It is Jesus who began new history of humanity
The verses of the Holy Bible quoted in the video:
Luke 10:25-37
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’
26 ‘What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How do you read it?’
27 He answered, ‘ “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”; and, “Love your neighbour as yourself.”’
28 ‘You have answered correctly,’ Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.’
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’
30 In reply Jesus said: ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half-dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he said, “and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.”
36 ‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’
37 The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’
Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.’
Luke 16:19–31
19 ‘There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 ‘The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, “Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.”
25 ‘But Abraham replied, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.”
27 ‘He answered, “Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.”
29 ‘Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.”
30 ‘ “No, father Abraham,” he said, “but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.”
31 ‘He said to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” ’
Genesis 2:19-22
19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.
But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
Genesis 3:16
16 To the woman he said,
‘I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
with painful labour you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.’
Galatians 3:13-14
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.’ 14 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.
Isaiah 53:5
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
John 10:11
11 ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
References
The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition.). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Jesus Christ, our Powerful Savior and King
First of all, let us start with Hebrews 12:25 that tells us a warning.
25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?
God had spoken earlier to the Israelites at the giving of the Law through Moses. That generation had refused God’s message on earth. They did not escape (see Heb. 3:14–19). This should warn us not to turn our backs on God, who is still speaking. God speaks to this generation from heaven in the work of Christ. Those who ignore Jesus’ message will not escape God’s wrath. Surely, we must listen carefully to him. [2]
- Jesus Christ, our Powerful Savior
Baptist John was born 6 months earlier than Jesus to prepare the way for the Lord. When Baptist John was born, his father Zechariah spoke about John’s mission in Luke 1:77.
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
So, John the Baptist preached the baptism of repentance. This prepared the way of forgiveness, and salvation through Lord Jesus Christ.
I want to share what I experienced in the process of salvation through forgiveness of sins.
First of all, let us listen to what a prophet Simeon said about child Jesus in Luke 2:34-35.
34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: ‘This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.’
People’s sins are hidden in their hearts and Jesus will cause that a sword will pierce their heart to reveal them.
Yes, I also experienced a sword was piercing my soul humiliating me and revealing my sinfulness, even when I thought I was a good man as a Buddhist. I want to share this because many people think they don’t need God or forgiveness. They are ignorant or proud and self-righteous. They need humility before God. They need to know they are serious sinners before God. I pray God may show you your sins before God.
- Jesus Christ, our Powerful King
When Jesus started his public ministry around at his age 30, he faced collision with existing religious leaders of Judaism. They rejected and killed Him, but God raised Him back to life and made Him the King of kings and the Lord of lords. This was a Divine Reversal and predicted in Psalm 118:22-23.
22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
23 the Lord has done this,
and it is marvellous in our eyes.
(These verses were quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21:42 as well.)
This cornerstone is Jesus Himself and Jesus said in Matthew 21:44
44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.’
This tells how powerful the Cornerstone, Jesus is!
Even for the crucifixion, Jesus was not powerlessly victimized. Jesus had full control over the situation and He could save Himself as written in Matthews 25:53, 54.
53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?’
Simply He willingly gave Himself to be crucified to pay for our sins and to save us.
In Psalm 2, we can know about His Kingship.
See Psalm 2:1-6.
1 Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
3 ‘Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.’
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
5 He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 ‘I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.’
It teaches us that how foolish and useless it is to rebel against God and His anointed[3], Jesus Christ, whether they are religions of counterfeit or from the spirit of anti-Christ. So, don’t stay with them but come to Jesus.
Here, let’s think about how we can decide whether someone is for or against Jesus Christ? Let’s see what Jesus taught in Luke 11:23.
23 ‘Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
In addition, Jesus also said in Luke 9:50.
50 ‘Do not stop him,’ Jesus said, ‘for whoever is not against you is for you.’
This Psalm explains how I became a Christian even though I have been a Buddhist previously.
When I was a Buddhist, I insisted Buddhism was right and refused to accept Christianity. I even planned to study Buddhism. I was standing on the side of Buddhism and fight other religions including Christianity. My attitude was like Psalm 2:1-3.
But, I was ignorant of who Jesus was. God says in Psalm 2:6.
6 ‘I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.’
Yes, He is King, installed by God. After I have gone through various unexpected difficulties in life and became humble, I surrendered before His powerful love on the cross. In Him, we are fighting the fight that He has already won. In Him we are victors and we have a sure win in the fight.
God says to His Son in Psalm 2:9
9 You will break them with a rod of iron;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery.’
Before His power, they will be like pottery broken into pieces by a rod of iron.
Let’s read Psalm 2:10-12
10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear
and celebrate his rule with trembling.
