In Christ; March 31, 2024


John 20:17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'”

This has got to be one of the most mind-blowing messages ever given. Jesus was quite literally raising His disciples up to His level. There are of course differences, but in general, I think we tend to fail to see all that Jesus really accomplished for us through the cross. In my mind’s eye I can see Mary, lying at Jesus’ feet with her arms wrapped around His ankles, and Jesus saying, “You don’t belong there, but standing beside me.” Of course John, who wrote this report, likewise fell at Jesus’ feet when he saw Him in His glory, (Revelation 1:17) but Jesus raised him up as well. There is no room for pride in this, because none of us deserve this treatment, but Jesus and the Father, in the abundance of their grace, mercy, and love, choose for it to be so. That’s why Paul wrote, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (Romans 8:29) Of course, that same Paul was painfully aware that he wasn’t fully there yet, (Philippians 3:12-14) but by God’s timeline it is already accomplished fact. This is the tension of serving an eternal God who is outside of time while we are still in the flow of time. However, the better we grasp what is already accomplished in Christ, the better we will be able to deal with all that comes at us in the flow of time.

My father wrote his doctoral dissertation on In Christ (actually, En Christo), and this is what it is all about. He didn’t understand it himself, despite writing about it from a Scriptural basis, until he had a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit, because He is the One who brings it to present reality in our lives. I’ve got to be more and more open to allowing God’s Spirit to flow through me all the time in every situation, because only then will the reality of Jesus’ words to Mary be realized. Just yesterday I was emotionally devastated by something that is entirely temporal, and thus, ultimately unimportant. I have plenty of growing to do! Today, with the Sunrise Service, the normal service, a pot-luck dinner, and then our Easter children’s program, there is much that could tear me down. However, on God’s timeline it’s already completed, so I have nothing to be anxious about! As He has told me to do, I need to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him, knowing that He is absolutely trustworthy.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Yesterday was somewhat scary, for me and certainly for Cathy. I’m reminded of what Isaiah said to King Ahaz: “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” (Isaiah 7:9) Help me indeed stand firm in the faith You have given me, so that all the devil’s lies may be defeated and Your will be done, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Completion; March 30, 2024


John 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

I referenced this yesterday, knowing it was coming in today’s reading, but it is important enough that I want to write on it further. “Finished” isn’t a bad word for the translation here, but I prefer the Japanese, which says, “completed.” Analyzing the characters used to write it, that could be rendered as “perfectly ended.” The point is, Jesus didn’t leave this life until He fulfilled everything for which He was sent. He even went to the trouble of asking for the sour wine, so as to fulfill Psalm 69:21. He left nothing undone. That is an impossibly perfect example for us to follow, but it is certainly something to which we should aspire. None of us is here by accident; we all have things to do, which God has prepared for us. (Ephesians 2:10) Of course, the most important of those things is coming into right relationship with our Creator, by repentance and faith, but given that, there are many other things on God’s agenda for us. The younger a person is, the less they are aware of this, and especially, that there is a deadline. This is one time when that expression is spot on! At the same time, the devil often tries to tell us that it’s too late to do things God intends for us. Occasionally that is true, but we have the example of Moses, who didn’t even start leading the Israelites until he was 80! Every one of us needs to ask the Lord what His plans are for us, and then commit and submit ourselves fully to Him for the completion of those plans. They might be simple indeed, or they might be complicated. They might echo in history, or be completely overlooked by others. The point is, we are to do God’s work for us, not what we dream up for ourselves. He might reveal His plans to us in dreams, so this can sometimes get tricky, but the point is to trust Him and follow, knowing that “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

This is more and more sharply in my awareness, since I am 75 and have just retired from secular teaching. Various things are changing about this church, and it is exciting to see. I feel I will soon be much freer to travel, and I don’t know where the Lord is going to take me. In the meantime, there are countless “little” things that are to be taken care of right now. They might look little to me, but I have no idea how big they might be in God’s plans. The point for me is faithfulness in every detail, but not from a yoke of legalism. I am to walk in the liberty of the Spirit, (2 Corinthians 3:17) rejoicing to be a child of God who happens to have a white beard!

