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Central Baptist Church, Okinawa

To Know Christ and Make Him Known

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John 14:25-31

It can be difficult to have real peace when everything around you
seems to be falling apart.  In this passage, Jesus promises his
disciples that they will have peace during the most difficult
circumstances.  We are assured that God will take care of his people
and that he will one day deliver them from all of life’s troubles.  He
has a good plan for each of us.

Rather than being upset about Jesus’ immanent departure, the disciples
should be happy for him.  He was going to a better place, a greater
place.  He had descended from glory to be with them, but he would soon
return to heaven.  The disciples grief over their own situation was a
mirror of their own self-centeredness, and only served to heighten
their anxiety.

Soon, Satan would strike a terrible blow against Jesus on the cross.
However, this blow was not sufficient to cause Jesus to fall forever.
Jesus had no sin in his life, and so Satan had no hold over him.  The
same blow that Satan struck against Jesus would end up killing Satan.
Through the cross, Satan and death would be fully and finally defeated
forever.

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John 14:18-24

The disciples were upset because the one that had taught them
everything they knew about God was leaving them.  It seemed as though
Jesus did not have the power to beat death, it seemed as though he
would not be able to keep his promises.

Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he promised them that he would
indeed return, he would be raised from the dead.  And what is more,
they would all be raised from the dead on the last day just as he had
been raised.  They would even experience some of the benefits of his
resurrection during their own lives.  Jesus’ resurrection changed the
path of history, such that his followers would change the world.

Jesus’ resurrection provided the foundation for their knowledge of God
as well.  It would solidify all of the claims that he made about
himself throughout his lifetime, and it would ensure that he would
continue to reveal himself to his people.

Even though he would soon be gone, his resurrection assured that he
would always be inside his people.  They would become the temples of
the Most High, the place where God is found.

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John 13:31-34

Now that Judas has departed for his betrayal, there can be no doubt
that the “hour” that Jesus has been talking about so much has come.
The events that have been planned for ages are in motion, and Jesus
will soon die for the sins of men.  Jesus begins his most intimate
talk with his closest followers by telling them about his love for his
people, and how that love should affect the way they live.

Jesus reminds his disciples of his love for men by talking about his
glory.  He would soon give them the ultimate example of undeserved
love by going to the cross for sinners.  Though men do nothing in
themselves to warrant this sort of love, Jesus loved his people so
much that he died for them.

After Jesus died and rose again, he ascended into heaven to sit at the
right hand of God the Father.  Soon he would no longer be living in
the presence of men.  Men will not be able see his love for them
firsthand, but nonetheless he has not left the world without a witness
to his love.  The love that Christians have for one another should
mimic the love that Jesus had for them at the cross, and this love
should be so profound that it becomes a powerful testimony to all of
those around them.

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Matthew 18:15-2

A lot of people are, sadly, a lot like Judas.  They follow after
Christ with their feet, but they fail to follow after him with their
heart.  These people associate themselves with the Christian Church,
even though they do not really belong there.  Often their true natures
will be revealed through their actions.  They will commit terrible
sins that are destructive to themselves and others.  John 13 does not
tell us what we should do when people commit destructive sins, but
Matthew 18 does.

Matthew 18 tells us to do three things when someone commits a sin that
cannot be overlooked.  First, we should go to that person personally,
and seek to understand what he has done and why he did it.  If he is
indeed in error, we should use the Bible to show him his fault,
seeking his repentance.  If this does not work, we should get one or
two others to go along with us as we seek his repentance.  If this
does not work, we should expel this person from the church.

The approach that Jesus gives to deal with sin is the best thing for
the sinner, since it pushes him towards repentance.  It is the best
thing for the church, since it ensures holiness within the church and
protects the honor of God’s name.  Indeed, if a church habitually
neglects this responsibility, Jesus will not be “among” them.

Contact

904-0316 Okinawa-ken, Nakagami-gun, Yomitan-son, Ōki, 327−3
098-989-8811
Sunday School: 9:00 AM
Worship: 10:00 AM
Tuesday English Class: 10:00 AM

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