Sunday, November 12, 2023

“Don’t Walk Away from God”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

1. Cain kills Abel

* 1 John 3:12 “Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.” (NIV)

2. God’s judgment on Cain

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Why did Cain kill Abel?

2. What should people do when they commit a sin?

3. What was Cain’s real mistake?

MCC20231112.mp3

Sunday, November 5, 2023

“Be Prepared for the Rapture:

Be Alert and Accept the Gospel”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. Who knows when the rapture will be

* Mark 13:32 (See above)

* People who try to identify the rapture and end of the world:

Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Dami Mission (in Korea), American radio evangelist

2. What it means to watch

* The parable of the servants waiting for their master

The meaning of this parable is not that “People who are not zealous will be left out”

“Watch” = “Accept the Gospel that has been offered to you”

* Why do people sometimes waver in their assurance of salvation?

The influence of world views

If wavering, return to God’s Word

Mark 13:31 (See above)

* John 19:30 “…It is finished…” (NIV)

* Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.” (NIV)

3. Share the Gospel

* Mark 13:37 (See above)

* Be prepared for the day of the rapture and for death

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Do you have 100% conviction that you are saved and will be raptured at the time of the rapture?

2. If you become unsettled, what Bible passage do you return to?

3. What is the greatest act of love that we can do for others?

Thank you for worshiping the Lord together with us at Minemachi Christ Church today!

Please let us know if there is any way we can serve you or pray for you.

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Sunday, October 29, 2023

“Worship That is Acceptable to God”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

1. The birth of Cain and Abel

* Genesis 4:1 “…I have obtained a man. Yahweh (the Lord)…” (Direct translation)

“Cain” = to obtain

* Genesis 4:2 “Abel” = to sigh, fleeting, feeble

2. What will happen in the second half of the Great Tribulation

* Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.” (NIV)

* Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (NIV)

* Hebrews 11:8-11 “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.” (NIV)

* Genesis 4:4 “…looked on with favor…” = “Shaw” in Hebrew = to look on with surprise

3. God, who called out to Cain

* Genesis 4:5 “…downcast…” = “face fell” (direct translation)

* Genesis 4:7 “If you are correct, then shouldn’t you be able to lift up your face?” = original text

* Hebrews 12:22-24 “But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Why did God look upon Abel and his offering with favor?

2. What does it mean to “do good (the correct thing)”?

3. What can you learn about “worship” from this passage?

Thank you for worshiping the Lord together with us at Minemachi Christ Church today!

Please let us know if there is any way we can serve you or pray for you.

MCC20231029.mp3

Sunday, October 22, 2023

“What Will Happen in the Great Tribulation”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

* The accuracy of Bible prophesy

1. What will happen in the first half of the Great Tribulation

(1) The persecution of the saints (Mark 13:9)

: Who are the people persecuted here? The people who became Christians after the rapture.

(2) The Great Commission (Mark 13:10-12)

* Revelation 7:4 “Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.” (NIV)

2. What will happen in the second half of the Great Tribulation

(1) The declaration of the divinity of the antichrist (Mark 3:14)

* Mark 3:14 (See above)

(2) Fleeing to the mountains (Mark 3:14-18)

* Where did the people of Israel flee to? Bozrah Petra.

(3) The “cut short days” The 1,260th day (Mark 3:20)

(4) The last deception (Mark 3:21-22)

* Mark 3:22 (See above)

3. The love of Jesus

* Mark 3:23 (See above)

* “Letter to the 21st Century” Fujimi-machi, Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Summarize that will happen in the Great Tribulation.

2. Why did Jesus explain about that ahead of time?

MCC20231022.mp3

Sunday, October 15, 2023

“Paradise Lost”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

* “Frankenstein” novel by Mary Shelley

* “Paradise Lost” epic poem by John Milton

1. The name “Eve”

* Genesis 3:20 “Eve” = “life, ” “to live,” “life giver”

2. Garments of skin

3. Banishment from paradise

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Why did Adam name his wife “Eve”?

2. What kind of meaning do you think the “garments of skin” have?

3. Why did God banish Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden?

MCC20231015.mp3

Sunday, October 8, 2023

“God’s Covenant With Adam”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

* The three parts to God’s “Covenant with Adam”

1. In respect to Satan

* Genesis 3:14 “Cursed” = “arur” in Hebrew = A word expressing God’s judgment

* Genesis 3:14 “crawl on your belly” = To become an entity that moves around as an enemy of God

* 2 Corinthians 4:4 “The god of this age…” = A word expressing God’s judgment

* Genesis 3:15 “her offspring” (singular form) = Jesus Christ

* Genesis 3:15 “your offspring” (singular form) = Antichrist

* Revelation 20:10 “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (NIV)

2. In respect to women

* Genesis 3:16 “desire” = “Teshqah” in Hebrew = rule, reign

3. In respect to men

* Mark 13:6 (See above)

* “A Handful of Sand” by Takuboku Ishikawa

“Though I work hard, though I work hard, my life does not get any easier.”