Father, thank You for this reminder, and for the people You are bringing to this church. May we fit together according to Your plan, so that Your will may be done for the salvation of many, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Responding to the Cross; March 29, 2024


Luke 23:46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

One thing that is very clear from the Bible record is that Jesus was never a helpless victim. He endured horrible things, but it was by His choice, not by any hint of masochism but because He knew the purpose for all that was happening, and He loved mankind and His Father that much, to go through with it all. There is question of whether this was actually His last statement, or if it was what John records in tomor­row’s reading: “It is finished,” (John 19:30) but that makes no real difference. The point is, Jesus had a job to do, and He saw it through to the end. I am reminded of a book by Ayako Miura, also made into a movie: Shiokari Pass. In it, the last car in a train going up a mountain comes unhooked, and a young man throws himself under the wheels to stop it from rolling back down the mountain, derailing and killing everyone in it. The parallels are extreme. I say it every year at Christmas, but Jesus is the one person in all of history who was born for the purpose of dying. Everyone else dies sometime (with a few remarkable exceptions of people who are taken directly to heaven, like Elijah in 2 Kings 2) but Jesus came for that express purpose. I am sure it was a huge relief to Him when it was all over. We have trouble wrapping our minds around such love and dedication. When it happens on the battlefield the US gives the Medal of Honor, but those men don’t go into battle knowing they are going to do that. Jesus, in contrast, knew ahead of time what would happen, at least in broad terms, and He went forward anyway. Believers in the 2000 years since then have been blown out of the water by the magnitude, the magnificence, of it all, as indeed we should be. The hymn, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, captures it very well. As that hymn says, knowing what Jesus did for us “demands my soul, my life, my all.” When Jesus gave everything for us, how can we hold anything back from Him?

I have known the facts of the crucifixion for as long as I can remember, and that of course raises the danger of familiarity breeding contempt. I must not let that happen! Today is Good Friday, and I need to meditate on all that means. I have already celebrated Communion, as I do every morning, but I need to let the reality of it all sink into the depths of my being. There are various things I will be doing today, because life doesn’t stop for everyone else when one individual dies. I need to grow in my appreciation of Christ, while I am living out what He intends for me to do each moment of my life. I need to learn to worship while I am walking, talking to someone, shopping, or doing anything else. I’m reminded of what the angels said to the disciples after Jesus’ ascension: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky?” (Acts 1:11) In other words, “Special moments are just that, special moments. Now, get on with your lives, as He told you to do!”

Father, thank You for this clear reminder. Help me live it out, in continuous awareness of Your love and grace toward me, as I let that love and grace flow through me to those around me, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Peter; March 28, 2024


Mark 14:72 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

The other Gospels mention the rooster, but Mark, recording Peter’s own recollections, specifies it crowing twice. I’m sure every detail of Jesus having told him this would happen, and then of it actually playing out, was etched in Peter’s memory like it was engraved in stone. The different Gospels also use different expressions to describe Peter’s response to the realization of what he had done. Matthew and Luke both say he “wept bitterly,” but here it says he “fell apart weeping,” to use the specific terminology in the Japanese. The picture painted is about the same, but I’m sure Peter felt he could do nothing but weep. The fact that the rooster crowed twice puts an extra twist on the story. How could Peter not have realized what was going on when he heard it the first time?  I think that’s a testimony to how uptight he was, how wrapped up in the fear that he too might be arrested and crucified. The sound probably didn’t even register, except in memory after the second crow. It wasn’t that Peter was forced to do this, but rather that his human weakness, common to us all, was in full display. That’s why Peter is such an important example for us.

I have done things, and particularly said things, that I regretted as soon as they happened. Even in the moment, it almost seemed like I was in slow motion, but I still didn’t stop. I can’t explain it, but I certainly identify with what Paul wrote in Romans 7! The comfort in that is that I have also experienced God’s incredible grace, mercy, and forgiveness. I am never to condemn myself, but neither am I to excuse myself. Sin must be acknowledged and confessed for it to be forgiven. I wish I didn’t have quite so much experience in that! However, it should give me empathy for those around me, helping me forgive as I have been forgiven. Again, forgiving isn’t the same thing as excusing. I’m sure Peter was quite forgiving after this, but that didn’t keep him from speaking sternly to Ananias and Sapphira. (Acts 5) As I have commented before, I don’t enjoy exercising church discipline, but I must not run from it. God has corrected me, and I must be willing to be His instrument in correcting others, when that is called for.

