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.