真の家族

妻は１０年以上に渡り、留学生に日本語を教えています。
多くの留学生は、日本に戻って来たいと考えるようです。

日本の社会環境の素晴らしさ、治安の良さ、住みやすさ、食事や製品の素晴らしさなどが挙げられます。

しかし、学生が疑問に思うのは、日本の家族の在り方です。
ハンガリーから来た留学生は、あらゆる面で日本は優れているが、家族だけは自国の方がはるかに良いと語りました。

ご両親は共働きで決して裕福ではありませんが、早く家に帰った者が食事の支度をして、休日には家族が公園でピクニックするのが日常だそうです。
質素な生活ですが、家族をとても大切にします。

教会は、正真正銘、神の家族です。
しかし、日本では良い家族のモデルを目にすることがありません。
日本人が普通に（無意識に）考える家族の概念を教会に持ち込むなら、それは聖書とかけ離れた姿となってしまいます。

使徒の働きには、宗教ではない、会員制度でもない神の家族の様子が記録されています。
それは、地球上のどの国にも、真の家族の素晴らしさを示しています。

エペソ人への手紙２章１９節

Measure of our faith

Recently, a leader of the biggest church in Singapore was arrested. He used the non-profit offering for his wife’s entertainment activity in U.S.A., in short, for commercial. His crime hasn’t been charged yet but it’s a sad thing and I pray that non-Christians don’t stumble because of this issue.

This church is so called Mega Church (more than 20,000 members), this pastor lives in a luxurious house in America, and he travels in first class between America and Singapore so there was an argument against him. *I don’t want you to misunderstand this but this thing itself is not a sin. Many people in Japan and Asia thought they want to be a pastor like him.

I’ll introduce a story that I heard from a leader in Sri Lanka. When he was invited from a church in other country, a ticket of business class was sent to him. He told the church, “please send me a ticket of economy class from next time because I want to use the amount of difference for pastors here.”

When I heard this story, I thought I want to have faith like him. We can’t decide which one is correct or wrong (at least, I don’t have the authority to decide it.) because each country has different situation or the way of thinking. Also, we can’t imagine the person’s motivation.

In the Bible, it says people have different measure of faith but leaders have a big responsibility. When we judge something and when we think we are correct, we need to go in front of the Lord and pray. God. Search me and know my heart.

The Lord is our High Priest and a Chief Shepherd.

Psalm 26:2

Appearance often 〜 Old Testament

After an expression of “Appearance often” is “deceives.” When a newscaster interviews people who live near a criminal, they answer, “I didn’t see he or she does that kind of terrible thing.”

When Samuel tried to appoint Eliab as a king, Samuel heard the voice, “you shouldn’t see his appearance or his height.” At this time, not only Eliab’s appearance but also their traditional thought and family environment influenced Samuel.

If we judge people with their appearance, their way of talking, their occupation, or their outside, we might misjudge people. People see outside but the Lord sees inside of our heart. Christians also need to judge after hearing the Lord’s voice not with people’s outside.

1 Samuel 16:6~7

A meeting that thinks about the issue of cult group, “Setsuri”

There were meetings that think about the issue of Korean cult group, “Setsuri”, on 6th and 7th of July. We can say this issue is very serious because many mass communication medias and more than 110 people attended the meeting. The sponsor is not Christians or churches. Usually, this kind of meeting will be closed with feeling of helplessness although they call out to try hard in front of severe reality but in this meeting we felt pleasant cooling sensation although the atmosphere was heavy.

Speakers were ex-members of “Setsuri” from Korea. One of them used to be a pastor of this cult group and another one was a key person in Korea and was leading this group from the beginning. Right now, these two people have true faith and talked about what the problems are and what the solutions are with tears.

They spent their life in this cult group for 20 or 30 years but the Lord lead them from the darkness to the light. They can share the truth openly without hiding anything or conniving (which means to tell a lie for their god.) to protect their cult group.

Colossians 1:13

Attack churches in Nigeria

Boko Haram, Islamic extremist, blasted 3 churches this month. In April, they attacked a school and more than 20 people were murdered. They believe western education is sin and evil.

Just like India, we can see they have misunderstanding and have prejudice of western religion. There is no stained glass and chairs. They don’t sing English worship songs and pastors don’t wear a gown. Also, faith of Christians was not from western countries. (It had spread out from Middle East and Asian countries at that time.)

I don’t know why but Japanese people have wrong image that a church is a western thing as with countries where has persecutions. Christians and churches are not built on some countries, culture, tradition, and belief. Christians and churches of Christ are built on the rock.

Acts 11:26

My wife’s homemade dish

My wife had never cooked until we got married. Before we got married, she thought she can’t get married because she can’t cook. Right now, she can cook a variety of dishes. Especially, her curry rice and ratatouille are good.

Why did she think she can’t cook? One of the reasons is she didn’t have an experience or opportunity. Another reason is her mother’s word.
Before her mother passed away, we believe she believed the Lord but she had always said to my wife, “you can’t cook”. The repeated word gave her a bad influence unknowingly.

Although the word was true, it was not God’s word. The Bible and God’s word is the only guideline for Christians although other word has a big influence.