Father, thank You again for Peter’s example. I have been encour­aged many times by his letters, remembering his history. I am certainly as flawed as he was, but I want to be as available and useful to You as he was, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Good Intentions; March 27, 2024


Matthew 26:33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

I’m reminded of the saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” We are experts at saying the right things, and even genuinely intending the right things, and then falling flat. We sometimes overlook the record, in verse 35, that all the disciples joined Peter in his protestation of faithfulness, but Jesus already knew what they were actually going to do when push came to shove. As He noted in verse 41, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” That’s why repentance is absolutely essential on an ongoing basis. As Paul noted in Romans 7, we want to do the right things, but all too often fail to do them, or even actively do the wrong things. The amazing thing is not our weakness, but rather that God loves us anyway, and makes forgiveness available to all who will acknowledge their sins and turn to Him. (1 John 1:9) The thing is, we don’t know how we will respond until we are tested. I watched a video just yesterday that talked about how the Chinese military is a very unknown quantity, because hardly any of the personnel have any actual combat experi­ence, and for the few that do, Chinese performance was certainly nothing to be proud of. We don’t know how we will act until bullets are actually flying around us. That’s why God allows trials of various sorts in our lives at rather frequent intervals. Some are so small that we might not even notice them, but overcoming them strengthens us anyway. Some are so big that we don’t see how we will get through them, but as Paul said, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) And when we get through those, we are much stronger than we were before them. I keep saying it, but God is not mean; He doesn’t pick on us. Everything He allows in our lives is because of His love.

I remember Sgt. Boney, (I’m not sure of the spelling) a drill instructor I had in Army Basic Training. This was 1970, and he well knew that the majority of us were going to go to the battlefront in Vietnam. He had come back from Nam with one arm and both legs in bandages and/or casts, and he wanted to give us the best possible chance of survival. He seemed merciless, but I could tell that it was all from a genuine desire for our best. I’m sure he never thought he would be an illustration of how God acts toward us! I was told just yesterday that one of the problems with my pastoral ministry is that I haven’t been strict enough with the believers, and that may be true. I know I don’t enjoy exercising discipline, and I have a real aversion to legalism. I may not love the believers enough. However, I remember that Jesus didn’t chew Peter out, He just warned him what would happen. I am not to be accusatory, but I am to be both cautionary and encouraging. When I have stumbled so many times myself, I need to lift people up and not push them down.

Father, thank You for Your grace and mercy toward me. Help me be an accurate conduit of that grace and mercy toward those under my care, that they may be strengthened and guided into the way You want them to go, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Passing On Blessings; March 26, 2024


Luke 22:31-32 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

The fact that the English “you” can be either singular or plural can mask all sorts of nuances in speech, particularly in the Bible. I had never realized, before now, that the “you” in verse 31 is plural, but in verse 32 it is singular. In other words, all of the apostles were to be “sifted,” but Jesus had prayed specifically for Peter. I wonder how soon after he denied knowing Jesus that Peter remembered Jesus had said this? What stands out to me is that Jesus, having prayed for Peter, was confident that he would indeed turn again, back to the faith that had grown over the previous three years, and at that point he had a job to do: strengthen the other apostles. The best counselor is always someone who has been through what you are experiencing. That’s why Paul wrote, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) Going through what he experienced, having Jesus look at him right after the rooster crowed, (Luke 22:61) and then meet with him personally after the resurrection, (Luke 24:34) Peter was uniquely equipped to strengthen faith without judging, and the evidence is, he indeed did that. I say it frequently, but our experienc­es and blessings are never for us alone, but are to flow through us to others, for the glory of God.

Of course, this applies to me as much as it does to anyone. In my case, I have experienced God’s incredible patience, mercy and grace in the face of persistent pride. I should certainly be able to help others who are struggling with pride, and not just by putting them down! (I’ll confess that temptation arises at times.) Going to what Paul wrote to the Corinthians, I have experienced God’s provision in what I feel were miraculous ways, though He used people in the process. I am well equipped to assure people that if God tells you to do something, He will supply everything necessary to accomplish it. However, I have also learned that His provision often doesn’t look like we imagine it will. The point is, I am to be a good steward of all that God has placed in my hands, experiences as well as abilities and material goods. I am to be indeed, a channel of blessing, as the hymn puts it so clearly, so that God may be glorified as His will is done in and through me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for this new season in my life, with the pressure of school commitments removed, but many things for me to do. Help me not overlook or resent any of the things You put on my calendar, but do it all with my whole heart, unto You for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Doing Truth; March 25, 2024


