キリストにあって　エペソ 1:1-14

↓Audio link to the sermon:(Sunday worship recording) (If you can’t listen on your iPhone, please update your iOS) Today, I would like to talk about the phrase “in Christ.” In today’s passage, the expression “in Christ” appears many times. Do you know how many times? About eight times. Why does it appear eight times? Because it is very important, that’s why it is repeated so often. In Greek, the phrase “in Christ” is “en Christo.” In Paul’s letters, the phrase en Christō is used 64 times. It shows how significant this concept is. “In Christ” means that we who believe in Jesus are in Christ—that is, we belong to Jesus.

“Draw Near to God” James 4:8

↓Audio link to the sermon:(Sunday worship recording) (If you can’t listen on your iPhone, please update your iOS) “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double‑minded.”(James 4:8) As we all know, we Japanese don’t like to strictly follow just one religion. When I say “we Japanese,” it means “typical Japanese people.” Rather than strictly following a single religion, we Japanese choose different religious practices depending on the situation(or season). For example, in January, here in Japan we Japanese visit a Shinto shrine(初詣) to pray for health and safety in the coming year. In the summer, we

Luke 5:27-32, “The Gaze of the Lord Jesus”.

↓Audio link to the sermon:(Sunday worship recording) (If you can’t listen on your iPhone, please update your iOS) 27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. 29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Public Opinion Is Not Always God’s Will (Isaiah 55:8-9)

　↓Audio link to the sermon:(Sunday worship recording) (If you can’t listen on your iPhone, please update your iOS) Most of you know that I was born and raised in South Korea, a country that upholds “liberal democracy” and “liberal market economy” as its core national identity. Countries that have adopted liberal democracy and liberal market economy as part of their national identity are mostly advanced Western countries. Most of them are members of the OECD. These nations have explicitly or practically adopted these values through their constitutions, legal systems, national visions, and political institutions. “Liberal” democracy is more than just majority rule; it includes the rule of law, separation of