December 2013 - Looking forward to Judgment Day

As we enter into the Advent season we remember the arrival of Jesus Christ. We celebrate His first coming as a baby in Bethlehem as well as His second, as our Lord and Savior on Judgment Day. Many people fear Judgment day. It is their ignorance of what happens after death which leads them to despair. In fact, ignorance of what tomorrow or the future will bring drives them to seek security in the things of this World. But, as scripture says, the things of this world are eventually “destroyed by rust and moth.” For this reason, the things of this world bring no eternal peace. God, however, offers us eternal peace. As World War II was drawing to a close, the Allied armies ended up gathering together a great many orphans. These children had suffered privation, hunger, and grief; they had lost everything, including their hope for the future and the security of a safe tomorrow. True, these children had been gathered together and placed in camps. There they received excellent medical care and were clothed and fed. They should have thought their troubles were at an end. It was not so. In spite of all they had, these children kept worrying about tomorrow and what the future held. They were listless. They slept poorly. Finally, a psychologist suggested a solution to change their perspective. Each child, when he went to bed, was given a piece of bread. They were instructed not to eat the bread; instead, they were to hold onto it. Those pieces of bread produced wonderful results. The children went to bed knowing they were not going to starve. They knew their tomorrow was taken care of… they were secure. That knowledge, that guarantee, gave them a restful and contented sleep. [The Lutheran Hour - September 14, 2003] God has given us the bread which brings peace. That bread was His Son, Jesus. God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Because we have Jesus, we can look forward to tomorrow, to the future, even to our deaths, with the knowledge our tomorrow has been taken care of. It is this knowledge, this guarantee which brings rest today Blessed Advent and Merry Christmas! Pastor Okubo

November 2013 How do we love those who are different from us?

How do we love those who are different from us? God calls us to seek the lost. The angels in heaven rejoice when a sinner repents and through faith is added to church. Sometimes I struggle with the “adding to the church” part. It is one thing to invite someone to worship, but it is an entirely different thing to befriend them. What about the task of befriending someone who is substantially different from us? How can I befriend a homeless person or a gang member? What about people of different cultures, people of different ages and interests in life? Consequently, if we do not share our lives, our visitors remain isolated. And eventually they leave. So, how do we share our lives with people who are very different? --------------- A friend, who was a lawyer, told me that he was an alcoholic. He shared the support and power he received from an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group that he had joined. He told me about his first experience attending an AA meeting. It was in a church basement. At the time he was unsure about the whole AA thing. As he entered the meeting place he was confronted with a room filled with “Hell’s angels” biker guys, gang members with tattoos all over their body and a couple of “normal” looking people. He felt out of place. Seeing that he had nothing in common with the group, he thought to himself “well this isn’t going to work.” But he decided he would stay for the rest of the meeting anyway. What he experienced there was powerful. As each of the men introduced themselves, they shared their struggles against alcoholism. They shared their weakness against alcohol and their need for help… help from their fellow AA brothers… help from God. Each spoke of the success they experienced as they confessed their problem and lifted it to God. As my friend listened to the other men, he slowly realized that he was not as different from them as he thought. As he heard the struggles which the other men had faced he realized that he also faced the same problems. And in hearing their stories of overcoming alcoholism, he was encouraged in his own struggle. He found that the things that he originally thought separated them were just surface things. He found that, on a deeper level, they were the same. He found a powerful link in that their failures and struggles. And more to the point, it was their solution against alcoholism which united them. ---------------- As Christians we are faced with the same problem when dealing with people different from us. When we look at others, we may think there is nothing we have in common. How can I be friends with them? But if we are willing to take a true look at ourselves we will find that the things which separate us are just surface things. If we are willing to see ourselves as we truly are, we will realize that we all face the same problems. We all struggle against the powers of the Devil, the flesh and the world. We have a powerful link in our shared failures and struggles. And more to the point, we have a more powerful link through the same solution - Jesus Christ. When you meet someone new, look beyond the differences. See them as God sees them, souls for whom Jesus Christ died, people who God loves. Amen.

