March 31, 2012   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 17  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

The key to understanding the last speech and prayer of Jesus in John 13-17 lies in the fact that Jesus was leaving the earth in the way that the disciples had never expected or imagined.  He was leaving, but he would be back to be with them in a very unique way.  It was not easy for the disciples to know how Jesus actually would be with them, so he tried to explain it to them.  He began by saying:

My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come (John 13:33).

At first, these words of Jesus sounded as though he would go to a far country where it would be difficult for the disciples to follow him.  So, Peter asked:

Lord, where are you going (v. 36)?

Jesus replied:

Where I am going you cannot follow now, but you will follow later (v. 36).

As for the things that are easy for us to understand today, it was not easy at that time for the disciples to understand because they had no idea what was going to happen.  Jesus went on to say:

Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live (14:19).

In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me (16:16).

Jesus was about to die, but the disciples would see him again.  The most important point that Jesus wanted them to understand was that he would continue to be with them all the time even though he would no longer exist on earth physically.  In other words, Jesus’ presence, even after his death, would be the same for the disciples as if they had him physically.  But how was it possible?  It was by the name of Jesus and through the help of the Holy Spirit.  Oh, it must have been difficult for Jesus to explain it to them.

At the end of his prayer to the Father, he said:

Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world (17:24).

In these words, you can see how strongly he desires his followers to be with him.  The name of Jesus is the same as the presence of him.  And the Holy Spirit helps us to experience it.  Jesus’ presence today is a spiritual reality, not a physical one, and the Spirit of truth guides us into it: that is to say, the Holy Spirit makes his presence real for us so that we can live as co-heirs with Christ.  So, the name of Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the shares we receive as heirs of God, co-heirs with Christ.  Through Jesus and together with him, we now have the same Father.  Jesus further prayed:

I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them (v. 26).

March 24, 2012   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 16  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

All children of God are entitled to have certain spiritual shares with God through Jesus Christ.  If you are a child of God, you are an heir of God and a co-heir with Christ.  Unless you know what your shares are, you will not be able to live as an heir of God utilizing them.  These shares are promised to be given to us, and Jesus taught us what they are in his farewell speech (John 13-16).  When Jesus washed Peter’s feet, he said to him, “Unless I wash you, you have no part (share) with me (v. 8).”  The share was given in a package of two things—the name of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 

Now, as for the use of the name of Jesus, there are two ways to use it.  Of course, we should not forget that Jesus’ name is not simply a tool, but it represents the person of Jesus himself whom we admire and worship.  However, it is also important to know that, according to Jesus, it is a share given to us so that we can use it.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it (John 14:13-14).

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name (15:16).

Compare these two statements on the use of Jesus’ name.  The first one is about asking Jesus, and the second one is about asking the Father.  While in the first one, Jesus says he will do it, in the second one, he says the Father will give it.  These are not the same.  The first type of asking is really a demanding or proclaiming type of asking directly upon the circumstances as Jesus did to the fig tree, or as Peter did to the invalid man at the gate called Beautiful.  The second type of asking is more familiar to us: it is what we normally call a prayer.  But we need to look at these words of Jesus more carefully.  He further taught about the second type of asking as follows:   

In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (v. 23).

Note that it is the Father who gives you what you ask in Jesus’ name in this type of asking.  As Jesus said here, the disciples had not, so far, asked the Father in this way.  In fact, they never had a direct access to the Father so that they could ask him.  That was why Jesus came to the earth as the way to the Father.  He became the bridge between us and the Father.  Before Jesus came and died for us, no one on earth was able to ask the Father directly.  All that people could do that time was to pray vaguely to God, not really knowing who God was.  How could they be sure that their prayers were heard when they were not sure whom they were praying to?  For them, God was only a God, not their Father. 

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete (v. 24)

When Jesus was on earth, he always prayed to the Father asking him to heal the sick, raise the dead, and provide whatever people needed.  Whenever the disciples had needs or some kind of trouble, they came to Jesus, who then asked the Father on their behalf.  His prayer was always heard, and the Father did whatever he asked.  But now, he no longer asks the Father for us because we all have the same access to the Father as Jesus had.  And when we ask the Father in the name of Jesus, it is the same as Jesus asking the Father.  So Jesus said:

In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf (16:26).

March 10, 2012   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 15  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit (1 John 4:13).

