Sunday, June 25, 2023

“When the Savior is Rejected & Accepted”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. Who is Jesus?

* Mark 11:28 & 30 (See above)

2. The end of Israel's rejection of the Savior

* “The parable of the vineyard owner and the tenants”

* Owner = Father God, Vineyard = Israel, Tenants = Israel’s leaders, Beloved son = Jesus

* The destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD

* When the Savior is rejected

3. The unshakable foundation for life

* Mark 12:10 - 11 (See above)

* The Saksaq Waman ruins of Peru

* John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What happens when a person rejects the Savior?

2. Why is it that we can accept the harsh message that if we don’t believe we will be headed to destruction?

3. Have you placed Jesus as the foundation of your life?

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Sunday, June 18, 2023

“How to Bear Abundant Fruit in Life”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. Believe in God

* Mark 11:22 (See above)

* Inamori Kazuo, an executive

* The bezel (base) of a ring

* John 15:4-5 “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (NIV)

2. Believe in the power of prayer

* Mark 11:23 (See above)

* The testimony of the prayer of a former Costa Rican prostitute

* Mark 11:24 (See above)

* 1 John 5:14 “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” (NIV)

3. The blessing of forgiving

* Mark 11:25-26 (See above)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Why is it important to believe in God?

2. Share about an experience when your prayers were answered.

3. Share about an experience when you were able to forgive someone.

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Sunday, June 11, 2023

“Human Beings of a Special Existence”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

* “P-53” gene (Discovered in 1979) (1) Cancer suppressor gene

(2) Deformity suppressor gene

1. Humans created in the image of God

* Genesis 1:26 “us” = the trinity God

* Isaiah 43:7 “...everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and

made.” (NIV)

“called by my name” = Seen as a special existence

2. God will recreate us

* Isaiah 43:7 “created” = “bara” in Hebrew (Signifying God’s creation) “formed” = “yatzurah” (Fix an appearance)

“make” = “asah” in Hebrew (Truly complete)

* 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone,

the new is here!” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. How does the “P-53” gene deny the theory of evolution?

2. What is the “image of God”?

3. Think abut the meaning of Isaiah 43:7.

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Sunday, June 4, 2023

“Search Your Heart”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. Learning from the barren fig tree

* The period of time when fig trees bear fruit

* The barren fig tree and the faith of the people at that time

* What worship means to us

* Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (NIV)

2. Learning from the temple purification

* The injustice of the money changers and those who sold sacrificial animals at that time

* “Selective breeding” limitations

* What purification means to us

* 1 Corinthians 3:16 “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (NIV)

* Two ways to identify idols

(1) Idols are things that you do when you are alone

(2) Focus on how you spend your money

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What type of thing is worship?

2. What are things that have the possibility of becoming idols for you?

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Sunday, May 28, 2023

“Creation in 6 Days”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

1. Creation from the 2nd to the 6th day

* 2nd day (verses 6-8), 3rd day (verses 9-13), 4th day (verses 14-19), 5th day (verses 20-23),

6th day (verses 24-25)

2. “According to their kinds”

* “Species conservation” rules

* “Selective breeding” limitations

* DNA information

* “Animal Life Conditions” by Toshitaka Hidaka

3. Creation by words

* Psalm 33:6 “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” (NIV)

* Psalm 148:5 “Let them praise the name of the Lord, for at his command they were created” (NIV)

* Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (NIV)

* Matthew 4:4 “Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’” (NIV)

* Pastor Chuck Smith (Calvary Chapel, USA)

* Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Review what was created on each of the 6 days of creation.

2. What does “according to their kinds” mean?

3. Which Word of God (Bible verse) supports you?

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Sunday, May 21, 2023

“As the Donkey that was Used”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. A colt on which no one had ever ridden

* Why did Jesus need a colt before entering Jerusalem?

* Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (NIV)

* Mark 11:2 “…a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden…” (NIV)

2. One who creates peace

* Donkeys are a symbol of peace

* Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (NIV)

* In order to create peace at home

3. The glory is the Lord’s

* 1 Corinthians 4:7 “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (NIV)

* Ryota Murata, a Christian boxer

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Please share if God is challenging you to try something new.

2. Have you ever experienced God’s love deeply through the relationship with your family?

3. What kind of way of life is that which expresses God’s glory?

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Sunday, May 14, 2023

“Faith that Eagerly Awaits” and “Faith that Takes Action”

Missionary Kenichi Shibusawa

1. Two types of faith

* There are two types of faith. One is not superior over the other.

2. There is a “time” for everything

* Always be sensitive to “God’s Word”

3. Japanese ministry in Christchurch, New Zealand

* (1) What has taken place so far

(2) What is taking place now

(3) What is going to be taking place

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What forms of faith are there? What are excellent aspects of each?

2. Regardless of the form of faith, what are important things in common? Why do you think so?

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Sunday, May 7, 2023

“Today is the Day of Salvation”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. Jesus is the true savior

* Mark 10:47 “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (NIV)

* Isaiah 35:5 “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.” (NIV)

* John 20:31 “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (NIV)

2. Today is the day of salvation

* Mark 10:48 “Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’” (NIV)

* Today is the day of salvation

3. Trust in love

* Mark 10:50 “Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.” (NIV)

* Why could he trust Jesus?

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Who do you think Jesus Christ is?

2. Why shouldn’t you prolong receiving salvation?

3. Why can we trust Jesus?

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Sunday, April 30, 2023

“The Beginning of the World”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

1. In the beginning God

* Genesis 1:1 “God” = “Elohim” in Hebrew (in plural form)

“created” = “bara” in Hebrew = A word applied only to God and in this instance it is a

verb that takes on singular form, implying the trinity of “God”

* John 1:1-3, 14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (NIV)

* Worldviews that are denied (atheism, agnosticism, deism, pantheism, polytheism, evolution)

* Jo Niijima (1843 – 1890), founder of Doshisha (mission school)

2. The 1st day of creation

* Exodus 20:11 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (NIV)

* Genesis 1:1 Creation of “time,” “space,” “matter”

* Genesis 1:2 “hovering” = trembling (direct translation)

* Genesis 1:3 “light” = Shekinah glory

* 2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” (NIV)

* Genesis 1:5 “And there was evening, and there was morning”

* Psalm 30:5 “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” (NIV)

* Psalm 30:11 “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.” (NIV)

3. The work of God prior to creating heaven and earth

* Ephesians 1:3-5 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will?” (NIV)

* Ecclesiastes 12:1 “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them’?” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. How does the description in Genesis differ from other worldviews?

2. What does the expression “And there was evening, and there was morning” trying to imply?

3. What does the message of Ephesians 1:3-5 mean to you?

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Sunday, April 23, 2023

“Serve Like the Lord Jesus”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. Serve rather than rule

* James’ and John’s request

* Mark 10:43-44 (See above)

2. The model is Jesus

* What was the image the people of that day had of the Messiah? A political leader

* Mark 10:45 (See above)

* Jesus personally demonstrated that rather than the influence of ruling, the impact made through serving is far greater

* The course of the disciples thereafter, imitating Jesus

3. People meet Jesus through serving

* Martha’s testimony

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What kind of Messiah did Jesus come as?

2. What did Jesus demonstrate through his life?

3. Have you ever felt Jesus’ love through someone?

4. What is your image of Jesus?

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