Author: Japanese Congregational Church

John 2:1-12

¹On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ²Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. ³When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” ⁴And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” ⁶Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. ⁹When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom ¹⁰and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” ¹¹Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. ¹²After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained there a few days.

This familiar passage usually evokes several questions. Weddings were well-planned and wine was an important part, so why did the wedding planners not have sufficient wine? Why was Jesus’ mother concerned about the wine running out? As Jesus states, it really is not their concern. Why did Mary ask Jesus to do something about it? Obviously, she must have been convinced that Jesus could do something to remedy the situation. Why does Jesus turn His mother’s request down, saying that His hour has not yet come, and yet, He goes ahead and turns the water into wine? At which point did the water turn into wine – Did Jesus turn all the water in the jars at once right after they were filled with water? Or was it when the water was drawn from the jar? Or did it happen when the water was being carried to the steward?

We can conject all we want to do with these questions, but there really is no way to know the answers for sure. Nor is it important to answer them, since these details are not of interest to John, the gospel writer.

What the writer tells us is that this was the first of Jesus’ signs. He also tells us why Jesus performed this sign – So that His glory would be revealed to His disciples and that they would believe. We will see two kinds of signs in this gospel. The sign in Cana was so that the faith of the disciples, who believed that Jesus is the Messiah, would be strengthened. We also see the second type of sign later in verse 23, where it says, “. . . many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing.”

In between, He also spoke about a sign that people will remember after His death and resurrection. When Jesus overturned the tables and drove out the merchants from the temple, He was asked by the Jews, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Jesus was talking about His resurrection, and the disciples will remember and will believe that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah that was prophesied from long ago.

 Often, when John refers to what Jesus did as a “sign”, there is symbolism involved which guides us to the fact that Jesus is the Messiah. In the previous chapter, Nathanael believes that Jesus is the Son of God, just by the words Jesus spoke. In this narrative, Jesus goes beyond just words and works a miracle.

The narrative starts with the words, “On the third day”, which brings to mind Jesus’ resurrection. Even though the time of Jesus’ death, which forgives humanity’s sins, has not come, Jesus starting His ministry is already inaugurating a new age. Today, when we think of “the end times”, we think about the return of Jesus. However, that is the end of “the end times”.  The end times started with the arrival of Jesus. We are living in “the end times”.

The steward declares that the new wine is better than the old. The old way God’s people tried to attain righteousness was by trying to follow the Law. The new way, which Jesus will inaugurate with His death on the cross and resurrection is better. Rather than trying to obey the Law, the new way to become righteous is by faith in Jesus Christ. By believing what Jesus did and accepting Him as Lord and Savior, we become righteous in God’s eyes.

The wedding in Cana is a reminder to us that Jesus is the Son of God and the savior of the world. In a small private way, we are introduced to the immense power that Jesus has. This was done to strengthen the faith of the disciples as well as our own faith.

It is also a reminder that we are living in the end times – Jesus could come back at any time. And when He does come back and the whole world sees Him, it is no longer possible to believe by faith. So, when He comes back, the chance to accept Him by faith ends.

There are many around us who have not accepted Jesus. Before it is too late, we have a responsibility to share Christ with them and to be good witnesses.

In the letter to the Romans, Paul writes that he is a debtor to those who do not know Christ. There are two ways to become a debtor. One is to borrow money from someone – one is in debt until the loan is paid off. The second is to be given money for someone by a third person – until the money is delivered to that person, one is in debt to that person. That’s how Paul felt about the gospel – It was given to him by God to give to others. Until Paul gives the gospel to others, he is indebted to them.

This is the same with us. God has given us the gospel. We have believed and accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Now we have the task to tell others. Until we do, we are in debt to them.

So, let the miracle that Jesus performed at the wedding at Cana be a sign to us that strengthens our faith, in order for us to go do the Kingdom work that the Lord has given us.  

(the above is a summary of the message shared by Pastor Shun Takano at our worship of May 11, 2025.)

Psalm 30:1-12

1 I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. 2 O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. 3 O LORD, you brought me up from the grave ; you spared me from going down into the pit. 4 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. 6 When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.” 7 O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. 8 To you, O LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: 9 “What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? 10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help.” 11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12 that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.

Our psalm today is a song of joyful praise. It is a song of Easter resurrection and praise!

3 O LORD, you brought me up from the grave ; you spared me from going down into the pit. 4 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. 11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

But here is my question: In light of the world’s immense suffering…is this kind of praise appropriate?