Oct 2013 Love is Action

Love is Action Here is a wonderful illustration about Love from “Dad, The Family coach” by Dave Simmons. I took Helen (eight years old) and Brandon (five years old) to the Cloverleaf Mall. As we drove up, we spotted a big sign - "Petting Zoo." The kids jumped up in a rush and asked, "Daddy, Daddy. Can we go? Please. Please. Can we go?" "Sure," I said, flipping them both a quarter before walking into Sears. They bolted away, and I felt free to take my time looking for a scroll saw. A petting zoo consists of a portable fence erected in the mall with about six inches of sawdust and a hundred little furry baby animals of all kinds. Kids pay their money and stay in the enclosure enraptured with the squirmy little critters while their moms and dads shop. A few minutes later, I turned around and saw Helen walking along behind me. I was shocked to see she preferred the hardware department to the petting zoo. Recognizing my error, I bent down and asked her what was wrong. She looked up at me with those giant limpid brown eyes and said sadly, "Well, Daddy, it cost fifty cents. So, I gave Brandon my quarter." Then she said the most beautiful thing I ever heard. She repeated the family motto. The family motto is in "Love is Action!" She had given Brandon her quarter, and no one loves cuddly furry creatures more than Helen. She had watched both my wife and I say "Love is Action!" for years around the house. She had heard and seen "Love is Action," and now she had incorporated it into her little lifestyle. It had become part of her. What do you think I did? Well, not what you might think. As soon as I finished my errands, I took Helen to the petting zoo. We stood by the fence and watched Brandon go crazy petting and feeding the animals. Helen stood with her hands and chin resting on the fence and just watched Brandon. I had fifty cents burning a hole in my pocket. I wanted so badly to give her the joy of going into the petting zoo. But I never offered it to Helen, and she never asked for it. Because she knew the whole family motto. It's not just "Love is Action.!" It's "Love is SACRIFICIAL Action!" Love always pays a price. Love always costs something. Love is expensive. When you love, benefits accrue to another's account. Love is for the other, not for myself. Love gives; it doesn't grab. Helen gave her quarter to Brandon and wanted to follow through with her lesson. She knew she had to taste the sacrifice. She wanted to experience that total family motto. Love is sacrificial action. [Dave Simmons, Dad, The Family Coach, Victor Books, 1991, pp. 123-124.] True Love… Deep Love… is sacrificial. When we love others sacrificially, we get a taste of Godly love. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. [John 15:13 ] The greatest act of love ever shown was when God sent his only Son to die for our sins, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. God bless you, Pastor

Sept 2013 Church growth

Church growth I once planted grass in my backyard. I plowed the ground. I fertilized it. I seeded it. I watered it. Then I waited. And waited. Ever day I would go in the back to see if anything had grown. First day - nothing. Second day - nothing. “Why did it take so long?” Finally, a week later, I saw the first sprouts. Hallelujah! I was so happy. One of the things I had to learn was that I could not make the lawn grow. It was God who made the grass grow. Having said that, however, there was much I could do to inhibit growth. If I did not fertilize or water it, it would not grow. Any number of things could inhibit its growth. My job was to do things which fostered its growth. The same goes for a church. Only God can make us grow, but it is good for us to make sure that we are doing everything we can to foster that growth. It is good for us to stop doing things which might inhibit growth. So what are the things which foster growth? What are the things which inhibit growth. The Institute for Natural Church development studied 1000 different churches. They examined the quality of the life within the church as well as numerical growth. What was amazing was that out of all the characteristics of churches they studied, only eight characteristics differentiated growing and declining churches. 1. Empowering leadership – People encouraged to discover their gifts and empowered to use them. Ministry done by the group rather than a few. 2. Gift-oriented ministry – People serve where their gifts are. 3. Passionate spirituality – Members practice their faith in their daily lives with joy and enthusiasm. 4. Functional structures – The purpose of church is to serve the people rather than people serving the church. 5. Inspiring worship service – Traditional or contemporary worship made no difference. Rather the key question was “Was it inspiring?” 6. Holistic small groups – People supporting one another to be disciples, to live out our faith in all aspects of their daily lives. 7. Need-oriented evangelism - Focus was on the needs and questions that non-Christians ask rather than pressuring them to “be more like us.” 8. Loving relationships – People do not want us to talk about love, they want to experience how Christian love really works. The weakest level attained, limited the growth of the church. Amazingly enough they found that churches which were above-average in all eight grew, independent of location or environment. Wow! Great thoughts to ponder about our own church as we seek to grow both in quality and number. God bless you, Pastor Okubo

