, the promised land. In due course they attained their growth. The situation is the same with us. Though we miss our previous situation, we, with God’s Spirit given, will go forward toward the kingdom of Heaven.

Joel’s promise came true. Now God’s Spirit is poured on us, and our hope and plan in the future will be given us. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Acts 2:21)

Trusting this message, let’s celebrate the Pentecost! Let’s go forward this week with the help of the Holy Spirit!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Do not let your hearts be troubled (John 14:1-14)

May 10, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

Today’s text from John tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1) We let our hearts be troubled with various things including daily worries, works, and human relations. Today’s text from Matthew gives us consolation and encouragement.

Jesus told his words to the disciples just after the last supper, on the night before he was going to be crucified. It was just after Juda, one of the disciples, went out. Jesus told about his crucifixion just when he was going to be arrested. He knew that no disciples would follow him and they all would leave him alone. Properly speaking, Jesus was put in the situation where his hearts would have been most troubled.

The disciples did not understand the meaning of what Jesus said. They were disturbed at what he had said. So, Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God.”

We also occasionally take our cross. Jesus says to us, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34) What do you mean by “take up his cross?” We often tell that taking up our own cross means our suffering, burden or illness in our lives. That’ s right. But our own cross has another meaning. It is what we carry on our own back when we follow Jesus. As Jesus carried the cross to forgive our sins, we also have something to carry on our own back for God. Our life in faith sometimes good or sometimes bad. We are likely to become tired or have a hard time when we serve God. Have you ever thought why we have much trouble in our life in faith? We have trouble when we follow Jesus on his way to his cross. So, Jesus understands our situation. We must not forget the cross of Jesus leads to his resurrection. Jesus calls us to believe in him. The reason why Jesus says to us, “Believe in me” is not that we will have no trouble if we believe in him, but “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.” What does it mean? We think of the kingdom of heaven after we end our lives on earth, when we hear “dwelling places in Father’s house.” It means not only the kingdom of heaven, but also our relationship with God. “Dwelling place” means that we remain in God or that Jesus is with us. God has room to receive you, when your hearts are troubled or you are ill at ease. You may leave what you are to God.

But we are occasionally unable to believe in God, when we have much trouble before our eyes. Today’s text tells us about Thomas who did not know where Jesus was going. He said, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” He was eager to know what he should do at this moment rather than the dwelling in Heaven. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7)

What matters here is that Jesus does not show us our way to go here and there in our daily lives. Jesus said, “I am the way.” In other words, it is your way that you believe in Jesus and live with him.

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Surely, we wish God to show his power and give us his answer directly, when our hearts are now troubled. But Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘show us the Father’?” (John 14:9) Briefly speaking, we can know God through Jesus. We can know God, when we believe in Jesus. Jesus continued to say to Philip, “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.” (John 14:11)

Jesus says to us, “If you do not believe me, look at my works.” His works means his crucifixion and resurrection. Everyone thought that all things ended, when Jesus was crucified. Jesus cried on his cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” But the Bible tells us what happened after that. Jesus was raised on the third day and showed God’s victory. God shows the new way even through the crucifixion. This is the sign that shows Jesus is God who has power to save us.

When I read this paragraph of the Bible, I think of the period of preparation for going to study abroad. It was just after the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011. JELC established the support center “Japan Lutheran Emergency Relief (JLER) -the Lutheran Neighbors” in Sendai Lutheran Church. I applied for the pastoral work of the church for a certain period. My support work just after the Earthquake was a process of trial and error. I met with people who had had harsh experiences. I came back to Kumamoto after the period. What I had in mind at the time was a sense of powerlessness and a feeling of guiltiness of leaving the disaster-stricken area. My sermon just after coming back was on the today’s text from John. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” Frankly speaking, it seemed to be impossible to let my hearts be at ease. But I gradually realized that the very thing that I believe in Jesus was my way to go, even if I could not see the way. Jesus, who proceeded from the cross to the resurrection, is with us.

Jesus says to us, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)

This is the promise that Jesus gives to us. Then, Jesus says to us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1)

Your prayers being answered is not having everything your own way, nor moving God as you please. It is important for you to obey God’s plan. You should believe in God. God hears your prayers, and leads you better. So, trust in God and follow Him. God helps you, when your hearts are troubled.

When Christian churches were born, there was no term like “Christians.” Those who believed in Jesus were called “those who follow this way,” or “those who walk on the way of Jesus.” This way leads to the resurrection through the cross, even if we cannot see it. Therefore, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.”

This is Jesus’ calling to us. When we lose our way, what you should do is to believe in Jesus and follow him.

Let’s believe in God and start to walk, just when your hearts are troubled!

Let’s spend this week, believing that our prayers will be answered!

Let’s pray for those who are now suffering, and walk with them!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

To You Who Are Looking Sad (Luke 24:13-35)

April 26, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

How do you look like now? Some of you are looking sad, aren’t you? We are troubled with news every day.

Last week I watched the three-minute video, produced by the Japanese Red Cross Society, titled “Something that will come after the coronavirus.” Some of you must have watched it. Our society is about to be covered in a veil of terror that may be more dreadful than the coronavirus. The JRCS tells that the terror caused by the infectious disease is not only the terror of the illness but also the prevalence of fear and discrimination. This DVD shows our terror is increasing when we collect various information by our own smart phone or PC every day. Someone says, “We are helpless,” when we cannot see nothing ahead. Others whisper, “Someone conceals the truth,” when we know nothing about the virus. This fear contaminates the people around, and increases rumors, attacks, splitting, and discrimination. Then, what should we do? The DVD tells us that it is important for us not to feed the terror. We should not swallow uncertain information but think about it for ourselves. We should carefully examine what are the reasons behind rumors, attacks and discrimination. It’s better to do what the terror dislikes. It is for you to smile and perform your daily routine work. What matters is to do your daily work carefully, and encourage one another, not criticize one another. And it is important for you to know the virus rightly, and to fear it rightly.

Now we look sad every day in this trial. We are apt to be edgy and to speak ill of others. Today’s text from Luke tells that the present situation is just the same as Jesus’ disciples were put.

Today’s text says, two of the disciples “talking with each other about all the things that happened,” (24:14) and “While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came…” (24:15) The Greek word translated “discuss” here may mean ‘quarrel violently,’ or ‘look for the criminal.’

“They stood still, looking sad.” (24:17) They were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. They discussed Jesus’ arrest and his crucifixion. They had already known Jesus’ resurrection. But they were looking sad. They were filled with terror so much that Jesus’ resurrection might not be related to their faith. However, Jesus came near to them and went with them. Today’s text of Luke says, “While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” (24:15)

My friends! Even when we are not recognizing Jesus, he comes near to us and walking with us. Though we are filled with fear every day, he is already with us. Two disciples did not recognize Jesus. Strangely speaking, they were discussing all the things that had happened, but they did not recognize Jesus. “Their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” How dull our senses are!