• We look at the world at large: Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan, Afghanistan, Ukraine – places wracked with violence and war.
• Aid organizations estimate that ½ of the world’s population – 3.5 billion people – live on the edge of subsistence. They are one flood, or one earthquake, or one disaster away from extinction.
• In our own country, we are going through a crisis of leadership and polarity. Millions here, too, are just a paycheck away from being homeless….while thousands, even in our own city,  actually are.
• When we look around us at all the tragedy, poverty, and injustice… it may seem almost obscene to talk about dancing with joy….how can any of us in good conscience feel happy while so many are struggling and miserable?

But the praise of this psalmist (and other Psalms) doesn’t come out of some sense of naivety. This song should NOT be mistaken for a kind of mood music. The psalmist sings out of a depth of suffering and pain himself. Here are a few of of those phrases…

• you lifted me out of the depths
• I called to you for help
• you brought me up from the grave　
• Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me　
• O LORD, be my help.　

This song of praise represents the joy of redemption, hope in redemption, confidence that God is always with us, no matter our circumstances. This joy reflects our assurance that God keeps his promises, that God is good and God’s goodness will somehow prevail, despite all the troubles around us.

In other words, this joy recognizes pain and suffering….but it sees them from a different perspective.　

So once again, is this kind of praise and joy, this kind of dancing appropriate in our world that is so full of cruelty, injustice, and oppression? Yes!

Do we need sensitivity? Yes, by all means. It is possible to express our joy and confidence in a way that is insensitive to the pain of those around us. We need to express our joy in deep humility and empathy for those who are not “feeling it” right now.

I believe it is appropriate, and even necessary….for the following reasons:

• It is a confession of our faith. Stating these truths about God – even in the midst of struggles – keeps us focused on God’s strengths instead of our own weaknesses and limits. 
• It remembers the past. We all, individually, and as a church, can point to times when God truly has stood with us “through it all” – where we know for certain, that we could not have “made it through” but for the miracles of God. Joy and dancing today is an appropriate way to remember those experiences.
  • You lifted me out of the depths….I called for help and you healed me
  • You turned my wailing into dancing
• It points to hope in the future. Even if things are tough now….we have reason to believe in resurrection power – that God will come through for us. That even if he doesn’t…He is with us and surrounding us with His love.
  • that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.
• Finally, it is a witness – Our joy and praise, when expressed sensitively, can be an encouragement to those who are suffering and struggling. Especially if we ourselves are suffering. (Paul and Silas singing and praising God in prison is a great biblical example.)

Where do you feel mourning today?

Where do you feel the deepest sadness?

May God turn that mourning into dancing and rejoicing – not because our circumstances have suddenly changed…. But because God is unchanging – always hearing us, always merciful, always loving us!

(The above is a summary of the message shared during our worship on May 4, 2025.)

John 1:1-13

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being ⁴in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. ⁶There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. ⁹The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. ¹¹He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. ¹²But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, ¹³who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

Most scholars believe that Mark was the earliest of the gospels, written around 60-65 AD.  Next came Matthew and Luke, both probably written between the years 60-80 AD. Scholars believe that John was the newest, and probably written around 80-90 AD.

John’s gospel is historically based but his primary goal is persuasion, not a chronicle of events. We know this because of what he wrote in John 20:30-31 – ³⁰Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. ³¹But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

John starts his gospel with the exact same words that Genesis begins with – “In the beginning.”  This signifies that John believes this is a new beginning for humanity – That they can become children of God through the work of Christ.

He starts the first paragraph telling us of the diving nature of Jesus – That He is the Word of God and He was there from the beginning of things. Not only was He with God, He is God. Jesus is the creative force of the Trinity and everything that was created in the universe came into being through Him.

Then John makes certain that the readers would know that John the Baptist was not the Messiah, but one that would identify Jesus as the true Messiah, the long-awaited savior of not only the Jews, but of all humanity.

He continues to tell us that Jesus came down from heaven to live in the world He created. John also tells us of the tragic outcome that generally, his own people, the Jews, did not accept him. However, to all those who received him, he gave power to become children of God.

John then tells us in vv. 14-18 that Jesus was not only God, but also human. Then he tells of how John the Baptist testified to the fact that Jesus was the Messiah and gives a hint of how Jesus was going to make it possible for humans to become children of God. The Baptist declares that Jesus is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

Lamb signifies that Jesus was going to play the role of the sacrificial lamb. A spotless sacrifice that was needed to cleanse humanity’s sin.

Then in vv. 35-51, John writes about how Jesus called the first disciples – Andrew and his brother, Peter, and Philip and his brother, Nathanael. Jesus tells them, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

The implication of this image that would evoke the vision God gave to Jacob at Bethel is that Jesus was going to be connector between heaven and earth – Between God and humanity.

