Verse 29: "The next day, John saw Jesus coming towards him, and said, "Look, the Lamb of God."

Last week, I had a chance to go to the movies, and I saw the famous "Titanic". This movie was such a BIG hit! The reason I went to see this movie was that a long time ago, I remember listening to a certain pastor's sermon which stated that the ship was really sunk, and that some of the people who were drowning were shouting to the Lord, saying, "we are coming to You!" I had had great hopes that I would see this moving scene in that movie, but to my disappointment, it was not included. However, I noticed in the background music a violin that was playing a hymn.

As you know, this ship really existed. It was the greatest ship in the World at that time. The people who rode it could never have thought it was capable of sinking. They never dreamed of it sinking. They never did. But, it did! This same principle applies to us today. We can never say "I'm okay.", or "My children are alright.", or "We will never experience the terrible thing [that we know] that others are going through." Read He.9:27,28. Being away from God, there is no way to be sure. Without God, we can't have any real peace of mind -- we are not guaranteed of life beyond death.

In reading the Bible, we find that we are sinners in God's sight. Quite often the idea of being "sinful" is an expression that we Japanese people find hard to understand and accept. In hearing the word "sins" we think only of doing bad things. We tend to think only of those who have committed crimes [against us, or against the government] as having something to do with this idea of "being sinful". But, in the original language, in Greek, sin means 'hamaruteya', which means you are aiming the wrong direction.

Last week, we heard a very strange story on television. A man killed another man twenty-five years ago, but managed to evade the authorities, who were looking for him in order to judge him. Because this man had managed to elude the authorities for twenty-five years, our laws have pronounced him now innocent! Though, according to the Japanese laws, he is no longer 'guilty', this man does not feel innocent at all. For twenty-five years, he has felt pursued by the police, or by strangers, as if people were secretly staring at him, pronouncing judgement. He had not been arrested by the police, but he could not stand this horrible feeling, the feeling of being guilty. Last week, he went to the police by himself and confessed his crime. [But, nothing can be done about it now. It is so sad.]

We all have something inside of us that condemns our sin. Without listening to this voice, we can not lead healthy spiritual lives. We need to be forgiven our sins in order for us to lead peaceful lives.

Back to today's passage: When the people heard the words "Look, the Lamb of God.", they must have immediately thought of the Passover Feast. That is the Jewish ceremony and sacrifice that brings the forgiveness of sins by the shed blood of a pure, unblemished lamb. One lamb for each person's house. By the blood of this lamb, the one who was sent by God to take away souls, would pass over such a person's house, who had sacrificed the lamb. This traditional ceremony always reminds me of the forgiveness obtained for us by God's sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. Jesus was, and is, the Lamb of God.

A man had a dream once in which he was standing before God after his death. There were many others waiting in a line to come before God. Now, it was his turn. He was recalling all of the sins he had committed when he was alive, one after another. All of his sins, or bad deeds, were introduced to him from his memory. It was like a big notebook had kept all of his sins noted down! Then, he heard a voice, saying, "Look back to me!" It was Jesus, who was on the cross! His blood was coming down and covering the notebook; covering the words that contained his sins. Soon, he could no longer see his sins at all. There was nothing but blood on the pages; the blood of Jesus! When the man woke up, he understood all that he was to know for believing in God. He repented to God for his sins on his bed, and prayed for forgiveness. Read I John 1:7-9.

We also need to know that every person has got to go to Christ [not to Buddha, not to the gods, not to some other personality who claims to have the answer]. Remember? When John's disciples were leaving him and going to Christ, John let them go. He didn't stop them, for he knew that the people were to go to Jesus.

Last week, three people in this district died. I went to the funeral of one of them. But, to be honest, I didn't personally introduce anyone to Jesus at that time. They must have been given some of our church tracts though, but I don't think they knew Jesus. We need to try to follow Andrew who took his brother to Jesus right after he himself believed in Him.

There are so many people around us who haven't accepted Christ as their own Saviour. We are to be sent to them, being earnest enough to be sent by the Spirit.

I know a christian lady who asked me to pray for her friend to be saved. Boldly, she asked me to pray with her at 10 o'clock in the evening, every evening, for her friend - though I had only met her one time! We need to be earnest and bold in our efforts to save people's souls.

Translated by Junko Okamoto - Edited for the Net by Shido
For another sermon see: Oita Evangelical Christ Church
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