There are many things that we cannot see what we should recognize. Though we have been given care and graces, we are not aware of them, and are apt to grumble. Surely, we become uneasy about the news every day, and are worried about the newest data on the infection. This is our reality that we should realize. Though we are in fear and worry, the Bible tells us another truth that Jesus has been already with us and is walking with us. According to today’s text from Luke, Jesus says to the two disciples, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” (24:25-26)

The core of the Bible that Jesus taught them is that the Savior Christ is the Messiah who should receive the suffering on the cross and then enter into His glory. The Messiah whom the disciples had expected was the hero who should free the Israel from the Roman Empire. They intended to join the independence movement with Jesus as its leader. But Jesus told that he was going to suffer on the cross to give us the forgiveness for our sins. Likewise, we will face the trial on the way to follow Jesus. But when Jesus goes with us, he surely gives us hope. The Savior Christ will save the people in the world that God created. God loves the human beings. He will never abandon us. He showed us the truth through Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.

When do we know the truth? Today’s text from Luke says, “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.” (24:20-21)

Strangely enough, Jesus, who supposed to be the guest in the house, blessed and broke the bread as the host. This is the same with our worship, in which we have a sermon on the Bible, a prayer of praise, and the Lord’s Supper service. So, we know Jesus is with us even when we look sad in face of the suffering. And the disciples recognized Jesus. They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” (24:32)

The disciples, who did nothing but talking with each other in worry every day, met Jesus in the worship service. We are given comfort and encouragement in worship so that we may love one another. Jesus lives in us, and leads our lives as our leader. We are given such grace in the Lord’s Supper service.

I have individual bible study preparing for baptism with five people till last March, though we are obliged to have a break now because of prevention of coronavirus infection. While we studied, a member referred to the Sacrament. The member just saw a family member off to the Heaven. When the Lord’s Supper takes place in our church, members come forward and stand side by side making a semicircle before the Holy Table. To tell the truth, another semicircle is formed before the opposite side of the Table. There, our church members who have already been called to the Heaven are making a line. We stand around the Table together. The Hongo church members on earth and in heaven enjoy the Lord’s Supper. We are all saved and are making one family. The resurrection comes after the crucifixion. The hope of eternal life comes after the suffering on earth. We surely are going to meet the people who have already been called to the Heaven. The Lord’s Supper anticipates the celebratory dinner in the Heaven. When I talked about the Lord’s Supper to the person, sheshed tears, and said, “I am very glad to hear the explanation, and have been comforted.

I am looking forward to the Sacrament. Let’s wait a little longer! Our hearts have been already burning. Because Jesus goes with us, and gives us his message.

When they recognized Jesus, he vanished from their sight. It seems to us strange. When they saw him, they did not recognize hm. But when they recognized him, he vanished from their sight. The Bible tells us that the disciples themselves did not understand Jesus at first. The twelve disciples, then eleven, who had lived under the same roof with Jesus, could not recognize him. Without believing in him, we could not recognize the resurrected Jesus. On the contrary, we could know Jesus in our faith without seeing him. We are given this faith in today’s worship. The Bible tells us that Jesus is walking with us now, even if we are unable to see him. We gaze Jesus on the cross and his resurrection instead of seeing him with our eyes. We are now following him on his way

Though we cannot attend together to church, Jesus gives us comfort, encouragement, and love at our own home. Jesus surely leads us every day, when we are looking sad. Jesus lives and walk with us on the journey through life. He is the best companion.

Let’s start to walk with our heats burning within us! The Messiah who should suffer and enter into his glory, our Lord Jesus, surely will lead us to the hope of life. Let’s spend this week, praying for healing the world, and loving one another as witnesses to Jesus who is alive!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Peace Be with You! (John 20:19-31)

April 19, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

Last week we kept Easter worship at your own house. How have you spent one week after Easter? We experience various things every day. We have anxiety and fear when we live. Resurrected Jesus tells us today what it is for us to live.

Today’s text from the Gospel of John tells us, “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19)

The disciples had already heard about resurrection of Jesus from Mary who met Him. But they locked the doors for fear of the Jews. This was a realistic description of their situation. They were just like us. I want you to pay attention to the word “the disciples.”

The Greek word means all the people who follow Jesus, not limiting to the twelve disciples. It means all the people who have followed Jesus through the ages. It includes us, too. We are refraining from going out. Some of us dare to go out for work. Today’s text says, “Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

The first thing that today’s text tells us about is Jesus is here now. I now live in the place which is filled with worries and fears. My living room is a mess. My kid is shouting. So, I open my pc at the corner of the dark room. Some of us are doing their hard work at their offices, worrying about infections by coronavirus. Jesus is yet at the midst of those places.

The second thing that today’s text tells us about is Jesus gives us peace wherever we are.

Jesus said, “Peace be with you!” This is what we use in our greeting. But Jesus once said to us, “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.” (John 14:27)

The peace resurrected Jesus gives us is not a temporary solace which human beings often give one another. It is Jesus’ blessing which gives us the true peace. Far from peace, we are now worried about conflicts every day. We hear much news about struggles against coronavirus all over the world. The epidemic has been giving a tremendous impact on the medical service, economic activities and welfare. It is deeply affecting our daily lives every day. But Jesus gives us peace in our hearts. The peace is based on the truth of his resurrection. God gave Jesus his resurrection from the cross. So, God will never abandon us. God loves the world. God surely helps us. So, Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

The third thing that today’s text tells us about is that Jesus gives us not only peace but also makes us tell peace to the people around us. “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’” (John 20:20)

Jesus lives in our daily lives so that we may love one another as the salt of the earth or the light of the world with Jesus’ help even in our fearful situations. We now are trying to do our best in spite of inconvenience or restrictions. It is not so easy for us to love one another. But Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit in our hearts. “When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20:22)

Jesus lives with us and gives us the Holy Spirit so that we may serve our neighbors for peace. Today Jesus breathes on us. Breath and the Holy Spirit is originally the same word. According to the second chapter of Genesis, God formed the man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. We live because the Holy Spirit is in us. The Holy Spirit helps us so that Jesus’ peace and blessing may overflows from us to our neighbors.

What matters is “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:23)

What does it mean? It means each of us succeeds Jesus’ work of forgiveness. The disciples are trusted with disseminating the truth that Jesus was crucified for our sins. Here we know the importance of the mission of the church. This is the fourth thing that today’s text tells us about. The church is the group of his disciples. The church is not a building. We now cannot attend church together. However, church does not cease to work. We are surely Jesus’ church. Each of you is the Hongo church. Our church now prays for healing and salvation of the people in suffering in Japan and the world. Our church is the sunny corner of God’s grace radiating God’s warmth over the people around us.

