It being the last Sunday of June, we have already passed through the former half of 1999. Before we enter the first month of the latter half, we have been given the chance to listen to representatives from the Gideon Bible association. Before I speak, they are going to give you a special message.

Mr. Kimura (and Mr. Iwasaki) from Gideon:

"It's a great honour to be here this morning to worship as well as to give you a presentation from Gideon. Though this service has spread out all over Japan, year by year the representative numbers of people in charge has been getting smaller. Now we need to encourage our fellow Christians to become involved in our organization. You may know how we began; one day, two Americans happened to stay in the same room of a hotel. Before going to sleep, they knelt down and prayed together. They had been given an idea of how to share the Gospel with people. As you know, this is a world-wide work, but you may not know that there are 150 branches in Japan. This is so, and more surprising there are only 1500 people in charge of this work here. Japan's work began in 1950. Over the space of 50 years, we finished the work of distributing Bibles to schools, hotels and hospitals; 25,000,000 Bibles. This means that 740,000 Bibles have been distributed to people a year. But, these days, there have been political changes which have made it difficult for us to approach students in this way. Today, we are here to ask your support in praying for us and our work, and our needs. We do know that many people have come to know the words of God, and God, through our Gideon Bibles, which we distribute every day, week after week.

Please remember our work and support us in your prayers."

Pastor Hirota:

The other day, I received a phone call from a certain lady.. well, I receive many phonecalls from different people, but this voice was very unique. The moment I answered I heard "Hallelujah, Hallelujah!" At first, I took her to be a little different from normal people.. but I was pleasantly surprised: she was the pastor from Tokyo who is currently famous in Japan for her work among street people there.

The place where she is working is also famous for its role in assisting people all over Japan in making money. The people they help are usually fathers of families, who have left their homes in order to further support them. They come to Tokyo and other big cities in the desperate hope of finding this extra income. In the past, this was possible, and such people would come, usually in the winter season, when they can't work in their fields. In the winter season especially, there is also no work to be found in their towns. So, places like Tokyo, are important to them. Because of mandatory loan payments, if they don't raise extra money in Tokyo, their families will starve to death.

Now, however, Japan is in recession, and jobs extra-seasonal jobs are hard to find. The fathers who have lost their jobs have no money to send to their families, much less for themselves. They have had nothing with which to buy their food, so they have begun to live on the streets. Without hope, they are often drunk and no one pays them any attention. The place "Sanya" is famous now for drunks and "sinners".

This woman pastor, Rev. Morimoto, was once praying for a vision in her life when the powerful presence of God's Spirit fell down upon her. It was like lightening. She was shown the need! She was made aware of her usefulness among these destitute people; she was to be a way to God, to their salvation. With this understanding, she immediately had a peace in her mind and soul.

At first, she went to them, and began to have gatherings where she attempted to spread out the Gospel message. Many came, but some were very drunk. She found herself slapping them in the face with the love of a mother. She devoted herself to them. The work of the Spirit was so remarkable in her ministry that many started to believe the Gospel message. It was part of a revival.

Next, the television media began to come, and the lives of these people were broadcast all over Japan. Lots of Japanese, including Christians, were so moved that they began donating to the needs of these people. A statesman even offered to support Rev. Morimoto's work with federal monies, but she refused. She said that God's work could not be done with public money. She said that the work was the people's work and it required the people's money. She was such a strong person in God's Spirit. I was greatly encouraged to hear her, and of her life. She was literally sent to the people; see Mt.28:18; Mk.16:20.

Well, the reason she called me was to thank Chapel Noah for the money we donated to this work, and also to ask us to buy their soap products...

Recently, I have found myself strongly impressed with the need for Christians to go out to the lost people in this world. In families, in schools, we can't help finding problems. You may have seen this strange symbol in our town [it looks like 'the star of David' but it is not Jewish] on poles in many places. I am sure that it does not have anything to do with Christianity. We are living in a time when evil spirits are working freely and our earnest prayers are badly needed. We can't remain inside. It is time for us to put ourselves into action.

There should be different ways for us to reach out to the people around us. And, there should be a way just for you to do it. Some people led over 278 people to the Lord through coffee houses. There is a way for us too, to reach people for Christ. Let's not just stay inside -- let's stand up and go into the places God has called us to go.

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