Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Fervent Prayer

So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. Acts 12:5
  • The word, earnest, in this verse in Greek is ektenos which means "fully-stretched" or i.e. "fervent."
  • The church, i.e the people of God, made fervent prayer for Peter that he might be rescued and not die like James, the brother of John, who died earlier. 
  • It is interesting to note that it is around the Passover time when Jesus died as well. Therefore, it had already been a few years since the disciples of Jesus had been witnessing.
  • James died just as his master died around the same time of the Passover.
  • Peter was spared and this is due, at least in part, to the church praying for Peter.
  • It is imperative that we, as the church, should also pray for those who are being persecuted around the world that they might be spared and continue to witness until Jesus returns.

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

救う言葉

その人があなたとあなたの家にいるすべての人を救うことばを話してくれます。使徒の働き 11:14
  • この節である言葉はギリシャ語でレーマっていう単語で、発言された言葉の意味です。
  • その救う言葉はつまり使徒の働き10:36-43に書いてあるように、
    • 神はイエス・キリストによって、平和を宣べ伝え、イスラエルの子孫にみことばをお送りになりました。このイエス・キリストはすべての人の主です。あなたがたは、ヨハネが宣べ伝えたバプテスマの後、ガリラヤから始まって、ユダヤ全土に起こった事がらを、よくご存じです。それは、ナザレのイエスのことです。神はこの方に聖霊と力を注がれました。このイエスは、神がともにおられたので、巡り歩いて良いわざをなし、また悪魔に制せられているすべての者をいやされました。私たちは、イエスがユダヤ人の地とエルサレムとで行なわれたすべてのことの証人です。人々はこの方を木にかけて殺しましたしかし、神はこのイエスを三日目によみがえらせ、現われさせてくださいました。しかし、それはすべての人々にではなく、神によって前もって選ばれた証人である私たちにです。私たちは、イエスが死者の中からよみがえられて後、ごいっしょに食事をしました。イエスは私たちに命じて、このイエスこそ生きている者と死んだ者とのさばき主として、神によって定められた方であることを人々に宣べ伝え、そのあかしをするように、言われたのです。イエスについては、預言者たちもみな、この方を信じる者はだれでも、その名によって罪の赦しが受けられる、とあかししています。
  • 使徒の働き10:44を読むと分かるのがコルネリオと全家族がその言葉を聞いた時聖霊が彼らに来たことです。つまり、救う言葉である福音・グッドニュースを聞いて、それを信じる人は皆聖霊を受け、救われることです。
  • 要約で、福音の中心のメッセージは、
    1. イエス様はすべての人の主であること
    2. イエス様は良いわざをなして、また悪魔に制せられているすべての者をいやされる方であること
    3. イエス様は木の十字架にかけられて殺されたこと
    4. 神はこのイエス様を三日目によみがえらせたこと
    5. イエス様は死者の中からよみがえられて後、弟子達とご一緒に食事をしたこと
    6. イエス様こそ生きている者と死んだ者とのさばき主として、神によって定められた方であること
    7. イエス様を信じる者は誰でも、その名によって罪の赦しが受けられること、預言者たちが皆証しているように。

Monday, December 24, 2018

Saving Message

He will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household. Acts 11:14
  • "A message" in this passage in Greek is Rhema, or spoken words. This verse can be literally translated as, "he will speak (spoken) words to you, by which you and all your household will be saved."
  • That message was, if we read Acts 10:36-43, 
    • As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ--he is Lord of all, you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
  • We know from Acts 10:44, while Cornelius and his whole household were listening to this message, the Holy Spirit came to them. Therefore, we know that those who listen to and believe this saving message of Good News will receive the Holy Spirit and be saved.
  • In summary, the core message of the gospel is 
    1. Jesus is Lord of all
    2. Jesus does good and heals all who are oppressed by the devil
    3. Jesus was put to death on the cross made of a tree
    4. God raised him from the dead on the third day
    5. Jesus appeared to his disciples and ate and drank with them.
    6. God appointed him to be the judge of the living and the dead
    7. Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name, as witnessed by all the prophets.