So, in the first chapter, John lays out all the pertinent points of his gospel. Jesus is fully God and fully man. Jesus was sent to earth so that those who accept Him as Lord and Savior would become children of God.

We have two options for what to do with this knowledge. One option is to accept this as truth, receive Jesus as your savior, and become a child of God.  The other option is to reject this as truth. There really is no third option, since if we do not accept it, we are rejecting it.

The consequence of rejecting Christ is that when this life is over, eternity would be spent apart from the Lord and all His followers. For the remainder of time that is left for you to be alive, you will do your best pursuing whatever goals you think are worth pursuing.

If you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and become a child of God, then you will have responsibilities for the remainder of your life – To do the good works of God that He has prepared for you since the beginning of time. The main task is that with the help of the Holy Spirit, who will be given to you at the time of accepting Christ, to be witnesses to the fact that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world.

I would offer that it is a much more fulfilling and joyous life to be a child of God. If anyone here has not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I would urge you to do so now. And for those who are already sons or daughters of God, witness to those who are not, so that they might have the chance to join the family of God.

(the above is a summary of the message shared by Pastor Shun Takano in our worship on April 27, 2025.)

Luke 23:44-49

⁴⁴It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, ⁴⁵while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 
⁴⁶Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last. ⁴⁷When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.” ⁴⁸And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. ⁴⁹But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Luke describes the death of Jesus in six sentences. His creation reacts by going dark while He hangs on the cross dying. The curtain of the temple is torn in two. Both Mark and Matthew report the rendering of the curtain after Christ’s death, while here in Luke it appears to be torn prior to Jesus’ death. Not certain if the difference is significant, but it still has the same meaning – That Jesus’ act on the cross makes access to the Father now possible to all.

Then Jesus commends His spirit to the Father and breathes His last.

The centurion declares that Jesus was innocent, and the women are witnesses to His death. This is an important point, since the same women would later witness the burial and the resurrection. They will be able to testify that the person who died on the cross and was buried in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb, is the same one who was resurrected.

Why did Jesus have to die? The Bible tells us that Jesus, who had no sin, died on the cross to pay for humanity’s sins. But since God is all powerful and loving, could He not just forgive humanity’s sins without sending His Son to the cross?

It has to do with justice. Injustice can go two ways. An innocent person being declared guilty and made to pay a penalty would be an injustice. A guilty person being declared not guilty and not having to pay the penalty would also be an injustice.

Humans, being sinful and fallible, means that every human justice system has seen its share of injustice being done.

Every single human since Adam has sinned. Sins of commission, sins of omission, sins of the heart – We have all fallen short of God’s standards. And Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death.

God is just and so the penalty for sin must be paid. Since every human is sinful, that would mean eternal death for all. Yet, God loves us so much, He was willing to form a plan which would bring salvation to humanity. Humans could do nothing, since they deserved eternal death. Which meant that no human could pay the penalty for humanity’s sins. So, God sent His Son, who had no sin, to die on the cross so that humanity’s penalty would be paid.

Now all we need to do is accept this act of love and repent, and we would be saved. That is the meaning of John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

The Roman justice system was not concerned about whether a method of execution was cruel or unnecessarily painful. In fact, that was the whole point. A very agonizing and painful death was the reason they reserved the cross for the worst offenders against the empire. Fear of being crucified was supposed to be a deterrent to committing acts against the empire. For such a wide-ranging empire, they felt it was an effective method to keep order throughout the empire.

The excruciating pain of having large spikes driven into one’s hands and feet, and then once the cross is stood up, the gravity would put unceasing agony to the wounds. Mark tells us that Jesus was crucified at 9:00am and Luke tells us that Jesus died at 3:00pm . This would mean that Jesus hung on the cross in excruciating pain for six hours.

As the day of the crucifixion approached, Jesus was aware of the pain that was to come. He even asked in the garden of Gethsemane whether there was another way to accomplish His work. But when it was made clear that there was no other way, He went willingly.

We know by John 3:16 that from the point of view of God the Father, Jesus was sent to the cross because God the Father loved us and wanted to save us.

Romans 14:9 gives us the reason why Jesus was willing to go to the cross – “For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.”

Jesus wanted not only for us to be saved, but He wanted to be our Lord. To happily accept the fact that Jesus died for our sins and took the punishment that we deserved, while insisting that we live the way we want to live, is tantamount to telling Jesus, “Thank you for dying for me, but I will not have you lord over me.”

As we head into celebrating Jesus’ resurrection next week, let us keep in mind that through what Jesus did for us on the cross, we have been given the opportunity to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. All we have to do is to accept Jesus Christ as our lord and savior.