August 2013 What to say to a grieving person

Pastors page August What to say to a grieving person. Sometimes it can be hard to know what to say to a grieving friend after the loss of a loved one. Sometimes the fear of not knowing what to say keeps us silent. Here are some excerpts from two articles from Paula Spencer Scott, Caring.com Senior Editor: “10 Things Never to Say to a Grieving Person” and “10 Helpful Things to Say to a Grieving Person” 10 Things Never to Say to a Grieving Person 1. "Stop crying; you're only making it worse." Expressing emotions, even strongly, is a natural, normal, and healthy reaction to death. 2. "You should let your emotions out or you'll feel worse later." It's also normal for some people to not cry." 3. "At least he's not suffering any more." Whatever the circumstances of the death, the bereaved person is still suffering. 4."You must be strong." (Or "God never gives us more than we can handle.") Such statements imply that it's wrong to feel bereft, which is a perfectly natural response. 5."God must have wanted her." God does want us all. God does not want the separation of death. It, and the pain it brings, is a consequence of sin. 6."Don't dwell on it." It's normal and natural to talk about the person who died. 7. "I know exactly how you feel." Even if you've experienced a similar loss, you didn't have the same relationship to the person who died. 8. "At least he was old enough to live a full life." How old would old "enough" be? 9. "You're lucky. At least [you have money, you're young and attractive, he didn't commit suicide, etc.]." Loss is always horrible. 10."It's been [six months, one year, etc.]; it's time to move on." People never stop grieving for a lost loved one. Affixing a deadline to mourning is insensitive. 10 Helpful Things to Say to a Grieving Person 1. "I'm so sorry for your loss." It's short, sweet, heartfelt, and always welcomed. 2. "Please know that I'm here for you." It never hurts to remind someone in pain of your friendship, no matter how close you are. 3. "You're in my thoughts and prayers." Even people who aren't religious are unlikely to be offended if they know you're sincere. 4. "Remember you can call me at any hour." Be specific: "You know I'm always up till midnight." Or, "It's never too early in the morning to call." 5. "She was such a wonderful person." Don't worry that you'll make the bereaved person think about the loved one by bringing up positive reminisces; you can rest assured he or she is always in mind already. 6. "I don't know what to say." Admitting you're tongue-tied about offering condolences is better than falling back on a platitude. 7. "I can't imagine what you're going through." Candor when you give condolence beats comparing the death with your own stories of loss. 8. "Would you like to talk about it? I'm listening." Provide a gentle opening for the person to share turbulent emotions, if desired. 9. "How are you feeling -- really?" A more pointed invitation to unload may be welcomed by some; just don't press. 10. "I've brought you a meal to eat or freeze; it's in disposable containers so you don't have to return anything." Better than asking, "How can I help?" is to step in with concrete help: bringing a meal, a quart of milk, a carton of eggs picked up when you do your own grocery shopping; or showing up to mow the lawn. What God says to a grieving person. Above all, share the Gospel. We are not sharing our comfort but God’s. For the open ear, Jesus’ Words can bring tremendous comfort and hope - 13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words. [1Th 4:13]

July 2013 Freedom of Religion

Pastors Page The freedom of religion was very important to the early leaders of our country. They recognized that the confidence we had amid the trials of this world came from God. For this reason they were willing to proclaim that God was Lord over all. Yet, they also knew the danger of a government forcing people to acknowledge God. In fact, one of the reasons Lutherans came to America was to escape this type of religious persecution. The Prussian Government in old Germany, in order to establish peace, unity and harmony within the Church, established state religions. They made it law to worship a certain way. The problem is that religion is a matter of faith and confession. You cannot force people into unity by passing laws. True Peace, unity and harmony, come from faith in Christ. So after the United States was formed, one of the first things the Founding Fathers did was to add to the Constitution a law forbidding the making of a state church. All churches were to be independent of the government. All were to be allowed to worship God freely! Each person was free to acknowledge God’s Lordship in his own way. That was the original intent of separation of church and state. Unfortunately, some people wish to corrupt the meaning of this by saying there must be no mention of God by the government. People have gone so far as to ask the Supreme court to have the words “under God” in the American Pledge of Allegiance removed. This is a terrible corruption of the original intent of the separation of church and state. We were given the freedom to worship God, not to deny Him. In a desire to respect individual freedom, we are sacrificing our relationship with God. Individual freedom is important. But we must have priorities! For the Christian, these words, “under God,” have a very powerful meaning. It is not only a statement of God’s Lordship. To be “under God” is to also be under God’s love and protection. Like chicks under the wings of a mother hen who protects them from a storm, we are hidden under God’s protecting arm. That is what it means to be “under God.” This Fourth of July we celebrate the freedoms we have as Americans and the people who guard them. But we also remember the source of freedom – Jesus Christ.

June 2013 Stewardship

The peace of the Lord be with you. He is Risen! Alleluia. What a wonderful “noise” to hear the voices of young and old ringing out in praise of Jesus Christ. As we closed the financial books for last year we pretty much broke even (this is good). But there were some months which were “nail-biters” in terms of being able to pay our bills. But God provides and the donations of some generous people brought us through. Analysis of income and expense showed that in November and surrounding months we had a large deficit. The Church Council has directed us to implement programs to proactively deal with this. The first order of business is a call to stewardship. The financial care of the church is everyone’s responsibility. Everything on Earth belongs to God [Ps 24]. All that we have is a gift from God [Ecc 5:19]. We are free from the law of tithe, but God has commanded us to continue to give to His work (not only that but to give cheerfully). [2Cor 9:6-8] 6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. Therefore I would like to encourage everyone to prayerfully consider their commitment to God’s work. As God has blessed you please consider the financial support of the ministries at Immanuel First. We support a thriving Vietnamese church plant as part of our mission to share the Word of God with the world. We have a wonderful sanctuary and fellowship hall in which we celebrate the word of God and share in fellowship with one another. God has blessed us greatly. In order to plan our budget better we are asking consideration for three things: 1. Yearly pledges - This will allow us to plan a budget for the year better. We will be having a stewardship Sunday where we are asking people to let us know their commitment. 2. Regular offerings - Sometimes we may forget our offerings especially when we leave on vacations, etc. (it happens!). Please try to keep a regular offering so our income doesn’t oscillate so much. 3. We are also asking for people to consider raising their offerings, as God has blessed you. The command to tithe (one’s offering to God, is one of the few commands which come with a promise of blessing. (Mal 3:10) “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Please do not give if it is a burden (other than a burden gladly borne for the glory of God.) God loves a cheerful giver. Thank you for your consideration. Our finance and stewardship board works hard to keep the ministry of God at Immanuel First going. Being able to stabilize our finances would be a tremendous help. God bless you, Pastor Okubo

May 2013 Was God ever born?