While “believing” is for what is not seen yet, “knowing” is for what is already seen.  We have already seen and “know” that we live in God, and he lives in us.  The reciprocal “living”—“we live in him and he in us”—is one of John’s favorite expressions to mean oneness in the fellowship that believers now have with God (2:24, 4:15).  As Jesus was one with God when he was on earth, we are one with him.  It is important to realize that God himself desires to be one with us more that we seek him and desire to be close to him.  We can be one with the Creator, and God’s word says that we are one with him through Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit who has been given to us is the proof of that.  And if we are one with him who is love, we need to put love as the center and the foundation of our life by loving each other.  Paul speaks of this truth in his letter to the Colossians: 

13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Col 3:13-17).

I want you to pay attention to the underlined clauses/sentence.  The last one is the conclusion: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus (v. 17).”  And the first two are the conditions necessary for that conclusion: 1) to “bear with each other and forgive whatever … (vv. 13-15),“ and 2) to “let the peace of Christ dwell in you richly (v. 17).” 

The condition 1) is the same as to love each other—the new command Jesus gave to his disciples.  We believers, though our sins were, once for all, forgiven through the death and resurrection of Jesus, are still in the process of being purified, and some of the sinful nature we had obtained from this world before we believed still remain in us, causing “grievances” against one another sometimes.   That is why we must bear with each other and forgive each other.  Otherwise, it would be impossible to have unity among us.  Thus, Jesus set an example for us and said, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet (John 13:14).”

Speaking of the same truth, Jesus has given us a new command:

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another (John 13:34).

Note that this was given as a command, not as a recommendation or a suggestion.  It is a must for us who are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ if we desire to remain in him and his love.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love (15:9-10).

March 3, 2012   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 14  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me (John 13:8)."

The Greek word for “part” in this verse is meros, and it means “share”—a part that is allotted to an individual—in this case, a share allotted to Peter and the other disciples.  The same word is used in the Parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15 where the younger son asks his father for his “share” of the estate (15:12).  Interestingly, it is also used twice in John 19:23 for the pieces of Jesus’ clothes—the four “shares” that were divided by soldiers before he was crucified.  The theological implication of this is deep (cf. Gal 3:27).

So, the disciples received a share from God.  What was it?  Note that Jesus said, “Unless I wash you, you have no part (share) with me.”  It must have been something that Jesus already had so that he could share it with the disciples.  With this question in mind, read the whole speech of Jesus in chapters 13-16.  Actually, it is not difficult, at all, to find out what it was.  It was a package of two things—the name of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it (vv. 13-14).

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you (vv. 16-17).

What we do in the name of Jesus is what Jesus does.  Note that Jesus said, “I will do whatever you ask in my name.”  This asking is not a seeking or begging type of asking, but a demanding, claiming and proclaiming type of asking.  A good example of this is seen in the story of the healing of the crippled beggar in Acts 3: Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk (v. 6).”  The name of Jesus is the same as the real presence of Jesus.  It was Peter who asked or proclaimed in the name of Jesus in the reality of our physical world, but in the reality of God and his spiritual world, it was Jesus who both spoke and healed this man.  What we say or do in the name of Jesus is the same as what Jesus says and does. 

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Col 3:17).

If what we do and say in the name of Jesus is what Jesus does and says, our thinking in our mind must match with Jesus’ thinking.  Our responsibility is great because what we do is what Jesus does.  We cannot demand in Jesus’ name the things that are not his will.  So the Bible urges us to renew our mind and let the word of Christ dwell in us richly.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God (v. 16).

The second portion of our share is the Holy Spirit.  Note that he is called “another Counselor (helper).”  We do not have physical Jesus on earth anymore, but we have the Holy Spirit who has come to dwell in us as his temple.  The same Holy Spirit lived in Jesus, and worked through him to heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, and save people from all manners of Satan’s oppressions.  Now, the same Holy Spirit has come to dwell in us, and together with the name of Jesus, we are no different from Jesus himself.

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father (John 14:12).

February 25, 2012   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 13  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Rom 8:17).

The sufferings we are to share with Christ are the burdens he carries for the salvation of humanity.  Jesus died on the cross, was raised from the dead, ascended to the heaven, and sat at the right hand of the Father.  The salvation is now complete as he said on the cross, “It is finished.”  But that does not mean that he has no more burdens for the salvation of humanity, and stays indifferent to the sufferings that humans are still going through on earth.  Satan has been defeated, but many are not saved yet, and even those who confess him as Lord know so little that they still suffer from what they have been already redeemed from.  And of course, there are Christians who suffer from persecutions for the name of Jesus.  He still bears all these burdens on him, and is interceding for us at the right hand of the Father.  If so, there is no question about what we need to do as co-heirs with Christ.  Paul speaks of sharing in this kind of sufferings as knowing “the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings (Phil 3:10),” or as filling up “what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions (Col 1:24).”

