It's the last Sunday of September, and it's been a blessing to be able to get together and worship our Lord. Some could not come today owing to business, while others are sick. Once in a while, a certain couple from Fukuoka visit us on Sunday. They are very fond of our praise songs sung with our lovely children. Sometimes, we are too used to the atmosphere of our singing (and even dancing) to take notice, but it's such a blessing to be together and worshipping freely!

Last week, on Friday, we had "Oita Praise Night" at Grace Chapel. Over 40 people, including some from churches in Beppu, and other churches in Oita, got together and sang to the Lord loudly! It was wonderful to hear. It is good to sing praises to the Lord!

In Tokyo, there has recently been a "Tokyo Revival Mission". It lasted for 10 days. People from all over Japan, and also from other countries, came to Tokyo. Some people had brought along their non-Christian friends. This meeting was held in a concert hall that has a capacity of 10,000, and most of the time it held two- thirds that number. Sometimes we need to get together just to share the spiritual energy.

When I was a younger man one day, I was riding a motor bike to meet a friend. On the way, the bike suddenly stopped. I checked all the parts I could but, try as I might, I could not find anything wrong. Finally, another young man passed by, and I asked him to help. He checked the same things, but at last, he asked me "Is the gasoline tank full?" ..Well, it was empty. Without energy, or power, anything or anyone cannot keep going!

In the Bible, one of the members of the council, Nicodemus, came to Jesus to ask how he could be born a second time. Jesus answered that he had to be born again through water and the Spirit. To become a new person, with new strength and a new spirit, we must come to Jesus.

Being a pastor, I have met various people in my life. Some are very sick, and about to leave this world. They are often very hardened in their mind and spirit. I just find myself powerless and weak in such occasions. But, there's no other way to depend on the work of the Holy Spirit. People can accept Christ as their saviour naturally and automatically with the Spirit's help. See Ephesians 5:18.

And, when the Apostles were filled with the Spirit, they were able to go into the world. See Acts 2.

In Acts 2:2, we read "Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came.." This is the expression given by Doctor Luke. It must have been a very strong sound, and people must have come to the place just to see what was going on. See John 3:8.

When I was still a non-Christian, one of my friends and I visited a church. It was our first time. We both wanted to learn english, and this church was offering lessons. Though we both liked english, my friend was much better than I. Later, he passed one of the most difficult universities in Kyushu, and became a professor! I was thinking that he was the kind of a man who God would use for His sake. However, he passed away young, and it was I that God chose for His work! "The wind blows whereever it pleases." - this verse I remembered. By our human thoughts, it is sometimes hard to understand who God will choose. But, God has different eyes than we do in choosing people. See Ezekiel 37:1-10. The prophet Ezekiel once had a vision of a valley full of dead bones. In that scene, there was obviously no hope for those bones to be alive again. For a long time, we Japanese have been praying for revival. As you know, it's been pretty since a revival was last experienced by Korea. A Korean pastor once said the reason why Japan has not received a revival is that Japanese people have a weak recognition of "crisis". We are so dull in feeling a crisis. We never understand that there's no way out on our own!

Remember when King David committed adultery.. while his people were fighting against their enemies, he was relaxing inside of his safe, warm palace, lying on a bed. He didn't feel any crisis in his life. He was very optimistic! Suddenly, the scene of a bathing woman came into his sight, and he committed grave sins. Just look around, and immediately you will find crisis in Japan; terrible conditions in our economy, evil incidents happening every day! We are in the middle of crisis! 'What shall we do? What shall we do?' we say. Well, this is what we should do: try to hear even the slightest blowing of God's Spirit.

Commit yourselves to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

We are surrounded by such evil conditions, but the work of the Spirit keeps stopping it. Without it, our world would be full of evilness! Let us keep praying for the strong work of God's Holy Spirit in every single one of us. Amen.

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