* Greek mythology regarding “manual labor”

“Ocnos’ String” and “Sisyphus” (King of Corinth)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Genesis 3:15 is referred to as the “Original Gospel.” What is described in it?

2. What did the man and women who rebelled against God obtain?

MCC20231008.mp3

Sunday, October 1, 2023

“What will Happen Before the Rapture”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. Signs of the end of the world

* (1) The appearance of false Christs

Mark 13:6 (See above)

* (2) Worldwide war

Mark 13:7-8 (See above)

The 10 laws of war propaganda

(1) We don't want war, we are only defending ourselves!

(2) Our adversary is solely responsible for this war!

(3) Our adversary's leader is inherently evil and resembles the devil

(4) We are defending a noble cause, not our particular interests!

(5) The enemy is purposefully committing atrocities; if we are making mistakes this happens without intention

(6) The enemy makes use of illegal weapons

(7) We suffer few losses, the enemy's losses are considerable

(8) Recognized intellectuals and artists support our cause

(9) Our cause is sacred

(10) Whoever casts doubt on our propaganda helps the enemy and is a traitor

* (3) Earthquakes and famine

Mark 13:8 (See above)

2. In difficult times

* “A person’s true nature is revealed when he or she is in difficulty.”

* The power faith has

* The testimony of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Review what will happen at the end of the world.

2. Why can Christians pursue justice in the midst of difficulties?

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Sunday, September 24, 2023

“Where are You?”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

1. The seeking God

* Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (NIV)

* “Sin” in Greek is “amartia” = to miss the mark

2. Humans pass on the responsibility

3. Recovery by repentance

* Acts 3:19 “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (NIV)

* “Repent” in Greek is “metanoia” = to change directions

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What did the first humans who committed sin do?

2. What did God do to them?

3. Based on that incident, what kind of God do you think God is?

MCC20230924.mp3

Sunday, September 17, 2023

“What is in the Center of Your Heart”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. The prophesy of the fall of Jerusalem

* Mark 13:1 (See above)

* The first temple was built by Solomon in 957BC

When Babylon was taken into captivity, the gods were also destroyed

The people who returned built the second temple in 516BC under the command of Zerubbabel

From 20AD to 64AD King Herod did expansion contruction work on the second temple

* Mark 13:2 (See above)

* This prophesy was fulfilled in 70AD

2. What you will be asked when you stand before God

* In 70AD why was the temple destroyed and why did Jerusalem fall? Due to the unbelief of the people of Israel

* Religious views of modern Japanese people

* When people stop believing in God and life after death, what kind of society will it become?

* What you will be asked before God after death

* 1 Timothy 1:15 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” (NIV)

3. What to set in the center of your heart

* Present = a deposit

* I have been good and faithful

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. If you do not believe in God, what kind of path will you follow in your earthly life and that after death?

2. What is in the center of your heart?

MCC20230917.mp3

Sunday, September 10, 2023

“The Tragedy in the Garden of Eden”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

1. The origin of evil

* The fall of archangel “Lucifer,” who became “Satan”

* Reference: Isaiah 14 & Ezekiel 28

* Matthew 25:41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’” (NIV)

2. The tempting of Eve

* 1 John 2:16 “For everything in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - comes not from the Father but from the world.” (NIV)

* Hosea 6:7 “As at Adam, they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me there.” (NIV)

* 1 Corinthians 15:22 “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (NIV)

3. Choose life

* Reference: Deuteronomy 30:19-20

* Poem by an unknown poet

“When despair seems about to destroy me, I choose to walk forward with hope in God as my support

When I wonder what in the world God is thinking, I choose to trust in God

When I am suffering from a harsh reality and want to run away, I choose to stop and persevere

When I want to point my finger at someone, I choose to forgive them

When things are hard and I want to give up, I choose to have courage and take action”

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What do you think was the cause of Adam and Eve’s mistake?

2. What should we do to handle temptation from Satan?

3. What is the reason that Jesus Christ is said to be the “Second Adam?”

MCC20230910.mp3