The following parable describes well how Christ sees the sufferings that people are going through:

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left (Mat 25:31-33).

Jesus who died and was raised from the dead 2000 years ago was “the Son of Man,” and that time, he did not come “in his glory, and all the angels with him.”  But the time will come when he “comes” that way, and “all the nations will be gathered before him”—the Jews and the Gentiles, Christians and non-Christians.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world (v. 34).

“The Son Man” 2000 years ago is now “the King.”  What is so interesting is the reason or the criteria for which the sheep were separated from the goats:

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me (vv. 35-36).’

This is the calling given to us as co-heirs with Christ living in this era.  There is another interesting parable to illustrate the same truth.  First, pay attention to its introduction as to what prompted Jesus to tell this parable:

While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas.  ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back (Luke 19:11-13).’

So, there is a period between the time this “man of noble birth” goes and the time he returns as “king.” During this period, “his servants” are given “minas,” one mina for each servant, and are told to put them to work.  What is this one mina for us, and how do we put it to work?

February 18, 2012   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 12  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit (Gal 3:14).

What we inherit as heirs of God is not physical material like food and clothes, but something spiritual.  It does not mean, however, that blessings on our material needs are not included in our inheritance.  Neither does it mean that spiritual blessings we receive are something insubstantial or imaginary.  In fact, the heaven, the eternal kingdom, which we will enter is a physical one, and there, we will live with physical bodies and have physical blessings.  What we need to remember is that this world in which we live now will come to perish one day, and if we value earthly things too much, we will be very disappointed later.  There is something much more valuable than what we physically see and possess in this world.  According to the above scripture, it is “the promise of the Spirit” that we, the spiritual descendants of Abraham, come to receive.

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory (Eph 1:13-14).

The Holy Spirit is “a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance,” and testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  And it was through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as we see in Acts 2 that the church came to be on earth.  The gospels refer to it as “the kingdom of God,” and it is the symbol of our inheritance—the forerunner for the eternal kingdom, the new heaven and earth.

The passage of Luke 11:1-13 is not merely a set of teachings on prayer, but gives an answer to how we should live in this world as heirs of God.  Keep in mind what we discussed above, and meditate upon this passage.

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples (Luke 11:1).”

We wonder what kind of a prayer John the Baptist taught his disciples.  It is interesting to note that the request this disciple brought was, “teach us to pray,” not “teach me to pray.”  This prayer was taught for the disciples as a group, and “we” is the subject.

He said to them, "When you pray, say: “’Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come (v. 2). …

It begins by calling God as “Father.”  Therefore, only his children, the heirs of God, can utter this prayer.  Probably, this was one of the main differences from John’s prayer.  The first thing they are to seek in the prayer is, “your kingdom come,” and it sets the theme for the whole passage up to v. 13 including the parable of seeking three loaves of bread, and that of a son asking his father for a fish or an egg.  At first glance, it appears that these are simply a collection of teachings on prayer.  But there is something more to it.  Pay attention to the conclusion in v. 13:

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him (v. 13)!"

It is a surprise to see that the promise at the end is about the Holy Spirit, not the bread.  Our good Father does not give us a snake or scorpion when we ask for a fish or an egg.  But he gives the Holy Spirit when we ask him for bread—even with our “boldness”!  This does not seem correct.  Something must be wrong, but what?

February 11, 2012   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 11  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory (Rom 8:17).

In order to know what sufferings we need to share with Christ as heirs of God, we are now looking at the stories in Luke 16.  Jesus had just finished telling his disciples the Parable of the Shrewd Manager and teaching them the importance of living for the benefits of other people.  There among the listeners were the Pharisees, and:

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus (v. 14).

It is interesting to guess what the Pharisees thought about the Parable of the Shrewd Manager.  They were mostly rich people, and were so eager to keep the Law.  Therefore, it must have been almost impossible for them to identify themselves with the shrewd manager as the disciples did.  They rather saw themselves as “the rich man,” “the master.”  So, for them, what the shrewd manager did was very wrong, and they probably thought that if they were in the position as the master, they would demand the manager to pay for all the losses that were incurred by the reductions of the debts.  They considered themselves as “the people of the light” looking down upon “the people of this world,” so, they could not, obviously, agree about the fact that master commended the manager.  Needless to say, they could not follow the rest of Jesus’ teaching.  So, Jesus said: 

You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight (v. 15).