To tell the truth, we are busy with daily minute works, and live in worry and fear. Sometimes we hardly have peace that Jesus gives us. Thomas, one of his disciples, was not in the house where the other disciples met Jesus who was raised. He must have felt that he had been left alone. But Jesus had never left Thomas alone. This is the fifth thing that today’s text tells us about. We are afraid that we might not be good Christians, and we doubt that we could follow Jesus. But Jesus comes to us, as we are. Easter teaches us the truth.

Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side.” Jesus made Thomas see that His forgiveness based on his crucifixion had taken place on his behalf. Jesus said to him, “Do not doubt but believe.”

Jesus forgave Thomas, and He invited Thomas to have faith. Thomas once said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” But Thomas could not follow Jesus to the end. He must have repented it. We also are apt to be egoistic in our daily lives and do nothing but to criticize the others. We sometimes do not want to look back our past, because it has pierced firmly in our hearts. But today Jesus says to us, showing us his scars, “I will not leave you alone. I was crucified for you.”

Today we have heard the message of consolation. Easter teaches us the important things. First, Jesus is here now, in our daily lives. Second, Jesus gives us peace wherever we are, though we are in fear and confusion. Third, Jesus gives us not only peace but also makes us tell peace to the people around us. Fourth, we know the importance of the mission of the church. Each one is given the Holy Spirit, and is the church which prays for the world as the salt of the earth or the light of the world. Fifth, Jesus comes to us, when we feel powerless and doubt our faith.

My friends! Jesus is raised and live now. Jesus is in the midst of us. Jesus once promised that he would give us the Holy Spirit, and said to us, “In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live.” (John 14:19)

Jesus lives now. So, we live in the midst of our suffering. Our Lord now stands here. He stays in our room, just like he came to his disciples’ house. He gives the Holy Spirit in our hearts so that we may live today.

Jesus blesses us, “Peace be with you!” And he said to us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid!” Let’s go forward this week, too! Let’s our blessing, love and peace go out for our neighbors! Let’s do our works with his help!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Hello! (Matthew 28:1-10)

April 12, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

Today is Easter 2020. We will never forget in our lifetime that Hongo church is locked, and each member is keeping worship service at home. When we look back on the past, we have experienced various things on Easter. On Easter some of us had family troubles, some lived apart from faith, or some were ill in bed. But wherever you may spend Easter, its message is the same. Jesus was raised on the third day from his death on the cross, and we have hope.

An angel of the Lord said to the women, who went to look at the tomb, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” (Matthew 28:5-6)

So, the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. They were afraid yet with joy. We are now celebrating Easter. But we are now afraid of coronavirus prevalence that is becoming more and more serious every day. The future looks dark for us. We are not joyful on Easter when we think about people who are now in suffering. The women were also afraid, but today’s Easter tells us that we can depend on Jesus, and have hope in spite of the severe reality.

The women, who hurried away from the tomb, had not yet met Jesus, but trusted the angel’s message. They turned their heads toward the tomb till that time. They did not gaze the tomb but looked about it. They were in blank amazement, as an unexpected thing happened.

But when they got news from the angel, a great change occurred. They changed their direction, and began to run in order to tell the news to the disciples who were sad.

“Suddenly Jesus met them. ‘Hello!’ he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him.” (Matthew 28:9)

Three things are written here. First, Jesus stood before them, just when they believed his resurrection, though they were afraid. This is the consolation that the Bible tells us about today. We are worried about various things every day. We are afraid, in fear and have troubles. Some of us are refraining from going to the hospital. We cannot attend church. We cannot participate in the Lord’s Supper service. Our choir cannot sing. We are exercising self-restraint in order to protect people’s lives in our neighborhood, in our communities, in the society at large and all over the world. The student center was ready for starting spring classes in April, but could not. It is really rough to tell you that it is no worship service until a certain date. We ask ourselves what it is that we love our neighbors, that we perform our duties in our society, and do our best with faith. Our decision to keep worship service at home is our active role to serve our neighbors. The student center has begun on-line course for participants of adult classes who want to learn. This is the result of our effort to do best with prayer under the tough situation. We are also afraid, but have started to run, as the women were afraid but to hurry away with hope. And Jesus has been in advance before us, as the women suddenly met Jesus.

Second, we pay attention to Jesus’ words. It makes us smile that the first word Jesus said to the women was “Hello!” I found the word in the Gospel of Matthew when I was a junior high school student. I was surprised. This word means ‘rejoice’ in Greek. This word is used in the 4^th chapter of the letter to Philippians. “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, ‘Rejoice.’” This word is also used for greeting. It was repeatedly used when Jesus was crucified. Juda who betrayed Jesus came up to Jesus and said, “‘Hello, Rabbi!’ and kissed him.” (26:49) Roman soldiers ridiculed Jesus, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” (27:29) The word, which was used when people crucified him on the cross, was used by Jesus, when he met the women. It revealed the forgiveness by Jesus and the triumph over human beings’ sins.

Third, worship service took place just after the word was said to the women. “They came to Jesus, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him.” (28:9) This is Easter worship. Jesus says to us, “Do not be afraid!” Jesus said to the women, “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see me.” (28:10)

What became of Jesus’ disciples? Juda betrayed Jesus, and killed himself in despair. Peter denied Jesus three times, and said with an oath, “I don’t know the man.” The other disciples ran away. In brief, Jesus had no disciples at the time. But Jesus said, “My brothers.” Here we know his forgiveness for his disciples’ sins.

Why did Jesus say, “Galilee?” Galilee was the disciples’ hometown, where they met Jesus. They came up from Galilee to Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel. But they could not follow Jesus to the end, and went away from him. They, in despair, went back to Galilee. They wanted to get back to their lives before they met Jesus. However, resurrected Jesus waited for them in Galilee. Jesus is always with us, when we fail, or feel down. When we are far out of our way, he goes in advance, and waits for us. Then, he walks with us. Galilee is their starting point of their faith.

We come together at our church. We have held worship service, and participated in the Lord’s Supper service since the days of the early church written in the Acts of Apostles. But we are now unable to keep worship service because of the unexpected incident. We are now in trying times. When the situation will continue for a long time, some of us might feel the church institution might be shaken. But Jesus probably says to us, “Go to Galilee; there you will see me.” Even if our tangible institution might be shaken, we have to get back to our starting point of our faith. Jesus is there. Our faith based on Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is firm. You have only to restart. You have only to restore yourselves with Jesus who was raised. The reason why the disciples restarted to walk with faith was that Jesus waited for them, forgave them, and invited them. In brief, Galilee was the place of the starting point of their faith. From the place they began to walk with Jesus.