John 13:17 “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

This is a dearly loved story that shows Jesus’ teaching style very clearly. The idea that the disciples were to be servant-leaders was very counter-cultural at the time, and indeed, it still is today. However, Jesus didn’t just tell them to serve one another, He illustrated it by His actions, completely shocking them. He had said similar things previously, but here, with very little time left before his arrest, he pounded the point home with what was considered something you would only ask a slave to do. Peter famously tried to reject such a menial act on the part of his Lord, but his desire to be connected to Jesus won out over his sensibilities. (verses 8-9) However, it’s this verse that hits home hardest for me. Most Christians, especially in culturally Christian nations like America, know a lot more than they do in terms of following Christ. By failing to do what we actually know to do, we miss out on far more blessings than we realize. For example, many studies have shown that altruism feels good, and actually has positive health benefits. Serving in a soup kitchen, for example, is good for you! However, lying Satan has twisted that around to make us do things just to feel good, instead of genuinely serving, and that is what is called “virtue signaling.” Sadly, many of the things that are done for that purpose actually hurt, rather than help, those we are “serving.” It is only when we are submitted first to God that we can discern what He wants us to do in genuine service, to Him and to our neighbor. When we do that, we are blessed indeed!

This verse, coupled with James’ famous instructions to “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says,” (James 1:22) have always hit home for me, because I have had a lot of Bible knowledge from a very young age, growing up in the home that I did. I honestly don’t know how many blessings I have missed because of failing to act on the truth I knew, but I’m sure it’s a lot. Now, as a pastor, I need to be encouraging the believers to act on the truth they are hearing week by week, and hopefully reading every day. It was shocking to two of the men in the church yesterday when they found out I take Communion every morning as part of my devotions. I hope the point got home that faith isn’t just a matter of words, but is to be acted on. Just a few minutes before that, they had been commenting that they hoped they could be as active as I am when they reached my age. My prayer is that they realize that my current blessed state is a demonstration of this verse!

Father, thank You indeed for Your blessings. Thank You for Your patience with me over the years, as truth has slowly moved from my head to my heart and out into my actions. I know I still have a long way to go! May I be an effective example, drawing those who see me into a right relationship with You, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Christ’s Passion; March 24, 2024


Luke 19:41-42 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes.

As Jesus was entering Jerusalem, just days from being scourged and crucified, He wept, not for Himself but for the city. We have trouble wrapping our minds around all that Jesus did for us, so it’s very good that we take time every year to think specifically about it. We get so familiar with the story that we are in danger of taking it for granted, but that is a terrible loss. Josephus recorded that Jesus was known for mood swings, and this particular incident is an illustration of that. Today He would probably be diagnosed as bipolar, at least! However, He had to deal with the impossibility of all of God’s emotions manifesting at once. There was the great joy of the disciples welcoming Him as King, but there was at the same time the awareness of all that was going to happen, to Him and to the city and its inhabitants. I certainly don’t think I could have handled that! Jesus’ commitment, His sacrifice, was total, as the events of Passion Week make clear. We need to respond with equal commitment, offering ourselves totally to Him, as He did for us.

Of course I’m talking to myself here. If I think of this in the abstract, simply as something to preach, then I will miss out on the benefits. I will indeed be preaching this morning, and the very topic sounds very theological: substitutionary atonement. If I fail to bring it down to where we live, and most particularly, if I fail to apply it to my own heart and life, then it will all be a futile, intellectual exercise. I need to speak out of a very deep awareness that Jesus died for me, not simply “for mankind.” Until I grasp, not just in words, that it was my sins that nailed Jesus to the cross, then I am no better than a talking head, possibly interesting but of no major concern. We all need that awareness, and there is a high probability that there will be people physically present, not to mention over the Internet, who do not know Jesus as Lord at all. I need to let the love of God flow through me by His Spirit, so that all may be drawn to You for their salvation and God’s glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. May I indeed not just write about it, but put it into practice. May today be the spiritual birthday of many, not just here but around the world, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Genuine Repentance; March 23, 2024


Jeremiah 34:16 “But now you have turned around and profaned my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again.”

