It's already July, which means that half a year has passed. Time flies like an arrow. Last week, supported by your prayers, I was sent to a church in Kobe. This is where I went to bible college, and the church I served in at that time. I could not help recalling my student-hood at that church. The pastor then was a very strict teacher and I was disciplined very much.

In the last quake [Hanshin], that church was also damaged. The damage wasn't too serious, but it strongly addled people's minds. More than some of them are still suffering from the fear that they experienced on that day. I felt that we needed to know that they are still suffering, so that we could remember to pray for their needs.

It was also good to have a new speaker last week. As a doctor, he must have given you a new sermon from a different angle.

II Peter 2:20. Well, getting together with other pastors, I could share about things that only pastors suffer. Nothing is more harmful for them than to see their loved ones leave the church with offense of the pastor. To be honest, I have also suffered in this way, seeing several people leaving Chapel Noah with such hurt. I never had an idea why they left. In that situation, I always blamed myself. I don't know how they were offended. II Peter 1:2,3. We are always surrounded by what tries to take us away from the truth. Actually, some Christians took offense at God for the Hanshin earthquake. If God is a God of love, how could He have allowed this kind of terrible thing to happen to His loving people? They wondered and they doubted. But fortunately, they began to stand up and walk again with the words of God. We all have the potential of doubting God, and leaving Him. To avoid this crisis, Peter encourages us to know God's love more fully. Read Isaiah 51:1.

II Peter 1:16-18. Peter described what happened when Peter and John were on the mountain, at the Transfiguration, when Jesus changed his bodily appearance, and talked with Moses and Elijah. Peter experienced God's grace and blessing, for nobody but he [and the sons of Zebedee, John and James,] experienced this wonderful scene. Peter again is saying that we are to remember the grace and mercy that He showed to us, in order that we not be offended and leave the Truth.

II Peter 1:19-21. With the words of God, we can keep walking with Christ until we die. If only with the words we can accomplish our lives to the end.

One of the Christian ladies, who is a nurse, was sent to China. No missionaries can enter China. She first tried hard to be a nurse and brought bibles secretly. Still, she can spread the gospel openly or publicly, but she's kept spreading the words. You might know that the Bible is translated into 2100 kinds of languages. This is the longest seller. It took as many as 1600 years to complete the whole Bible. How long it is! And around 40 people were involved in this work! It is about God and Christ our Saviour. Though as many as 40 people were engaged in making it over such a long time, it has perfect unity with the work of the Spirit. I Peter 1:23-25. Only with the words of God can we accomplish our lives to the end. There are several new teachings that deny the need for Christian congregations, which have been the same since the time of Peter, and Paul. They were struggling -- and so are we!

"Remember your calling and election by God."

"Remember the love of God that has been shown to you."

Then, you can't leave the Truth.

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