As you know, this is the last Sunday for us to worship with Aiko sensei, who has worked for Chapel Noah for five years. There are over 100 churches on our mission board. This year is special in terms of the number of pastors moving. And, Aiko Mimata is one of those who are being sent out to other locations. I would like her to stand here for me this morning and give us a final message, but it seems impossible for her (she and we would be too emotional).

Now, let us turn our eyes to today's scripture: When Paul wrote these words, he was bound in chains -- he was in jail. This occasion appeared to be a source of great sadness for he and fellow Christians, especially for the work of spreading out the Good News. However, Paul had a different way of looking at it. He had faith. The truth is that his being in jail was a big step in causing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be spread. Situations surrounding us often appear so negative that we feel beaten up. But even those evil-looking events can produce God's work. Read Jesus' words in John 16:33.

In the Old Testament, we find the Israelites had to wander in the wilderness for as many as 40 years. After this, they finally entered their promised land, where they had to fight against every single evil power that tried to attack them. They had continuous troubles in their long life. Now, we also remember the battle between the Israelites and the gentiles in the new land (this is written in Judges). The General of the Israeli Army was Gideon, who tested his men of 32,000 [Jud.7:2-6]. He tested and tested them in various ways, and at last there were 300 men left who had passed his tests. They had to be cautious enough to win the battle.

In verse 27 of chapter 1, Paul also encourages us to be prepared and together as one so that we can win the battle of faith. There was a well-used pastor named Reverend Friend. One time, he visited Japan for the work of God. When many of the Japanese pastors asked him what the most difficult thing was that he had experienced as a missionary, his answer was surprising. They had expected him to tell them about many harsh things that had happened to him, but he said, "It's me, myself." See I Corinthians 9:25.

We have struggles and battles in our lives. Late at night, after a long day, you may be too tired to fellowship with the Lord in prayer. It's SO difficult to get up early in the morning to have time with the Lord. We need to fight against the temptations that try to take away that time from us. We need to discipline ourselves to pray at any time and worship God from the deepest mind.

There is a well-used Japanese pastor, Reverend Murakami, who is 10 years older than I. His father was also a pastor. When he was a boy, he wrote a composition at school. At that time, Christianity was severely looked down upon. In his composition, he said, "I want to be a pastor like my father, who is in jail." All of the students, including his teacher, had teased him because he was a Christian, but because of this confession, their attitudes changed towards him that day.

There is another Japanese pastor, who had been strongly impacted by the faith of another Christian boy, when he was a boy. During the last war, all of the school teachers had been against Christianity. At one time, the strictest teacher of the school had asked his students if any of them were Christians. Suddenly, the brightest boy in his class had stood up and said, "I am a Christian." His word was so firm that the teacher couldn't say anything. Because of the faith of that boy, this pastor became a Christian, and is now a well-used pastor in Japan.

It is sometimes hard for us to confess our faith in public. There is a new born Christian man, who works for a shipping company. Right after he became a Christian, he had been asked if he was a Christian by Filippinos who were working with him on a ship. Twice he refused. He couldn't say that he was. But, on the third occasion, he could no longer stand his weakness in not confessing. He said, "Yes. I am!"

II Corinthians 11:1. Here's another evil power that can take us from God. Besides the battle of faith, there are false teachings around us. We are to be able to tell the truth from lies. In this, Satan works very strongly. With the power of the Spirit of God, we need to resist evil.

There's even another battle; and that is to go out into the world with the Gospel. Be one in the Spirit; we are to fight in order to reach out to the people who should be saved and become God's people.

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