March 22, 2007
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Chapel Talks for Tamagawa Seigakuin
I know the language is elementary and the ideas are simple, but my audience is made up of Japanese junior high school students who have only a rudimentary knowledge of English, so I have to be as plain as possible for them to understand a bit.
Junior High Chapel Talk for 2/8/2007
I John 5:4-5 ...for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
Do you know the "V for victory" sign? Maybe you know it as "peace" sign that you make when you have your picture taken. (That's what all the kids think they have to do when they have their picture taken, flash a V peace sign. I am not sure where that custom came from.)The Bible tells us that if we believe what it says and that if we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that we will always be winners.
Today's Bible verses are about being a victor, a winner. But, sometimes I just don't feel very victorious. I don't feel like a winner. Even last week, I said to God, "Hey, God, I really don't feel like a winner. I think a good idea is for you to show Yourself to me and gave me a big fancy miracle! Then I can feel good. Then I can believe you."
I think I got an answer from God in my heart. I could hear Him say, "Do you really want me to show myself to you in a miracle? But, I show myself to you every day! Showing myself is even a part of my name! Look at the character for "God - 神" The left side is "shimesu 示す" or "show". What do I show you every day? I show you the sun that gives you light and the moon that shines in the night sky and the rain that makes your food grow. I give you your life. I give you eyes to see all of the beautiful colors. I give you hands to make beautiful things just like I do. I give you a mind to think and understand. I give you a mouth to talk and sing. I give you ears to hear music. I show you my love in so many ways! You have many miracles every day! Why do you need another miracle?"
I forgot about these miracles that I have from God every day! I'm sorry, God!
But God was not finished talking to me. He told me, "You have another miracle. Look at the character for "God - 神" again. The right half is "moosu 申す" or "say." I want to give you more than just the miracle of a beautiful world and a nice life. I give you the miracle of My own words. There are many things that I want to say to you every day. I want to give you My words. You can read my words every day in the Bible. You can read about who I am, and how much I love you. You can read about what makes me happy, and what makes me sad. You can read stories about my plans, what I do. You can read about how I want to be with you always and forever. Why do you need another miracle?"
Oh, I forgot about the miracle of the Bible, too! I'm sorry, God!
"But, you have another miracle, too!" God told me. "Jesus is a miracle. You can read about Jesus in the Bible."
Jesus is a miracle, too. His birth is a miracle. Jesus is God, but He became a man. He was powerful in Heaven, but he gave up his power. He was a King in Heaven, but he came to sit with us on the ground. He had light for his clothes in Heaven, but He came to our dark world. He was rich in Heaven, but came to our world and was hungry. Jesus's life is a miracle. He always loved others more than Himself. He never makes others sad. He never makes God sad. He never does anything bad with His hands, with His mouth or with His Mind. He always does what God wants and what makes God happy. Jesus's death is a miracle, too. He is God. He does nothing bad. I do the bad things that make God sad. I must die. I must be on the cross. But Jesus tells me "I love you, and I will be born for you, I will live a life that makes God happy for you and I will die for you. I will die for the bad things you do. That is what Jesus did. But Jesus is alive! He is not dead! He came back from the dead, and that is a miracle, too!
God made the world. That's a miracle. God gave me a life. That is a miracle, too. God gave me His Word. God gave me His life. I have so many miracles! Why does God give me so many miracles? God gives me miracles so I can see what He does. God gives me miracles so I can read about who He is. He gives me miracles so I can understand and believe His Words about the world He made, about the life that He gave me and about Jesus dying on the cross for me. God gives me these miracles so that I could be a victor, a winner.
Some days I don't feel like a winner. But I can't believe my feelings. I can believe the miracles that God had done for me. I can know that I am a winner.
Prayer: God, thank you for the many, many things that you have done for us. Thank you for the miracles that you give us every day. We are sorry that we forget or that we don't notice what you do for us. Please help us to know that everything that we have is from you. Please help us to read the Bible every day. Please help us to believe your words and not our feelings. Thank you for our beautiful world. Thank your for your wonderful word and than you that Jesus was born, lived and died for us. Thank you that when we believe your words, that we are always winners. In Jesus name, Amen.