Sunday, December 23, 2018

カイザリヤのコルネリオ

さて、カイザリヤにコルネリオという人がいて、イタリヤ隊という部隊の百人隊長であった。 彼は敬虔な人で、全家族とともに神を恐れかしこみ、ユダヤの人々に多くの施しをなし、いつも神に祈りをしていた 使徒の働き 10:1-2
  • カイザリヤ(Caesarea)は当時支配されていたイスラエルの中で政治的に重要なローマの都市の一つであった。25-13 BCの間にヘロデ大王はこの都市を作って、ルカの福音書2:1で住民登録をせよという勅令をしたカイサル・アウグストの名前を基にして、その都市は名付けられた。
  • コルネリオという名前の由来はおそらく、ラテン語の"コルヌ"という角の意味からである。
  • この部隊(ギリシャ語: スペイラspeira)の数は普段400から600人の軍人であった。だが、サポートをする部隊の場合はその数が1000人であった。ここでの部隊はおそらく1000人の部隊である。なぜなら、その時の歴史著述家のヨセフスによるとカイザリヤであった軍人はほぼシリアの出身の軍人だったがこの部隊の名前はイタリヤ隊っていう名前だったので、おそらく、この部隊はイタリヤ出身の軍人であり、サポートをする部隊であり、ボランティアで来て駐屯したローマを代表する核心部隊である可能性が高い。(1)
  • コルネリオは軍人であったが、貧しい人々にお金をシェアして、つまり、神を敬って、神に貸すことと同じような行動だと聖書は言う。"寄るべのない者をしいたげる者は自分の造り主をそしり、貧しい者をあわれむ者は造り主を敬う。(箴言14:31) 寄るべのない者に施しをするのは、主に貸すことだ。主がその善行に報いてくださる。(箴言19:17)"
  • だが、私たちは善行をするとき、人に見せるためにとか、ほめられるためにしないように注意する必要がある。なぜなら、イエス様はこういったからである。"人に見せるために人前で善行をしないように気をつけなさい。そうでないと、天におられるあなたがたの父から、報いが受けられません。だから、施しをするときには、人にほめられたくて会堂や通りで施しをする偽善者たちのように、自分の前でラッパを吹いてはいけません。まことに、あなたがたに告げます。彼らはすでに自分の報いを受け取っているのです。あなたは、施しをするとき、右の手のしていることを左の手に知られないようにしなさい。あなたの施しが隠れているためです。そうすれば、隠れた所で見ておられるあなたの父が、あなたに報いてくださいます。(マタイの福音書6:1-4)"

参照
1. Biblehub. Pulpit Commentary https://biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/10-1.htm (2018年12月23日にアクセスした時)

Cornelius at Caesarea

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. Acts 10:1-2
  • Caesarea was one of the main Roman political cities in then-occupied Israel. It was built by Herod the Great between 25 to 13 BC, and it was named after Caesar Augustus, who also famously ordered the census in Luke 2:1
  • The name, Cornelius, possibly derives from Latin, cornu which means "horn."
  • A centurion was an army officer who was responsible for one hundred soldiers.
  • Cohort was made up of between 400 to 600 soldiers usually. However, when it is an auxiliary group, it was made up of 1000 men. It is likely that in this verse, this cohort refers to 1000 auxiliary soldiers. At the time, most soldiers stationed in Caesarea were Syrians as per Josephus. (1)
  • However, this particular cohort had a name, Italian Cohort, and it likely refers to the fact that they were mostly Italians, and likely volunteers.  (1)
  • Cornelius gave alms generously to the people. He honoured God and lent to the Lord. "Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honours him." (Proverbs 14:31) "Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed." (Proverbs 19:17)
  • However, we need to be careful that we do not do it to be seen and praised by others. “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-4)
Reference:
1. Biblehub, Pulpit commentary, https://biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/10-1.htm (accessed on 23/12/2018)

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Relationship between Love for the Lord & Curse

1 Corinthians 16:22

If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed.