This whole passage is such an egregious story that it was hard to pull out just one verse to write on. We are generally so far removed from slavery that we have trouble imagining the circumstances of the story, but slavery is actually going on even today to a degree at least equal to any time in history. We just call it “human trafficking.” It all comes from people’s distorted view of themselves and others. It can only happen when some people think of themselves as superior to some others, and therefore entitled to treat them as you would an animal. There are of course people who treat animals very well, but they still don’t treat them as equals, nor should they. It is a horrible thing when we exercise that attitude toward other human beings. It is a very similar thing that is very much in evidence across the world today, with some people considering themselves to be “elites,” above the “rabble” of “common” people, and the results are just about as bad as slavery. Going into examples would take all day! In the story here, the king had realized that slavery was an affront to God and had ordered the “nobility” to free their slaves. On the surface they had followed through, even going through the formal step of a covenant before God, as specified by Moses, but their hearts hadn’t changed and they didn’t really fear God, so they turned around and enslaved the people again. Public repentance is meaningless if there isn’t an actual change of heart, and that change of heart isn’t going to happen without an actual fear of God. We need to remember that as we look at our politicians and leaders, especially in this election year in the US!

I’ve never enslaved anyone, but I have thought of myself as an elite at times, and that is the root attitude behind slavery. As I seek to confront evil around me, I need to be careful that the root attitudes that produce the evil aren’t operating in me! I am disgusted quite often as I read about what is going on in the world, but I must remember that I am as human as those people are, and walk in humble submission to the Lord. I have fought with pride in my own life enough that I should be done with it, but it is remarkably persistent! I need to be careful that my own repentance is real and not just a matter of words, so that the Holy Spirit may be free to work in me however He pleases, for the glory of God.

Father, thank You for this reminder. With Japanese respect for age I am often in a socially superior position, and that can be uncomfortable. I pray that it would stay uncomfortable! May I stay humble before You however You choose to use me, so that I may not open myself to the devil’s deceptions but walk faithfully before You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Reward; March 22, 2024


Jeremiah 31:16 This is what the Lord says:
“Restrain your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears,
for your work will be rewarded,”
declares the Lord.
“They will return from the land of the enemy.”

Verse 15 is famous because it is quoted by Matthew in relation to the killing by Herod of all the boy babies in Bethlehem, (Matthew 2:18) but we see here in context that it was spoken in relation to the Jews being carried off into exile. The thing is, the Bible speaks many times about our work being rewarded. The two passages that jump out at me are, “You know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free,” (Ephesians 6:8) and, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.” (Hebrews 10:35) We can’t “work our way into heaven,” but that doesn’t mean our work is meaningless. To emphasize, this isn’t the same as salvation. Paul spoke to this very clearly to the Corinthians: “If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” (1 Corinthians 3:14-15) We sometimes have trouble balancing it all out in our minds. How much is it our faithfulness? How much is it God’s grace? To be honest, I don’t think we will know the answer to that completely until we stand before God’s throne, but I don’t think we need to be anxious about it. As it says in Hebrews, we will be richly rewarded! The point is to remember that in the middle of all the trials we encounter, because as Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33, emphasis added)

This feels very “up close and personal” right now. We will shortly be celebrating 40 years since the founding of this church, and our attendance has shown wide swings throughout that time. Sometimes it really does feel like we are building sand castles, and the waves keep crashing in. When we celebrated our 25th anniversary, within a couple of months many in our congregation had left! The devil is working overtime to tell us the same sort of thing is going to happen now, but he’s no match for the Holy Spirit who is in us. God’s plans are going to be fulfilled! Our former members are scattered literally around the world at this point. Those who left for work reasons we generally have good communication with, courtesy of the Internet, but the ones who left disgruntled are often much closer by. God hasn’t forgotten them, either! We don’t know when or how God will draw those people back to Himself, or whether that will involve us, but we can safely leave it in His hands. What we are to do is recognize the task at hand and do it with our whole heart, as unto the Lord, (Colossians 3:23) knowing that we will be rewarded in His time.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It’s important! Thank You for being able to meet up with our missionary friends yesterday, and for the huge encouragement that was. They too are facing “terminal issues,” and they have gone through very similar things as we have. I pray Your encouragement for them and for all of Your faithful servants in this nation in particular, that we may never lose hope, but rejoice to trust You who alone are totally faithful. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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