Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:00:00]:
We're in week number 3 of our series that, Christy had mentioned that we're in Be the Light. Now how many of you guys, you know, when you think about light that you think about, you know, the light of the light of Jesus, you think about the light of, the the light of the world. Right? But the thing is that sometimes, people like to write jokes about light. I know I've read a couple this week and and one of them said this, he says that, how many psychiatrists does it take in to screw a light bulb? Says, Only 1, but the bulb has really gotta wanna change. Right? And that somebody said this, he said, How many actors does it take to change a light bulb? Only one. Why? Because they don't wanna share the spotlight anyway. And the the other one I read was this, what did the light bulb say to the switch? You turned me on.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:00:47]:
Right? Yeah. I know. Like, hey, the thing is, but here's here's the thing that what we've been trying to talk about over the last couple weeks is how God wants to turn us on. How God wants to how allow us to shine our light, in the world. And so we talked about the fact that that in order to shine our light, that we have to have the light of Jesus obviously shining in our lives, and that we allow that to happen. We invite him into those places, and that we talked about that you're not called to make everybody believe like you. Aren't you glad? That's not your that's not your job. That's not the calling to get everybody to believe like you, because some of us we believe weird stuff anyway.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:01:25]:
No, I'm just kidding, but but not really. All of us believe weird stuff sometime. But hey, we're called to help people, to know God. Why? Because every one of us is gonna stand accountable before God one day. We're gonna stand accountable for our lives. We're gonna stand accountable for our deeds, and our words, and our thoughts, and the things that we've done. Right? The things that you've had in your heart, and the things that we've spoken out, and so he says, because none of us have done that perfectly, that we need the grace and the mercy that God can provide through Christ Jesus. And so, you know, we need to be able to do that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:02:00]:
So and what did we do? We talked about praying. Right? We pray for God to draw them, to open their eyes, to to shine his, to show his kindness in their lives. And yet we know that prayer is critical, but how many of you know that prayer is not enough? Prayer is not enough. That there's nothing that one of the great saints about prayer said this, there's nothing we can do more important than prayer before we pray. Right? Until we've prayed, he says, there's almost nothing that we can do that's gonna be greater than that. But he says, but after praying, then there's much to do. Right? And so last week, we talked about it's not enough to pray for our friends, not enough to pray for our family, but we need to live an invitational lifestyle. Because that the when Jesus said, the harvest is plentiful.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:02:50]:
Right? Lift up our eyes, he says, and see. But what the only thing about the harvest is, it's not self reaping. Right? He says, send out the workers. People need to go out. People need to touch other people. And so we see Jesus model that how he invited people, and that how God wants to invite us. And we see Jesus told the story about, the king who is throwing a great and giant banquet, and when people refused to come, he says go out to the highways and the by ways. Go out, and he says, talk to anybody like what Christy was saying.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:03:25]:
Talk to the tellers, and talk talk to the guys on the street. Talk to the ones who are in the highest places, and talk to the ones who maybe some would never talk to. Why? Because God wants his house to be full. God wants his family to be full. And so God is growing his family, but people need to be invited. Right? So we're called, to invite. And so that's one of the reasons why we have those cards. Now when we think in terms of how do God fill his house, that nobody ever, I think, really won someone to Jesus by winning an argument, to be honest.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:04:04]:
Not not at that moment anyway. You know? Now I'm not saying that that there's not a great place for debate and argumentation and use of logic and and trying to make a compelling case. There's a I think there's a lot of space for that, but those are usually, I would say, those are usually kinda in a in a larger platform. Right? They're they're not the things that you do on a 1 on one basis for the friends and the family, or the folks that you work with. Those aren't the things. Right? That it's getting into an argument and trying to kind of tit for tat. I would say that's generally not the way that God wins people. But I think that although argument and logic and reason is a huge part of the Christian tradition, and and the defense of the faith, and and helping people who are skeptics understand that there are answers to questions, but yet at the same time, that's generally not how Jesus preach the gospel.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:05:06]:
You guys ever notice that? Right. Jesus never got into these great debates and he had to answer the logic and all that. That's not how he did it. Jesus actually hung out with people. Right? Jesus engaged people. Right? Sometimes we would say, what is Sometimes what is meant by that? It's like, sometimes I I I've heard people say, hey, we gotta talk story, which sometimes means, hey, we gotta do a little bit business, but I'll go try and make it real casual. Right? But, but, you know, it's it's this aspect of of of sharing life. Right? Now Jesus actually, what we find here, he often told stories.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:05:50]:
Right? In in Luke 18, he tells the story of this woman who who has a great need. She goes to a judge and the judge doesn't care. The judge is unrighteous. We talked about it actually on Wednesday, and and that he tells the story, but even though the judge wasn't interested, even the judge wasn't righteous because the woman went so often, the judge gave the woman what she needs. But this is what it says about that story that he told the story so that we should always pray and never give up. So but Jesus didn't just say, hey, you guys should always pray and don't give up. He told a story and in the process of telling the story, people were engaged. And then he gives the he gives the contrast.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:06:39]:
And by the way, like, you know, your father in heaven, he's not the unrighteous judge, he's the righteous judge. So how much more will he do it for you? Your your your father in heaven knows the very hairs on your head. Right? That he knows everything about you and he cares about you. How much more will he do? Right? We see Jesus giving a story. Last week, we talked about as well about, a farmer who's sowing seed. Right? And and he doesn't say this, hey, you know, if you talk to people about about me, you talk to people about the kingdom of God, not everybody gonna believe in you. In fact, probably only 25% at any given moment. Now Jesus doesn't say that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:07:22]:
What does he do? He tells a story of of 4 kinds of soils. Right? It's the same exact seed. Like, same exact seed. Same exact message. And and one is hard, and one is kinda like shallow, and one is caught up in its own cares of life, but one bears fruit, he says. Right? So he tells stories. And so Jesus uses the power of stories. And if Jesus uses the power of stories, then so should you.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:07:51]:
Right? So should you. So should I. Now why do we need to understand how to tell stories, how to utilize story in shining our light. Part of it is because not only is God trying to reach people, he says that I have a responsibility, you have a responsibility to share the good news. Because you and I, we were created to live in a right relationship with God. Right? With your creator. Right? You are created to receive life, but to be honest, you are also created to give life. Right? You are created to be blessed, but what happens with that blessing? You're created to be a blessing.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:08:30]:
Right? So there's all this this process, and Jesus gave actually a command. Right? He gave instruction. He gave marching orders. And so the church sometimes has people have said the church is a hospital for sinners. How many of you guys have heard that? Right? And that's part of it. But the church is also meant to be an army. The church is also spread the good news. And so, he says it like this.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:09:07]:
We're gonna read together in Matthew 28/19, and this is what it says. Shall we can we stand together this this evening? He says this. Let's read. Ready? Begin. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And now when it says go, when it says go, that this word sometimes people say like, so what does that mean? Do I need to go to Myanmar to preach the gospel? Do I need to go to Fiji? Do I do I need to go to Japan? Do I I need to go no. Not everybody's called to the same place. To be honest, this word is actually in the passive form.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:09:51]:
Right? And so what is actually could be translated is saying this, as you're going. As you're going. Going where? As you're living your life for God, as you're living your life for God with your family, as you're living your life for God in your community, as you're living your life for God at work or at school or wherever you go, as you're living your life for God, he says, make disciples. And so do me a favor. Before you're seated, God says this, it's as you go. It's as you go. And you can have a seat. Right? No.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:10:24]:
No. No. Don't go now. We're not done yet. No. It's good. But you guys can have a seat. Right? So but so this is Jesus tells this story.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:10:31]:
Right? He tells this instruction and and Romans tells us that it's important that people hear the message of life because without hearing it, people cannot receive life. Right? And so if that's the case, he says this in Romans 10:12, he says, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How about does this say that word everyone? Right? So does God only wanna save 1 or 2? Does God wanna just save you or does is God concerned about your whole family? Is God concerned about all your friends? Is God concerned about all your coworkers? Right? He just says this, it's not one kind of people that matter. He's saying all people. All people matter to him. But he says this, but how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? Okay. So we understand that. So we have to have faith.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:11:21]:
But he says this, how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the good that is why the scripture say, how beautiful are the feet of messengers to bring good news. Where are we where does it say that we should be sent? Well, it said it in Matthew 28, right? It said it in Matthew 28, go and make disciples. Right? It's it's it's a little undefined. You could go to Japan and you could go to Myanmar and you could go to the Philippines and you could go to Fiji and you could go all around the world. And and we're not saying that that that's not what we should do. That's what we've done. Right? We've gone into all of those places. But but to be honest, sometimes we need to go across the street.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:12:14]:
Sometimes we need to go to our relative's house. Sometimes we need to go to work and talk to people. Sometimes you need to talk to the guy, who's the cashier at the bank or you gotta talk to the guy who's serving you in in in Starbucks, whatever the case. But it's saying this, it's as we go. So here's here's the thing. Now, we we have a 4 there's 4 things I think I wanna talk about this this evening. But the the first thing is this, is this, that we have a responsibility. But the second thing is this, that just ask God to lead you or guide you to someone that he wants to talk to, right? Because sometimes you ever get to that place like, hey everybody, like what are you supposed to do? Get a bullhorn and stand on the side of the street.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:12:59]:
Right? Or I mean, there's nothing wrong with that. But to be honest, that's probably how I would do it. Right? That's just not me. But it's I'm not saying it's bad to do it. Maybe one day, you know, I'll be doing that. I have no idea. But but the thing is that Jesus told this, or the the scriptures tell the story about Jesus, how he did it. Okay? And and one of those things he says is this, that in in John chapter 4 and and I encourage you, read the whole story, in John chapter 4 at some point.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:13:30]:
But just for this portion, it it says this in in John chapter 4 because they were in Judea and doing all these things. And then verse 3 of chapter 4 says this. So he left Judea and returned to Galilee. Right? So he had to go, let's say had to go. Right? Not bathroom, but he had to go, right? He had to go through Samaria on the way. Now, if you look at the map, if you look at the map, Samaria is above Judah. And so it is a natural thing, right? That people would go straight. Some people would go around because they would consider these guys, unclean, right? That they kinda had a ratio, you know, ratio animosity, in that case.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:14:14]:
But but the predominant places though, to be honest, the more research I did was they did most of the times they went straight. Now when it says that he had to go that way, it says, but eventually eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. And Jacob's well was there. And Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. And he says that soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, please give me a drink. Now when it says that he had to go there, it is the shortest route. But I believe that Jesus had an appointment with this woman. She just didn't know that that was the appointment.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:14:59]:
Right? And how many of you guys had an appointment with God when you met Jesus, but you never knew that day before you went, you never knew that was the day you were gonna meet Jesus. Right? And sometimes it happens, just with meeting some stranger. Sometimes it's your friend who who shared the good news. Sometimes it's a church service that you went to or a class that you went as a as a kid somewhere. Right? And so we understand that there was an appointment, right, that God had. You just didn't know it. And there's people out there, to be honest, that God wants to have an appointment with them, but it's on the other side of our obedience. Because there are people that there are times that you have felt and I have felt someone should tell that guy about Jesus.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:15:45]:
And you know what? Sometimes you know who that guy should be? It should be us. Right? It should be us. And and so he's saying these things. Right? And how do we know this? Because Jesus knows the future. I mean, later we see in the gospel of Luke when he's, and to be honest not just the gospel of Luke, but when Jesus is gonna enter Jerusalem, he says this, hey go and get the donkey. There's gonna be a donkey and young donkey and go get the donkey and bring it to me and I'm gonna ride in the city on that. And he says, and if somebody ever asks you about what you're doing with the donkey, just tell them the master has need. And so what happens when the guy the disciples go to get the donkey? Somebody said, woah, woah, woah, woah.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:16:27]:
What are you doing? Like, that's not your donkey. Where you going? And then what happens? They said, oh, the master has need. And they said, oh, okay then. Now, Jesus gave a little bit. It's like, I'm gonna ask you to do this, but by the way, it's gonna people gonna get misunderstand. Somebody's gonna misunderstand that. He knew exactly what was gonna happen. He knew that when he went to the well, he knew that when he went to Samaria, that there was a meeting that he had to have.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:16:54]:
And I encourage you to read the rest of the story because we can see as a result of this divine appointment, this woman who has been in a string of failed relationships, of divorce and one relationship after another, thinking that this would fill her, thinking that this would be the answer. Now I'll be happy. Now I'll be provided for. Now and this is what happens when she meets Jesus. He he doesn't condemn her, but he he does surface her need. But in the midst of that, he receives her. In the midst of that, he's kinder. In the midst of that, he draws her and that she then, after coming to Christ, brings a whole village.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:17:39]:
And you know how she brings a whole village? By telling her story. Come see a man who told me everything about my life. Right? She could meant that I met Jesus and it's like he read my mail. Right? It's like he read my life. It's like he read and and so as a result, right, as a result, are there people right now in our lives that are waiting that Jesus has an appointment with that person, but the only thing that is necessary for the appointment to happen is that we gotta be obedient. That we have to kinda be the one to to pray. We have to be the one to invite. We have to be the one to share the story.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:18:25]:
Now sometimes to be honest, do you guys ever look at people and at times you go like, wow, somebody should tell that person about Jesus, but not me. Right? Like and, and I think this is the thing is that that we need God wants to have a God has a love for people. Right? Are you guys agree? God has a love for people. Aren't you glad that God loved you? Right? God loved you when you loved him back, and God loved you before you loved him. Right? God loved you when you were all, you know, great. Like, look at your look at your neighbor. He says, of course, God loves you. Right? Of course God loves you.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:19:01]:
Now, is it because you look great now? No. Right? I'm not saying that you guys look horrible. I'm just saying I'm just saying that's not the reason. Right? That's not the reason. You could be have it all together, but that's not the reason. It's why does he love us? Because he does, to be honest. Because he does. Because he made us.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:19:20]:
Because he he put his spirit in us. Because he because he created us in his image. Because he knows the plans that he has for us, says the Lord. Right? So these kinds of things, but God loves the people who are far from him as well. And I just wanna say this, that sometimes there's some people that you love God, but you're not really so sure about people. Right? Like, sometimes we we see people like that. And if you're in that situation, can I ask you, ask God to give you a heart for people? Ask God to give you His heart for people. Because I think that when you start asking God to do that, He starts opening your eyes to see things.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:20:03]:
And you'll start to see people the way Jesus saw people. Right? You'll start to see things that you didn't see before. You know, Matthew 9:36, this says this this is what Jesus saw. He says when He saw the crowds, he had compassion. Can we say the word compassion? What does that mean compassion? He he had a visceral emotional sense of, man, he I feel it in my gut what the what they're going through. That's what he's saying. It's like, in the depths of my being, the the word used is the in my bowels. It's in the depths of my being, because they were confused and helpless.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:20:47]:
Were was everybody just ragged like, you know No. You know what? Some people probably had they had a new they had the new suit. Some people rolling in the some people rolling in the chariot maybe or in the wagon with the shiny spinning wheels. I don't know what the case, but they not everybody looked horrible, but it was their spiritual condition and that he had compassion. You know, sometimes, when we pray for God to use us, that we need to pray that. Because I don't always pray that. I don't always pray God when I at the end of my day, you know what, I'm like you. I got stuff to do.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:21:26]:
This has been the craziest week of of all the weeks so far, right, this year. It's been the craziest weeks. We we have, you know, some people, down with surgery, some people are caring for the people who are down with surgery, some people, you know, you know, situations where they're caring for a child. There's people, like, all kinds of situations. Right? And and, and to be honest, there's just less. Right? There's just less of the team right right now. Now here's the thing. I got that means that I do more.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:22:02]:
Christy's been doing more. Right? Brianna's been doing more. Right? And then we're trying to do what we can, but I get busy. But, you know, this last this last week, I I prayed, God, would you use me? This past Tuesday, I said, God, would you use me? Would you lead me to somebody that I can just speak life to them. Right? And so, we came. It's like Tuesdays. I don't know if you guys know, we have staff meeting on Tuesday. We do devotions.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:22:28]:
We pray for all the things that are going on. And, after that, I had to go and pick up the truck. Actually, I didn't have to pick up the truck. We already had our truck that needed some repairs. And can you believe this? The guy gave us the truck and we never even paid yet. He just says, no, just take the truck. Just take the truck. He says, really? He said, we didn't pay it.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:22:47]:
He says, well, you're gonna pay. Right? I said, absolutely. We're gonna pay. Right? But the thing is that, I mean, I don't know how many of you guys that that's what you do at your repair. Right? That's that's unusual. It's an unusual situation. So the the guy said that, and so I said, oh, absolutely. And he'd been a great guy.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:23:01]:
I talked story with him. And, and so in between, I I went over to pay, and I'm sitting in the office and just kinda chit chatting. I said, man, you guys always busy? He goes, yeah. Yeah. We've been fortunate and the whole thing. And and as we're sitting, he come in and he he got all that making sure the bill is all squared away. We I paid the bill. And before I left, I just wanted to thank him.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:23:25]:
I just man, we're so glad. Thank you that, you know, we probably still have some things we wanna do to just kinda raise it to the next level. Some things that, you know, that we can wait till after, after Easter. But then I just asked him, hey, by the way, are you going anywhere for you know, are you going to church anywhere? He says, no, not really. And I said, hey, you know what? Can I invite you to come join us at church? And I just took out that little card that I I keep in my wallet. Right, and I gave him the little card. And you know what he said? No stinking way I go into your church. I gave you the truck before you no, no, no.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:23:57]:
That's not what he said. You know what he said? He took the card, he looked at it and he said, hey, thank you. And then he said this, I said, oh, of course. Of course. And he says, no, really. Thank you. Now I didn't ask why he said thank you and then he said, really, thank you. I think he meant, obviously, when I just say, oh, oh, yeah.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:24:19]:
Of course. Of course. I I didn't get what he was saying. Right? And I I don't get why he's so thankful. I'm just glad that he is thankful. And how many people are out there, to be honest, that sometimes you're nervous to approach them? Sometimes you're nervous to bring up the thing. How many of you guys get a little bit nervous? I'll confess. I get nervous sometimes.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:24:42]:
Right? And you know, I go to a party, I go to whatever and then like, you know when you introduce yourself and people ask you, hey by the way what do you do? I see the change. Hey you can be talking story, laughing, doing all that kind of stuff and it's like looking at the game, doing whatever. And then they go, hey, by the way, what do you do? I say, oh, I'm a pastor. And they go like, oh, oh. Yeah. Yeah. And then this is the this is the classic this is the classic response when people are a little bit uncomfortable and they don't know what to say. Oh, must be rewarding.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:25:10]:
Yeah? Like they they don't know what to say. Right? So they just they they don't understand. They don't experience that. And so I understand. I don't always wanna be that guy in the party. You know what I mean? I don't wanna always be that guy. And I'll just confess that. But I also have to admit that sometimes, maybe I don't get that in those conversations because I think I'm friendly.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:25:32]:
I think I'm friendly, but I gotta admit I'm not always friendly. Gotta be like hardcore when I go to the gym? No. I just used to go work out with my friend before and that he would be the kind, like, I don't mind talking story before and and after, but in the middle of the workout, I don't want it to break our rhythm. He'd wanna get into this deep conversations. I had to say this. I said, hey, you know what? That's a great question. Can we talk about it after? Let's just get it done because I'm just gonna I I wanna get in and get out. Right? I don't I don't wanna break the rhythm.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:26:10]:
And like once we get that sweat going, once you get this I just wanna finish. Well, I I was in the gym this week. I was almost finished and I had just prayed on Thursday. I prayed on Thursday. Lord, would you send me to somebody today? You know why I prayed that? Because God answered on Tuesday. Right? And so I prayed, God, would you bring me to somebody? And I I didn't I didn't I didn't think about it. I'm in the gym, and then somebody taps me from behind. And it's one of those guys that I never talked to, but it's the, you know, it's like when you walk, it's like, hey.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:26:42]:
Like, okay. Right? We just it's one of those guys. But he just tapped me on the shoulder and he said, hey, wow. You know, like, I always see you in here, engaging me in conversation. And I I literally have the weight in my hand, and I was and I and I was saying, oh, yeah. Wait. Hey. Whatever.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:26:57]:
And it's like I put the weights down, and and to be honest, it was like he was talking to me more than I was talking to him. Why? Because I just, like, finished my workout and I had people coming over to my house. But I realized this is the guy that God brought to me. Right? And we talked we talked for a bit, maybe 20 minutes, to be honest. I don't talk 20 minutes normally in the gym. But I I just realized that you know what? Sometimes your interruptions are your greatest ministry. Right? Sometimes the interruptions are your greatest ministries. It's it's the one that, you know, that you were you had a different plan.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:27:43]:
It wasn't on your timing. You know, when I I realized that not only has it been the greatest ministries in my life, it's been the greatest ministries that sometimes I've heard of. You know, when my mom, I remember my mom and this is this this I try to remember this even in the times when it gets busy, like how busy it is now, that when my mom heard about my brother's diagnosis and he got cancer and my mom was distraught and she would go to a Catholic church from time to time in her hometown. And I remember her telling me this story, years later and I was already we already started the church and and the whole thing and she just said, you know, I went I went to to see the priest and and this is not a rip on a Catholic church or anything like that because you understand when I tell it. But she said this, she said, oh, father, can I talk to you? And he was just kind of oh, yeah. He was he was busy and then so she said, can I just like 5 minutes and then and he was doing whatever he was doing and then he she says, what is it? I'm busy. And then she said, I just blurted out, my son has cancer, and she burst into tears and she laughed. And you know the thing is that when she told me that, she again, I I understand that guy, but I also understand sometimes the interruptions are the greatest ministries.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:29:20]:
Right? Because people at times you don't know what people are carrying. My mom wasn't walking around all depressed and all that. She's Japanese. She could hide it. No. But, you know what I mean? That thing and so here's that aspect that I don't always know. Right? And so I have to admit that, but but pray. Would you pray that prayer this week? That with one of those invitations that you have, right? Because that's what I'm gonna do.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:29:50]:
This week, we have 5 invitations. I wanna pray 5 times this week. I wanna pray, God, would you use me? Would you use me today? Would you lead me to somebody that I could speak somehow a life to them. And so not only do I have a responsibility, but I also have the joy. I also have the joy. I have the joy of when somebody thanks you. I have the joy when, you know, first time I ever led somebody to Christ, I just was like I was like flying high. I was a brand new Christian.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:30:24]:
I was a brand new Christian still. And my friend that I grew up with how many of you guys grew up with people that, you know, you guys did the crazy stuff and they know all about you, right? And now they kind of curious like why are you walking with Jesus? And it's like what happened to you? What happened to Glenn? Right? The whole thing. And it's like and and some of those guys were like, oh, of course, you needed Jesus. Right? Like, because they they weren't they weren't doing exactly the same thing. But this guy, he was kind of a goody goody, but but Scott, his name is Scott, and I've known him from 8th grade. And when he received the Lord, it I just said, God, thank you so much that you love my friends just the same way that you love me. Right? And and so it's it's sometimes just the greatest joy. Now how do we do this now? So the question becomes, how then do we do it? Right? You can invite, you can pray, you can do all those things, but sometimes you gotta engage in conversation and not a monologue.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:31:27]:
Right? So we're not saying to you go up and start preaching to people it says, and then get your friend's attention and then just kinda launch on for 20 minutes, right? Like, kinda like the brother did to me in the gym. No. But, but here's the thing. Be friendly, smile, be yourself. And then some of you guys might be asking yourself, what if I'm not a friendly and smiley person? Then just fake it. No. I'm just kidding. That's not what I'm saying.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:31:53]:
You don't have to when I say be smile and be friendly, I'm just saying in general. Right? In general. I'm not saying fake it. But sometimes you gotta faith it. Right? Sometimes you gotta ask for that boldness. I ask for boldness because there's times I'm not Bold doesn't mean brash. What does bold mean? It's saying what God wants you to say when he wants you to say it. Right? Because often God will tell you to say something when you don't wanna say it.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:32:29]:
Right? God is gonna tell you to do something when you don't wanna do it. And and so now I grew up as a Christian. I grew up as a believer using a tool of some kind to share the gospel. The 4 spiritual laws, laws, some of us have been in that kind of you use the track, the bridge to life or steps to peace with God or whatever it is. That there's all these different things, right, that that you use those things. But I want to explain one way that you can share the gospel without having to use a tool like that. Why do I do that? Because to be honest, Jesus never did that. You guys ever noticed that? Jesus didn't have a piece of paper.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:33:08]:
Now, there is a season in the church where it grew the fastest. It it grew incredibly. It grew from a 100 and 20 to a 150,000,000. You know when that happened? The first 350 years of the church. And the first 350 years of the church, obviously, there was no television, radio, Internet, Google Ads. We'll we'll place Google Ads. We'll do those things. Right? But but there was none of that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:33:37]:
Right? No video, no no broadcast. Right? No printing press. There's no printing press. But people came to Jesus like crazy. Now why was that? Because as people went, they made disciples. As people went about their lives, they talked to their friends. They talked to their neighbors, right? That Paul, we see in the scriptures, was a tent maker. So who did he preach to? Sometimes to other tent makers as he's doing it.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:34:12]:
Right? Sometimes he's in the public square. Sometimes he's preaching. There were great apostles and missionaries at that time, but it's basically average people talking story. So do me a favor, turn your ear and say this, I can talk story. I can talk story. Okay. Can you talk story? I hope you can talk story. Now now There's 3 aspects, 3 stories that that are important in this process if you wanna share the gospel.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:34:40]:
The first story is this that is important. You gotta ask them their story. Right? You gotta ask them their story. The first thing you don't do is like, let me tell you about what you need to do. That's not what how you start. That's not the kind of story that that what we want, but we need to understand their story because if you don't let people share their story, to be honest, you'll be often stepping on things that you ought not to be stepping on. You're gonna offend people when you don't need to offend people. You're gonna, you're gonna kinda push people away that don't need to be pushed away.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:35:15]:
Because people don't wanna be talked at, but they are more than willing often to engage in real conversation. And so how do you how do you ask that, Bill? The first thing is just be willing to just ask them. By the way, what what's your what's your story? Right? Now how many of you guys have asked somebody this? You say, hey, how do you get to this job? What brought you to this place? Now some people, they're just gonna blurt out their whole life story. And to be honest, I know that you want it can we can we condense this? Can we shorten this? Right? And men especially, you guys like, oh, I wanna I don't wanna listen to the whole thing. But but here's here's the thing. But sometimes you get anybody get this aspect where they just go, I don't know. And then that's it. Oh, my friend.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:36:02]:
You know, like just that kind of a thing. It's like when you go to the party, hey, how's it going? You guys ever go to the wedding? I've been to weddings. I've been to a lot of weddings. And sometimes I'm seated on a table with people I know absolutely nothing about. This is when that reception is the longest reception. And it could be short technically, but this is the longest reception. Hey, how do you guys come? How do you know? The bride or the groom? They go, bride. And then, you know, like, that's it.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:36:30]:
Like, you know, like, like, oh my gosh, this is gonna be a long dinner, right? Or whatever the case. But some of us, you guys get that. Right? You guys know what I'm talking about? How many of you guys get married to that Japanese guy anyway? No. But like, in Proverbs 25, what can we read what it says? Let's read what that says. Ready? Begin. The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding would draw it out. You know, these things is that people have a lot of thought. Sometimes you think people don't think like, man, this guy I don't know what this guy thinks.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:37:07]:
It might be a mystery. But you know what? Sometimes we need to have wisdom and understanding to draw out what's on people's hearts, what's in people's minds. Right? And so how do you do that? 1st, just be genuinely interested in somebody. Be genuinely interested in somebody. And here's the thing, ask questions. Just ask just ask questions. Now, try to avoid using too many yes and no questions. Right? Like, you know, do you like a job? Yeah.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:37:39]:
No. I mean, you know what I mean? Like that kind of a thing, but like, or do you have any spiritual background? I mean, that might be a yes or no question, right, that people gonna know, I don't have a yeah, yeah, I do. Right? But it's like are you going to church anywhere? That's a yes or no question, but you kind of follow it up with wow, like, what's that experience like for you? Right? Hey. I never, like, go church when I was a kid, and we made me go church and this and this and this, and you go like you guys ever heard those kind of stories. Right? And just ask them like, wow, what was so difficult about that? Right? You ask just ask questions. Now it it it can be like, hey, some people that we're gonna get to this thing is like, sometimes I'm walking in and, I'm talking to people in very difficult situations. You know, I I walked in this week and I I visited somebody in the hospital and and they're in a very that I can I just wanna engage in dialogue? And so I'm asking is there anything you want Jesus to do for you? Like in the hospital, duh. Right? But to be honest, that's what Jesus often asked.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:38:54]:
So I almost always ask that question. And sometimes they'll tell you, yes, I wanna get healed. But sometimes they tell you all kinds of stuff. They tell you all, they'll tell you about their kids, they tell you about this situation, they tell you about their worries, they tell you about their who, you know, the whole thing, right, or the financial thing. It's like, I don't wanna make people worry. And so just this thing is as people begin to open up, you start finding out what's important to them. You know what kind of things that sometimes you can ask? And maybe it's just the people that you talk story with. Sometimes it's the the person that you're trying to reach who said, hey, you know, like, hey, what's your, you know, at this season of your life, what do you feel like is your biggest success? Or if you had a chance to do it over, what's the one thing you would do over? And you better be ready if you ask that kind of question that you have a response that yourself, like, right? If I ask, hey, what's my biggest what's your biggest regret? They said, oh, they tell this great huge, you know, thing that, oh my gosh.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:39:54]:
This was a horrible blow up. But you cannot just say, what about you? Oh, no. I'm good. You cannot do that. Right? Like, so it's just because you're sharing life. Right? We're just sharing our lives. You're just kind of being willing and and that this aspect. Right? So what are you most concerned about? Right? I can somebody to get their head I mean, are man, are you alright? Just and response no matter what.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:40:26]:
And you know what? That's the sign. Sometimes maybe this is a sign that they're not ready to engage, but you just ask them their story. Ask people their story. What is it you're most concerned about? What are you investing your life in? What's your greatest hopes? Hey, what are you planning to do in the future? What is it that's, you know, if you could ask God any question, what question would that be? Right? All these kinds of things. You say, hey. How did you get to this place? Like, wow. You hear people a little bit background and you wonder like, sometimes how did you get here means like knowing how what your background was. It was shocked that you got this far.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:41:00]:
Sometimes it's you came from up there, like you came from this place, and now we see you in a very distant season. But just say, how did you get here? Not in a judgmental way. Just that, hey, just giving time to people to tell their story. But you gotta be interested. Right? You gotta be interested. You gotta be listening. You gotta and when I say listen, listen for feelings, listen for their thoughts, listen about their journey. This is their life.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:41:24]:
Right? And people will often tell you about what is most important, what are the greatest hurts, and what are the greatest disappointments. But it it's not all the time. And those kind of conversations generally happen kinda like on a 1 on 1 basis. Right? Generally happen on a 1 on 1 basis. It's it's not the kind of thing you do in a big party. It's not the kind of thing that you do when, hey, everybody's watching the game. Right? That they're watching the game time. It's like, hey, you know, like, brother, that that was an awesome play.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:41:52]:
There's a different kind of a situation. But when people start sharing their story, this It doesn't mean that you're always gonna agree with what they say. It doesn't mean that you're always gonna approve of what they've done. But you know what, can I tell you this, don't criticize their story? Don't criticize their choices. They've often done it themselves already. Right? So don't judge them because that's not the point. Right? The point is we've all done we made mistakes, right? So we've all had those situations, right? So don't say, oh, I was so hurt when, you know, I went to this church and they did this and they just say don't say, oh, you shouldn't have feel like that. You know what I mean? Don't criticize the story.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:42:41]:
Right? There's an Argentine proverb that says this, who speaks sows, Who listens reaps. Right? Because when you listen, to be honest, there's a greater capacity and you give understanding, greater capacity for for the ball to move forward. Right? But here's the thing. The first thing is you ask them their story and the second thing is then so often, you know what the reality is? They'll ask you your story. And even if they don't ask you your story, sometimes it becomes an appropriate thing for you to share your story. Now what we see in in John chapter 4 with that lady who gave her heart to Jesus and and who was far away from God, who didn't follow, didn't understand the faith, didn't was kind of shucking and driving. But when she came to experience Jesus, this is what it says in in John 4 Jesus because the woman had said what? He told me everything I did. She just told her story.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:43:46]:
Now, let me give you, let me give you the some points about how you share your story. 1st is first is the 5 b's of sharing your story. Be brief, baby. Be brief. No. But like, I mean, here's the thing though. Be brief and have a point when you tell your story. Be brief and have a point.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:44:06]:
Don't turn it into a 6 point message. Don't turn it into a 45 minute story. Right? Don't like force people to be looking like this when you tell the story. Try to tell your story in a short span of time. I would say this, 3 to 5 minutes. Let's say this, 2 2 to 4 minutes. Now, what do you do when you tell a story? This every testimony, right, every story has a before, has a has a but what brought you to that point of responding to God, right? And then how have you changed since, right? How have you changed since? So anytime you tell your story in in, you know, some of it is like how you came to faith for some. Right? And some of you think, I have a boring story.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:44:59]:
You know, I was like, I never like, I wasn't like in prison, and I wasn't the kind like, I wasn't doing all those things, and you go, my story is boring. How many of you guys think that you have a boring story? Raise your hand. I'm just curious. Okay. There's a there's a few. Right? Though like to be honest, the guys with a boring story, you guys often had a blessed life. But but the thing is that you different stories reach different people, but but here's the thing is that, I'm gonna say this, but you gotta understand you have more than one story. You have more than one testimony.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:45:32]:
And and I'll get back to that. So you have more than 1, so don't don't worry about it. You can there's different things. Now, but can we also just say this, you got to be honest in you when you tell your story. Please don't embellish your life, you know, like because this guy, you know, he was he was all crazy. So you wanna make your life to be crazy. That doesn't say that. Don't don't do that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:45:52]:
Like, one of my friends, he went to a church where, his wife's was actually his wife's pastor. And the wife every time the the pastor, every time he told a story, like he was the hero, like I shot the winning basket in the game, you know, I I scored the winning point in like every story that he would tell in the message, and to be honest, my friend would roll his eyes. Right? Because it just didn't ring true. So just be honest. Right? Just be honest. But but also, I would just say this, understand that you have more than one story because you know what every story is? It's if you've ever had a problem and Jesus met you in your problem. That's a testimony, right, if you've ever had a problem. How many of you anybody had problems? We all have problems.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:46:39]:
Right? Jesus ever meet you in your problems? That's a testimony. Right? That's a that's a story to be sure. I I can tell a story about when you have an ADHD child, like, and they're driving you crazy. I I can tell a story about that when, when you have somebody have cancer in your family or when you have when I have when you have cancer. Right? I I can tell a story like I can tell a story about when you've been sued unjustly. I can tell a story about when I had a loved one. I can tell a story, and these are all true stories, because they're just things I've gone through in life. Right? I can have a story when I got the short end of the stick.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:47:18]:
I can have a story when I was overwhelmed with anxiety. I can tell a story when I had financial problems. I can tell a story, that's all my stories, right, When I've been ghosted by somebody. I can tell a story when you cannot agree with your spouse on something. I can tell a story when you got all that you wanted and it wasn't enough. Right? I can tell a story. Everybody, you have plenty of stories. If just think about how God met you in your problems, and that's all.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:47:50]:
Like, what were you doing before? Before I was just totally anxious. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't I mean, I had I had to go to the emergency. I checked I got the EKG, right? And then the whole thing and I just realized I thought I was having heart problems in the beginning, right? That's that's a true story. But when I surrendered it to God, to be honest, I I had a peace that I just woke up and like literally and this is of course, I'm not telling you the whole story but it's like it's like the blue was bluer in the sky and the the the sky was clearer and I was lighter. It was literally like that. And after that, it's not that I've never felt anxiety rising, but I've never had a panic attack since. Right? But but I can tell that story because I I've been through that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:48:41]:
Right? And so you use your stories. God never wastes a hurt. In fact, it says this, in all the things that you've been through when God meets you, he says this. Can we read what it says in 2nd Corinthians? It says, all praise to God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful father and the source of all comfort, and he comforts us in some of our troubles or no. Is that what it says? Oh, thank you. Thank you for correcting me. He comforts us in all our troubles.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:49:16]:
Why? So we can comfort others because we walked that shoot. We walked that road. Do I tell them do I always tell people I know exactly what you mean? No. I often I don't say. I say, I don't know how I don't know if this is what you're feeling. This is what I went through. Right? And and and so when they are troubled, and ask God, even when you're telling God, would you use that? And and after a while, one of those things that happens is they're listening to that. You know what it does? It just the story doesn't get them saved.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:49:55]:
But you know what the story does? It says, while God can work in your life, in your problems, maybe God can work in mine. You know, like you you you don't have it all together and I don't have it all together. But if God could work in your life, maybe he can work in mine. You know what I mean? All that kind of stuff. All it does is it shows the illustration of what could possibly be. And and so that's that's why we tell the stories because people need to know that they've heard A lot of people Most people have heard that God loves them. They have no idea what it means. That God loved us when we were the most unlovable.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:50:37]:
That God loved us in the middle of when we were like a 1000000 miles away. Right? And so, as well as the comfort, as well as all that great stuff. And so now I'll just say this. This is the last thing is that you share you ask them their story. That's the first story. The second story is you share your story. And then the third story, sometimes we get to this place where we just ask permission to share God's story. Right? We share God's story.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:51:02]:
What does that mean? That's where we can share the gospel, right? And, it's in that moment. And sometimes this is how I lead into it. I often I I'll get to that. I said, do you ever notice that the world's kind of messed up? You know what the response I get like, yeah. No. That's okay. And then sometimes some guys, they're off to the races on on that. But like and I I just say this, but you know what? It's not supposed to be that way.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:51:26]:
That wasn't God's plan a. Right? And then we start talking about, you know, the fact that how God made it, but but we messed it up. And how many of us that we had a life and we messed it up? We have a right? So we're we're often in these places, but when you tell God's story, eventually, you know, you there's different tools that you can use. And if you wanted to use a tool like the bridge to life or the 4 spiritual laws or that would you like to know God personally or the Romans wrote or 10 substitutions, this is might be a time that you could use something if you wanted to say that. But sometimes just you don't have to always say the exact verses. You just say what it means. And and there's people will will respond to that. There's just 2 necessary components, I think, that when we tell the story about what's necessary for someone to come to know Christ.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:52:25]:
The first is, of course, you gotta understand about God and who He is or that He loves us, but that He's holy. You can tell all the deep the the data part, the points. But how does the response their response has to 1, have kind of a sense of humility about it. We humble ourselves before God, and then you gotta have faith. Sometimes the word the the scripture uses this, you gotta repent and believe. What is repent? You change your mind. You change your mind about God, you change your mind about sin. You change your mind about, you know, the road that you've been.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:53:03]:
You change your mind. I I live my life. I was my own God. I just did, like, I was totally in control. But what I found was I don't make a good God, And so I was willing to trust the real God. It says it like this in Luke 24. He says, it's written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all nations beginning in Jerusalem. There's forgiveness of all sins for all who repent.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:53:37]:
Well, just humble yourself and just say, god, why if this is true, I'd I'm willing to do it your way. I'm willing to come to you. I know I made my mistakes, but if you can forgive me. And the the the second part is just have faith in Christ. Believe is not a feeling, it's a choice. And then maybe sometimes feelings come, but it's a choice. And he says this in Romans 10:9 to 11, he says, if you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing, let's say believing where? In your heart that you're made right with God and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:54:31]:
So it's not a feeling, but it's a choice. So I'm gonna put my trust in you. And you know that I've seen people who are at the bottom of the pit give their life to Jesus, and I've seen people, like in places that I thought maybe this is the last thing this guy wants. He has everything. But you know, I couldn't see I couldn't see what was in his heart till I asked. And then I could see something. And then I've been able to share the gospel and see people respond. And sometimes, it's the people you least expect.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:55:13]:
Right? Sometimes it's the people that you you think, oh, they wouldn't be interested. I remember one of these guys that, to be honest, I didn't even remember the story. I just probably talked to him a little bit, but he came a few months later after I met him, and I didn't remember meeting. He came up to me. He he said this, hey, Glenn, do you remember me? And I said, oh, I'm looking, you know, the catalog file of my mind. Oh, sorry, brother. I don't remember your I don't remember. He says, oh, you talked to me when you by the art building in on campus.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:55:54]:
And I go, oh. Oh, really? Yeah. He said, yeah. You came up to me and you started talking to me about God and asked me if I had a, you know, if I I could get you could get my opinion about something. And and and I remember you you sharing that. And and I and I just said that when you when you started to talk to me, I just felt like God said to me, you should live. And I go and he's telling that story. I don't know what that means.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:56:22]:
Right? So he's going on and he's telling his story. And he says, I didn't pray with you that day, and I didn't even act like I was that interested, but I know God was saying that you should live. And then he said this, he said because to be honest, that day I was gonna go home, and I was gonna kill myself. And I'm sure if I thought this guy was gonna kill himself, I'm sure I would have really remembered, and I would have really tried to everything in my mind to engage, but I couldn't tell. I don't even remember the story. He's telling me this. He said, I didn't respond to Jesus that day, but you know what? After that, I went to the church, Honolulu Christian Church in Manoa. And I went there, and I gave my life to Jesus.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:57:18]:
And you know, I was so glad that that day, even though I didn't know it, God had an appointment. And that when I showed up, and I I don't even remember the appointment, I don't even remember the encounter, but God remembered and he remembered. How many people are out there? They're just waiting to be on the other side of our obedience. Because it's God who's at work. Right? And it's God who's drawing, but we need to say it. We need to reach out. We need to love people. And sometimes how do you do it? Ask them their story, share your story, and then you share God's story.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:58:01]:
Amen? Let's bow our heads, we'll close in a word of prayer. Father, I know some of us that we think that maybe our story is not so important, our story is not so spectacular, but I thank you that you gave each of us the story that you did because it's gonna reach somebody. And that Lord, you also multiplied all of our stories, but sometimes it's the problems that we've gone through, and the things that we've survived, and the things that we've learned. Because the things that we've been through, to be honest, Lord, we know it's just calming the people. And so, Lord, today, I pray that you would remind your sons and your daughters that their story matters and that the people around them matter. Lord, would you give us your heart for people? Would you give us your love for people? And today, we're asking, would you bring someone into our pathway that we can speak life to them? And maybe it's just by talking story, asking them their story, sharing our story, and sharing your story. It might not happen all in one day, but Lord, I pray that you would open those doors. And I'm sure there are some folks maybe watching online or maybe in the house.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:59:41]:
You've always wondered, I mean, is there a God? Maybe you've wondered, does He really know me? The answer is yes. And He's just wanting you to respond to Him, to just choose. You heard the story. You know he died on the cross. You know he came for people. But you just gotta respond. And if that's you today, would you just tell them? God, I wanna trust you today. God, I I recognize I've been walking my own path, and maybe you're like me.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [01:00:15]:
You haven't been a great god of your own life. But this is what god says. Give your life to me and see what I can do with it. We're gonna pray a real simple prayer if that's you and you'd like to respond. Lord Jesus, would you come into my life? Fill me with your presence because I confess I've made mistakes. I've sinned. But thank you that you love me and sent Jesus to die in my place. I receive you as my savior and my lord.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [01:00:57]:
God, you are good, and you are king. And thank you for leading me today. I surrender my life to you. And would you help me to know you more, to grow in a relationship with you? And I say it now so that you can hear me and I can hear myself, that Jesus Christ thank you for being my savior and being my God. Amen. Amen. Hey. Can we say congratulations to those folks? God bless you guys.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [01:01:34]:
Have a great weekend.