Was God ever born? A young person once asked me “When was God born?” This was a curious question until I realized what he was asking. His question was like the question “If God created everything, who created God?” By itself, it is merely a intellectual point of debate. But I believe there is another reason why people ask this question. If there was a point in time when God was born… if there was a point in time when God was created, then there was a time when there was no God. And if there was a time in the PAST when there was no God, it implies that there could be a time in the FUTURE when there is no God. Yikes! What a scary thought. Praise be to God, He didn’t leave us in ignorance about this. Scripture repeatedly answers that question. God always has been and always will be. He is eternal. God was the creator of the universe. He was the creator of time and space itself. But nothing created God. God exists outside of time and space. He steps into time and space, periodically, to interact with this world, His creation, but he is outside of time. What does that mean? Interestingly enough science has come to the same conclusion. The Big Bang theory states that there was a beginning to time and space. While there is disagreement on how long ago it happened, it is amazing that we both agree there is a point in time where there is no “before.” At this point, not only was there “no physical objects in the vacuum of space,” but there was no “vacuum of space” either. Therefore God, the creator of the universe, exists outside of time and space. (Weird. It gives me a headache to contemplate this too long.) However, despite that fact that scripture tells us that God is eternal, it also says, paradoxically, “God was born.” Not only was God born but there was a time when He died. 2000 year ago God entered time and space as a man, Jesus Christ. As in the words of the Apostle’s creed - He was born of the virgin Mary and was made man. At a little town called Bethlehem, God has experienced birth. And it is precisely because God was born, that we have been born again as His children. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. [Gal 4:4] Because of Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection, we have been offered eternal life. This is precisely what we celebrated at Easter. God is eternal and is the master of space and time. But God also entered time and space, as Jesus, to be with us because He loved us. Praise God! He is risen! Alleluia.

April 2013 He is Risen

He is Risen!! The words “He is Risen” still rings in my ears from our Easter worship. What a wonderful celebration it was. During the Easter season (Easter until Pentecost) it is customary to greet one another with the words “He is Risen!” and to respond with “He is risen, indeed!” It is important to remember that “He is risen” is more than just a common-place greeting. “He is risen” speaks of a miracle. A man who was physically dead rose again to life. Two millennia ago, Jesus Christ was crucified and then was brought back to life by God. This is what we celebrated on Easter. “He is risen” is a miracle! However, while we may be aware that “He is risen” was a miracle 2000 years ago, we may be unaware that it speaks of a miracle which affects us today! It is easy to miss the miraculous when they have become common-place. When doctors revive a man who has died, people acclaim the miracles of science. Yet every day, a baby is born. A creature that had no existence 9 months previous, appears. Is it not a greater miracle “to create from nothing” than for something which was once alive “to live again?” Because we see things over and over, we tend to forget that they are miracles too. We can miss the present-day miracles of God because they are common-place. “He is risen” was a miracle 2000 years ago, but “He is Risen” is a miracle for us today as well. “He is Risen” means that Jesus Christ is here with us today, rejoicing with us in times of good, comforting us in times of bad, protecting us in times of trouble. “He is risen” also means that when we die, death is not the end. It means that the quality of our life here on Earth is not the most important thing to worry about, but rather life after death. God has promised a wonderful place in heaven for us. God has promised us a wonderful reunion in Heaven with our brother and sisters in Christ. “He is Risen” is more than just a greeting. It is a promise fulfilled. “He is Risen,” a miracle today, yesterday and always. He is Risen, Indeed! Pastor Okubo