Kingdom implies a king and his subjects. Jesus is our king and we are His subjects. Instead of putting our interests first, let us seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

(the above is a summary of the message shared by Pastor Shun Takano at our worship on April 13, 2025.)

John 15:1-8

Our text today follows from last week, where Jesus washes the disciples’ feet.

In these chapters, John 13-17, Jesus is giving final teachings and instructions to the disciples. He tells them

• that they are to wash each others’ feet
• that they are to love each other (as Jesus and the Father love each other)
• that he will be leaving them, but will come again
• that the Holy Spirit will be given to them… to remind, teach, and lead
• He prays for his disciples….and for us, those that would become the church

And remember, these are some of the last words spoken to his disciples before he is arrested later that evening, and eventually killed the following day.

In this example that Jesus gives, God is the vine grower, Jesus represents the main vine (“true vine”), and the disciples (that’s us!) are the many branches that are connected to the vine.

This is an invitation to relationship / connectedness

• In these short verses, Jesus uses the word “remain” 8 times to represent this connectedness.
• There is no such thing as a solo Christian
• No possibility of “Just me and Jesus” / a merely private faith
• When you are connected to the true vine – Christ – you are connected to all other believers.
• If you ARE alone…. there’s NO fruit – nothing can be done. (verse 5)
• None of us are “self-made”. We are all nourished by our connection to Christ.
• Not independent… or self-dependent – but interdependent.

Cutting and Pruning are necessary….and for our good!

• In our analogy, God is the vine grower. He cuts and prunes the branches (that’s us!) that are all connected to the main vine (the “true vine”)
• This relationship involves pruning and cutting… God shaping us…
• Pruning also may involve pain and change…
• Why prune? Because it all produces more fruitfulness.

There is no command to “bear fruit!”…. just to “remain in me”

• The whole point of a vineyard is to bear fruit
• When we prove our connectedness to Jesus by bearing fruit, the fruit will prove that we are his disciples, and it brings glory to God. (v.8)
• And yet, there is NO command here to “bear fruit!”  Jesus simply says “remain in me” 
• We are to focus on the connection, not the fruit. It’s easy for us to get confused….and to try to produce fruit….sometimes even focusing on our lack of  fruit. But Jesus says we need to focus on connection… remaining in Him.

(this outline is a summary of the message shared during our worship on April 6, 2025.)

John 13:1-17

“Where do you come from?”

• Have you ever been asked this question?
• We can answer it simply: I come from Washington….or, I was born in St. Cloud, MN….. or , I come from Spain, etc.
• Of course, this question can be taken on a deeper, philosophical level as well. “Where do we come from?” “What is our origin?”
• Adopted children often have these questions arise sooner than biological children. Who were my birthparents? Where are they now? Why didn’t they want me?
• Even deeper would be the question of life. How did we get here? We know the biology…. We just don’t understand the mysterious life force…

Knowing where we come from can be a powerful thing…..

How about this question….

“Where are you going?”

• Have you ever been asked that?
• Again, we can answer simply: I’m going to Tokyo, or I’m going to the store…. or I’m going to California to visit my son…
• But this question too, can have profound meaning: Where are you heading? Where are you traveling to? What is your life goal? Where is your final destination?
• These are all difficult, some might even say unanswerable, questions.

Yet, knowing our final destination can be a powerful thing……

Where we have come from….. and where we are going……

Our Starting Point….. and our Destination.

In verse three of today’s text, we read these words:

3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;

He knew that he came from God, that he would be returning to God, and that in the meantime….he had the power of God with him.

What was the result?

Look carefully….the sentences are connected. Because he knew where he had come from, and because he knew where he was going, and because he knew that God had given him power for this work, Jesus got up, wrapped a towel around his waist, took a basin of water, and began to wash his disciples’ feet.

Because Jesus knew where he came from…. Where he was going…. And that the power of God that was with him…. He was able to serve his disciples.

I challenge you today with the words here in verse 3.

They’re almost hidden. They almost slip by unnoticed. But I think they’re important.  If we truly want to love each other, if we truly want to serve each other…. As Jesus has commanded, then I think we need to understand the words of this verse.

So we’re back to the initial question.

Where do we come from?

Do we truly believe that our life…. the breath we breathe, the pumping of our hearts, the mysterious life within our bodies and souls are all a gift of God? Do we truly believe that our lives are not our own…. As scripture teaches?

Or, have we been fooled into thinking that the family into which we were born, the country in which we have citizenship, the health we presently enjoy, the food we so easily eat each day…. have we been fooled into thinking that it’s by our own efforts and struggles that they have all become ours?

