Sunday, August 23, 2020

“The Cycle of Praise and Blessing”

Psalm 134

* “Baraph” (Hebrew)

Psalm 134:1 “Praise”

Psalm 134:2 “…praise”

Psalm 134:3 “…bless

1. Praise to the Lord

* Psalm 134:1 “Oh” = “Hine” (Hebrew) = “Look”

* “request” = “Please _____.”

“gratitude” = “Thank you for _____.”

“praise” = Praising the ability, nature, or work of someone

2. Blessings from the Lord

* “The battle of King Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20)

* The praise of Paul and Silas in prison (Acts 16)

* Psalm 22:3 “Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.” (NIV)

Colloquial translation: “You who are sitting on the praise of Israel are the Holy One.”

Sekine translation: “You are the Holy One, and dwell in praise.”

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. What is the difference between “requests,” “gratitude,” and “praise”?

2. What kind of relationship is there between giving “praise to the Lord” and receiving “blessings from the Lord”?

english_MCC 20200823.mp3

Sunday, August 16, 2020

“What is Christianity?”

John 14:6

1. Jesus Christ, the way

* One’s heart becomes dry when there is no relationship with God

* American female singer Madonna

* Words of French mathematician and philosopher Pascal:

“There's a void in my heart that only creator God can fill.”

* We are works of God

* The relationship of the creator and the work

* Ayako Miura, Christian writer

2. Jesus Christ, the truth

* (1) The absoluteness of truth

- Religious pluralism

* (2) The universality of truth

* John 8:32 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (NIV)

3. Jesus Christ, the life

* Sin that separates us from our relationship with God

* The problem of slander on the Internet

* The conditions for salvation

* Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NIV)

* The testimony of seminary professor Martin Marty

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. What kind of image do you have of the church?

2. Why do you think God prepared a way of salvation through faith, and not by works?

english_MCC 20200816.mp3

Sunday, August 9, 2020

“Hinei Ma Tov U'Ma Naim”

Psalm 133

1. The joy of “living together”

“Hinei Ma Tov U'Ma Naim Shevet Achim Gam Yachad”

("How good it is for all of us to dwell together in peace.")

2. The difficulty of “living together”

* Job 6:15 “But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow.” (NIV)

* Jeremiah 12:6 “Your relatives, members of your own family — even they have betrayed you; they have raised a loud cry against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you.” (NIV)

3. The driving force of “living together”

* Acts 2:46-47 “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (NIV)

* Colossians 3:15-16 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” (NIV)

* “Worship is the rehearsal of life.” J.E. Burkhart (McCormick Theological Seminary Professor)

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. What are two examples given of the joy of “living together”?

2. Why do you think it is difficult to “live together”?

3. What kind of rehearsal are you doing by worshipping this week?

english_MCC20200809.mp3

Sunday, August 2, 2020

“The Recovery of David’s Tent”

Psalm 132

1. David’s request

* 2 Samuel 6:11 “The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.” (NIV)

* 2 Samuel 6:20-21 “When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, ‘How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!’ David said to Michal, ‘It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel - I will celebrate before the Lord’.” (NIV)

* 2 Samuel 7:12-16 “When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.” (NIV)

2. David’s worship

* “Enormous tent”

* “Ark of the Covenant placed in the middle of the tent”

* “Introduction of songs of praise and instruments”

* “Emotional expression was encouraged”

* “Gentiles were able to participate”

3. David’s reward

* Psalm 132:17 “a horn” “a lamp” = a symbol of the Messiah

* Romans 3:25 “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood - to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished.” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. What can you learn from the passion for David’s worship?

2. What kind of worship is worship that pleases the Lord?

english_MCC20200802.mp3

Sunday, July 26, 2020

“The Key to Peace”

Psalm 131

1. A humble heart before God

* Psalm 131:1 “…things too wonderful for me” = ambition or aspiration without bewilderment focused on self and forgetting God

* Genesis 3:5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (NIV) (Adam’s ambition to become like God)

* American presidential election history:

1972 Richard Nixon vs. George McGovern

1984 Ronald Reagan vs. Walter Mondale

1992 Bill Clinton vs. George H.W. Bush

2000 George W. Bush vs. Al Gore

2016 Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton

* Romans 9:33 “As it is written: ‘See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.’” (NIV)

2. Trust in the Lord God

* Psalm 131:2 “weaned child” = “child who has finished drinking milk” (direct translation)

* Yukio Oka (former vice president of Sagami Railway)

* 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. What things other than the “Lord God” do you think can easily become “gods” (idols)?

