Before I start today's sermon, I have to apologize for one thing that I said in last week's sermon. And so, now, I will correct the mistake; I told you how great and big the sun was, its weight is 330,000 times that of the earth! However, this has nothing to do with the biblical truth: God created the whole universe, in a second, with His words..

Now, let us fix our eyes on Peter for a moment. He used to be called Simon, but through his meeting with Jesus, his name was changed. When Peter met Jesus a second time, Jesus called him to follow Him. Immediately Peter did so. Knowing all of the weakness that was in Peter, Jesus still deliberately chose him. Jesus changed not only Peter's old name, but He changed Peter's weakness into strength. Peter had to be strengthened so that he could fulfill his new purpose: that of gathering in people. After Jesus called him, Peter left his old job of fisherman immediately, and started on in his new job of following Jesus, and gathering people.

Recently, quite a few Japanese are beginning to be interested in volunteer work. I am sure that they are getting people too, in their own way. Lots of people in our church body are doing various things for the Church; being Sunday School teachers, cleaning the church building, preparing lunch for Sunday meals after our service, etc. All of these things are gifts given to Jesus, and this too means that they are getting people. Through this work, no matter what kind it may be, they are working for Jesus -- Yes, we are all to get people; we are to make them believers. You might have very good relations with your friends and family. But if they are not Christians yet, that doesn't mean that you have gotten them! They are not yet yours.

There was once a hard-working pastor who loved his only daughter very much. But, at 18, this pastor's daughter died. Before her death, he asked her if they could go out together for some fun. However, she replied, "I want to go to Heaven." A few days later, she did. At her funeral, the pastor announced to those attending, "My daughter is now a bride of Jesus. She, herself, wanted to be with Him. I have heard that the father of a bride feels a great stirring in his heart in a wedding, and that is the way I am feeling right now. Yes, it is true, I miss her terribly, but I am also excited about the new life she is sharing with Jesus Christ." And then, when his daughter's dead body was about to be taken away, this pastor suddenly shouted three times: "Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah!" Just like we, Japanese, shout "Banzai!" three times, on special occasions. He was so happy about the fact that his daughter was going to Heaven, for now, he also had Jesus as a son-in-law. It was a very emotional experience.

Just like I told you, a few weeks ago, we Christians are all to bear spiritual babies. To get people means to bear children and eventually educate them. Now, how can we bear a spiritual baby? Well, exactly like what we read in today's scripture passage, we need to focus on the right targets! There are a lot of people around us every day, but try to think of people who we can approach easily, people with whom we have little things in common, or people with whom we already have some relation. Jesus once said, at the end of Matthew, "Go out into every part of the world.." But, in the original Greek, this also means those places where we feel the most familiar, and to those people to whom we have something in common. Remember that Paul said to be a Jew to win the Jews, and under the law to win those who are under the law. This point is something that we, Christians, sometimes forget to apply. To be like others, to identify with them, is indispensible in our efforts to win them to Christ. Being a Christian for some good years makes us forget the world that we used to be trapped in. However, with the truth firmly in hand, we should go to the people who haven't found Jesus yet. Not to force them to believe against their will. We can never force people to believe, but in talking to children, we must kneel down to their eye level, and this is so with all people. To win or get people, we are to come to them, being like them.

Let us bear spiritual children!

Translated by Junko Okamoto - Edited for the Net by Shido
For another sermon see: Oita Evangelical Christ Church
For all sermon indicies see: cHaPeL nOaH sErMoN iNdEx