Ray7live! endeavors to create a healthy English-speaking environment with free English lessons/Bible Studies and Creative Arts.　　Since Sunday, August 22, 2010 (For more information, google "ray7live")　Place:　Kengun

Catholic Church Time：　Mondays　19:00 ~ 21:00　　Text：　The Gospel According to Luke　 Members： Ray, Haru, Suiko, Sister M, Samo-chan.

Day 65 September 3, 2012 Songs: Sing, Sing, Sing, Lord I Lift Your Name On High, You're Worthy of My Praise

Checking this week's homework: Scripture Memory 1 Galatians 2:20 Introduction to Matthew 3 Three Steps in Faith that Puts us in Proper Perspective Active Listening & Vocabulary-building Exercise: Power-Word

Readout

recognize (Galatians 2:9), repent (2), prepare the way (3), make straight paths (3), baptize (6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 16), confessing their sins (6), produce fruit (8), produce good fruit (10), fire (10, 11, 12), the Holy Spirit (11). Step 1 [ Recognize ] : Faith recognizes authority. The humble and repentant people recognize that the man's authority is from above (5-6) while the proud and self-interested don't (7-10; read Luke 20:1-8). Faith sees beyond what our physical eyes can see. John ate insects (locusts) – well, with honey, you may perhaps enjoy... In any case, those people didn't care what he ate or how he dressed. They came to see John because they recognized and paid attention to God's words coming out of his mouth, not insects going into his mouth. “Repent,” he said. And they repented. That's submission to authority. That's obedience. Faith empowers us to place our ego under control and gladly submit to those who are entrusted by the Spirit of God to take leadership. Nothing is more liberating, rewarding and fulfilling than working under such leadership. When a man/woman is truly anointed, it is a joy to obey him/her. John was such a leader. And one greater than him was and is Jesus.1 Faith goes on to recognize authority or power. John recognizes “one who is more powerful” (11-14). Jesus recognizes John's authority and submits to it (15).2 1 There is another side to the authority issue. Practically speaking, we all struggle with authorities. Sometimes, those who are in authority aren't worthy to be there at all (as recorded in 1 & 2 Kings and Chronicles). But the struggles we experience are sometimes there to shape our character. We may not realize it at first that we are actually wrestling with an angel, a messenger of God, as Jacob wrestled with God in Genesis 32:23-33. Jacob in Hebrew means “deceiver” or “grabber” and his name was changed to Israel which means “God strives.” The self-centered man became God-centered. Submission to authority, then, is not blind obedience. It may come with, through, and after much wrestling. 2 No one has more faith than God Himself. The baby Jesus, for example, trusts and sleeps in His mother's arms. That is an incredible picture of God having faith in a human being! God's faith in His servants is evident throughout the

James, Peter and John recognize Paul's authority (= “the grace given” Galatians 2:9). Faith recognizes authority, preventing us from thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought (Romans 12:3). Faith puts us in proper perspective. [ Rank3 ]: Faith ranks/identities4 others.5 The humble ones confess their sins and are baptized (6), ranking John as a prophet (Luke 20:6; Luke 7:26-30) and identifying themselves as sinners. Ranking tells us which songs/movies/people/monkeys/etc. are more popular or have more influence over a group. It puts us in perspective. It even shapes a communal life. Jesus ranks John at the top of His list of great people (Matthew 11:11), and then, expands our perspective by saying, “yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Jesus confers6 His endorsement on John's ministry (15)7 and, identifying Himself as a member of the community of sinners - even though He Himself is not a sinner (He is holy8) - He is baptized (16). That gives us a perspective. [ Receive ]: Faith receives power. The power to live a new life is prepared with John's baptism which is “from heaven” (Matthew 21:25; Romans 6:3-14). More power (the Holy Spirit) comes with Jesus' baptism (11; Acts 19:1-7). Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and fire. Dyed with the Holy Spirit, we show to