2. Do you think that the stance of believing in the “Lord God,” but also believing in “something else” can really be said to be believing in the “Lord God?”

english_MCC 20200726.mp3

Sunday, July 19, 2020

“Crossing Boundaries”

Mark 1:40-44

1. The story of healing leprosy

* It was thought that the healing of leprosy would be a miracle conducted at the time the Messiah appeared

* The meaning of Jesus touching the man

2. Love that crosses boundaries

* The boundaries Jesus crossed:

“The boundary between people and sick people”

“The boundary between men and women”

“The boundary between races”

“The boundary of sin between God and humans”

* A revival in India (Love that crosses the boundary of the Caste system)

3. Being a person who shows love to people around them

* 1 John 4:8-9 & 11 “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him… Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (NIV)

* 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 kinds of things were boundaries that Jesus crossed?

2. Is there anyone who you want to express love to, crossing a boundary?

MCC English20200719.mp3

Sunday, July 12, 2020

“Wait for the LORD Out of The Depths”

Psalm 130

1. Cry out to the LORD God

* “LORD” = “I am,” “The source of the existence of everything,” “Continues to exist eternally”

2. Things that prevent the LORD’s salvation

* 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)

* Hans Christian Andersen (Danish fairytale writer) (1805 – 1875)

* “The Little Fox” by Nankichi Niimi

3. Faith that waits on the LORD

4.

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. What kind of God is the LORD God? What kind of relationship do you think He has with you?

2. What are things that prevent your relationship with the LORD? What can be done to resolve that?

english_MCC 20200712.mp3

Sunday, July 7, 2020

“The Hardship of Israel & Protection of God”

Psalm 129

1. The history of past hardship in retrospect

* Exodus of Egypt (14th century BC)

* Ancient Israel Kingdom established (11th century BC)

* Northern Kingdom destroyed by the Assyrian Empire (721BC)

* Southern Kingdom taken into Babylonian captivity (586BC)

* Jerusalem temple rebuilt by Persian Empire tolerance policy (516BC)

2. Why were the Jewish people persecuted?

* Dreyfus incident (1894)

* Incident caused by “Pogrom” (1881)

* “Anti-Semitism” is the work of the devil (spiritual problem)

3. The blessing of those who bless Israel

* Pray for peace in Israel

* Pray for the salvation of Muslims

* Pray for abortion to cease in Israel

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. What is the cause of “Anti-Semitism?” Why?

2. Pray for the Israel to be blessed.

english_MCC -20200705.mp3

Sunday, June 28, 2020

“The Blessing of Living with God”

Psalm 127

1. Trust in God

* Mauna Kea in Maui, Hawaii (4205m) “Subaru telescope”

* Mt. Everest (8848m) Oxygen concentration 33%

* Matthew 5:45 “ … He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (NIV)

* Psalm 127:1 “build” = reconstruct, restore, rebuild, build an alter

2. Hope that comes from God

* Psalm 127:2 “sleep” = sound sleep

3. Love fellowship with God

* John 3:16 “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.” (NIV)

* Toyoko Ishikawa (Osaka University of Arts Professor) (Communications Department)

“3 Points for Effective Communication”

(1) Speak using words that can be heard

(2) Use words that come across clearly

(3) Use non-verbal elements effectively

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. Three elements are necessary for a human’s “soul” to recover. What are those three elements?

How can they be acquired?

english_MCC 20200628.mp3

Sunday, June 21, 2020

“A Home Blessed by God”

Psalm 128

* Psalm 128:1 & 4 “fear the Lord” = To trust and love the Lord

* Blessings of a husband and wife loving each other:

1. Children can establish their own identity

* The testimony of psychologist Dr. Justice S. Green

* Ephesians 5:33 “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” (NIV)

2. They can raise their children in a stable manner

3. The can rear hearts that respect God

* “Are All the Children In?” a poem by Alice Pearson

I think oftimes as night draws nigh,

Of an old house on the hill,

And of a yard all wide

And blossom-starred

Where the children played at will.

And when the night at last came down

Hushing the merry din,

Mother would look around and ask,

"Are all the children in?"

I wonder if when the shadows fall

On the last short earthly day;

When we say goodbye to the world outside

All tired with our childish play;

When we step out into the other land

Where mother so long has been,

Will we hear her ask,

Just as of old,

"Are all the children in?"

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. What kind of person is (was) your father? Think about aspects to be thankful for.

2. Think about what impact a husband and wife’s relationship has on raising children.

english_MCC 20200621.mp3