Sunday, December 19, 2021

“The Lord Who Was Rich, Yet Became Poor”

Pastor Kenichi Osumi

1. Macedonian churches

〓 2 Corinthians 8:2 (See above)

〓 2 Corinthians 8:3 (See above)

〓 Paul’s request

〓 2 Corinthians 8:7 (See above)

2. To know what has true value

〓 2 Corinthians 8:9a (See above)

〓 “Perennial: Quiet Solitude” (poem by Tomihiro Hoshino)

Quiet solitude

Quiet solitude of a thicket

Quiet solitude thinking of my son who lives in the city

Quiet solitude in the crowd

Quiet solitude when no one will look my way

Quiet solitude of unrequited dusk

Quiet solitude wipe your tears

Quite solitude God is with you

〓 A young girl who knew the value of a 10-yen coin

3. To secret to becoming prosperous

〓 Philippians 2:8-9 “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.” (NIV)

〓 2 Corinthians 8:9b (See above)

〓 Pastor Mitsuko (Author of “Age 74, Lacking Only Money. Everything Else is in Order.”)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What should we do to to become become truly rich and prosperous?

MCC20211219.mp3

Sunday, December 12, 2021

“The Savior is for You…”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. We were far from salvation

* Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (NIV)

2. Jesus Christ came to save us

* Luke 2:10-11 “…Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (NIV)

* The prayer of a mother

* Salvation is grace that comes from God, given as a present

3. To shine light on the darkness

* John 8:12 “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” (NIV)

* A poem by a Russian soldier

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Do you think you have sin?

2. Have you received the love of the cross of Jesus Christ?

3. In your walk with Jesus Christ, have you experienced light being shined on the darkness of life?

MCC20.mp3

Sunday, December 5, 2021

“The Great Multitude in White Robes”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

1. A look at the martyrs in the Great Tribulation

* Revelation 7:9 “After this I looked” = John saw a different vision

* Revelation 7:14 “great tribulation” = “that tribulation” (different translation)

* Revelation 7:14 “come out of” = “experienced”

* Revelation 7:14 “washed their robes” = “washed that clothing (by themselves)”

2. The worship of angels

* Luke 15:10 “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (NIV)

3. The One who will return to this world

* 1 Corinthians 13:12 “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (NIV)

* Revelation 7:17 “every” = “one by one” (direct translation)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What is the “Great Tribulation”?

2. Who will the people who come to faith in the Great Tribulation hear the gospel from?

3. What do the believers in the Great Tribulation need to be ready for?

MCC20211205.mp3

Sunday, November 28, 2021

“The One Who is, and Who Was, and Who is to Come”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

* Michinaga Fujiwara

“This world, I think is indeed my world. Like the full moon I shine, uncovered by any cloud.”

* Daniel 4:30 “He said, ‘Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?’” (King Nebuchadnezzar) (NIV)

1. The One who frees us from sin

* Isaiah 59:1-2 “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” (NIV)

2. The One who was resurrected from the dead

* The love letter Satoshi Miyagawa (cartoonist) received from his daughter, Hanae

“Dear Dad,

If you are eaten by a snake, I won’t mind being eaten either.

The reason why I think that is because I love you.”

3. The One who will return to this world

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Where do you think the true resolution to the problem of human sin is?

2. Where do you think the true resolution to the problem of human death is?

3. What do you think will happen at the end of human history?

MCCEnglish20211128.mp3

Sunday, November 21, 2021

“No Salvation Other Than in Him”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. The sin of refusing the Holy Spirit (Jesus Christ, the truth)

* Mark 3:29 “but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” (NIV)

* Those who say that the work of the Holy Spirit to lead people to Jesus Christ, the truth, and deny it deny Jesus Christ himself and do not receive salvation.

* Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (NIV)

* Jesus Christ, the truth

* Do all religions lead to the same truth? (the mistake of religious pluralism)

2. Unique selection

* The conversation with Jesus’ family

* Mark 3:35 “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (NIV)

* Those those who do the will of God are in His family, superseding blood connections

* This shows that salvation is available to not only the people of Israel, but also to gentiles

* Why did Jesus prepare a way of salvation through faith?

* A performance by American violinist Joshua Bell

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. How can you respond to people who say that it is absurd that there is no other way to be saved other than through Jesus Christ?

2. Why did Jesus prepare a way of salvation through faith?

20211121English.mp3

Sunday, November 14, 2021

“What Jesus Saw in the Disciples”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. The chosen disciples

(1) Simon Peter (2) James (3) John

(4) Andrew (5) Philip (6) Bartholomew (Nathanael)

(7) Matthew (8) Thomas (9) James son of Alphaeus

(10) Thaddaeus (Judas) (11) Simon the Zealot (12) Judas Iscariot

2. Unique selection

* The testimony of Pastor Yasutaka Yoshida of Hope Chapel in Ikoma City, Nara Prefecture

* Romans 10:9-11 “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’” (NIV)

3. Discovering the brilliance in others as a work of God

* The sculptor Michelangelo

* A priest named St. Ioan who lived in the 1800’s

* The encounter of a teacher and children in the slums of Baltimore

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What kind of people did Jesus choose as disciples?