Mar 2013 Why is Christianity Unique

Pastors Page Mar 2013 Why is Christianity unique? By faith we are Christians. Our faith gives us an understanding of the world from the creator’s point of view. It gives us a standard of right and wrong. It gives us comfort during times of trouble. It gives us a purpose in life. It gives us a shield against the fear of death. It gives us hope for the future, not only on Earth, but in eternity as well. We believe that salvation is through Jesus Christ alone. Now many people balk at the last proposition – “Jesus Christ alone? That’s not right. Each religion thinks they are the right ones. Christianity is simply one of many.” However, there is an insidious hidden agenda with this type of thinking. If there is nothing unique about Christianity, then I am not held accountable to any one absolute truth. If there is nothing unique about Christianity then “what I believe about God” is just as good as “what you believe about God.” If there is nothing unique about Christianity, then I am safe to believe whatever I want to believe about God. Or more to the point, I can make up whatever I want to believe about God. That is the hidden agenda. I frequently hear people say “I can’t believe in a loving God who sends people to Hell… so I don’t believe in Hell. Unfortunately, as loving as it sounds, what is really happening is that they are changing “what the Bible says” into something that makes them more comfortable. There is a problem with that. It is a sin to try to make God in our image. It is a sin to try to make God into what we would like Him to be. That’s why people try to say - “Christianity is not unique.” They want to believe “what they want to believe” and disregard the rest. However, Christianity IS unique. What makes Christianity unique? “Death.” All religions talk about “what happens after death.” All leaders of religions have had to deal with death. But Christianity is unique. Only one person has experienced death, AND come back to tell us what its like. Only one has experienced death, and has said He is preparing a place for us. Only one has experienced death and triumphed over death. Only one person came back for death to save us. That one person is Jesus Christ. That is the awesome message of the Gospel. That is what we celebrate on Easter. That is the joy of the Easter Gospel for it says “God loves you” and wishes to share eternal joy with you. That is what makes Christianity unique in all the world. That is why Jesus is the only way.

Feb 2013 Confession and Absolution

Confession and Absolution We will soon be entering the season of Lent. Lent is a time for us to ponder our sins, the sins which separate us from God. Lent is a time for us to confess our sins before God, and receive the forgiveness which heals our broken relationship. The confession of sins is a crucial part of faith. Confessing your sins is simply agreeing with God that you are sinful and need a savior. But confessing our sins is hard. It is hard because we must come to grips with the facts that: we are unworthy before God. we do not deserve His love. we do not deserve to go to Heaven. These are scary thoughts. Yet, it is unconfessed sins which bind us with guilt. It is the unconfessed sin which we go to great lengths to hide. It is the unconfessed sin which festers like a cancer. However, we are able to confess our sins because a miracle has been worked within us. The Holy Spirit has come to open our eyes, that we will be able to see ourselves as God sees us - sinful and in need of a savior, yet simultaneously, as His beloved and forgiven children. Only because of that promise of forgiveness, will we have the courage to confess our sins. Only by confession can we be freed from the bondage to sin. Kinds of Confession of Sins Private Confession. That is confession to a pastor where he exercises the office of keys and pronounces absolution, the forgiveness of sins. Confession to God alone. This type of confession is practiced throughout one's life. Confession before another Christian. Christians can confess their sins to one another. It is the responsibility and privilege of the other Christian to grant forgiveness in Christ’s name. Martin Luther encouraged Christians to confess their sins so that they will hear the Lord's absolving Word from the lips of another human being. God has given us a great gift in the Confession and Absolution of sin. For this reason it is an integral part of our worship service. Because of Jesus, God has forgiven your sins and cleansed you from all unrighteousness. God bless you. Pastor

January 2013: Love by Listening

At Immanuel First, our mission is to "share God's love, comfort and hope with all." I know that I frequently encourage our congregation to actively share the message with others. However, the theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer suggests an alternate way to share God's love, comfort and hope. What about showing love by listening?

"The first service one owes to others in the community involves listening to them. Just as our love for God begins with listening to God's Word, the beginning of love for other Christians is learning to listen to them. ... We do God's work for our brothers and sisters when we learn to listen to them. So often Christians, especially preachers, think that their only service is to always have to 'offer' something when they are together with other people. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking. Many people seek a sympathetic ear and do not find it among Christians, because these Christians are talking even when they should be listening. But Christians who can no longer listen to one another will soon no longer be listening to God either. they will always be talking even in the presence of God." (--D. Bonhoeffer)

Love by listening. What a novel thought! When you listen, you are saying to the speaker...

• I value what you say.
• You are important to me.
• I care about you.

As Christians we do this because...

• God values us.
• We are important to God...
• ...and God cares about us.

One last thing about listening... listening is more than just hearing and nodding you head. The goal is "communication." The goal is "relationship." There is a technique called Active Listening. It requires you to periodically repeat key points of what the speaker says. In doing so, you confirm that you have received the communication.

It is amazing to learn how many people CRAVE to be listened to. I think the same is of God. I believe there are 145,000 people within three miles of us who CRAVE to be listened to, by God. Be that witness. Be that liaison with God. Love by listening. Sharing God's love, comfort and hope... by listening. Listen to someone today! Amen.

December 2012: Insignificant, Unworthy, Weak... and Chosen by God!

It is very significant that the first celebration of Christ's birthday is with shepherds. They lived in the fields with their animals. They weren't respected. They had no power or prestige. Yet, for some reason, God's angel came to them first and said, "Unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ, the Lord."

When God came down and made His announcement to shepherds, it was as if he was saying, "According to the ways of this world you are insignificant and unworthy. But you will no longer judge your importance by what the world says. For you are to be My messengers of great news. For born to you this say, is the Savior."