We Christians, too, need to meditate upon these words seriously.  We are also in danger of having the same ideas, attitude and lifestyle that the Pharisees had.  Try to see the difference between “in the eyes of men” and “in God’s sight.”  Jesus said:

The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it (v. 16).

John preached “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 3:3).”  According to the Old Testament, there is no forgiveness of sins unless a substitutive sacrifice is given.  The wages of sin is death, and if our sin can be still forgiven, it must be completely by God in his grace that we can be forgiven.  The attitude of self-righteousness “in the eyes of men” goes directly against this truth, and those who have this attitude are in danger of not receiving the righteousness of God—the righteousness given “in God’s sight.”  Jesus came to die as this substitutive sacrifice for our sins, and our responsibility is to repent from our sins by believing in him.  And this began with the preaching of John.

It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery (vv. 17-18).

It was a well-known fact that many Pharisees divorced.  They divorced in order to marry another women, to which the above words of Jesus referred.  Yet, they thought they were doing nothing wrong because they legally divorced their wives by giving certificates of divorce as required by the Law.   We know that the Law and the Prophets, which they were so familiar with, hang on two commandments: one is “to love the Lord your God with all your heart…” and the other is “to love your neighbor as yourself.”  Keep this in mind, and go on to read:

There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores (vv. 19ff) …

February 4, 2012   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 10  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory (Rom 8:17).

Besides to receive blessings from God, there is something mandatory in the life of a person who desires to be an heir of God.  That is, to share in the sufferings of Christ.  To these sufferings, those that Jesus has redeemed us from—sickness, poverty, and other kinds of curses that resulted from sin—do not belong.  Jesus bore our sickness, became poor, and was cursed on the tree, so that we are now healthy, rich and free from all curses.  If Jesus suffered to redeem us from such sufferings, why do we still need to share in the same sufferings with him?  So, we need to know what the Bible means by “we share in his sufferings,” and what kind of sufferings we need to share with him.

To this question, the parables of Luke 16 (the parable of the shrewd manager, and that of a rich man and Lazarus) give an answer.  It is important to know that the context in which these parables are given continues from the previous chapter.  The following words at the beginning of chapter 15 set the context for all these stories:

Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them (Luke 15:1-2)."

This was the occasion that prompted Jesus to give these parables—the parables of the lost sheep and the lost Coin, that of two sons (the lost son), and those in chapter 16 as well. 

Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions (16:1).

The fact that the parable of the shrewd manager was addressed to the disciples gives us a big clue.  It was about what was to be required of the disciples, those who believed in Jesus, and desired to follow him.  Pay attention to the following words spoken at the end of the previous parable.

“My son,” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours (Luke 15:31).”

Needless to say, these words could be easily misunderstood by the hearers/readers, and in order to avoid the danger of this misunderstanding, the parable of the shrewd manager was given to the disciples.

It is often said that the parable is one of the most difficult ones to interpret in the gospels.  Even for scholars of the New Testament, this parable has been sort of a mystery.  Most of us get stuck in v. 8.

The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light (v. 8).

Obviously, the difficulty is an ethical one, and lies in the fact that the master commended the dishonest manager.  And the difficulty even intensifies when Jesus begins to apply his point to the disciples:

I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, …  And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own (vv. 9-12)?

January 28, 2012   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 9  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise (Gal 3:29).

We the heirs of God live according to the promise.  The promise is that God will bless us by giving us everything we need, and bless this world through us as a blessing.  It was God himself who promised Abraham to give him a child and make him into a great nation so that through him all peoples on earth would be blessed.  God wills, and is determined to do what he wills.  That is what God’s promise means.  He does not need our help.  He does it for us.  That is called God’s grace.  Heirs of God live by God’s grace—the system in which his kingdom exists and all his blessings flow.

Yet, the world into which sin came is running according to a system that is different from that of God’s grace.  The people who live there are the children born by the flesh like Ishmael, not the children born by promise like Isaac.  The members of this kingdom are all involved in running a race against each other.  Everybody tries to win by wanting to be the first, not the last, and nobody questions the validity of this system—the system of works: the more you work, the more you get. 