And how about that other pesky question.

Where are you going? Where is your destination?

Do we truly understand that since our lives are not our own, that in many ways we are NOT in control of how many years and days we will live. Do we see that our days, and the hairs on our heads, and the health of our bodies are… in many ways – not within our control? Of course, because our bodies and lives are a gift and precious, we need to take good care of them. But even so…. Our destination is in God’s hands. We will eventually return to Him. Do we believe this?

The reason this is all so important is that it gives us the power and steam to wash other peoples’ feet.

Without a clear sense of where we’ve come from…and where we’re going… and the fact that God has called us and given us power for this journey….we won’t have the ability to serve others freely as our Master has served us.

We will always be tempted to grasp, to collect, to hang on, to keep the best for ourselves, to store up treasures on earth….. and on and on.

Eventually we’ll just stop talking about serving each other….or living sacrificially for each other. We will instead use words like “rights” or “privileges” or begin to focus on “taking” rather than “giving”.

Church, we have been called to wash feet. We should be in the business of washing feet. How can we do that this week? Whose feet will we wash? What does that really look like? Of course, we are speaking metaphorically since we don’t actually have a custom of foot washing in our culture. But what does serving others look like?

14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

(the above is a summary of the message shared during our worship on March 30, 2025.)

Joshua 24:1-15

Scholars believe that it has been 20 to 30 years since Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land. Joshua is now 110 years old and knows his time on earth is ending. So, he gathers the people at Shechem to give his final message to the people.

Joshua is now playing the role of a prophet, beginning his address with, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel.” He reviews the history of the promise God gave to Abraham and how the LORD kept His promise through Isaac, Jacob and Moses. Joshua makes it clear that it was the LORD who allowed them to possess their inheritance by driving the people out and parceling out the land to the tribes.

Joshua encourages the people to revere the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and faithfulness. Joshua makes it clear that there is a choice to be made, and that there are only two choices – Either serve the LORD or serve something else.

Joshua declares that as for him and his household, they will serve the LORD.

In vv. 16-23, the people respond by saying that they too will serve the LORD. Joshua then reminds the people in vv. 19-23, that it is not going to be easy. The LORD is a holy God and He is also a jealous God and requires total loyalty from His people. The people insist that they will serve the LORD.

Why did Joshua choose Shechem as the place for his final message? We get some clues when we look back in Genesis:

• Shechem was where God spoke to Abraham for the first time in Canaan (Genesis 12:7)
• Jacob purchased land there (Genesis 33:18-20) and later, Joseph’s bones will be buried there
• Before heading to Bethel to erect an altar there, Jacob gathered all the idols and buried them in Shechem (Genesis 35:2-4). And Joshua’s command in v. 14 to put away the gods that your ancestors served is the same command that Jacob had given to his household.

In the polytheistic ancient Near East, it was assumed that the people worshipped and sacrificed to many deities, depending on the situation. This was the norm and there was no concept of these deities being jealous because of this. Joshua reminds the people that this is not the case with the LORD – He is a jealous God and will not accept Israel serving other gods.

Joshua is driving home the point that the LORD is not like the other deities who were worshipped by the people in Canaan. With the other gods, people would call on them for favors or to appease their anger. But what the LORD demanded was a true relationship. The LORD was willing to be fully committed to the people and He expected that the people be fully devoted to Him. This was not to be a casual relationship, but more like a marriage.

It is not just about not breaking the laws that the LORD commanded. Imagine someone telling his/her marriage partner at the end of the day and saying, “My commitment to you is complete today since I have not committed adultery.”  Similarly, it takes much more than just keeping the commandments to be considered as fully committed to the LORD.

God was fully committed to providing a path to salvation for us. He sent His only Son to the cross so that our sins can be forgiven. In return, He deserves and demands our full devotion.

Joshua was a great servant of the LORD and a great leader of people. His declaration that he and his family will serve the LORD influenced the whole nation — They worshipped the LORD.

As Joshua pointed out, it is not always easy to be fully committed to the LORD and His ways. Jesus taught that all the laws can be summarized as, “Love God and love others”, which is not easy to do.

For any person in relationship with this God must choose each moment, choose whether to be faithful to God or to some competing reality. As Deuteronomy 6:5 points out, we are to “love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might”. With the help of the Holy Spirit, let us devote ourselves to the Lord.

(The above is a summary of the message shared by Pastor Shun Takano during worship on March 23, 2025.)

Joshua 14:6-15

Even though everyone was warned about not taking anything from Jericho, a man named Achan could not resist and took a mantle and some silver and gold and hid them in the ground. Not knowing this and thinking that they could defeat the city of Ai easily, the Israelites attacked and were defeated with thirty-six killed.