Paul uses a very strong language here when talking about our Lord and our love for him.

Paul is clear in this statement that if anyone does not have any love for the Lord, he is to be accursed.

Accursed in Greek is anathema which means "to be offered to be destructed."

No love for God means no life for oneself. There is no life outside of God.

If we have no love for Jesus, we are not in Him. If we are not in Him, we have no eternal life because eternal life is only found in Him.

Therefore, whoever does not have love for Jesus i.e. not in Him, they have no life, no eternal life in them.

They are to be devoted to destruction, which would be spiritual destruction, i.e. eternal suffering and torment in hell, away from the life of God.

Avoiding being damned is not the right motivation to motivate us to love Jesus. However, if we do not love Him, we have no life at all.

Conversely, let us thank God that we do have life in Him. We are found in Him.

We are in Him, the eternal Life.

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

愛するとは

愛するとは、
いつか受け入れてもらえると信じて、
相手に自分を差し出し続けること。

愛されるとは、
目に見えない愛を信じて、
相手に心を開くこと。

愛するためにも、
愛されるためにも、
信じる力が必要です。

相手の欠点を見つけ出すのが得意でも、
それはなんの自慢にもなりません。

人間が欠点だらけなのは
当たり前だからです。

どれだけ欠点だらけの人の中にも、
必ずいいところを見つけ出すことができる力。
それこそ、讃えられるべき特別な力です。

片柳弘史(神父)


Post by Masa

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Joy before the angels of God 神の天使たちの前に喜びが

“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Luke 15:8-10

15:8 また、女の人が銀貨を十枚持っていて、もしその一枚をなくしたら、あかりをつけ、家を掃いて、見つけるまで念入りに捜さないでしょうか。 15:9 見つけたら、友だちや近所の女たちを呼び集めて、『なくした銀貨を見つけましたから、いっしょに喜んでください。』と言うでしょう。 15:10 あなたがたに言いますが、それと同じように、ひとりの罪人が悔い改めるなら、神の御使いたちに喜びがわき起こるのです。ルカによる福音書

God says here that there is joy when God finds that person who God lost.

神様はこの文章に神様はご自分から離れて行った人がまた見つかれる時に喜ぶって書いています。

It is important to note that in the passage, the woman seeks diligently until she finds it.

上の文章で大事なのはその女の人はその銀貨が見つかるまでにやめないっていうことです。

Therefore, in the same way, God seeks diligently until He finds that person He lost.

つまり、神様も同じように神から離れてしまった人が神が見つけるまでに、神は探し続けます。

God was diligently seeking me until He found me.

同じように僕が神から離れていた時に神は僕を探していたし、僕のために待っていたんです。

God was eager to find me because He lost me. I was his and I was lost.

神が僕を探していました。なぜなら、僕は神の愛する神の子だからです。僕は神のものだったけど、自分の道を歩き、迷ってしまいました。

And then I am found.

けれでも、神は僕を見つけました。

Just as the lyrics in Amazing Grace say, "I once was lost, but now I'm found."

アメージンググレースの歌詞のように、"道を踏み外しさまよっていた私を神は救い上げてくださり"

Monday, April 30, 2018

God's Joy

"And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’"
Luke 15:6

Jesus says here that there are his sheep in this world that are lost. He is looking for these sheep. And when He finds them he rejoices and says in a loud voice. "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost."

We are the sheep Jesus is looking for. Some of us have been found by Him.

We often think we found Jesus by searching for Him. But it is more true to say that Jesus found us by His earnest seeking. He is calling us and showing us the way in which we should go so that we may find Him.

He is still calling everyone everywhere to repent and follow Him.

He is calling the sheep to change their minds and follow Him.

Jesus is alive today.

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ," Ephesians 1:7-9

It was God's good pleasure and desire to make known to us the mystery of his will which was redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of His grace that he lavished on us.

Therefore God is pleased and full of joy to forgive us of our sins according to his grace He poured out on us. Amen. Truly.