Sunday, September 3, 2023

“The Widow’s Pure Faith”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. The appearance of the Pharisees (Walking in a way that puts the evaluation from others first)

* (1) They walked around in long robes

(2) They were greeted in marketplaces

(3) They sat in the most important seats in synagogues

(4) They devoured widows’ houses

(5) They made lengthy prayers

* When man is bound to what is visible, he cannot see God

* King David

2. The faith of the widow

* The value of the lepta copper coin = 1/128 of 1 denarius = Current monetary value 78 yen per lepta

* What did Jesus admire about her faith here?

* Data on worry from psychologist Ernie Zelinski

* Guidance of Missionary Yabe

* Matthew 6:31-33 “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What do we need to be aware of as we serve?

2. What did Jesus admire about the widow's faith?

3. If you have experienced grace for trusting Jesus, please share about it.

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Sunday, August 27, 2023

“The Creation of Woman”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

1. Unable to find a helper

* Genesis 2:18 “not good” = Incomplete, not fulfilled

* Genesis 2:19 “Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky, but he brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.” (Different translation)

2. Creation of a helper

* Molecular biologists Rebecca Cann and Allan Wilson’s “Mitochondrial Eve”

* Genesis 2:21-22 (See above) Why was woman made from man? Why from a rib?

3. First love song in the world

* A song written in Hebrew

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What is the meaning of a “helper”?

2. What do you think is the “secret of marriage”?

MCC20230827.mp3

Sunday, August 20, 2023

“Who Do You Say Jesus Is?”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

* The meaning of “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (Mark 12:34)

1. Jesus proclaimed himself to be God

* Mark 12:35 “…son of David.” (NIV)

The Savior Messiah was to be born of the descendants of David, so “son of David” = Title of Messiah

* Mark 12:36 “…The Lord said to my Lord…” (NIV)

Jesus was citing Psalm 110, which David had written. The first “Lord” refers to Father God, “Yahweh,” and the second “Lord” refers to the Savior, “Adonai,” meaning “my master.”

* Jesus said that the Savior was more than a human, thus declaring his (Jesus’) divinity

* There are 3 possibilities for someone who proclaims themselves to be God.

(1) They are lying (2) They believe that they are God (3) They are God

2. Jesus’ teaching

* The Golden Rule: “Do to others what you would want done to yourself.”

* The world’s common golden rule: “Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want done to yourself.”

* Matthew 7:12 “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (NIV)

3. Jesus’ work

* Jesus Christ broke the conventional wisdom of Jewish society at the time, reaching out with a loving hand to people across social boundaries. (Sick people, women, and gentiles)

* Where did Jesus Christ learn such values?

* Jesus Christ’s profile

* John 1:1-5 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (NIV)

* Why did Paul “go back?”

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Who do you say Jesus Christ is?

2. Why do you say so?

MCC20230820.mp3

Sunday, August 13, 2023

“Live Like a Mustard Seed Tree”

Pastor Hisashi Ishitobi

＊　“Anavah” = Hebrew word translated as “humility,” but a direct translation includes the meaning, “Fill the space God has given you and do not overestimate you yourself or your abilities, but at the same time don’t underestimate them either.”

＊　Jesus’ parable of the kingdom of God

Mustard seed characteristics: Smaller than any seed on earth (Matthew 17:20)

Mustard seed tree characteristics: Spreads out big branches where birds build nests (Daniel 4:10-12)

＊　English saying: “Leave no stone unturned”

Meaning: Turn over every single stone and examine (investigate), search even by dividing grass roots, search all over, examine every corner, exhaustively examine, make every effort (means), do everything possible (take all measures), investigate every possibility

＊　Fumi Shioya’s testimony

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What does living like a mustard tree mean to you? How does that way of living portray the kingdom of God?

2. Is there any space God has given you that has yet to be completely filled? Are there any stones you have yet to overturn?

MCC20230813.mp3

Sunday, August 6, 2023

“David’s Prayers”

Pastor Kenichi Osumi

1. Conflicting prayers

* Mark 14:35 “Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.” (NIV)

* Mark 14:36 “Abba, Father,” he said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’” (NIV)

* Mark 14:39 “Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.” (NIV)

* Hebrews 4:15-16 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (NIV)

2. David changes suddenly

* 2 Samuel 12:16 & 20 (See above)

* “Never stop praying” (Henri Nouwen)

* “God’s 3 answers to your prayers”

3. “But God”

* Max Lucado David added, “Nevertheless God” after “But God”

* The prayer of a disabled soldier

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What can we learn from David’s attitude regarding prayer?