Joshua called out to the LORD and was informed that someone had sinned against the LORD by taking things from Jericho, and that was the reason for their defeat. The LORD let them know that it was Achan. Achan confessed and was dealt with along with his family.

Then the LORD gave clear battle instructions to Joshua, who carried it out to victory over Ai. Joshua then built an altar to the LORD and renewed their covenant.

The people of Gibeon had heard what Joshua, and the Israelites did to Jericho and Ai, and were afraid. Some of the men tricked Joshua into believing that they were from far away and made a covenant of peace and protection. When Joshua found out that he was tricked, he kept the covenant but forced the Gibeonites to become their servants.

There were many battles, and the LORD gave them victory and the fighting ceased. Then as Moses promised, Joshua allotted land east of the River Jordan to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

Now it was time to divide up the promised land, which was to the west of the Jordan. The LORD commanded that they cast lots for the inheritance for the nine and one-half tribes. This was to make the people understand that it was the LORD who was determining which tribe settled where.

We now come to this morning’s passage where Caleb receives his portion of the land allotted to Judah (Caleb represented the tribe of Judah to spy out the land back in Numbers 13).

Caleb makes his case:

• When he and the eleven other representatives spied out the land, he gave an honest report and urged the people to move forward, but ten of the spies put fear in the hearts of the people and they refused to enter.
• Moses promised the land to Caleb because of Caleb’s loyalty to the LORD and his willingness to carry out the LORD’s commands.
• The LORD has kept Caleb healthy and strong, even though he was now eighty-five years old, and now will drive out the Anakim, the race of giants that Israel had feared so much

Joshua blesses Caleb and gives him the land that was promised, and Caleb is successful in driving out the Anakim and bringing the land rest from war.

From the first time we are introduced to Caleb, we see that he is a man who has complete faith in not only the LORD’s power but also that the LORD will keep His promises. This makes Caleb utterly faithful, loyal and courageous.

We do not see Caleb acting on his own. He is forever waiting for instructions from the LORD and then following them. When he spied out the land, he saw the same obstacles that the others saw. But instead of being afraid for them and their children, he was so sure that LORD would give them victory, he urged them to go forward.

When the tribe of Judah was allotted their land, Caleb saw that the land the LORD had promised him as his inheritance was included and reminded Joshua. And taking possession of Hebron, Caleb was able to clear his portion of all the former inhabitants, as commanded by God.

When the Israelites first came to the border of the promised land, Caleb was the first to declare that the LORD would give them the land and that they should go in. Joshua joins him later to try to persuade the people. But the people are too fearful, and they refuse.

Caleb and Joshua are the only two to be allowed into the promised land after the forty years in the wilderness. Caleb is a warrior and utterly fearless. In many ways, we could see him leading Israel into the promised land, but that role is given to Joshua. We do not see any signs of jealousy or discontent about this. Even when he has to suffer wandering in the wilderness with all the people who lacked faith in the LORD. All he does is obediently and successfully carry out all the tasks that are given to him.

We could learn much from Caleb. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, our sins are forgiven, and we are promised eternity with our LORD and our brothers and sisters in Christ. But until we leave this life behind, we have been given the task of being witnesses for the LORD and point others to the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

There may be times we do not necessarily like or want the tasks given to us, but let us pray that the Holy Spirit will give us the love and power sufficient to carry them out. Let us go on serving the LORD in the same way that Caleb did – V. 14 tells us that “he wholeheartedly followed the LORD.”

(the above is a summary of the message shared by Pastor Shun Takano during worship on March 9, 2025.)

Rachel Wolff (daughter of our former pastor, Rev. Steve and Betty Luttio) works for CARE – a large humanitarian NPO that has been part of USAID since 1949. The recent January order to stop all US government programs for health, poverty reduction, and life-saving assistance around the world has impacted hundreds of millions of people. The letter below, sent out to supporters of CARE by the president and CEO of the organization, explains that impact….and describes their continuing commitment and concerns.

We include it here, both as a form of sharing important information, as well as to function as a call to prayer. Please pray for the many who are impacted, and especially for Rachel and her family as it appears that due to the end of funding, they will need to return to the US by the end of March.

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Dear CARE Supporter,

I am reaching out because I want you to hear directly from me about how international aid cuts are affecting CARE.

We are facing historically tough and complex challenges which I want to share along with the choices we are making to ensure CARE’s continuity and resilience. We want to invite you into the story and into the work ahead.

The January order to stop all US government programs for health, poverty reduction, and life-saving assistance, has impacted hundreds of millions of people around the world. It also means that humanitarian organizations, including CARE, and beloved faith-based organizations, are facing anguishing choices.