From 11/6 God always teaches us what we need to know. He always keeps His promise to protect us.
The Bible says that the Jewish people came out of Egypt, led by God himself. He was leading them with a large cloud the went up from the ground to the sky. They were not slaves any more, they were free and rich, because the Egyptians gave them many gifts before they left. All of their troubles were over, and they were going out of Egypt to their new home. They thought, no more troubles or dangers for us! The Egyptians will never bother us again.
But God said, "Not so fast! I have brought you out of Egypt, but there are many things that I must teach you before you go into the land of Canaan that I have promised to you. Follow where I lead, and I will teach you what you need to know." God was leading the Jewish people, and His cloud went through a narrow valley and out onto a beach. The beach that had high mountains on both sides, and the only way off of the beach was to go back through the narrow valley. But, the Egyptians were coming down through the valley with their chariots and wagons. The people could not go back that way, but it was the only way off the beach. There was no way to escape or get away. The Jewish people could not go back and they could not go forward. They could not go right and they could not go left. Now they were trapped, and they had three problems.
The first problem was the Red Sea in front of them. It was God who had led the people there, but the people did not know that God is wise and that His plans are always good. God told them to go to this beach, and they went where God told them to go, but now they thought they were in big trouble. The people were afraid and complained, and they even said that they were sorry that they followed God. They asked why God told them to go a beach where they would be trapped and could not get away from the Egyptians. They didn't have any boats and they could not swim. How were they going to cross the sea? God's idea looked very bad. But, the people needed to know that God had planned everything and that His plan was wonderful. God planned the Red Sea, the mountains and the beach. God's cloud led them to this place. It was God who planned everything. They needed to know that God is wise, and His plans are always good ones. They needed to know that God is loving, and His plans are always made in love.
The second problem was that the Egyptians were coming to catch or kill them. The people thought that they were finished with the Egyptians. They thought that they would never see them again. The people had worked very hard for the Egyptians before, and that was bad enough, but now they saw the Egyptians again with horses, riding closer and closer to kill them! They had no weapons, and could not protect themselves. But God was their leader and He would not leave His chosen people alone. He would not leave them with no help. He would not let them be hurt. God chose them to be His people, and He would protect them. The people did not come out of Egypt alone. God helped them come out of Egypt, and God would help them this time, too. The trouble was big, but they needed to know that God's power is bigger than any trouble. They needed to know that God would help them.
The third problem was that the people did not believe that God was in control . They did not believe in God's plans or God's help. They were afraid of the Egyptians and they thought that God was a very bad tour guide! They complained and said that God was a bad leader. They forgot that it was God who helped them get out of Egypt and that He was leading them. They even said that they wished that they had never left Egypt and wanted to go back! They thought that God had either no plan at all or at least a very bad plan. They had no hope because they did not believe. They just gave up and were ready to die because they did not believe. They needed to know that God was in control. They needed to know that God can always be believed.
God's plan was to open the sea to make a road through. God helped the people to get away from the Egyptians. Who could think of such a wonderful plan? Only God, and His plan showed His people how wonderful He was. If they did not have the problems, they would never have a chance to know God's love or see his help.
Sometimes we have trouble. We have times that are not easy. We have times when we feel that we don't understand God's plans. We have times when we don't feel that God is helping us. We have times when we don't feel that God is in control. But let's not listen to our feelings, because they always change like the weather. Let's remember God's words, because God's word never change. Our feelings are not always true, but God's words are always true. God promises that he has wise and loving plans for us. God promises that He always hears us when we ask for help, and that He will always help us in the best way. God promises that He is always in control and that we can believe Him for everything.
Prayer: God, thank you that you always teach us what we need to know. Thank your that you tell us about yourself in the Bible. Thank you that you promise to always help us and that your plans are always loving and wise. Thank you that you are always in control and that everything you do is wonderful. Thank you that you helped the Jewish people, and thank you that you promise to help us, too. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Later - chapel completed. I read most of Exodus 14 in English and had the girls follow along in their Japanese Bibles.