The parable of the denarius workers begins this way:

For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard (Matt 20:1-2).

As in many of Jesus’ parables, there is nothing unusual about the story at the beginning: it is very normal—ssomething of an everyday affair. 

About the third hour (9 AM) he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, “You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour (12 PM) and the ninth hour (3 PM) and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour (5 PM) he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, “Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?" “Because no one has hired us,” they answered. He said to them, “You also go and work in my vineyard (vv. 3-7).”

Still, there is not anything so unusual.  Note, however, that the amount of pay the owner promises to give these workers hired in later time is not specified.  This becomes an important issue later in the story.  What is also significant is the fact that the owner cares about these people “doing nothing,” which is a little unusual for such a landowner who is usually only concerned about the work to be done in his vineyard.  Who are the people “doing nothing,” and who is the landowner who finds them and hires them?  Then, comes a big surprise:

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.” The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour (5 PM) came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius (vv. 8-10).

What is the point of this surprise?  Look at the conclusion:

So the last will be first, and the first will be last (v. 16).

Interestingly, this parable is preceded by the story of the rich young man (19:16-30), which ends with the similar conclusion:

But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first (19:30).

January 21, 2012   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 8  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise (Gal 3:29).

We the heirs of God live according to the promise.  The promise is that God will bless us by giving us everything we need, and bless this world through us as a blessing.  It was God himself who promised Abraham to give him a child and make him into a great nation so that through him all peoples on earth would be blessed.  God wills, and is determined to do what he wills.  That is what God’s promise means.  He does not need our help.  He does it for us.  That is called God’s grace.  Heirs of God live by God’s grace—the system in which his kingdom exists and all his blessings flow.

Yet, the world into which sin came is running according to a system that is different from that of God’s grace.  The people who live there are the children born by the flesh like Ishmael, not the children born by promise like Isaac.  The members of this kingdom are all involved in running a race against each other.  Everybody tries to win by wanting to be the first, not the last, and nobody questions the validity of this system—the system of works: the more you work, the more you get. 

The parable of the denarius workers begins this way:

For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard (Matt 20:1-2).

As in many of Jesus’ parables, there is nothing unusual about the story at the beginning: it is very normal—ssomething of an everyday affair. 

About the third hour (9 AM) he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, “You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour (12 PM) and the ninth hour (3 PM) and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour (5 PM) he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, “Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?" “Because no one has hired us,” they answered. He said to them, “You also go and work in my vineyard (vv. 3-7).”

Still, there is not anything so unusual.  Note, however, that the amount of pay the owner promises to give these workers hired in later time is not specified.  This becomes an important issue later in the story.  What is also significant is the fact that the owner cares about these people “doing nothing,” which is a little unusual for such a landowner who is usually only concerned about the work to be done in his vineyard.  Who are the people “doing nothing,” and who is the landowner who finds them and hires them?  Then, comes a big surprise:

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.” The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour (5 PM) came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius (vv. 8-10).

What is the point of this surprise?  Look at the conclusion:

So the last will be first, and the first will be last (v. 16).

Interestingly, this parable is preceded by the story of the rich young man (19:16-30), which ends with the similar conclusion:

But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first (19:30).

January 14, 2012   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 7  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith (Rom 4:13).

Human beings were created as God’s children, and they were to rule over the world as heirs of the world living under God’s grace.  Note that they were created at the end of the sixth day of creation.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground (Gen 1:28).”

They were created into the world where everything had been prepared and complete, and God already blessed them before they began to do anything yet—any work, labor or effort.  We were created into God’s blessings and grace.  This is a big truth for us.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day (v. 31).

Nothing in this passage suggests that humans had to work for their own needs.  In fact, as you go on, you find the following passage:

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done (2:1-3).

They were created at the end of the sixth day, and when the evening came, it was “the seventh day”—the Sabbath.  They were not allowed to work because it was holy.  God blessed that day, and they were to praise and worship him.  And nothing in the subsequent passages hints the arrival of the eighth day.  So, we are still on the seventh day.

All blessings are gifts from God.  They do not depend upon us—our qualifications, works and efforts.  They are not wages.  Wages depend upon our work, and are given in proportion to the amount of work we do.  Our world is built upon the system of wages.  Thus, those who are qualified and do more work earn higher wages than those who are less qualified and do less work.  In this system, it is very natural for those who earn more to boast about their abilities and wealth. 