Easter is the day when we carve the truth in our hearts. The women, once discouraged, heard the news of Jesus’ resurrection and hurried to those who were sad and worried. The disciples who had been depressed stood up again to work for their mission. Therefore, our church is also going to start from this situation. Jesus is waiting for us on our way. We hear his voice “Hello,” and worship him. Let’s walk this week too, hearing his word, “Don’t be afraid!” Let’s go forward with trust in Jesus and bright hope!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Has God Forsaken Me? (Matthew 27:32-61)

April 5, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

Today is Palm Sunday, and we think of Jesus’ suffering. During the Lent we have been in worry and fear. No one could imagine the miserable situation in March and April this year just a few months ago. No one could imagine that we have been unable to hold worship service now. Everyone is in worry and fear every day because of the new coronavirus prevalence. What comfort does today’s text from the Gospel of Matthew give to us?

“From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’—which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (27:45-46)

Jesus had performed various miracles such as healing patients and calming down the storm until that time. But he cried weakly and died at last. So, people became bewildered. People, who looked up Jesus on the cross, must have thought he was not able to save the world. Jesus, who told that he himself the son of God, cried that he had been forsaken by God. Would God not save us in our suffering now?

To tell the truth, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” comes from the chapter of Psalm 22. The poet who cried these words lived a few hundred years before. None can tell now what kind of suffering the poet had. But it is sure he experienced life and death suffering when we read Psalm 22.

Psalm 22 had been recited as prayer in the Jewish worship service for a long time since it was written. Innumerous people of various times cried and prayed, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” in their own trials. Now people all over the world are groaning this prayer. The world God created is in suffering now. Jesus’ words on the cross teaches us that Jesus was in the same situation with people all over the world in suffering. We are now with Jesus on the cross. When we cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”, we are with Jesus on the cross.

Jesus’ crucifixion was performed in the same way as described in Psalm 22. For example, those who passed by hurled insults at Jesus shaking their heads and mocked him, and when they crucified Jesus, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. What is described in Psalm 22 took place in the crucifixion of Jesus.

What the Gospel of Matthew tells us consistently that our salvation is God with us through many incidents including Christmas. In the first chapter, Jesus is called Immanuel, which means “God with us.” However, Jesus cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It means that Jesus was entirely left from God’s salvation. What Jesus died for is the core of Jesus’ crucifixion. He died for us who are weak and imperfect. He said to his disciples on the night before his crucifixion, “My blood is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (26:28) Jesus was forsaken by God so that we might not be forsaken by God. Then, how does Jesus save us in suffering? The answer is found in Jesus’ death on the cross. He was raised on the third day from the death on the cross. This is God’s answer that is shown to us. God will never abandon us.

Then, how should we live in this trial?

A strange person appears in today’s text. Jesus was going to a place Golgotha, where he was to be put on the cross. “As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.” (27:32)

Cyrene is the name of a big city in Northern Africa, around present Libya. Maybe Simon immigrated into Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel, or made a pilgrimage for the Passover. The Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Luke referred Simon as “was passing by on his way in from the country.” The “country” also means farm. So, Simon who immigrated from Cyrene to Jerusalem might be coming home from his farm.

Coming from the farm is one of ordinary happenings, just like coming home by a commuting train or buying some foods for supper in a supermarket. But he suddenly was forced to carry the cross. “As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.” (27:32)

This is an unexpected incident for Simon. The soldiers found Simon and forced him to carry the cross. He did not want to do it, but was forced to carry the burden. The incident stands for our troubles and suffering which fall on us in everyday lives. The Gospel of Luke tells us “They seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in to the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.” (Luke 23:26) What does it mean? Jesus said repeatedly, “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” (Matthew 16:24) In Greek, “follow me” and “come after me” is the same. It suggests us that Simon from Cyrene who unexpectedly carried the cross is just like the disciples who took up their own cross and followed Jesus.

Now we are carrying various burdens. People all over Japan and people all over the world are in suffering. But we are not abandoned by God. We are now groping our way behind Jesus. As Jesus was raised from the cross, we are surely going to the way of resurrection, salvation and hope.

A little while ago, a pastor who are working at Tohoku Region told me that he heard his colleagues, just after the Tohoku great earthquake, say unanimously that they continued to hold resurrected Jesus in their minds during the days of confusion and unrest. When they were going on the roads with the wretched spectacles presented by the Tsunami disaster, they had imagined resurrected Jesus waiting for them. The lifeline had not yet been restored. But they imagined that Jesus was with them in the sheer darkness, and they believed that their way was leading to the hope of resurrection. Jesus said to the women who were weeping at the tomb, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:10) He told me that they could go forward every day with this hope.

There are three points of today’s text on Palm Sunday. First, Jesus is with us, even when we cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Second, we believe that we are forgiven for every sin committed in the past, present, and future. And third, when we are carrying our own burden in suffering, we are just walking behind Jesus to the cross. Even when we cannot see ahead, God who raised Jesus will surely support us.

Therefore, let’s walk on as Jesus’ disciples this week, too! Let’s perform our duties and go forward behind Jesus with faith, hope and love!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

If God had been here (John 11:17-44)

March 29, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

Today I am sending my message from the chapel of Itabashi Church owing to exercising self-restraint in going out. Closing down a church and suspending worship is my first experience as pastor. Now people in the world are afraid of new coronavirus prevalence. We are grieving at sad news. We human beings, including medical staff and political leaders, are making strenuous efforts to cope with this fearful epidemic. But we are too weak and powerless in face of difficult and tough reality. Today’s text from the Gospel of John tells about Martha and Mary, whose brother Lazarus died of illness.

Martha and Mary said the same thing to Jesus, when Jesus came to their house. They said to Jesus, “If You had been here, my brother would not have died.” This remark was very honest. When we face harsh reality, though we believe God, we are likely to miss God. Martha and Mary were put in the same situation. They thought why Jesus had not helped them. But today’s text tells us that Jesus surely help us in utter despair.

It tells us that Jesus saw Martha and Mary weeping and he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. Jesus Christ is not far from us, not just seeing us from the heaven. The first point that today’s text tells us is that Jesus is with us in our sheer helpless situation. The world that God created as good and the people all over the world whom He loves are in utter despair. Jesus sees the situation, weeping and disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. Jesus knows our regret, sorrow, and suffering.

Those people who saw Jesus weeping said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” (John 11:37)

It seems to us that severe reality survives our faith and prayer. As a matter of fact, we cannot come together for worship service today. But the second point today’s text tells us is that our victory is in Jesus.

Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” (John 11:39) Tombs were made in those times by using caves. The body was put in a cave, and the cave was covered by the stone. The stone separated death from life. But Jesus ordered them to take away the stone. Jesus took away the wall to separate faith and severe reality. It seems to us that our suffering overpowers our faith. But now Jesus takes away the covering over our faith, and lets the light of faith shine on our situations. Our Lord is here with us, just when we are apt to say, “If the Lord had been here.” They took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and thanked God. And he called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out.

This incident showed that Jesus was truly Son of God, and he was the Lord of the Cross and Resurrection. Lazarus’ raising showed the two things.

First, Jesus’ salvation, which defeats power of death, gives us hope of resurrection and eternal life. Second, the spirits of people who lost hope of life rise again. Surely the power of this world, which separates us from those we love, are so furious that we find ourselves powerless in face of illness and death. The grief of Martha and Mary is like our grief in face of deadly rampant epidemic. However, Jesus’ resurrection from the cross promises that lives of those who have been called are peacefully in the hand of God. We are separated from them in this world but we will be raised before God, and meet them again.

Secondly, the spirits of those who have lost their hope will be restored.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39)

Whatever mighty power of this world, including coronavirus, cannot separate us from the love of God. When Jesus was put on the cross, anyone thought that everything had been over. But Jesus was raised on the third day after his death. This shows us the love of God. God is now with us in our suffering. God will give wisdom to our leaders, knowledge to our scientists, and endurance to us.

Todays text from the Old Testament is the 37^th chapter of Ezekiel. Here the vision that Ezekiel, the prophet, saw is written. Have you ever seen a vision? We often say, “It has melted away like a vision.” We think a vision as fragile and fugitive. But a vision in the Bible is the essence of a matter. A vision is real. When we sometimes lose our way in our daily lives and cannot see what is right, a vision in the Bible shows the right way to us.

Ezekiel saw a valley. It was full of bones. He saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley. The bones were very dry. “Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.” (37:11)

This is what we are now. We have lost hope. Our spirits are dried.

Ezekiel, the prophet, lived in the national crisis that Israel people had never experienced. Israel lost the war, and many people were taken away as prisoners to Babylon far from Israel. Ezekiel was one of them. They were in despair, and they had no hope. At that time God asked Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

Ezekiel said, “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” (37:3)

Dried bones can never live again from the human beings’ viewpoint. But the Bible tells us that God can do. It means that God gives us hope even when we have no hope. When you believe that, something starts. “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.” (37:5)

When you finish this worship today which is unusual, something will change. It is like something new will happen in the hushed valley full of dried bones. God will make breath enter us, when we are in fear and terror. It is through worship that God gives us new spirits. Indeed, Israel people overcame their crisis after that. They were released and went back to their country, and gradually restored their lives. Today the Bible shows us this vision through Lazarus’ resurrection. Jesus teaches us that the hope God gives us is sure.

The name of Lazarus whom Jesus raised means “A man God helps.” In today’s text from the Gospel of John, Lazarus is repeatedly referred to as “Jesus loved Lazarus,” or “Our friend Lazarus.” Jesus says, “I have called you friends” to the people who believe him. Lazarus stands for each one of us whom God created. Resurrection of dried bones Ezekiel saw is healing of this world. Lazarus’ resurrection stands for our case, and we, though now in suffering, can have hope through Jesus, and will be resurrected in the kingdom of God.

Where is Jesus’ power revealed? Martha, Lazarus’ sister, says to Jesus, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” (John 11:27)

To tell the truth, this word is the confession of faith used in the church. Even though Martha had doubt and grief, she believed Jesus. We waver and fear today, but we confess that we believe “Yes, Lord, you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

My friends! Our hope is based on Jesus. Jesus who was raised from the cross will surely guide us. We say, “If God had been here,” but now Jesus is with us. Let’s walk with our faith this week, too! Let’s go forward with our confession “Jesus, our Lord, I believe you are the Messiah!”

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Unreasonable at first, Good at last (Matthew 5:21-37)

February 16, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

Today’s text tells that you should not get angry with your neighbors and that you should be reconciled to them. But you must have said, “Oh God! That’s very unreasonable!” At times it is very difficult to be reconciled to your parents, your colleagues or others. Sometimes it is difficult to be reconciled to ourselves. When I read this paragraph in my junior high school days, I could not understand it well. Today’s text tells that you should not divorce, you should not swear, and it says, “If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” I wondered Jesus’ message might be too far from our modern sensibility.

What does today’s text from the Gospel of Matthew teach us?

Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.” (Matthew 5:17)

What is “fulfil the Law?” Today’s text mentions various commandments of the Law in the Old Testament such as “You shall not murder,” “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not divorce your wife,” “You shall not break your oath,” “Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth,” and “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” Though these commandments are very severe, Jesus begins to speak, with the preliminary remark “But I say to you,” surprisingly harsh words, like “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘you shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘ You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.” (Matthew 5:22)

Jesus tells us that it is not enough to keep the Law alone according to its literal sense. He teaches us that it is necessary for you not only to keep the commandment “you shall not murder your neighbor” but also “you have to be reconciled to him or her.” What Jesus mean by saying “fulfil the Law” is that you have to keep the Law from the bottom of your heart, namely you must observe the Law before God. Jesus says, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

Perfection runs through today’s message of Jesus.

Then, what sort of people heard His message? When you read the end of the fourth chapter, you see they were people who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed. They were not priests, nor scholars, nor elites. They were ordinary people. They were weak, ill and have worries, just like us. They really wanted to hear Jesus with much expectation. But alas, his message was quite severe.

Jesus asks us if we thoroughly understand His messages, when we read them. We recite the Ten Commandments every week in worship service. We recite, “You shall not murder,” “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not swear falsely.” But when you come to church, and worship before God, you happen to remember someone who is against you, you have to leave the chapel, and first be reconciled to him or her. If not, you do not keep the commandment “You shall not murder.”

Why should we not get angry with someone? We get angry with someone, when we think we are right but he or she is wrong. What’s more, he or she does never follow our advice. Today’s text says, “If you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. “Fool” means “away from God” in its original text. When you call someone “fool,” you judge he or she would not follow God, but act according to his or her human idea. In this case you would substitute yourself for God. Jesus smashes such righteousness of your own. Jesus tells that you are the very person who is lost.

Then, who can stand before God? No one. Jesus has stood as perfect being before people so that we may know we are really “not perfect.”