Humanitarian aid is not abstract, it is life-saving help for women, children, and families who need food, medicine, and shelter. This aid depends upon thousands of humanitarians and an infrastructure to deliver that assistance.

The Reality for CARE:

CARE has worked in partnership with 14 US Presidential administrations, starting with President Truman, to deliver global relief and support in places of conflict, natural disaster and poverty. We receive approximately 40% of our funding from the US government.

Every year, we match this critical support with funding from 250,000 individual supporters like you and institutions ranging from family foundations to Fortune 1000 companies.

With the Stop Work Orders, we were forced to pause 71 programs serving 7 million people in 31 countries virtually overnight. We received waivers for approximately a dozen programs to maintain life-saving assistance. But this past week the State Department announced that 10,000 assistance and humanitarian programs were being cancelled, which represents an estimated 90% cut of all US government international assistance.

What This Means for CARE:

These terminations will have immediate and devastating human consequences for CARE participants and partners. In Ethiopia, 6.6M people who depend on humanitarian aid will lose access to food. In Honduras, more than 470,000 vulnerable people may lose health services. In Sudan, we will have to close 38 healthcare centers serving more than 500,000 people. And this is only a tiny fraction of the impact of these cuts.

Such massive numbers often mask the people behind them, so let me share a couple of stories with you. Over the last few days, I have been thinking about Radhika, a 12-year-old girl in Nepal who, in her words, saw the “end of her dreams” when her CARE run school was shut down.

And the story of Hanus’s three-year-old son in Ethiopia whose critical malnutrition treatment abruptly ended, leaving her to watch helplessly as he deteriorates. “I will lose my child if this cessation of aid continues,” she said. And there are so many more heartbreaking stories like these.

CARE’s Response:

As a result of the cuts, CARE has had to make tough organizational decisions. We have had to lay off or furlough hundreds of staff in the US and around the world. And with the program terminations we just received, we will be forced to release additional global team members.

We have reached out to generous supporters who have helped us create a Triage Fund to keep some essential lifesaving programming going. Thanks to that support, we have been able to restart malnutrition treatment for babies in Sudan, distribute food in Zimbabwe that was in danger of rotting, and deliver 2.7 million essential drugs to clinics in Somalia before they went bad.

CARE’s Continued Commitment:

We have a proud history to carry us through this moment. With the invention of the CARE package after World War II, we have participated in 80 years of American generosity. Today, as one of the largest networks of humanitarians in the world with operations in more than 100 countries, we are committed to navigating the complexity ahead and living up to this history. We are re-dedicating ourselves to:

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·        Impact: We commit to delivering the highest return on investment in terms of lives changed and lives saved.

·        Efficiency: CARE spends 90% of its funds directly on programs. We maintain an unmatched level of efficiency in the dollars invested, whether from the US government or our individual supporters.

·        Locally Led Solutions: 96% of our team-members come from the communities they are serving, and we build upon trusted long-term relationships with local businesses and governments.

·        Transparency and Accountability: CARE’s investment in due diligence, partner vetting, and performance management is a non-negotiable in building trustworthy, operationally sound programs that align with our values wherever we work. We measure and transparently report our impact each year.

·        Bi-Partisan Partnership with the US Government: CARE has long-standing partnerships with leadership on both sides of the aisle. We will continue to work to sustain and deliver bi-partisan US government humanitarian investments to make the people of the US and the world safer, more secure, and prosperous.

‍CARE’s work has lifted millions out of poverty. But there are still enormous needs, and we are seeing increases in the number of people impacted by conflict, natural disasters, and poverty. Today, there are more than 300 million people who need humanitarian assistance in the world and almost 700 million face the daily agonies of extreme poverty.

If the US government does step back, CARE will step forward. No single supporter or donor can replace governmental investments, but I am confident we will see a surge of civic mobilization in dollars, volunteerism, and voices to support American generosity in the world.

It is important to remember that more than half of our funding comes from non-US government sources. This is why, now more than ever, your support and solidarity are needed. As journalist Nick Kristoff recently said at a CARE event, while it may feel like a drop in the bucket, that is how we fill buckets!

I see examples of this all around us – donors who have increased their giving by 10 times or the CARE staff members who have lost their jobs but want to volunteer their time to continue to extend care around the world. And I am finding solace in notes of inspiration and solidarity from CARE colleagues and participants all around the world. One of our team members in Ethiopia shared a beautiful Amharic word that uniquely speaks to this moment, Birchi – which means “Be strong, you’ve got this.”