From 10/5 The hymn for this morning is #294, "He Leadeth Me." The texts are Exodus 2:1-10 and Revelation 1:8. I will try to keep all of the junior high school kids happy or at least awake here by trying to his all the levels from all the angles. The text will be read first in Japanese, then in normal English (a challenge for kids who have been abroad) and then in simple present tense English for beginners.
Let's listen to the Bible in English.
Exodus 2:1-10 Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
5 Then Pharaoh's daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to get it. 6 She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. "This is one of the Hebrew babies," she said.
7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?"
8 "Yes, go," she answered. And the girl went and got the baby's mother. 9 Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you." So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, "I drew him out of the water."
Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
What do Alpha and Omega mean? Alpha and Omega are letters in the Greek alphabet. Alpha is the first letter, and Omega is the last letter. It is like A and Z in English. It means from start to finish, from beginning to end. God and his plans are like Alpha and Omega. God plans your life from beginning to end, from start to finish, and forever. Let's think about God's plans for baby Moses.
Moses is a baby in Egypt. His people are the Hebrew people. The king of Egypt, Pharaoh says, "Kill all of the Hebrew babies. Put them into the river and let them die!" But, baby Moses is a beautiful baby, and mother loves him very much. God loves Moses very much, too. Moses' mother wants her baby to live. God wants Moses to live, too, because God has a special plan for Moses. Moses' mother has her baby at home for three months. She does not take Moses outside. She does not let Moses cry. Moses gets bigger and his voice gets bigger, too. His mother can not hide him any more. She asks to God for help. Moses' mother knows that God helps her. She gets a basket and makes a small boat. She puts the baby in the boat. She puts the boat in the water, and tells Moses' big sister to watch and wait. (I find this amazing that Moses' mother places him in the same river as the other mothers had lost their children. I think that the Nile is the last place that I would choose to hide my child! What trust!)
The bad king's daughter, a princess, comes to the water to take a bath. She hears a baby crying. She sees the basket in the water. She tells her helpers, "Get that basket and bring it here to me!" She opens the basket and sees the beautiful baby Moses. The princess says, "What a beautiful baby. Now he is my son." Moses' sister says, "Oh, princess, you have a nice baby there! Do you want a nurse for the baby? I know a very good nurse. (It's our mother!)" The princess says, "Thank you. Your idea is very good. Please tell the nurse to come here." Moses' sister says, "Mother, mother, come here! Baby Moses is saved! The princess says you can be his nurse. She will give us money." Baby Moses is back in his mother's arms. He is very safe. He is the safest boy in Egypt. It is God's wonderful plan.
Moses' mother does not make the plan. Moses does not make the plan. God makes the plan. God does everything. Moses' mother asks for help, and God hears. God gives Moses' mother a good idea for a basket boat. God's timing is wonderful. God helps the princess find Moses, and sends Moses back to his real mother. God keeps Moses safe when he is a baby, when he is a boy, when he is a man, when he is an old man and for ever. God loves Moses and uses him to do an important job. It is all God's wonderful plan, and nothing can stop God's plan for Moses.
God plans my life, too. I am six years old when I pray with my mother and ask God to make me a Christian. I say, "I do bad things. I'm sorry, God," and "Jesus died for the bad things I do. Thank you, God." I tell God, "My plan is no good. I want your plan. I am small, and can not make such a wonderful plan. But God makes a wonderful plan for me. It is not my idea. It is not my plan. It is God's idea. It is God's plan. God loves me when I am small, when I am young, when I am old and for ever. Nothing can stop God's plan for me.
God has a plan for you, too. It is not your plan. It is not your idea. It is God's loving plan, and it is wonderful. You can not make it, but God can. God says, "I love you. I have a plan for you. Tell God, "I do bad things. I am sorry. Jesus died for the bad things I do. Thank you. God, I want your plan." You can come to Tamasei and learn about God's plan and God's love. God loves you when you are a baby, when you are a student, when you are a mother, when you are old and for ever. Nothing can stop God's plan for you. He and his plan are there from the start and are there until the end, and for all the times in between, from Alpha to Omega, from A to Z, from あtoん.