God has always used the insignificant and unworthy to carry his message. He does so, so that the glory of the message can be seen. Had God used a powerful emperor, people may have followed because they wanted his favor. Had God used an eloquent speaker, people may have followed because of his personal charisma. Had God used a great teacher, people may have followed because they figured he was just smarter than they were. Instead, God used the things which were small in the eyes of this world to carry His great news. When God decided to select a mother for His Son, He went past the rich and famous. He went past the powerful and noteworthy, and went to an insignificant village called Nazareth. He found a peasant girl. She did not dress in designer clothes. She did not have a sophisticated education. But God selected her to be the mother of His only begotten Son. So when the Christ came, He was not born in a fancy hospital, surrounded by the emperor's doctors. Rather, He was born in a humble stable wrapped in rags and lying in a manger. The world looked down at its nose at the manger and said, "How insignificant. How humble." And in doing so, it missed the most significant event of history.

Sometimes we may think that for God to move in our lives there must be the miraculous. Yet many times, God uses the simple and quiet things of this world. God uses people despite their weakness, despite their imperfections. In fact many times He works through them. God is able to use the weak, the insignificant, the unclean, to do great things in life.

Why does God use imperfect people? "Because He can."

But it is important for us imperfect people to realize that we are in fact weak. Why is that? The way God empowers us, the way God brings success in His Kingdom is not the way the world thinks of success. The world thinks you must focus on your strengths to be successful. "Only the strong survive." Well, in God's Kingdom, it is the exact opposite. Only the weak survive! Huh???

God uses the weak to do His will, because His power is made perfect in our weakness. We are to live in our weakness, to live in our insignificance, because that's what it means to live in faith. Regardless of the circumstances that you find yourself in, regardless of the trials you are facing, God will provide the strength to carry on. As St. Paul says, "For when I am weak, then I am strong."

As you celebrate the humble birth of our Savior, may you remember the God's power is made perfect in weakness. Merry Christmas.

November 2012: Faith and Hope! Are They the Same?

Faith and Hope. Many times we speak of them separately--"saving faith", "hope of the resurrection", etc. But sometimes we speak of them almost interchangeably--"I put my faith in God." "I put my hope in God". Martin Luther asked the same question in his commentary to Galatians, chapter 5.

The question occurs to us. What difference is there between faith and hope? We find it difficult to see any difference. Faith and hope are so closely linked that they cannot be separated. Still there is a difference between them.

• First, hope and faith differ in regard to their sources. Faith originates in the understanding, while hope rises in the will.
• Second, hope and faith differ in regard to their functions. Faith says that what is to be done. Faith teaches, describes, directs. Hope exhorts the mind to be strong and courageous.
• Third, they differ in regard to their objectives. Faith concentrates on the truth. Hope looks to the goodness of God.
• Fourth, they differ in sequence. Faith is the beginning of life before tribulation (Hebrews 11). Hope comes later and is born of tribulation (Romans 5).
• Fifth, they differ in regard to their effects. Faith is a judge. It judges errors. Hope is a soldier. It fights against tribulations, the Cross, despondency, despair, and waits for better things to come in the midst of evil.

Without hope faith cannot endure. On the other hand, hope without faith is blind rashness and arrogance because it lacks knowledge. Before anything else a Christian must have the insight of faith, so that the intellect may know its directions in the day of trouble and the heart may hope for better things. By faith we begin, by hope we continue.

In hope, may you remain in the one true faith to life everlasting.

Oct 2012 To Celebrate Halloween or Not? That is the Question

We have a guest post on Pastor Okubo's blog, and a timely one as we approach Halloween next Wednesday. Rev. Mitchell Gowen, senior pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Aiea, Hawaii (next to Pearl Harbor), wrote the following:

August 2012: The Eighth Commandment

"Liar, liar, your pants are on fire, your nose is as long as a telephone wire."

This month we are looking at the Eighth Commandment - Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. I will b expanding this to the topic of lying in general.

Joe the Butcher had one chicken left that he wanted to sell. A man entered the store and said, "My wife sent me to buy a good size chicken for Sunday dinner. Joe said, "I have just what you need." He brought out the last chicken and said, "This one is three pounds." The man said, "It looks kinda small, do you have anything else?" Joe took the chicken into the backroom and returned with the same chicken. "This one is four pounds. But since I am closing for the day, I'll let you have it for the same price." The man replied, "Well, thank you. I'll buy both."

Why do people lie? Well, Joe lied because he wanted to sell his last chicken. People lie because they think that if they can fool another person into believing their lie, they can get what they want. People think they have to lie because deep down inside they know that they don't deserve the thing that they want. So they believe the only way to get it is to lie.

Why is that bad? Even if you can fool that person, there is someone you can never fool--God. God knows the truth. Each time you lie, you move a little farther away from God. When you lie, you kill a part of yourself. When you tell a lie, you close your mind to the truth. People who lie a lot sometimes cannot tell when they are lying. Their brain is so damaged by lying they cannot tell the difference between the truth and a lie.

