Quotation: John, 15:4, 7, 11
I have been thinking of three brothers for years. I had been so familiar with them, they all returned to the heaven because of cancer at their fifty two. Thus, I have thought it would be another start point for me at my fifty two. Personally speaking, I will be fifty two years old, next week. The presider said he is also fifty two. As for me, I wonder what will happen in this year. Anyway, in this week, my new year will start. Recently, an elder brother presented a book to me. In it I found words which comfort me. "The subject of the LORD is not a saint who comes to be free from doubts at his forty, and doesn't overstep the line at his sixty, but he who gets lost at his forty, and knows he is a sinner at his sixty." I really think so. At any preaches, I ponder on what shall I think with brothers and sisters who gather spending their precious time. I think it is also what is necessary for me now. As a matter of fact, it is so dreadful in terms of the rule of common sense, that a man who has no license on the theology preaches in the church. This is often pointed out. But the Holy Bible tells the God wants to tell the truth not by the authority of men, but by His Words and the Act of the Holy Spirit. For this reason I can preach without fear, relying on Him. Actually, it is very audacious and amazing. I prepared this message thinking these things. Today, I would like to think with you about the life which gave the power to live to John who was one of the disciples loved by Jesus. In other words, what John wrote in his letter, which he heard directly from Jesus, experienced personally, and wanted to tell us earnestly. His word, "REMAIN" is an important word through which Jesus expressed His will in the Holy Bible. I am sure that you have heard this word many times. Especially, the chapter 15 in the Gospel by John is famous because the words "Remain in me" appear several times. We know that they tell "remain in the LORD", "remain in His words". But these words make me verify if I receive them at my heart and if I am filled with perfect REJOICE. I, myself, sometime find that I am not filled with REJOICE. I can't deny this fact. On the other hand, it is also true that I find I'm given the promised REJOICE again and again. If I relax my guard, a REJOICE goes away. So, I selected this theme for you and also for myself. In a letter from Paul, he wrote "Be joyful always in the LORD". He wrote on a REJOICE, too. I became to think at every event that I want to be filled with the REJOICE until I finish my life on the earth. I think the REJOICE the Holy Bible will provide to me and brothers and sisters will be much, much larger than what we have been provided. I find in my real life, and in a fellowship with many brothers and sisters that there's something imperfect, or a lack of perfect REJOICE. Thus, I think our hope is, as written in John's letter, a promise that our REJOICE will be perfect. I think it is true, because Jesus delivered this REJOICE for His life. John did it for his life, too. Also, we know Paul and Peter distributed this REJOICE for their lives. The Holy Bible tells us that this promise is fulfilled when His words, a seed of the God, His will truly "remain" within us. Because, as Mary praised, what the Lord has said will be accomplished! John wrote in his letter how important remaining within Jesus is. 1 John, 2:28
1 John, 3:6, 9
What do you think "Remain in Christ" means? John predicated consistently in his letters that loving brothers and sisters means remaining in Jesus, remaining in His words, obeying His orders. We can see loving brothers and sisters is unimaginably important. It is totally in different level than we ordinarily imagine. 1 John, 3:14
What these words mean is really important. Those who don't love brothers and sisters can never know a life, remain in death, i.e. they are dead. Today, I want to think about this again with you. In another word, about that we know loving brothers and sisters just intellectually. 1 John, 3:15
Do we really understand how important this word is? In the Ten Commandments by Moses, it is written "Do not murder". The Holy Bible tells he who hates brothers and sisters is killing them. I think it is God's judgment. Matthew, 5:21-24
There's something we should do before worshiping the LORD, serving Him. It is a worship itself. Jesus demonstrated the Laws not as a superficial problem, but as an inner problem. The Laws were given as the Ten Commandments, are fulfilled as this. Jesus revealed them as new Laws, and an essence involved in them with new meanings. Jesus tells he who is angry with brothers and sisters is killing them. He who cries down them is a murderer, too. He who does what people hate is also a murderer. I have pointed out three kinds of people. I have heard and seen many times these things happened between brothers and sisters. Looking back my life, I'm not confident that I have never done these things. These are something like a cancer growing within us, and nobody can deny he is free from it. I think we ourselves inhibit His evangelizing very often. We must not murder brothers and sisters. This is Jesus wants to us earnestly. And John, one of disciples who received this, wrote it in his letter again and again. It can be said that it is so hazardous. Here's one thing we are unconscious more. The word, "hate" is used to express a lot of meanings. In one case, I think, we sometimes use it to express "neglecting", more over, being unconscious about neglecting. It means not loving brothers and sisters. This is not a problem foreign to us. If we just stand still, we can't inherit life, nor remains in the LORD. If we read the Holy Bible seriously, it makes us fear. 1 John, 3:14