Today’s text teaches us as follows:

First, God is perfect and we are imperfect. We have to recognize that we would not be able to keep God’s teaching, even if we assume that we keep it. We must recognize a great gap between Jesus’ words and our reality. Jesus says, “You cannot make one hair white or black.” (Matthew 5:36) And he says, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)

Second, we can never be saved by keeping the Law. There is not ‘our righteousness’ nor ‘our fairness.’ After all, no one is righteous before God. We cannot help realizing we are not righteous when we hear Jesus’ words.

But while we continue to read Jesus’ words, you come to say “Wow.”

Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders shall be liable to judgment…. You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that…….” Oh, Jesus my Lord, forgive me! I could never be a righteous person as you tell me to be.

But lastly Jesus says, “He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?” Wow! Though we think we are never righteous before God, He sends rain on the unrighteous people.

Third, God loves us, though we are not worthy of His love. Though we cannot follow Jesus’ words, God loves us. We hear Jesus’ severe message about fulfilling the Law, and we find it unreasonable at first. But we come to find it good at last.

Jesus loves us, though we cannot follow him. Paul says, according to the letter to the Romans, “For while we are still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone will die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we are still sinners Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

Jesus is the only person who has fulfilled the Law. Jesus alone has been recognized righteous. Jesus died on the cross to give us his righteousness. We cannot observe the Law, but we are here as those who have been given his righteousness.

When we reflect our lives for the last week, and think about the next one, each one of the commonest scenes of our daily lives reveals our faith. We are unrighteous. But Jesus has put his clothes of righteousness on us. When “You fool” jumps out of my mouth to my family or friend, I remember today’s Jesus message. Though love does not come out from me, Jesus gives me his love that I share to my neighbors. Thus, we disseminate Jesus’ love and reconciliation to people whom we get angry with, to ourselves, and to those in conflict all over the world.

When we see a big gap between our reality and Jesus’ words, we find us powerless and helpless. We cannot make even one hair white or black. Jesus says, “Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid.” (Matthew 10:30)

Though we cannot have our own heart at our disposal, God gives us His abundant grace. Though we get irritated with many things around us, God will give us the best way to deal with them. We now are invited here to believe that Jesus’ severe words are no longer the Law but the way for forgiven people to follow.

Today we have known that how imperfect, weak and small we are before perfect God. But God loves us, and makes his sun rise and sends rain on us. God satisfies our needs, and loves us. Therefore, let’s believe God’s love and lead a new way of life! Let’s look up the Jesus’ cross and throw away anger, and live a life of reconciliation!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Will This World Be Saved? (John 3:1-17)

March 8, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

The infection of new coronavirus has much affected our daily lives, including church activities. We do not know how long this situation will continue. Anyway, it is now the time of trial for us. Some people are facing important turning points in their lives, such as entrance examination and marriage. They now live with an obscure future. Some of our friends in Hongo Church are about to begin new lives. The same goes for Ms. Jennifer Jarvie, ELCA missionary. She has worked at the Hongo Student Center for four years. Her departure has come unexpectedly soon.

What does the Bible show us, when we grope for the way in chaos?

Jennifer is fashionable. Her major at her college was fashion. One of fashion brands which she likes is “FOREVER 21.” Regrettably, it withdrew from Japan last year, though it was very popular among young people. On its final day, Jennifer and Jessica, new J3, had lunch with me. I remember that, after lunch, they said, “Let’s go to its last sale!” I heard every article was sold at 50 yen. On the day after I asked them, “What did you get?” They said, “Nothing except earrings and gloves had been left.”

A FOREVER 21’s yellow colored bag has “John 3:16” printed at its bottom. It is the Gospel of John 3:16. The FOREVER 21 was initiated by a Korean couple who came to the States as immigrants. They had been supported through their hardship by the faith in Jesus. Whenever they were in success or failure, they continued to go on the basis of the faith. Their guide was John 3:16. It is casually printed at the bottom of every FOREVER 21 bag.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Today the Bible gives this message to us, who live everyday in chaos and trial. It seems to us that the darkness before us impacts more heavily on us than God’s love. Yet the Bible shows us clearly the way.

Today’s text from John tells us about a person who lived in chaos like us. His name was Nicodemus. He was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He was a man of the Pharisees. He was best and brightest in the Jewish society. He had a high position, honor, and wealth. He lived in the daytime with much shine on his back. But at night he was powerless and troubled. He came to Jesus for help at night. It is noteworthy that the first article of the Gospel of John that describes night. In the Gospel of John, light and darkness, and day and night stand for symbolical meanings. Nicodemus seemed to be going well from the point of this world, but he really was in darkness of night in his heart.

Jesus said to Nicodemus, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” (John 3:3)

What Nicodemus had expected was to have his present situation soon changed. He wanted to have a miracle or sign from Jesus. We also want to have a miracle or sign from Jesus. And we pray for His help in such a chaotic situation. But Jesus said to him that he must be newly born. This was Jesus’ call that He would let him be newly born by water and the Spirit so that he could see the kingdom of God.

Jesus said to him, “The wind blows whenever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)

We cannot see the wind, but surely it blows. Even if we can see nothing except chaos, it is sure that Jesus is, and He leads us. Those who are born of the Spirit clearly know it.

Jesus said, “no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” In Greek text, “anothen” is used. It has two meanings. One is “from above,” and the other is “new.” We have to take them into consideration, when we read His words. Furthermore, it is told that “anothen” means “being carved from above.” Old self is shattered from above by the Holy Spirit, and new self is engraved just as the coin is carved.

Nicodemus came at night. Night stands for darkness in our lives. Now the world is in trial like darkness. Night may linger for some time. Even if we want to attend church, it might be difficult to do so. Our whole society is shaked. Various institutions and systems seem to reveal their fragility in time of new coronavirus crisis. Then our weakness, sinfulness and greediness, which are usually hidden, are likely to be revealed. We cannot tell where we go from here. But today’s text from the Gospel of John tells us that Nicodemus met Jesus at such night. God carves us as sons of God from above, and makes us newly born from day to day. It has started from the day of baptism by water and the Holy Spirit. As the Gospel of John says to us, “In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness.” (John 1:4,5) Those who are born by the Holy Spirit see Jesus, the light of men, in the darkness of the world.

When Jesus breathed his last, darkness came over all the land. The glory of Jesus was manifested. The centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, said, “Surely this man was the Son of God.” And the Bible tells us that Jesus was raised from the death on the cross. God’s love was clearly shown to us even in time of the most serious darkness of crucifixion. God taught us that God would never abandon this world. God’s love and His guidance are shown to us in the present chaos. We follow Jesus after his resurrection. We will go forward without losing heart in this situation and keep his command “Love one another!”

Nicodemus lived in faith in spite of his distress. When Jesus was unjustly arrested, he said, “Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?” (John 7:51) And he buried Jesus’ body in accordance with Jewish burial customs. He continued to walk his way with Jesus’ help, even when his position might have be endangered.