With your continued support, CARE will stand in the breach for those who are most vulnerable in the world, we will be with them, and we will be strong together.

With gratitude,

‍Michelle Nunn
President and CEO, CARE

Care Organization

Luke 9:28-42

28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31 appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters–one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.) 34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and told no one at that time what they had seen. 37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.” 41 “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” 42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father.

Today is the last Sunday of Epiphany. You’ll remember that epiphany means “a disclosure, unveiling, manifestation, appearance…” It represents the time when Jesus, born as a human baby, is openly revealed to be a king, the Son of God. The season begins right after Christmas and usually focuses on the following texts:

• The visit and worship of the MAGI to the baby Jesus and his parents
• Another common epiphany text is the baptism of Jesus (where God’s voice from heaven is heard…)
• We close the season today…. with the transfiguration of Jesus, where the disciples “see the glory” of Jesus on the mountain top.

MOUNTAIN TOP / GLORY!

Here we have described the transformation of Jesus, with bright light, a voice from heaven, and visions of Moses and Elijah. Jesus has taken Peter, James and John to the top of a mountain to pray. What happened was truly a “mountain top” experience for the three disciples. Have you ever had one of those, spiritually speaking?

In the synoptic gospels…..the transfiguration account is immediately followed by this story about the healing of a young boy. In the lectionary, they are always coupled together. And it is this “mountain top” epiphany – this story of glory…. That I want to compare today with this other story of agony…that happens once they have come down from the mountain.

DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN / AGONY!

However, next…. They come down from that mountain, and what follows is not a high, but a “low” …..shear agony as they are met by a father agonizing over his son. Scripture describes the son as demon-possessed…. all of the signs which are given are also the symptoms for epilepsy:  screaming, convulsions, rigidity, grinding teeth, and foaming at the mouth.

The disciples are not able to heal the boy….and so Jesus, seemingly somewhat frustrated, heals him.

Then right after this healing…..Jesus again talks about his imminent suffering and death…. But again, the disciples DO NOT UNDERSTAND.

And finally, the disciples have an argument (I’m not kidding) about “who is the greatest”, directly following their failure of not being able to heal the demon-possessed boy!

A quick recap:

ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP:  the disciples see Jesus’ GLORY, hear God’s voice…and Jesus’ identity is clearly revealed to them.

DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN: 

• the disciples can’t heal the boy or help the agonizing father,
• they don’t understand when Jesus again explains his impending death
• they even argue about who’s greatest.

So the powerful disclosure on the mountain….is followed by ignorance, fear, and failure once they are down from the mountain.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could bottle our emotional and spiritual “highs” …. So that we no longer needed to experience anxiety, fear, and failure?  Whenever we were in trouble we would have our emotional high to keep us going.

I can remember attending bible camp as a young person, feeling emotionally charged, high, empowered….while at camp. But once I got home and wasn’t surrounded by the “glory”…. I sometimes lost steam and power, and confidence in my new-found spiritual strength.

We are about to enter the season of Lent, and it’s important that we understand this rhythm of glory and agony in our own lives.

I don’t know about you, but this week, while reading and seeing reports of what is happening in our nation’s government –  I also had feelings of ignorance, fear, weakness, inability to know what I should be doing….as a Christian and as a citizen. I believe in the gospel…. And in the power of Jesus to save and heal. Yet, at the same time, I have felt helpless and unsure of how to proceed. How about you?

The epiphany is real…. But so are the agonies.

• Jesus experiences the transfiguration….where his heavenly Father approves of him and expresses love. And then immediately following that, Jesus reminds his disciples of what lies ahead – suffering and death.
• Paul – has a vision including blinding light and Jesus’ voice. And that vision changed everything! Yet, for Paul as well, it meant only hardships, suffering, uncertainty, “we see through a mirror darkly”, etc.

For us as well, our epiphanies… our understandings and “seeing” of Jesus will not result in immediate glory. Our faith walk is not always a steady climb. It involves ups and downs.

Just as the disciples saw the transfigured Jesus…and immediately continued in their weaknesses, so we too, while seeing the glory of God, continue often in our weakness. The change is “little by little” – becoming more and more like our Lord Jesus… over time.

So, don’t be discouraged in these times of crisis, chaos, and trouble.

They are part of our walk.

These words from Paul in II Corinthians 3:18 may be helpful!

18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

This week we enter the period of LENT, which is the period that we walk with Jesus toward Jerusalem, where death and the cross await him. We already know about Easter…. the conclusion to the story. So let’s walk with Jesus, knowing that the ups and the downs… are OK, and part of our journey.  Amen

(the above is a summary of the message shared in worship on March 2, 2025.)