Furthermore, when you lie you lose the ability to trust. A person who lies a lot starts to believe that other people lie a lot too. You lose the ability to trust others. And eventually, you may even lose the ability to trust God. Jesus tells us that the Father of Lies is the Devil. The person who tells lies is a tool of Satan, a slave of Satan.

Jesus calls us to live in truth. Truth is always better than lies. When a Christian finds themselves tempted to lie, they will tell the truth and accept the consequences. A Christian does not fear the consequences of telling the truth because he knows that God only works through the truth.

Do not be afraid to tell the truth.
You are a child of God.
This is how a child of God lives.

Trust God.
Trust that God will provide for you even though you tell the truth.

July 2012: The Seventh Commandment

The seventh commandment: "Thou shall not steal."

What does this mean? Whenever we take something that does not belong to us knowing the owner does not want us to have it, that is stealing.Whenever we take something from a store or business without asking for permission, without buying it, and keep it such a way that the owner does not know about it or cannot get it back, that is stealing.

We may even think "Oh, they won't mind if I take it." They may not even care if the other person is hurt by the theft. This is bad, not only because they have broken the Seventh Commandment, but because they have purposely blinded themselves to God.

When a person steals knowingly, a part of them dies. At first when a person steals, his conscience may feel bad, but it's also fun, because you get what you want. But each time a person steaks he is making a decision to follow Satan rather than God. Each time he steals, there is a little rip in his soul. Each time he steals he does a little more damage to himself.

What eventually happens when a person continues to steal is that they lose the ability to see that it is bad. They get so used to stealing that their conscience can no longer tell that they are doing bad. And they will do it even more. Even more, they can get so used to sinning, they can't even tell they are sinning. As they move away from God they block their relationship with God. Their conscience becomes blind to God.

This is where it gets bad. As we separate from God our attitude changes. The things of God are no longer important. We forget the wonderful things which God has done for us. We forget that God is here to protect us and provide for us. And as we forget these things of God, the things of this world become more important. I start to look at what I have and I think that I do not have much. Then I want more things of this world, increasing the temptation to steal. Satan wants you to believe that having things is the only important thing in life. Satan wants you to believe that the only way to get things is to work, to fight and to steal.

But God does not want you to think that this world is all there is. You were made for eternity. You were made for greater things. God wants you to know the abundance that you live in. Because Jesus died on the cross, we have become children of God. God has promised to provide for us. God has promised to give us all we need. Anything else we just don't need. When we see that God will provide for all that we need, that God will always provide moral ways to get the things we need. When we see this there is no need to steal.

It is our attitude about life whether we think of ourselves as rich or poor, which will equip us to follow the Seventh Commandment. If you see your life as full of gifts from God, you believe you are rich and there will be no need to steal. If you are blind to the gifts of God, you will think that you are poor, and you will be tempted to steal. It is all in your attitude. God calls you to see that you are rich.

There was a book called The Little Prince. A little boy is visiting the earth from another planet. He meets a man who has crash-landed his plane in the desert. One evening the boy calls the man to look out into the desert and asks the man what he sees. The man says "Sand and more sand." The boy replies, "I see something different. I see little oases filled with water to quench the thirst of visitors." For the man the desert was a place of heat, suffering and death. But for the boy it was a place to search for and find the gifts of water hidden away in the desert.

This world is not a place where we have to fight and take the things that we want. This is a place to search and find the many, many gifts which God has provided for us in our lives. Thou shall not steal? Piece of pie.

1. God provides everything I need.
2. So if I cannot get it God's way... I don't need it.
3. In fact, God provides me more than everything I need.

I am rich. Praise the Lord!

April 2012: Be a Palm Tree!

Did you know that the palm tree is not a native to California? They were imported during the time of the Spanish missions and most of the local palms were planted in preparation for the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. The plants which are indigenous to Southern California are cactus and sagebrush. Southern California is actually a desert. Cactus and sagebrush are used to living in areas with very little water. Palms, on the other hand, require a continuous source of water to survive. It is only by continuous irrigation that its beauty can survive.

Spiritually, this world is like a desert. It thirsts for purpose. It thirsts for love. It thirsts for spiritual peace. It thirsts for God. The sad part is that the people of this world are blind to God. So like spiritual cactus, they have adapted themselves to living without God. But they still thirst.

Christ calls himself the source of living water. "If a man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him" (John 7:37b-38). He is the source of all that would quench our spiritual thirst. I can think of no greater joy that knowing that the one who created me loves me. Christ has come to let you know that God loves you and he has plans for good for all who love him.

As Christians, we are like spiritual palm trees. We are not native to this spiritual desert. As children of God we are strangers in this world. Like the palm trees, we require a continuous supply of "living" water to survive. Jesus is the source of that living water. Only through a living relationship with Jesus will we continue to thrive. We maintain that relationship through continual Bible study, worship and attendance of the Lord's Supper.