12 Kiss his son, or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
It isn’t wise to stand against Him. I advise you to be wise. He is King above all kings and Lord above all lords.
Verse 12 commends you to Kiss His Son. His Love is so great to resist but the only problem may be your pride. I pray you may humble yourself before God and accept His forgiveness and love.
Today I shared that Jesus saves us through the forgiveness of our sins as written in Luke 1:77. Also, I shared my experience of a sword piercing my soul, as written in Luke 2:35, to humiliate me and revealing my sinfulness, while I was a self-righteous Buddhist. Also, I shared Jesus being the Cornerstone by God’s divine reversal after builders’ rejection. And this stone is powerful to make them broken or crushed if they collide as written in Matthew 21:44. Finally I shared His Kingship written in Psalm 2.
In summary, Jesus is our powerful Savior and King.
References
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition.). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
[2] Lea, T. D. (1999). Hebrews, James (Vol. 10, pp. 223–224). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] Bratcher, R. G., & Reyburn, W. D. (1991). A translator’s handbook on the book of Psalms (p. 23). New York: United Bible Societies.
Misery not due to sin but to display the work of God who sent Jesus
John 9:1-12
Most cultures including Buddhism teach ‘retribution’ as the cause of the misery. But in Jesus, the misery can be transformed to the glory to God by doing the work of God who sent Jesus. Jesus is the Light of the World, who makes this possible.
Your misery may be given by God to display the work of God in your life! And the time will come when you overcome your misery in the light of Jesus and that will glorify God.
In the true light Jesus, there is no fate. Anything can be changed… because of Jesus and God almighty. Don’t listen to the fortune tellers. As written in Acts 16:16, fortune telling is done by a person possessed by a spirit and it will defile you as written in Leviticus 19:31.
Hallelujah!
Jesus is the light of the world! In Him, our negative and dark mind can become positive and bright, and misery can become glory to God!
I pray we all may experience this transformation in the light of the world, Jesus.
Also let us transform people’s life as well as ours by doing the work of God who sent Jesus.
Amen.
a self-righteous religious man who didn’t ask God’s forgiveness
Verses in the Holy Bible particularly interesting to me would be interesting to Buddhists because I read the Holy Bible as an ex-Buddhist. So, if I share what interested me, it will help Buddhists. One of them is ‘The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector’.
The reason I didn’t understand the parable well initially was because I had the problem like the Pharisee and I knew many Buddhists would have the same problem. I think this Parable may help Buddhists. So, I want to share this Parable today so that Buddhists may hear about it and learn from it.
Verses from the Holy Bible quoted in this video:
Luke 18:9 – 14
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
John 3:16 – 21
“16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”
[References]
http://www.ccel.org/contrib/exec_outlines/pa/pa_33.htm
God’s calling to be a blessing
I was called to be a Christian after I had been a Buddhist. It was God’s calling. God called Abram in Genesis 12. I shared about God’s calling and ‘being a blessing’ (Genesis 12:2). I also shared about ‘without God’ and ‘being a curse’. The thief (the devil) comes only to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10). God calls us to be a blessing. When we obey God’s calling, others are also blessed through us.
Regarding to the song “Pass it on”, please refer to https://comnc.org/?page_id=1812
Verses from the Holy Bible quoted in this video:
Matthew 5:14-16
14 ‘You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
John 14:6
6 Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Acts 4:12
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.’
Genesis 12:1–3
1 The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 ‘I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.’
John 10:10–11
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
[Reference]
The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition.). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Come & See Smartphone App has been released!!
Exciting announcement!
Come & See App (Android version) has been released!
As for iPhone version (available via the link in the next paragraph), Apple requires to meet their own standard and it can take time for full release. We work toward the full release of Come & See iPhone App ASAP.
If you give me your email, I can send you the link to the TestFlight version of Come & See iPhone App. Alternatively, Come & See iPhone App (Ad Hoc distribution version, same to the one for TestFlight) is available at https://i.diawi.com/h77BFm.
While installing, you may not see the installation progress as usual, but the new app icon (grey colour) will be added to your iPhone and the icon will be changed to Come & See app icon 
after finishing the download & installation.
Dying in order to live
John 12:24 – 25
Happy Easter!
In John 11:25, Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection and the life.”
In John 11:43, when Jesus called, ‘Lazarus, come out!’, the four-day-long dead man came out alive.
Jesus Himself rose from the dead in 3 days after the crucifixion. What does the Resurrection mean to us?
See 1 Corinthians 15:22.
22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
At the last trumpet, the dead will be raised and we will be changed (1 Corinthians 15:52).
And our new body will be imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:42 – 44).
They will rise either to live or to be condemned
See John 5:28 – 29.
28 ‘Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.
