The LORD's Servants

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
August 30, 2015, 5th Holy day of the month
Rev. Tadashi Nagae, pastor

Since we believed in Jesus and saved,we are children of God, and called to be God's servants. How come we should walk as the LORD's servants?

One is because the LORD bought us. We were bought with the ｌife of Christ. The other is because there is a model of Jesus who walked as a servant. The Lord walked as a servant all his life and left us a model.

Then, how should we walk as the LORD's servants?

The First is to obey the will of the LORD. It is to give the top priority to the will of the LORD rather than to your wishes. The second is to live for the glory of the LORD.

We would like to be used for God's glory, not for the glory of ourselves as we used to. We are surely children of God, but it's unbalanced if just being so. Let's recognize correctly what we really are. Also, let's walk to serve the LORD and the church from the heart as the LORD's servants.

<The Verse of the Bible>

You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:20 (NIV)

Who is the Christ?

Mark 12:35-37
August 23, 2015, 4th Holy day of the month
Rev. Tadashi Nagae, pastor

Jesus asked "Why do the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David?" Let's confirm who the Christ is.

Firstly, he was a man. He was born as a descendant of David as in the prophecies of the Old Testament. But he was not like a military or political king as the people expected. He loved people and showed the way to be saved.

Secondly, he was God. David prophesied so that he called him the Lord. He was God, thus he was able to redeem our sins.

Considering this then, what should we remember? The first is to hear the word of the Lord with joy. If you believe and understand that this man is the true God,you will be willing to hear the word with joy. The second is to put the Lord first in your life. The life in which putting him in front and walk is a truly blessed one. Let us be the ones who correctly recognize "Who is the Christ for me?" and walk in blessings.

<The Verse of the Bible>

While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, "Why do theteachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David?

Mark 12:35 (NIV)

The most important commandment

Mark 12:28-34
August 16, 2015, 3rd Holy day of the month
Rev. Tadashi Nagae, pastor

One of the teachers of the law came to Jesus and asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" Jesus answered:

The first is to love God with our whole body and soul. To love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength means to love God with our whole beings. That is because the LORD is the one who has created us and given us life, and He is the one who has redeemed and saved us.

The second is to love your neighbors as yourself. It is not good enough to just love God but also to love your neighbors as well is the will of the LORD.

We must remember these two most important commandments and respond to them. The first is to believe in Christ and accept him. It is not good enough for us to be close to salvation, but we need to be saved. The second is to walk with loving God and your neighbors. If one truly loves God from the heart, his/her love flows out as the love to his/her neighbors. Do our loves come out of the heart? Let us be such ones who follow the teaching of the LORD: to love the LORD from the heart, and to love our neighbors.

<The Verse of the Bible>

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

Mark 12:28 (NIV)

The Responsibilities of Christians

Mark 12:13-17
August 2, 2015, 1st Holy day of the month
Rev. Tadashi Nagae, pastor

After Jesus entered Jerusalem, several groups came to entrap him. This time, they were Pharisees and Herodians. Although they couldn't accept each other, they came to Jesus as their common enemy. "Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?" Let us learn two things;

Firstly, Christians should obey the nation, and pray for the ruler. The authorities have been established by God and we receive benefits from them. Thus, Christians have a responsibility to obey the nation and pray for the ruler.

Secondly, we should put God first and obey Him. That's because God is the absolute ruler and we are receiving countless grace from Him.

The question is, which we should obey when there is a difference between the teaching of God and the nation. The Bible tells us to obey God. We must not be ambiguous at this point. When we definitely obey God, we will definitely be able to be good witnesses.

<The Verse of the Bible>

Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." And they were amazed at him.

Mark 12:17 (NIV)