Deuteronomy 11:18

Cross over American dream

A business journal, Forbes, announced a billionaire’s list of athlete. The first is F. Mayweather and he has 6 billion 700 million yen. The second is Manny Pacquiao and he has 4 billion 900 million yen. The third is Tiger Woods.

People who succeeded from poverty or deprived situation are called American Dream but I would like to introduce a person who is nothing like as good as American Dream. He is Sun Myung Moon, a leader of sect, “the Unification church”.

According to the internal record, he and his family got 30 billion yen in 2011 and this money is from Japan. Two boxers above trained hard, lost weight, and had a rough game. After that, they received this reward. However, this leader just gave instructions and believers worked like a horse for him. However, this leader who says he is a resurrected lord has unlucky events, such as being sued by his wife and son, fighting for the next leader, and so on.

One of boxers above is in prison and another one is asked to divorce by his wife. Mr. Wood, Tiger divorced because of his bad behavior with many women.

Jesus told us we can’t serve both God and wealth. Christians can experience wonderfulness of serving God. This life is more wonderful than American dream and a cult leader.

Mathew 6:24

Growing seed

Jesus used a parable about heaven using a mastered seed. The seed is so small and looks it can certainly deceive with garbage or dust. Although the seed and garbage or dust look the same, garbage or dust doesn’t have a life. The master seed has a life so it can grow. Since Christians have a life of the Lord, we can grow.

Mathew 13:31~32

An Aum Supreme Truth member, Takahashi, was arrested.

The last one who had been wanted on sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system was arrested. Although he had been run away for 17 years, he couldn’t break out of the encirclement because Ms. Kikuchi had been arrested before.

If they believe their faith is the truth, why did they need to run away? They should have told their faith in front of media or in court. Also, how could they run away for 17 years? He withdrew lots of money from a bank recently. Where did he get this money? Why didn’t collaborators induce him or her to tell their truth without running away?

Their teaching says they are the only righteous and all the opponents are evil. Also, they teach Satan and the end of the world in their own favor. If they are subject to pay a penalty after they did illicit measure and ran away, we can’t say they are martyrs. We say they are brought to justice under the law. Of course, God doesn’t want anyone to perish. I pray that they hear the gospel and repent themselves in time.

Jesus took temptation (attack) lying down by Satan in the desert but as the result of it, Satan left Him. (In short, Satan ran away from Him. ) Christians are not taught that we run away from Satan. Surely, we should avoid a dispute but disciples kept sharing the truth although they were martyred.

James 4:7

人はみかけに～新約編

人はみかけに、の後は・・・よらないもの　です
神を信じた事がない人にとっては、人は見た目が大きなウェイトを占めます。

残念ですが、クリスチャンにも同じような人もいるようです。
今日、日本のクリスチャンがバプテスマのヨハネに会ったなら、どんな判断をするでしょうか？　
彼は、らくだの着物、皮の帯、食べ物は野蜜といなごとおよそ宗教家とはかけ離れた風貌でした。
彼が語ったのは、じつにストレートなメッセージでした。
相手にしていた人たち、当時の軍人たち、宗教家たちに対しても、「まむしのすえどもよ！」と語りました。

その人の外見、話し方等ではなく、それが、主からのことばであるかが大切なのです。

使徒の働き１５章８～９節

国際線ターミナル

国際線ターミナルはその国の玄関口です。
その国の空気に触れた時、独特な雰囲気を感じます。
また、これから見る光景、出来事などに期待が膨らむ場所でもあります。

主がこの扉の向こうで、どのような出会いを与えてくれるのでしょう。
キリスト者は、たとえそれが誰であっても、伝えたいことはただひとつです。

使徒の働き１３章４～５節

摂理の問題とは？

先日、摂理に関する集会の記事を書きました。
ブログの読者から、何が問題なのか？という質問を受けました。
専門家がすでに様々な問題を指摘していますが、ここでは一つだけ取り上げたいと思います。

正式名称はキリスト教福音宣教会ですが、日本では摂理やＪＭＳなどとして知られています。
この団体の教祖チョン・ミョンソクは、女性信者への強姦容疑で国際指名手配され逃亡を続けますが、北京で逮捕され、韓国で裁判が行われました。（懲役１０年で現在服役中）
裁判の法廷では、今までの教えを覆し、「自分は再臨のメシアではない」と証言しています。

摂理の用語で、教祖や組織のために語る偽りのことを「はかりごと」と言います。
日本人も良く「嘘も方便」、英語でも「白い嘘」という言葉を使います。

しかし、本来、カルトにいる人々は、本当に正しく生きたいと願っています。
自分だけではなく、神のため、この世のため、家族や友人のためにという思いもあります。
ここで問題なのは、「はかりごと」が「神様の前に」正しいと思っていることです。

神様は偽りを言うことがありません。そればかりか、偽りを憎む、忌みきらう御方です。

神と人の前に正直に生きることができたはずの若者たちです。
家族、友人・知人、そして真の救い主の前にも「はかりごと」を言い続けなければならない、これは大きな問題です。

このようなカルト信者の、心の目が開かれるように願い、祈らされる日々です。

民数記２３章１９節