Prayer: God, thank you for the Bible and the stories written there. Thank you for your plan for Moses. Thank you for your plan for me. Thank you for your plan for every student here at Tamasei. Help us to ask you for the best plan, and help us to do your work. In Jesus' name, Amen.
From 1/18 I had to do chapel at school this morning which means that I had to leave home at 7 am to catch the 7:10 train get there in time. I faithfully set my alarm to start regaining consciousness at 6:15, but it did not really take effect until 6:55, which leaves me five minutes from between the blankets to out the door. Hmmm.... do I have time to make a stop in the bathroom on my way out?? What would everyone think if I gave my chapel talk in my pajamas? Anyway, I was thankful that God woke me up in time to make it.
The topic that I was given was from Matthew 5:43-48 about forgiving enemies. I am not an expert on this by any means, so I took some points on the topic from a book by a man named R.T. Kendall, who was challenged by God to forgive someone who had wronged him. The advice from the book is pretty good, so I will pass it on here.
What happens when I don't forgive? My enemy is not hurt at all, and I am the one who is left with the anger, the bitterness and the ulcers. I not only have no peace in my heart, but my thinking is clouded and my judgement becomes poor. God is also not pleased, because he has forgiven me, and wants me to do likewise. When I do not forgive, I am telling God that I do not care that he forgave me and that I am not thankful for the forgiveness that I have received. I am not doing the work of passing on God's forgiveness, and am actually even interrupting and stopping the work that God wants done. I want to make my enemy a prisoner of my anger, but the actual prisoner of my anger is none other than myself. So how do I get free? By setting my enemy free.
What are some steps of forgiveness? I give up my right to punish my enemy. This means no revenge or getting back. I do not do to them as they did to me. I do not even tell anyone what my enemy did to me, but instead I protect my enemy by keeping silent. I am kind and pleasant to my enemy. I do nothing to cause my enemy to fear of revenge or punishment. I will let my enemy feel good; I will let my enemy save face, and act like they never did anything wrong. I will never stop forgiving my enemy, and never again talk about what was done to me. I will pray for my enemy, that God will forgive my enemy, bless my enemy and even cause my enemy to prosper as if he had never hurt me at all.
R.T.Kendall uses the story of Joseph in the Old Testament book of Genesis to illustrate the principles that he suggests. You can see it all there. Joseph had every right to be bitter and hate his brothers for selling him into slavery in Egypt, but when he had a chance to punish them, he chose to offer them a wonderful forgiveness. He did not tell everyone what his brothers had done, but talked to them in private, and told them that the evil that they had intended was actually a part of God's plan to save the entire family, and that he was actually thankful for the wrong that had been done to him.
All of this goes against human nature. If I have been hurt, is it natural to want to hurt back, and be angry and bitter if I cannot have my revenge. So I am left with a choice. Do I choose to do what is humanly natural and embrace anger and bitterness, or do I choose what is supernatural and obey God, forgive my enemy as God has forgiven me and experience joy? The choice is mine, and I must pray that God helps me and gives me the strength to make the right one.
And thanks, God, for helping me to get the things done that you want, done, like getting me to school in time.
From 6/15 This week you are hearing about the beginning of the church in Acts 2. I will tell you about the beginning of the church in my life.
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Words are very, very important, even if they are very few. We cannot survive without words. When I was very small, some important words were "no" and "mine." Words can change a life.
I played baseball outside in elementary school. I liked it all right. One day someone hit a ball. I wanted to catch it, but when I looked up the sun was in my eyes. I could not see the ball and it fell down at my feet. My team was not happy, and one team member yelled, "You are stupid!" Next, I was the batter. I could not hit the ball, and my team was still not happy. They said I was an "instant out," and I knew that I did not like baseball. No more baseball for me! The words changed my life.
I liked to study science, and I wanted to be a nurse. But someone said, "Think about a nurse's work! Do you think she only gives people medicine?" I did not want to do any dirty, hard work. No nursing for me! The words changed my life.