Unlike the desert flora that diligently guard their meager shares of water, palms share their gifts. They act as shade. Many provide fruit for others to eat. Because it is fed by a constant source of water, the palm is capable of sharing its fruit with others. Likewise, we do not have to diligently guard our spiritual wealth because we are fed by a constant source of living water.

God has called us to share the living water which is within us. Be a palm tree. There is a world out there thirsting to hear that someone loves them. Water them with living water. Let them know the awesome news that "God loves them." Amen.

January 2012: The Definition of True Faith in Christ

Happy New Year!

This month I ask a very important question. What does it mean "to believe in God"? Or as Christians, what does it mean "to believe in Christ"? The answer to this question is the very foundation of our faith. The Bible is very clear that salvation is by faith.

Surprisingly, people who say they believe in God are often the very ones who glorify Him the least. The reason is that people can mean different things when they say "I believe in God." To some, "I believe in God" means they believe He exists. Such an "I believe in God" confession is a statement of knowledge rather than an expression of faith. In the same way, we can believe that the devil or hell exists too, but that is not faith.

Put ten random people in a room, and ask them to explain what it means "to believe in God" and you will probably have ten distinct explanations. This sad state of affairs has left people without confidence regarding salvation. Many have satisfied themselves with "You believe what you want to believe, and I'll believe what I want to believe" and have accepted ambiguity as just part of the mystery of faith. Something as important as faith should not be left in ambiguity! It is not okay to "agree to disagree." Faith is too important.

So what is faith? What does it mean "to believe in God"? Faith does include cognitive knowledge. It does believe that "God exists." It also confesses that we are sinful and helpless in our sin, and that we need a savior. It believes that God sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins. It believes the promise that salvation is offered to all who believe.

But faith is more than just cognitive knowledge. By faith we trust in God and dare to be in a relationship with Hom. It is one thing to be able to say "I believe everything that the Bible says about God." But it is something entirely different to live as if it were true. It is an entirely different thing to live with God as the center of one's life and to live with an eternal point of view. A person who believes he is an eternal being lives this short mortal life differently than a person who believes that "this world is all there is."

A person who believes that God cares about our daily affairs, and believes Jesus' promise "that He would be with us always," celebrating with us in good times and comforting us in bad, lives life differently than a person who does not believe. A person believes that an omnipotent God loves them and has plans of good, trusts that all things will work out in the end. These are just a few of the aspects of faith.

Faith is not something which we work in ourselves, neither is it sustained by our own works. It is a gift from God brought to us by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. Through the Word in Baptism, we received the faith which brings salvation. Through the Word preached and in the Lord's Supper, our faith is strengthened. God gave us the Church, the Fellowship of Saints, to encourage and strengthen one another with The Word.

May this coming New Year bring a renewal of the Word in all our lives. God bless you all in this coming New Year 2012.

What is Being Lutheran All About?

While the name "Lutheran" doesn't appear until the time of the Reformation (1530 AD), we trace our roots past the Reformation, back to the first century church of the Apostles, back to the time when God made His covenant with Abraham, back to Adam and Eve themselves.

The Reformation was a time of the rediscovery of "Salvation through God's grace." Martin Luther was a monk and professor at Wittenberg University in Germany. The teachers and pastors at this time taught that your salvation depended on the works you did on Earth. After reading the Bible, Luther discovered "salvation through faith alone." While this brought him great joy, this discovery went against the prevailing teaching.

At the Diet of Worms, the high council of the Empire, Martin Luther stood before the emporor himself. He was commanded by the emperor to recant his writings, or face excommunication and death. Cowed by the power of the emperor, Luther asks for time to think about recanting. He is given one day.

That evening Luther endures a terrible internal struggle trying to decide how to answer the emperor's demands. The next day, the internal battle is over. Before the emperor's council a resolute Luther bravely stands before the emperor. When he is asked to recant or face excommunication and death at the stake, Luther stands and says "Unless the error of my writings can be shown in Scripture... Here I stand, I can do no other!"

Though his decision meant certain death, he stood by his work. He believed that to recant his work was to recant the Bible from which his writings were based. That was the big thing about the Reformation. The re-discovery of the Bible! Everyone knew about the danger of sin and the threat of Hell. But the Reformation stood for the re-discovery about how the death of Christ on the cross paid for all of our sins--the re-discovery of how we were freed from the burden of trying to earn our salvation--the re-discovery of the offer of "salvation through faith alone".

Today there are about 63 million Lutherans worldwide. In the United States, we belong to The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, founded by a group of German immigrants who settled in Perry County, Missouri in 1847. Over the next two centuries the little congregation would grow into an international denomination ministering to the needs of people from all nations. The international headquarters of the synod is located in St. Louis.

Every year, around November 1, we remember the Reformation, the birth of the Lutheran church, and the re-discovery of "salvation by faith alone".