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history. God is so “faith-full” (πιστός = literally, “fullness of faith” in 1 Corinthians 1:9) and it is demonstrated in the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit recognizes/endorses/anointes Jesus (16). The Father in heaven recognizes/endorses Him as the Son of God (17). God has faith in a human being, first and foremost, in Jesus Christ. He has such great faith in humanity that He's united Himself with the humanity in Christ through Mary. 1. To place in a row or rows. 2. To give a particular order or position to; classify. 1 a 〔+目的語+前置詞+(代)名詞〕〈人・ものを〉〔…の中に〕置く 〔among，with〕; 〈人・ものを〉〔…の上に; …の下に〕置く 〔above; below〕. 用例 Don't rank me among [with] such people. 私をあのような人たちと同列に考えないでくれ. I rank Tom above [below] John. トムはジョンより上[下]だと思う. b 〔+目的語+as 補語〕〈人・ものを〉〈…と〉位置づける. 用例 Charles Dickens is ranked as one of the greatest English novelists. チャールズディケンズはイギリス最大の小説家の一人とみなされている. identify 1. To establish the identity of (自分のアイデンティティを確立する） 2. To consider as identical or united; equate (同じである/結びついているとみなす；同一視する）. 3. To associate or affiliate (oneself) closely with a person or group (ある人、あるいはあるグループと近くあるよう関係付ける、仲間になる、親しくする） It does not mean we look down on others as a result of ranking. For example, we don't despise children because they are less knowledgeable than we. We accept and love them as they are, but we will not let them take over the management of our homes or organizations. Ranking or identifying people here means being objective. confer = bestow (an honor, for example) （名誉などを）授ける. [derived from Latin conferre: to bring （もたらす）] Even though baptism was a common practice among 1st century Jews, it was not stipulated in the law. It was used, for example, to purify defilements or to initiate Gentile converts into the Jewish community. John the Baptist, however, used it as a sacrament or a central rite of repentance for all to prepare to meet their God. Jesus, as the author of faith, then, endorsed it, saying “it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” (15). He was writing the Bible on the fly with His words and deeds. He still is writing the Bible by the Holy Spirit through many of His servants today. The book of Acts didn't really end with Chapter 28! holy (in Greek ἅγιος) means “different (unlike), other (“otherness”)” and (in Hebrew ‫“ ) קדוש‬separated, set apart (for God), sacred.”

the world the color of God. Immersed in fire,9 we are purified with the fire burning up the chaff of worldliness. God is, in fact, a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrew 12:29). Standing in God's presence, we receive the fire, the power of God, which is a purifying agent for those who love Him and a destructive force upon those who hate Him. The word "baptize" βαπτιζω baptizo signifies originally to tinge, to dye, to stain, as those who dye clothes. It here means to cleanse or wash anything by the application of water. At a Japanese wedding, the bride may wear a white kimono called “Shiro-muku” (Shiro meaning “white,” muku “pure”) signifying 「あなたの色に染まります」(I am ready to be dyed in your color).10 We can say with all our hearts “I am ready to be dyed in your color” to Christ Jesus. That's exactly what baptism means. When we are baptized, we declare that we are washed clean and live a new life, His life. (Romans 6:3-8; Galatians 2:20). Receiving the baptism, then, puts us in proper perspective because it means dying to the old self and rising as a new person which comes with a set of new eyes! Receive the power of new vision. Scripture Memory 2（今週の宿題） Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new [ creation ]; the old has gone, the new has come! - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Discussion: Did you see Christ living in Fr. Santos and Roisin? What are the similarities between them? Differences? Meeting beautiful people, we are to recognize the Lord who is behind them all (Hosea 11:1-4). Having to deal with mean or annoying people, we can recognize the Lord who “disciplines those He loves” (Hebrews 12:6). Today's Bread: Rice Flour & Cheese Bread（米粉チーズパン） Ingredients: Flour (LysDor, Nippn Bakers Flour, Organic Whole-wheat Flour), Rice & Cake Flour (from Kumamoto), Oisix's Oven Cheese, Salt-marinated Rice Malt, Water, Butter, Homemade Leaven. 原材料：小麦粉（リスドォル、ふっくらパン強力小麦粉、オーガニック全粒粉）、 米粉、薄力粉（熊本県産）、Oisix のオーブンチーズ、塩麹、水、バター、 自家製パン種.

Next Ray7live! Monday, Septemer 10 – Creative Night 9 Monday, September 16 – English Mass (at Musashigaoka Church) Monday, September 17 – Matthew 4 Monday, September 24 – Matthew 5 9 “Fire” signifies “judgement” as the next verse (Matthew 3:12) explains. 10 It's probably unrealistic today when women's power has become so strong and many men have become unworthy to dye their brides with their colors. Jesus, however, is worthy!