I had flute lessons in junior high school, but I did not like to practice. I wanted to stop playing flute. It was too much trouble, and I liked to play outside or watch television. But, my flute teacher said, "You have one more year of free lessons, so don't stop playing flute." So, I did not stop playing, and I am still playing today. I am glad that my teacher did not let me stop playing flute. His words changed my life.
I did not like to play flute in front of people. I did not want to make a mistake. One day, I played flute in church and I made a mistake. I was not happy with my playing. But my father said that my playing was good, and I was not afraid of playing the flute any more. His words changed my life.
In school, I had German class. I liked my German teacher very much. He was nice and funny. But I did not like homework. I did not do my homework or study. My teacher was angry in class and said, "If you don't study, I will not teach you." Oh no! My favorite teacher was angry, and went out of the classroom! He did not teach us that day. I did not want him to be angry. I wanted him to teach us. So, I began to study German very hard. His words changed my life.
My brother's words changed my life, too. One day I asked my brother, "Who do you eat lunch with?" My brother said, "I eat lunch with a student from Japan. Would you like to meet him?" I liked the student very much, and in 1975 I came to Japan, and the student and I got married.
The words that made the biggest change in my life were the words of God in the Bible. My mother told me God's words when I was six years old. She told me the Bible said that I did some bad things. She told me that I said bad things and was fighting with my brothers. Sometimes she told me to do something and I did not want to do it. The Bible said if I did bad things that I could not go to heaven. The Bible told me to say "I'm sorry" to God for the bad things I did. The Bible said that Jesus died for the bad things I did. The Bible told me to say "thank you" to God for the wonderful thing Jesus did for me. The Bible said I should open the door of my heart and let Jesus come in. I did it. I joined God's family. The Bible's words changed my life.
The Bible's words still change my life, every day. They tell me what to think, what to say and what to do. They are like a bright light on a dark path. I never want to be without them. When I was very small, my survival words were "no" and "mine" but now my survival words are the words of God.
Prayer: God, thank you for your words in the Bible. Thank you that the Bible tells us about Jesus. Thank you that you teach us what makes you happy. Thank you for our churches, and thank you that we can go to hear your words every Sunday. Please help us to read and follow your words every day.
Acts 2:41 "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day."
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.
What is important in this life? What does the world say is most important? Beauty, clothes, brands, jewelry, big house, nice car, education, money, travel? Who is most important? What does the world say? I am most important. I am the center. What does God say is most important? We must read the Bible to know.
Who does the Bible say is most important? The Bible says that God is most important. The Bible says that I am not the center. The Bible says that God is the center. The Bible says that Jesus died on the cross for me. God gave himself to me, and now I must give myself back to God. I don't do what I want to do anymore; I do what God wants me to do. God lives in me, and I must be careful with my body, because my body is God's. I can not do things that hurt my body. I can not look at bad things with my eyes, because my eyes are God's. I cannot hear bad things with my ears, because my ears are God's. I cannot say bad things with my mouth, because my mouth is God's. I cannot do bad things with my hands, because my hands are God's. I cannot go bad places with my feet, because my feet are God's.
God wants what is good for me. He wants me to read the Bible with my eyes. He wants me to listen to His Words with my ears. He wants me to pray and to say kind things with my mouth. He wants me to help others with my hands. He wants me to go to church with my feet.
God says do what is good, because it is good for us. God says to do what pleases Him and what makes Him happy, because that will make us happy, too. God says that what He wants for us is perfect. There are no mistakes. What God wants for us is the very best!
Let's read the Bible and know what God wants us to do. Let's pray and ask God to help us do it. Let's thank God that he always gives us His best.
God, thank you for the Bible. Thank you that it tells us that you love us. Thank you that it tells us that Jesus died on the cross for us. Thank you that the Bible tells us what makes you happy. Help us to remember that our bodies are yours, and please help us to do things that make you happy. Please help us not to do things that make you sad. Please help us to remember that we are not most important, but that you are most important and that we are yours. Thank you that you want what is best for us. Thank you that you will give us what is best for us when we ask for it. Thank you for this day and thank you that you are walking with us each step.
Comments (3)
What a beautiful way for me to start the day. Thank you for the beautiful thoughts. May they reach far beyond your computer and mine.
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