January 1, 2020

① Kids message: What is the difference between “Happy New Year” and “Omedeto”?

“Happy New Year” is a wish or prayer for someone else. It can also express one’s joy, just like, “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?” “It IS a happy new year!” It can also be a blessing. A blessing gives something to someone, so we are doing something to make it happy or joyful for another person: it may be friendship or love or a present or O-toshi dama. And that makes the other person happy.

As a student of Japanese, it seems to me that “omedeto” is often used to give honor to someone who has done a good thing. They have won a race or a game, or perhaps got married or won the lottery. It may sound strange, but “New Year Omedeto,” if thought of a deed someone has done, then it might be that they survived the old year and so have finished that race. Or maybe it means that we have been given the gift of a new year to live for one more year. Or, when Japanese say these words, they might mean just the same as the English greeting.

So, the meaning is very complicated and therefore very rich. But I think the best translation for both the English and Japanese greeting is simply, “I love you.” I like you and so I wish you the very best in the new year.

God has given us a new year. He has forgiven us the sins of the past. He gives us the blessing of life. He has given us the love of Jesus Christ. How do you say Happy New Year to God? Perhaps: “Thank you.” “Hallelujah.” “Amen.”

② Adults Sermon: A Year of Prayer.

Today millions of Japanese will pray. They will go to churches, shrines, temples, and the like or pray at their home altar. They pray for their selves, for others, for peace, for nature, for good weather, etc. etc. etc. They will ask for things that they cannot do by themselves: things like health, healing from cancer, good weather, good grades, good friends, for love, for world peace, for money, etc. etc. etc.

A characteristic of prayer is that we pray for what we cannot do ourselves. And so it is a humbling thing. Proud, egotistical people do not pray. In true prayer, we know we need help, we recognize our weakness. In the Christian church, we say we recognize our sin. Sin is not just the bad things we do. Sin is also that human situation from which sins are committed. And so we can never be free from sin except through Jesus Christ. When we believe that our sins are forgiven through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, our hearts are fresh, and so we have confidence and peace in our prayers.

Jesus taught us the Lord’s Prayer. The first words are “Our Father who art in heaven.” The last words are “For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory.” In other words, God is almighty for he has the Kingdom and the almighty Power of heaven. So he can do anything. He can give us anything for which we pray. So, go ahead and be bold and ambitious and greedy in your prayers. Ask for the biggest of blessings. Trust that God will give us what is best for us. That trust is in the words “Thy will be done.” We put things into God’s hands. And of course the words “Give us this day our daily bread” means all of the things that are necessary to live today and for the rest of the year, too. And do not forget the words “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” This year also there will be many temptations and much evil. Therefore, we need to pray. Therefore, we need to trust God.

Yes, we need to pray. Today we have come to church in order to pray. Of course we can pray anywhere and at anytime, but the church is a special place to pray. This is where the Lord God comes to us in word and song and sacrament. Here we read the Bible and see the love of God for this sinful and evil world. When we see the love of God, it gives us power and confidence in our prayers. . And so people of faith pray. Since God loves us, we love others and pray for them, too. There is no limit for our prayers because God is infinite. That is the power of prayer. And the first blessing of praying is our faith and love of God.

In Philippians 4:6, St. Paul encourages us to pray. He says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church

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