Yet, God’s gift—the eternal life—cannot be given to us according to our work as if it were given as our wages.  This is exactly the reason why Jesus said, “it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (Mat 19:23).”  And along this line, the parable of the denarius workers in Matt 20 teaches us a very important truth we all miss.  

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.” The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius (Matt 20:8-10).

This is not a mistake, and is a big surprise to us!  Note following words of the owner:

But he answered one of them, “Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous (vv. 13-15)?”

January 7, 2012   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 6  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise (Gal 3:29).　

Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise (4:28).

If you are in Christ, you are a child of God and an heir according to God’s promise.  These two scriptures teach us that by promise we have become heirs of God, and by promise we live as children of God.  God’s word promises about the rights and privileges given to the children of God.  In order to enjoy these rights and privileges in your life, you will need to live by believing and trusting what God promises in his word.

The opposite of to live by promise is to live by the works of the law. 

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law (literally, without works of the law) (Rom 3:28).

The law is the standard set to show how righteous people should live on earth, and everything the law says is good.  But when you try to keep it thinking you can, you will find yourself not keeping it.  It is the pitfall that Adam and Eve fell into by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Humans were created to live by God’s grace, not by their works.  The law is good, but the human effort to keep it works against God’s grace. 

It is through Jesus that we have become heirs of God.  The heirs of God rule over the world spiritually as God created man originally in his image and let him rule over the word. 

It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith (Rom 4:13).

The “righteousness that comes by faith” refers to the kind of righteousness that was credited to Abraham when he counted the stars in Gen 15.  He became an heir of God through this righteousness.  It was before the law was given through Moses, and even before he was circumcised.  It figuratively points to the fact that we, without keeping the law—by his grace, have become the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ.

God made him who had no sin to be sin [21] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21).

It was not by our effort that we have become “the righteousness of God.”  No man has become man by working hard to be man.  If you, having been born to be man, are still trying to be man, you are crazy.  If you are in Christ, you have become the righteousness of God by having been born-again, and you cannot be less or even more righteous than that.  It does not depend upon, and has nothing to do with your works.  In the same way, anyone who belongs to Christ, he/she is an heir of God by promise, and is entitled to all the rights and privileges given to God’s children.  Jesus said:

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they (Mat 6:26)?

Note that Jesus calls God as “your heavenly Father.”  God is not simply God for you.  He is your Father, and you are his child.  And if you are his child, all the blessings and rights that he promises are automatically yours.  Why do you still need to try to meet your own needs as if you were a slave, or one of his employees?  The blessings God promises for us are gifts, not pay for our works. We live by promise under God’s grace.

December 31, 2011   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 5  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

In this series of sermons, “Co-heirs with Christ,” we have so far learned what it means to be an heir of God by looking at the examples of Abraham and Jacob.  It is, especially, interesting to see the differences between Abraham and Lot, and between Esau and Jacob—one being an heir and the other not being an heir.  Both Abraham and Jacob were blessed in spite of their weaknesses and mistakes, and God trained them according to the purposes he had for them.  And both lived as blessings to others: learn well what it means to be a blessing.

Now, we will go on to the case of Ishmael and Isaac.  This is a little complicated because another vital biblical issue—namely, how the Law should be understood under the new covenant—is involved in its discussions.  First of all, read the following words found in Galatians:

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way (literally, according to flesh); but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise (literally, by promise) (Gal 4:22-23).

These two sons are compared according to their birth: one was born from “the slave woman,” and the other from “the free woman.”  And the son of the slave woman was born “according to the flesh,” and the son of the free woman “by promise.”  If you are familiar with the stories of these two sons in Genesis, it is easy to know what this means.  Sarai said, one day, to her husband:

The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her (Gen 16:2).

Note how she spoke about the promise: “The Lord has kept me from having children.” She was not sure whether God was really willing or even able to give her a child, so she spoke against the promise.  Abram agreed and did as she said.  Compare this with what God said:

I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted (13:6).

Note that in the promise, it was God who said he would do it, but in the above act of flesh, it was Sarai and Abram who did it.  This is a big difference as Paul points out in the above passage.  The one who was born according to the flesh was not to be an heir, but the one by promise was.

Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born in the ordinary way (literally, according to the flesh) persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit (literally, according to the spirit). It is the same now (Gal 4:28-29).