These words are very important, too. Anyone who doesn't love brothers and sisters hates them, kills them. We must remember these words so firmly. We can't fudge the fact against Jesus. Everything is revealed. We must really fear the LORD. What do you think it means to love brothers and sisters, and to have fellowship? John wrote in his letter, "you also might have fellowship with us". By "fellowship" John meant a fellowship with the Father, and His Son: Jesus Christ. In our daily life, we often use "fellowship". You may be able to call it a Japanese_Christ_Fellwoship term. As a matter of fact, there're brothers and sisters who are good friends with. But, a fellowship John wrote is not such stuff. Nor, sharing long time with them, getting along with them, living in same level of life, having a same hobbies, and tastes. I'm not saying these fellowships are bad. I'm saying these are not fellowships John wrote. Off course, we understand this intellectually. But the Holy Bible inquires if we are literally executing this. Don't you love brothers and sisters you can love? Actually, these words search our heart. I think Jesus gives a REJOICE to us by the following order... Matthew, 25:40
I think these words bears up the entire Holy Bible. His words, remain in the LORD, pass from a death to a life, love brothers and sisters, represent nothing but a fellowship and a love. Jesus told again and again that the least one of brothers and sisters is very, very important. No doubt, not one who is good friend with. Most of our fellowships can be done by our nature. Actually, by these fellowships, we can acquire a REJOICE moderately, and we will be evangelically satisfied adequately. But a fellowship the Holy Bibles tells, a fellowship with cordial love of brothers and sisters is different. Brothers and sisters who are totally different from myself, whom I may neglect if we don't care, are really, really important. I think in this fellowship, a fellowship with Jesus is concealed. By no means we can carry on this kind of fellowship by our own power. We can't keep on pouring out a love written in Matthews25:40. Even so, however narrow the gate is, there's no other way which leads us to an eternal life. These are words we cordially carry out. And there will be no blessing without being united with these brothers and sisters. Matthew, 25:45
I have to say again, "the least one of brothers and sisters is really important". When we love brothers and sisters we can love, we remain in a death. Jesus looks closely at this point. A life fearing the LORD is a life like this. In Proverbs, it is written in other words, a life to fear the LORD is a start of everything. The LORD knows everything. John left daring words in his letter... 1 John, 3:16
Extremely incredible words, aren't they? They demand us, who are truly lack of love, to lay down our lives to brothers and sisters. John has been daringly presenting us the words which we can't do. I want to think about this with brothers and sisters. I am sure John wrote his letters remembering days spent with Jesus. John, 15:11
John heard these from Jesus, then he experienced as He told, and he wrote them exactly in his letters. John, 15:12-13
John wrote in his letters what Jesus said, what Jesus did until He laid down His life. John, 12:24-25
The words "laying down his life" were revolutionary words for John. I think he interpreted as Jesus made Himself vain, did nothing which makes Himself REJOICE, but thoroughly became a pipe. So, I think Jesus had a will to lay down His life for the least man, not from He was crucified, but from He was born. All His life was nothing but a road to the cross. Always there was a cross ahead of His life. We can say He made Himself vain and hated His own life. John wrote these words determined all his life. John, 15:9-10
These words remind me of a word "trinity". I can't clarify what is first and what is last. But John wrote these in his letter, remembering Jesus' saying again and again, "remain in the LORD's love, there is a true love". Jesus tells those who want to remain this love are requested to lay down their lives for the least man like the LORD did on the cross. I think his words tell us we should hate our own lives, make ourselves relieved from entertaining our soul, keep this life, and be united to the eternal life. "Remain in a love, the LORD loved." This message is repeated again and again in a lot of variations. Both the Old and New Testament tell "Today; if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts". If you wish earnestly to obey the voice, you will definitely find Jesus Himself in a love for the least ones of your friends, in a fellowship with them. You will surely find that you have been changed into hating your own life is your REJOICE. We often hear what we thought today. It is so familiar that we can't bear it deeply in our mind. But, if a gospel of Jesus is delivered through our gathering, this is one of the most important stuff. The Holy Bible tells a gospel is transmitted through churches. If this gathering is a true church, I think this is the most important. Thus, I repeat the words in the Holy Bible again, "We should lay down our lives for the least one of us." Here, the LORD is looking at, He is with us. A master who is on his journey is yet to come back to reap a harvest. Then, blessed is he who wishes to hate his life for the least one of his friends. To achieve this kind of love, this gathering may have to worry about it. But we can pray together, and we will be lead into the perfect REJOICE. The reason we gather here is to join the true church where the least member of brothers and sisters are treated with most care. When a fellowship for praying starts according to our talent, calling each name of the least member of brothers and sisters, the fellowship will be lead into the see of perfect REJOICE. Finally, let me read 1John. 1 John, 1:1-4
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