The way of eternal life
In John 12:24 – 25, Jesus taught us the paradox of the way of eternal life.
24 Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
In v24, we are compared to a grain of wheat.
A grain of wheat contains three layers: bran, endosperm, and germ.
- The bran is the fibre-rich outer layer that protects the grain.
- The endosperm is the middle layer that provides energy for the germ.
- The germ is the nutrient-rich inner part that is the embryo of the grain.
Water breaks down the bran. Then, water breaks down the endosperm to be consumed by the germ to sprout.
The germ continues to grow using water, light, and nutrient in the soil.
When Jesus said, “a grain of wheat … dies”, I think it refers to the breaking down of the bran & the endosperm in the soil & water of the ground.
Without being sown in the ground of a proper environment (e.g., water and soil), the outer layers of the grain will not break down (die), and the grain remains only a single seed.
V24 is followed by v25.
| V24 | V25 |
| “unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies” | “Anyone who loves their life” |
| “it remains only a single seed.” | “will lose it” |
| “But if it dies” | “while anyone who hates their life in this world” |
| “it produces many seeds” | “will keep it for eternal life” |
Let us study the meaning of “loves his own life” and “hates his own life” in v25.
“loves his own life”
- may be expressed as “lives just for himself”, or “keeps hanging onto his own life” [1].
- the egoism that clings to the outward life of appearance, and lives for that, loses its true life which is conditional on surrender to God. [6]
- “does its unseemly desires, gratifies it where he ought not”. So, it will destroy you since it leads away from the path leading to virtue [3].
- If people decide that their lives are more important than God’s will, then they will forfeit the type of life God wants to give them—a life of relationship with Him now and in eternity [4].
“hates his own life”
- may be expressed as “rather lives for others”, or “lets go of his own life” [1].
- self-giving servitude. self-sacrifice [5]
- the spirit of sacrifice which does not cleave to its life of self, nay, which hates it in its old form in this old world, i.e., joyfully sacrifices it, the sooner the better, and even hates it, if it be about to become a hindrance—regains it unto a higher, eternal life. [6]
- means “hate” when the issue is between Christ and the dearest things of life as happens when the choice is between martyrdom and apostasy [2].
- “does not yield to it when it commands what is pernicious”. And Jesus did not say, “he who does not yield to it,” but, “he who hates it”; for as we cannot endure even to hear the voice of those we hate, nor to look upon them with pleasure, so from the soul also we must turn away with vehemence, when it commands things contrary to what is pleasing to God [3].
- Jesus asks people to forfeit their usual wants and desires for the sake of God’s will [4].
List of similar verses
Matthew 16:25 (NIV (Anglicised, 2011))
25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
Matthew 10:37–39 (NIV (Anglicised, 2011))
37 ‘Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
Luke 9:23 (NIV (Anglicised, 2011))
23 Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
Luke 9:24 (NIV (Anglicised, 2011))
24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.
Luke 14:26 (NIV (Anglicised, 2011))
26 ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.
Mark 8:35 (NIV (Anglicised, 2011))
35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.
References
[1] Newman, B. M., & Nida, E. A. (1993). A handbook on the Gospel of John (p. 406). New York: United Bible Societies.
[2] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Jn 12:25). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.
[3] John Chrysostom. (1889). Homilies of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, on the Gospel of St. John. In P. Schaff (Ed.), G. T. Stupart (Trans.), Saint Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and Epistle to the Hebrews (Vol. 14, p. 248). New York: Christian Literature Company.
[4] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Jn 12:25). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[5] Borchert, G. L. (2002). John 12–21 (Vol. 25B, p. 52). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[6] Lange, J. P., & Schaff, P. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: John (p. 384). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Our activity & event during O-Week 2018
Our club demonstrated our biblical VR game during O-Week 2018. We share some of photos taken during the event.
Our VR game was created based on “The Armour of God” shown in Ephesians 6:10-17.
O-Week 2018
Come & See club during O-Week 2018
- Monday 19 Feb 2018 10AM-4PM Stall 4 of Bookshop Lawn (BL4): Including our Virtual Reality (VR) Demo
- Tuesday 20 Feb 2018 10AM-4PM Goldstein G05: our Virtual Reality (VR) & Green Screen Demo
- Friday 23 Feb 2018 10AM-4PM Stall 2 of Bookshop Lawn (BL2): Including our Virtual Reality (VR) Demo
Our members are prize winners in House With No Steps Immersive Technology Hackathon 2017. Come & see our progress in the following two days.
- Wednesday 21 Feb 2018 10AM-4PM Goldstein G05: Virtual Reality (VR)
- Thursday 22 Feb 2018 10AM-4PM Goldstein G05: Virtual Reality (VR)