Here, Paul throws in the expression “by the power of the Spirit (NIV)” which in Greek literally means “according to the flesh” (not necessarily referring to the Spirit of God) as opposed to “according to the flesh.”  Obviously, it prepares for the discussions of freedom and the two lifestyles in the following chapter.

But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son " Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman (vv. 30-31).

We believers were all, like Isaac, born according to the spirit, and are children of promise.  And those who were born according to spirit live also according to the spirit.  Children of promise live also by promise.  Such are the heirs of God who enjoy the privileges and rights promised to them.

December 10, 2011   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 4  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

In this sermon, we will compare the lives of two brothers, Esau and Jacob.  Unlike Ishmael whose father was Abraham, but mother was not Sarah, both Esau and Jacob were the sons of Isaac and Rebekah, the grandsons of Abraham and Sarah, and were eligible to be an heir of the blessings God promised to give through his covenant with Abraham.  Of the twins, in a natural sense, Esau was the first candidate to be the heir because he was older, but in exchange of a bowl of stew he sold his birthright to his younger brother Jacob, who later came to inherit the blessings through deception.  This naturally made Esau very furious, and Jacob, upon his parents’ suggestion, was literally forced to flee to a distant land to live with his uncle, Laban, leaving all the wealth and the land behind, which he was promised to inherit.

The story of Jacob’s dream at Bethel is very significant because it happened right after he was blessed by his father as the heir.  In a sense, it corresponds to the story of Abraham’s counting of the stars in chapter 15.  Abraham, who was at the time so desperate for having a child, believed the Lord, for the first time, and it was credited to him as righteousness, which led the Lord to make a covenant with him (15:18).  Similarly, Jacob, who was feeling so uneasy about his future and so desperate for finding the way for his life, responded to the Lord who promised him to be with him wherever he would go, and bring him back to the land, and made a vow that he would serve and follow him as his own God. 

Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you (Gen 28:14-15).
 
One of our interests in the subsequent stories as readers is that how God would deal with Jacob who came to acquire the birthright by such deception, which was not good at all.  Jacob came to love Rachel, the younger daughter of Laban, and in wishing to marry her, promised Laban to work for him seven years, but was cheated by him at the night of the wedding.  Even after he married Rachel, his father-in-law cheated him many times by changing his wages.  Through all of this, God trained Jacob.  It was the testing of his faith, and such testing and discipline were necessary for him to be the heir of God’s covenant (cf. Heb 12:10-11).

Later, when he finally returned to the land where he came from, and to the very place where he had seen the dream earlier.  He said to all who were with him:

Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone (literally, in the way I went) (35:2-3).

This place came to be called “Bethel” meaning “the house of God,” which was also understood as “the gate of heaven”—the place where heaven reaches the earth (28:17).  Interestingly, the following word was given to prophet Isaiah, saying:

In the last days

the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established
as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.

Many peoples will come and say,

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths."

The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Isa 2:2-3).

December 03, 2011   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 3  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

There are big differences between the blessings promised to the heirs of God and the blessings given to those who are not heirs of God.  Jesus said, “He (God) causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Mat 5:45).”  This kind of blessings is not the same with the kind of blessings that we receive as heirs of God.  Actually, we do not only receive blessings, but also are blessings to others.

Such differences are well illustrated in the stories of Abram and Lot in Genesis.  Lot was Abram’s nephew and was not an heir of God’s covenant.  Yet, he was blessed through Abram, and differences came when he stopped staying with him.

Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together (Gen 13:5-6).

So, when quarreling arose, Lot departed Abram and lived in the land near Sodom.  And the moment he left Abram, he began to lose his blessings.  In Chapter 14, we read that the king of Elam (the region east of Babylon) and other kings allied with him came and defeated the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah carrying off all the people and goods including Lot and his possessions.  As the news reached Abram, he and his 318 men went in pursuit to attack them, and brought back all the people and goods including Lot and his possessions.  This is a good example of being a blessing.

Abram saved Lot and the people of Sodom, but he had still no child of his own.  As he was feeling so miserable, God encouraged him by letting him count the stars.  So, Abram, for the first time, believed God and his promise.

Then, in chapter 18, we come to see the meaning of Abram’s existence as a blessing made clear.  Three men appeared and visited him, and one of them was God Yahweh himself.  He said:

Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him (Gen 18:17-19).   

This is so deep that we must meditate upon it.  Those who are serious about being heirs of God need to know this truth.  Lot was saved again because of Abraham, but he lost all his possessions, even his wife, daughters, and relatives.  He ended up living in a cave with two of his daughters who were not married.