2. How does God answer your prayers?

3. When your prayers aren’t answered, what should you do?

MCC20230806.mp3

Sunday, July 30, 2023

“Love That Goes Back”

Pastor Kenichi Osumi

1. Life with mountains and valleys (ups and downs)

* 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 “…I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.” (NIV)

* When Satan is at work…

2. The God of reversals

* “Silent Night”

* “Daily Manna”

3. Paul, who went back

* Acts 14:20-21 “But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch…” (NIV)

* Why did Paul “go back?”

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What should you do to fight back against Satan?

2. Have you ever experienced that God of reversals?

3. Why did Paul “go back?”

MCC20230730.mp3

Sunday, July 23, 2023

“Love God and Love Your Neighbor”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

* The Pharisee teachers of the law of that day analyzed the Law of Moses and taught that there were 365 prohibited commandments and 248 action commandments, for a total of 613 commandments.

1. Jesus’ response: The two important commandments

* The first commandment: Mark 12:29-30 (Quote of Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

* The second commandment: Mark 12:31 (Quote of Leviticus 19:18)

2. Love God

* What does it mean to love? It means to make time for someone else.

* The importance of being connected to the Word

* When you love God, then you come to know the fact that you are loved by God

* The miracle of Northwest Flight No. 225

3. How to be a person who loves their neighbor

* Aligning your thoughts with Jesus

* The testimony of Yae Ibuka

* 1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What does it mean to love God?

2. When you love God, what do you come to notice?

3. How can you love your neighbor with the body you have been given?

MCC20230723.mp3

Sunday, July 16, 2023

“Man Placed in the Garden of Eden”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

1. The creation of man

* Genesis 2:7 “ground” = “adama”, “man” = “adam” in Hebrew

2. The garden of Eden

* Genesis 2:8 “Eden” = “luxury, delight, happy”, “put” = “rest, relaxation” in Hebrew

3. The Eden covenant

+ (1) “Appointed task” Genesis 2:15: “work and take care of”

(2) “Permission” Genesis 2:16

(3) “Prohibition” Genesis 2:17 “die” (spiritually, physically, eternally)

+ Q: “Why did God place such a dangerous thing in the garden of Eden?”

A: “He gave man the opportunity to use free will.”

4. Adam as the ancestor of humanity

* Romans 5:19 “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What is the “Eden covenant”?

2. What actually were the “ancestors of man” (ape men, primitive men) that the theory of evolution states?

MCC20230716.mp3

Sunday, July 9, 2023

“There is Resurrection After Death”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

Who were the “Sadducees”?

They were priests serving at the Temple in Jerusalem and people centering on the nobility.

Characteristics of their teaching:

(1) There is no resurrection after death

(2) The existence of God was recognized, but not belief of God’s intervention in the world

(3) The existence of angels and evil was not recognized

(4) Only the five books of Moses have God’s authority

1. The position of the Sadducees: There is no resurrection of the dead

* Denial of the resurrection by bringing up Levirate marriage (reverse marriage), a provision of marriage in the Old Testament

“A succession system in which if a man got married and died without an heir, that man’s younger brother was to marry his older brother’s wife, and if a male child was born, that child was to become the heir of the older brother that died.”

* The Japanese view of life and death

Livedoor Company survey in 2009 on “What do you think happens after death?”

1st: One’s soul and consciousness become nothing. 1,320 votes (65.9%)

2nd: There is a spirit world or another world. 680 votes (34.1%)

2. Jesus’ response: There is resurrection of the dead

* The power of God: There is resurrection. In heaven the dead will be like angels and there is no marriage system.

* People who don’t know the Bible don’t know that Jesus resurrection is proven from the five books of Moses

* Mark 12:26 “…I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” (NIV)

* John 11:25 “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.’” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Do you believe in the hope of resurrection after death?

2. What can people believe in to obtain forgiveness of sin and hope for heaven?

MCC20230709.mp3

Sunday, July 2, 2023

“Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s

and to God what is God’s”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s

* The Pharisees and Herodians

* Mark 12:14 (See above)

* A denarius silver coin in those days

* Mark 12:17 (See above)

* “When Morning Comes” a poem by Michio Mado

2. Give back to God what is God’s

* Genesis 1:27 “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (NIV)

* The testimony of Yoshio Inoue, a musical actor

* 1 Corinthians 6:20 “you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Consider how your life is supported by the hands of many invisible people.

2. What does it mean to give back to God what is God’s?

3. Live your life in a manner that glorifies God.

MCC20230702.mp3