2. What about the disciples did Jesus fix his eyes on?

3. Who do we want to look at with Jesus’ viewpoint?

20211114English.mp3

Sunday, November 7, 2021

“The 144,000 Evangelists”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

* Revelation 7:1 “After this” = This is not referring to the chronological flow of events, but rather John is using a literary device when introducing the vision that he saw next

* Revelation is generally written about events that occur in chronological order, but there are four locations with inserted content:

(1) Chapter 7 (2) Chapter 10 - 11 verse 13 (3) Chapter 12 - 14 (4) Chapter 17 - 19 verse 10

1. Who are the 144,000 people?

* Revelation 7:4 “People from all tribes of Israel”

* Revelation 7:4 “were sealed” = Showing God’s ownership

* Romans 11:26 “And so all Israel will be saved….” (NIV)

* Genesis 12:3 “…and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (NIV)

2. Who did the 144,000 people hear the Gospel from?

* Rapture of the Christians

* Ezekiel War Ezekiel Ch. 38-39

* Ezekiel 39:22 “From that day forward the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God.” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Gain a firm understanding of the flow of time in Revelation.

2. Understand who the “144,000” people are.

3. What is the relationship between the fulfillment of the “Abraham Covenant” and the 144,000 people?

4. What do you think can be done to walk through hardships without losing faith?

MCC20211107.mp3

Sunday, October 31, 2021

“The Cry of Martyrs and Natural Disasters”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

1. The 5th seal

* Revelation 6:9 “those who had been slain” = those martyred during the Great Tribulation

Q1. Who did they hear the Gospel from?

Q2. Who persecuted them?

Q3. Why were they persecuted?

* “A Hidden Life” movie directed by Terrence Malick

True story of an Austrian Christian couple

2. The 6th seal

* Revelation 6:12 “great earthquake” = enormous earthquake

* Revelation 6:13 “start in the sky fell to earth” = meteorites

* Revelation 6:14 description of heavenly body seen from earth

* Revelation 6:14 “every mountain and island was removed from its place” = plate movement

* Joel 2:10-11 “Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty is the army that obeys his command. The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?” (NIV)

* Isaiah 34:4 “All the stars in the sky will be dissolved and the heavens rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree.” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. Reconfirm what occurred when the 5th and 6th seals were opened.

2. Why do you think it will be difficult to maintain faith during the Great Tribulation?

MCC English Sermon20211031.mp3

Sunday, October 24, 2021

“Because it was in the Dark”

Pastor Joey Anjiki

1. People who deny Jesus

* Mark 3:6 “Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.” (NIV)

* The present state of Japan

* “Is the perception that that religion causes war actually true?”

“Encyclopedia of Wars”

* Democracy, gender equality, elimination of racial discrimination, protecting children’s rights

Christian faith is founded on these rights

* Miki Sawada (Efforts to save war orphans)

2. People who accept Jesus

* Judah sound of Galilee, Jerusalem, Edom southeast of the Dead Sea = Israeli people

* Tire and Sidon beyond the Jordan River = Gentile people’s land

* The faith of a university student

* Incident on January 17, 1994 in Los Angeles

* Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (NIV)

* John 8:12 “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. How can you respond to people who think religion causes war?

2. Please share about what kind of circumstances each of you was in when led to the light of truth.

20211024eng.mp3

Sunday, October 17, 2021

“The Sound of Approaching Hoofbeats”

Pastor Hiroyuki Anjiki

* The Great Tribulation = in the Old Testament: “the day of the LORD” (Isaiah 13:6, Jeremiah 46:10)

　　　 “a time of trouble for Jacob” (Jeremiah 30:7)

1. The first seal

* Zechariah 1:7-10 “On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo. During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses. I asked, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who was talking with me answered, ‘I will show you what they are.’ Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, ‘They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.’” (NIV)

* 1 John 2:22, 4:3 “The antichrist” = person taking the place of Christ

* Revelation 6:2 “bow” = “Keshet” in Hebrew = rainbow

2. The second seal

* Revelation 6:4 “red” = symbol of bloodshed

3. The third seal

* Revelation 6:5 “black horse” = symbol of economic recession, food shortage, famine

4. The fourth seal

* Revelation 6:8 “pale horse” = symbol of death

Thoughts to share at mini church:

1. What is the “Great Tribulation”?

2. What will occur when the first through fourth seals are opened?

MCC20211017.mp3