At this point, we go to the stories of Esau and Jacob.  They teach us many things about being heirs of God.  Unlike the case of Abram and Lot, these two sons of Isaac were the true descendants of Abraham, so both were eligible to be the heirs of God’s covenant.  In fact, Esau was such an heir by birth, but he was rejected, and Jacob was chosen as the heir.  Why?   This implies that we who are legally heirs of God through Christ may not actually be living as such in spite of all the privileges and blessings promised to us.  We find the following words in the letter to the Hebrews:

See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears (Heb 12:16-17).

November 26, 2011   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 2  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir (vv. 6-7).

To all those who have believed in Jesus Christ are given the right to become the sons of God, who are also the heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.  But we should not forget that God is a good God for both his sons and those who are not his sons yet.

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Mat 5:44-45).

Where, then, is the difference between God’s children and those who are not God’s children?  This is a good question.  In order to get the answer to this question, we will go to the stories of Abraham.  The stories begin with the genealogy of Terah, the father of Abram in chapter 11 of Genesis.

This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. … Abram and Nahor both married. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and … Now Sarai was barren; she had no children (Gen 11:27-30).

Think why genealogies are so important in the Bible.  Abraham had many servants living with him, but had no children, and his wife was barren, which meant the end of the genealogy.  Then, God said to him:

Leave your country, your people and your father's household
and go to the land I will show you.
I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
         and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you (12:1-3).

These promises of blessings can be summarized in the following points:

1. The Land will be given to him and his descendants.
2. His descendants will become a great nation.
3. He himself becomes a blessing.
4. All peoples on earth will be blessed through him

These points will help us understand the underlying messages of the whole book of Genesis, as well as those of the books like Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, or even the gospels in the New Testament.  The kinds of blessings Abraham received are so extraordinary that they go beyond our common sense or even moral sense, which is especially true concerning the promise, “I will bless hose who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse.” 

He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels. But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram's wife Sarai (12:16-17).

November 12, 2011   “Co-heirs with Christ"  No. 1  by Rev. Toru Asai mp3      

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God (John 1:12-13).

These words are found in the Prologue of John’s gospel.  “He” in this passage refers to Christ, the preexistent Word (logos), who was incarnated (tabernacled) and lived among us.  To those who received him and believed in his name, he has given “the right to become children of God.”  Note that “to become children of God” is a “right (exousia).”  This right is not given to all people, but only to “all who received him, to those who believed in his name.”  It seems that it is a very special right.

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons (Gal 4:4-5).

Here also, the issue is on the rights that believers have.  Note the way it calls the right—“the full rights of sons.”  These rights are given to the sons of God, not to all people.  In this passage, Paul tries to explain the status of believers as sons of God by making a contrast between the status of sons and that of slaves.  As for the slaves, the necessities for living may be given to them by the masters, but they have no share of what the masters possess, whereas the sons have the rights to receive it from their fathers.

Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir (vv. 6-7).

Needless to say, the rights discussed here are of a spiritual kind.  They are not earthly rights or social statuses, but spiritual rights that the Father of spirits gives to his sons.

… because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.  And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children (Rom 8:14-16).

Thus, in order for us to live as sons of God, we must be led by the Spirit of God.  We believers are all sons of God, but it does not automatically mean that all believers are living as sons of God. Note that it is the Spirit Himself, who dwells in us, that testifies together with our human spirit that we are children of God.  Interestingly, there is no mention of our mind, or soul in this scripture.  Since all of these statements are about our spiritual facts—our spiritual status and spiritual rights, it is essential that we accept them by faith.

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory (v. 17).

Christ was the Son who became a human and lived among us.  He was the first human who lived as a son of God, and became an example of how we should live as children of God.  However, it needs to be said that all humans were originally created in the image of God and in his likeness—as children of God.  But as in the parable of the prodigal son, we became lost and dead by leaving the Father.  So Christ came to this world to show us the way in which we could come to the Father.  If he is the Son of the Father, then, we are his brothers having the same God as our Father—“heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.”

We have started a new series of sermons, “Co-heirs with Christ.”  The Bible is full of blessings that the Father has promised to give to his children.  They are often too wonderful to fathom with our human minds.  To say simply that God is Almighty is not enough for us to make those promises work for our lives. The key to this lies in the fact that we are now heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.