Let’s remember the promise of the baptism that we will be newly born by water and the Spirit. The baptism does not end when water is poured on us. The promise of baptism is that Jesus will guide us through our lives. The baptism is the beginning of God’s being always with us.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

My friends! God will never abandon this world. He will never abandon you whatever crisis you may face. We are likely to lose our way, when we start our new lives or do something new. But you are always with Jesus. You have light of life even in the darkness. Jesus raised from the cross will provide you with help in time of your crisis. The Bible tells us that no one will be removed from the salvation. Jesus says to us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

In such severe time we can live with Jesus’ help. Let’s carry out what we must do, and love one another, and overcome the trials of life! God will guide you in your departure of new life. Let’s live as members of one big family of God, and witness God’s love in your lives!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

Church with Sunny Corner of Grace (2 Corinthian 1:3-11)

February 2, 2020 Worship on the General Meeting of Hongo Church

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

Today, we have the general meeting of Hongo Church. It decides not only the budget, the settlement of account and the election of board members but also confirms what our church goes for. The theme of Hongo Church is “Church with Sunny Corner of Grace.” What is “Sunny Corner of Grace?”

I once worked at the church in the Denmark Farm located in Shizuoka Prefecture. A home for elderly people requiring special care and children’s homes are there within the Denmark Farm. I worked as a chaplain for them on weekdays. My major role is to keep a companion for those residents. I go around the rooms in the home for elderly people called “Diakonia,” and at times watch a television together. The western part of Shizuoka Prefecture including Fukuroi City has the longest hours of sunlight in Japan. It is called “Japan’s California.” The reason why missionaries wanted to open a farm here is a good climate with no snow in winter. In summer it is humid, full of insects, and you have to cut the grass, but in winter it is comfortably warm. There is a passage at the home which gets plenty of sun. Once a good idea occurred to me. I brought a chair and sat there. Then, residents spontaneously came around me. Some came in their wheelchairs, and some came with their canes. They enjoyed talks one another, and shared something one another. The spot was full of smiles and comfort. It was just the place of sunny corner of grace.

Our church aims to become a sunny corner of God’s grace. What is it? It is a warm place with sunlight of God’s love. Outside is cold in winter, but the church here is warm. There are many worries outside, but the church here gives a sigh of relief.

I have picked up 2 Corinthians 1:4 as the theme of 2020.

“God comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

Two things are promised about God’s grace. First, God will comfort us in all our troubles. Second, we can comfort those in any trouble. We are given comfort from God, and it overflows to those around us. It is our sunny corner of grace.

The first promise is that God comforts us “in all our troubles.” We face many difficulties in and out. For example, new coronavirus which is prevailing, or Britain’s exit from EU. We pray for peace and wisdom from God to the world leaders who are tackling many hard tasks.

God’s power extends over everything including daily lives, human relations, economy, future, health etc. Do you really pray for God’s help in all your troubles you are facing? I am afraid that you might involuntarily restrict God’s work.

Paul who wrote this letter says that he suffered inexplicably much hardships. He was betrayed by his colleagues. He was arrested and jailed. And he suffered because of hunger, poverty, and coldness. Today’s text says, “Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.” (2 Corinthians 1:9) But when we read the Bible, we know Paul was saved by God. 2 Corinthians tells us that Paul faced various sufferings. Paul told us about God’s comfort to him in those sufferings. And Paul knew that people around him were comforted by knowing God had helped Paul. The comfort God gives us has restoring power for us. It is not a human soothing consolation.

However, reflect your words and actions! Does God’s comfort we have received reach those who are suffering and crying for help? What we have to confirm now in worship service on the General Meeting of Hongo Church is our role of communicating God’s comfort to all the people in sufferings.

This is the second promise that we can comfort people in all the sufferings.

“God comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:4)

The comfort that God gives us not only works on us but also flows over our family members, people around us and people in our society. This is just “the sunny corner of grace.”

Paul says, “For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” (2 Corinthians 1:5)

As our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross, we live in sufferings. But, as Jesus was raised from the dead, God will surely comfort us in our sufferings.

What we have to remember is that our comfort does not come from ourselves but from God. Our church is not based on what we can do. If you boast that you have done something on the General Meeting, you would be conceited. On the contrary, if you pay your attention only to what you have not done enough, you would be no more than weak. What matters is “Here is God’s comfort.” That is to say, Jesus Christ is alive here in our church. Here the Holy Spirit heals us. Our church is the sunny corner of God’s grace. When you stand up on the faith, our church can work in this community.

By the way, what is the real picture of our church? We have many tasks. The comfort does not flow out from only good churches with no problems. The Corinthian church to which Paul’s letters were sent had many problems. The church had conflicting views within it. Its existence was endangered by crises. Paul says, “And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.” (2 Corinthians 1:7)

Paul clearly told that his hope for them was firm, whatever troubles might take place in their church, because Paul believed that they would receive God’s comfort in their sufferings, just as God gave him comfort in his sufferings. This faith encourages us to stand up. How did Paul overcome his difficulties in which “he felt the sentence of death?” Today’s text says, “Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.” (2 Corinthians 1:9-10)

My friends! I want our church to “set its hope on God.” When you look at people alone, our church has weakness and sinfulness. But let’s set our hope on God! What we have to keep in mind during this year is the following advice.

“Help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” (2 Corinthians 1:11)

Please pray for our church, the student center, the people, and the world! Please set your hope on God for yourselves, and people in sufferings around you! Please set your hope on God for your families! Please pray for your pastor, board members and missionaries! Then you will realize that God gives you comfort, and God’s comfort you receive overflows to them. Jesus promised us, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

Here, in Hongo Church, we have God’s comfort. It is yet cold and windy outside. But Our church is the sunny corner of grace. People, who come here, keep them warm and relieved in the hand of God. That is the sunny corner of grace. Let’s pray for our church so that any new comer may be relieved and set down a heavy load off his/her mind!

Hongo Church is wonderful, because you have been very quick to help me to carry out my task, when I felt at a loss because of my sudden lower-back pain this morning. I find churches wonderful that are always ready to respond to changes around them. Our community or society will much change. Churches will also have to undergo various changes. At that time, we pray that our church set our hope on God. When we face difficulties, we should “not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” Today, let’s go forward with this word in mind at the General Meeting of our church!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

With Joy (Matthew 2:1-12)

January 5, 2020

Rev Yuki Goto

Pastor of Japan Evangelical Lutheran Hongo Church

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

It is the New Year 2020. We are busy every day, and it seems to us that we sometimes live far from God. When you look at overseas situations, we know that violence, terrorism, hatred among races and other sins prevail over us. But the Bible shows us the course we should follow.

