The slogan or goal for this new year is "to build up a healthy church with every member together." We are to be spiritually healthy together so that we can be a good witness and true disciple of Christ to the people around us. Last year, I encountered several books which led me to today's theme. Col.2:19. The Church is the body of Christ, and each of us is an organ of the body. The head is, of course, Christ. If we're healthy and rightly connected to this body of Christ, we naturally keep growing; just like a healthy baby does. Last year, at the annual party of Chapel Noah, we talked about our visions for our church. Some hoped that we would become much bigger in quantity. Others wanted for us to expand out into several places in Oita. And others hoped that Chapel Noah would grow in quality spiritually. This last vision is just like what God hopes for His churches. St. Paul continuously encouraged us to keep running, forgetting about the past. The past doesn't matter, but our future does! I Cor.3:5,6. In the church of Corinth, people were very much dependent on the preacher Apollos, and on Paul. But, there came to be a division among these people. Paul sought to redirect the peoples' attention to the point: it is God who grows the Church! Mt.16:18. As long as a church is spiritually healthy, it will grow. And, for a church to grow properly, we also need to "catch the wave." The word "wave" is something to consider. A wave, first of all, has a certain direction to go. [It is like a vibration in unity of water molecules. And, the water molecules are moving together. If they did not move together, there would be no wave.] In a way, each of us also has a certain vibration, which can be expressed by our character, or personality, a little. Some people have similar "vibrations" of character, and they get along well together. But, in a church, there are different kinds of vibrations, so we need love to make the church work well. I personally believe there are vibrations, or colours, in districts. Because of the colour of the place, or feature of the district, a certain thing doesn't apply to another place. This work of the waves, or vibrations, is how we are to tell when we are to start. Remember surfing? Surfers learn to be good at surfing by practicing hard. They train and train and become skillful. But one thing they can't do is make waves. They can only practice to ride on the waves when they come. Isaiah 43:19,22. It's fun to see people surfing, but actually it's very hard. Verse 22. To ride on a wave, we, first of all, must make up our minds that we will do it. It should demand lots of work and sacrifices. This sacrifice reminds me of the cross of Jesus. The only begotten Son, God, the Father, killed on the cross - for us! It is the biggest sacrifice we can find in this world. We are to be able to tell when the wave of God is coming. And I believe today, in this age, God is making a big wave that is coming towards us. Everyone in Japan, as well as in the world, is in need of God's salvation. Just think of the economic crisis that is in Japan today! This is the worst one since the world started. There are not definite things right now, but it's the right time to watch for the wave. God is making this wave right now. God is making a new wave. "A new bag for a new thing." Psalm 107:33-38. God is trying to do a new thing for you this year! God blesses us in doing what He blesses. In this new year, we will find something new working in us and through us!

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