Today is Epiphany which is a Christian feast commemorating the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus, son of God. Today’s text from Matthew tells us about people who came to worship Jesus and their meeting with Him.

They were astrologists, according to the New Interconfessional Translation, who came from the east. The east means present Iran area. When you look at the map, you will find that it is very far from Israel. The other translations of the Bible such as the Bible Colloquial Japanese, the New Japanese Bible, the Japan Bible Society Interconfessional Version (which was newly translated) call the astrologists “wise men from the east.” In Greek, they are “Magi,” which mean magicians or sorcerers. “Magi” is used in the Acts of the Apostles, and translated into “magician.” In the Old Testament, divination or sorcery is strictly prohibited. Leviticus says, “Do not practice divination or sorcery.” (Leviticus 19:26) So, “wise men” was probably used in the translation of the Bible to avoid the nuance of divination or sorcery. The New Interconfessional Translation uses the word of “astrologists.” As a matter of fact, they are astronomers rather than astrologists. They were maybe world scholars of leading-edge science like Nobel Prize winners. However Jewish people regarded them as unclean foreigners, and discriminated against them. But that’s the very reason why God revealed the savior to people irrespective of whether they were Jews or foreigners. This is the meaning of Epiphany.

We sometimes live far from God every day. We are so busy with our everyday works, and live far from devout life. But Jesus coming to us, he has revealed the Savior to us today.

But King Herod and people in Jerusalem were disturbed, because the wise men asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” King Herod curried favor with the Roman Empire, and appointed as king by the Roman authority. So, he worried, hearing the birth of a baby who would threaten his position. How about people in Jerusalem? They were also disturbed. Though they waited for the savior predicted in the Old Testament, they worried about the news that the Messiah was born. They were afraid that every thing might be cleared, or their ways of lives might be changed. It is to change our ways of lives that we follow God. When we have not yet decided to follow God, we also worry. When the New Year starts, we are also uneasy. We worry about our future, when we are self-centered, putting God beside us.

Then, what does the Bible show to us? Wise men from the east were overjoyed, in contrast to people in Jerusalem. They heard that Jesus was going to be born in Bethlehem, not in Jerusalem. They readily believed the prophesy. Though they were outstanding astrologists, they did not insist on their view, and followed the prophesy. The Bible shows us that wise men were humble. They were outstanding scholars who knew well about world situations, and they trusted the Bible. Though they made a change in direction, they believed God and followed the prophecy. And they bowed down and worshipped the little and powerless baby. This is the faith that the Bible tells us. This is the way to the peace from the conflict.

We also have fear and worry in the New Year. But the faith the Bible shows us is to be humble before God, and trust Jesus. When the star went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was, they were overjoyed. As they met Jesus, they no longer needed to wander about to seek their salvation.

In this New Year, Jesus guides us. So, you may feel at ease and just follow Him. The Bible tells us that God gives us joy when we humble ourselves before God and leave God to guide us.

What did wise men do, when they met Jesus?

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.” (Matthew 2:11)

They bowed down and worshiped Jesus. This is worship. Being humble before God and leaving Him to guide us means giving top priority to worship in our lives. As a matter of fact, we are apt to worry about daily lives rather than thinking about God. Though we think we have to follow God, we are likely to be self-centered and uneasy. We worry and fear like King Herod and people in Jerusalem. Frankly speaking, I am rather occupied with daily things other than God. But worship links those who occupied with daily lives with God. God will never say, “You are not fit to be a Christian.” God willingly invites such people to worship to link them with God. As we worry and live like King Herod, we have to humble ourselves before God like the wise men and worship God so that we may be given joy by God. Let’s give top priority to worship in our lives this New Year!

“Then the wise men opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11)

The treasures are valuable for them and support their lives. Offering them to Jesus meant that Jesus would guide their lives thereafter. So, we offer what we have been given by God to Him in worship.

Pay attention to what they offered! First, gold. It stands for power and glory. It is the gift to be offered to the king. In other words, this offering was the confession that Jesus was their king. Second, incense. This is frankincense which is an aromatic gum resin obtained from an African tree. It is used as perfume or the oil for a new born baby. As it is used in worship, it is regarded as a gift for God. Last, myrrh. This is a fragrant gum resin obtained certain trees. It is used for applying a dead body. It is said that a “mummy” comes from it. It is used as a painkilling drug. It is presented for a person who is about to die. Here the cross of Jesus is suggested. In other words, Jesus was born as the savior who was going to die on the cross for our sins.

And the Bible says, “The wise men returned to their country by another route.”

They returned to their ordinary lives after worship. But they had become different even if they returned to the same place and the same ordinary lives. They believed Jesus and followed Him. Jesus is with us in our daily lives.

The star stopped the place where the child was. The house was so ordinary that they had never imagined. It was surprising that the Messiah was in a poor village Bethlehem unlike brilliant capital Jerusalem. But Jesus was surely there with his mother Mary. Jesus is with us, when we can hardly find God in our busy daily lives. He is with us, when we are sad and weak. He is with us, when we forget God and lose our way. There is peace and joy during the New Year at the place where we worship Jesus. God shows us Jesus, when we busily live far from God, and live in fear and with our own guilt. Let’s be humble before God, attaching importance to worship as the center of our lives!

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Amen.

(Translated by Toshiyuki Masujima)

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Sermons of 2020

Go To Salvation（Luke2:1-7）

Make Straight the Way of the Lord（John 1:6-8, 19-28）

Keep Awake（Matthew 25:1-13）

God Is Our Fortress (Psalm 46)

Too Generous, Aren’t You? (Matthew 20:1-16)

Have Mercy On Your Fellow Servants Just As God Had On You（Matthew 18:21-35）

The Faith Jesus Admired (Matthew 15:21-28)

God Provides (Matthew 14:13-21)

Until the Harvest (Mathew 13:24-30)

Receive (Matthew 10:40-42)

Jesus’ Compassion (Matthew 9:35-10:8)

Salvation Starts from Here (Acts 2:1-21)

Do not let your hearts be troubled (John 14:1-14)

To You Who Are Looking Sad (Luke 24:13-35)

Peace Be with You! (John 20:19-31)

Hello! (Matthew 28:1-10)

Has God Forsaken Me? (Matthew 27:32-61)

If God had been here (John 11:17-44)

Unreasonable at first, Good at last (Matthew 5:21-37)

Will This World Be Saved? (John 3:1-17)

Church with Sunny Corner of Grace (2 Corinthian 1:3-11)

With Joy (Matthew 2:1-12)

Go To　Salvation（Luke2:1-7）