Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:00:00]:
I don't change anybody's life, but I'm so glad God does. But, you know, like, and whatever service you guys go to, you know,

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:00:06]:
like this is for some of us, we're we're hardcore Saturday night fans. Please invite your friends to the service that you go to. Sit with your friends. When you you bring someone, you know, introduce them to your friends. We're gonna have food. We're gonna have, a lot of fun. Especially, I know Sunday, we have a lot more activity, you know, we have the things for kids and egg hunt, and you know, music, and a whole thing. But even with tonight, on Saturdays, obviously, we have dinner.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:00:30]:
This is one of the things I love about Saturday. We have dinner every Saturday. Right? We, have a a capacity to enjoy each other's company, but invite them, and then you know what? Let them meet your friends. Let them meet the the folks that rub shoulders with others. It's not something you have to just do by yourself. 3 weeks ago, we started the series we're just calling right now, Be the Light, and and it's because simply that although Jesus is the light of the world, he passes the torch to us. Isn't that amazing that he says that although obviously he's the one that can shine through all seasons, he says this that when he ignites something in us, when he renews something in us, by his grace, for his mercy, forgiveness, and that that life happens in us, he says, then you and I, we have that capacity to shine that as well. And we're gonna read, that together in Matthew chapter 5.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:01:23]:
And, sometimes we've just been reading a little bit of that, but we're gonna read that kind of the context of this, and so would you be kind enough to stand? We're gonna close our series this weekend, on this, and the next week, we start a brand new series, and it's really gonna be geared to, the the folks that you invite. And so that when they come, they they're gonna be hear a message that whether they've been disconnected, and sometimes there's believers that they just haven't connected in a while. Sometimes there's people who've never gone to church, but we want them to know that God's the message that God says is is for all people. It's not for it's not just for the guys who believe already, but but it's for all people. But we're gonna read this together. Let's read. Ready? Begin. You are the light of the world, like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:02:13]:
No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly father. And you know, I know, Duran, this this evening, he he meant well, and then, and, you know, just encouraging at the same time. We know that that when people sometimes they see us that that he wants us to be in a place that the way that we reach out, the way that we encourage, the way that we stand with, the way that we speak, the the spirit in which we traffic, that it's not to make us be, you know, the all eyes to us, but that sometimes people need to see Jesus with skin on. Right? And and that's you and me. And and and so we're not as good and we're not as perfect, but this is the the good news, is God can use you. That when you don't hide the light that we let it shine, then he says there's a great capacity.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:03:18]:
You know, I I had to change a headlight on a car recently, you know what I did was when I changed that headlight, you know what I didn't do? I didn't black it out with tape. Right? Because it defeats the purpose of changing the light, right? And so obviously, that's a it's a kind of a no brainer, but the scripture is saying that if we're not careful, that we're not careful, sometimes we the light that is shining, it's there's things that get in the way. And so we're gonna talk a little bit this this evening on how we can, you know, like we talked about how we can pray, how we can invite, and we understand why we have to share the good news that we we talked a little bit about the power of your story, and and how God uses your story, understanding someone else's story about living an invitational lifestyle. But tonight, we're gonna talk a little bit about making sure we see the people around us. And so before you see that, do me a favor. Turn to your neighbor and says, I see you, and I'm so glad that you're here. I see you. Right? I see you.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:04:18]:
And there's something different. Right? That when you see somebody and you smile. Right? Like it's good to see Gene over here today, right? It's it's good to see people and there's something that lights up. And so when that happens, we get to shine our light. You know, the the the thing though that is that does prevent that is sometimes it's the people that you don't see. I don't know if you've ever been in a place that that at times it it can happen at home, it can happen in your office, it can happen with your friends, it can happen, you know, just as as you're moving through life that that you just walk past somebody. It's not that you didn't see them physically, but you just didn't you didn't notice them. You understand.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:04:56]:
You didn't connect. And and that because of that, you know, at times we we can see people, like, daily, but them not feel seen. Right? And and it not be connected. And so, because sometimes we're just focused on the stuff that's going on in our life. You guys ever been so busy that you go to, I just gotta get my stuff done. You know, like last week I talked about how I think I'm generally a friendly guy, but that somehow when I go to the gym I'm not so friendly. Because when I go to the gym I just wanna get my stuff done, right? And, you know, I I had a I haven't been able to work out much this week. So today, I actually I I cheated and I actually went to the gym before I came here because I feel like, man, I'm so so sluggish.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:05:39]:
I just haven't been, you know, been so busy. But even if I have to go, and I went and I am trying to get all my stuff done and I see my friend and there's a part of me that I didn't even wanna say hi to my friend. You know, but I did. We saw you said, hi. We did we we chatted and all that. But but, you know, sometimes you can get so busy that that we bypass. And and, you know, maybe when you're in the middle of those kinds of things that when you're just overwhelmed at times by life, that if you've ever been there, how do you get out from under that? Right? How do you get out from under that? And there is a scripture that I think that that that really speaks to what Jesus is calling us to do. This is what it says in John 435.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:06:23]:
He says this, don't you have a saying, it's still 4 months until the harvest. What is it saying? What does that really mean? Not now. Right? Aren't you saying it's like, oh, there's time. Right? Aren't you saying that that 4 months, right, it's like, hey, there's no rush. But he says this, I tell you open your eyes and look at the fields, they are ripe for harvest. And so he's saying instead of saying, I'll do it later. I'll do it I'll do it sometime. I'll get around to it.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:06:51]:
It's not the right time. He just says this, that I'm not sure why I chose this this translation because most translations say something along the eye the lines of lift up your eyes. Lift up your eyes. It's like when I'm so focused on my stuff, I can walk right past people. And when I'm so focused on my task, when I'm so focused focused on my vision for something, when I'm so focused on the pressure and the things that I need to to fulfill, you know, I can just walk past. I can walk past my kids. I can walk past my wife. I can walk past a a staff.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:07:23]:
I can walk past at times. Right? I try not to, but this is what the solution is. Lift up your eyes, he says. Well, just pick up your head. Don't just be focused only on your life. Don't just be so focused on what you have to do. And why is that? Because he said, when you lift up and you see the people around you, when you see the people around you, something will change. Something changes in you, and there's a great capacity, something to change in them.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:07:49]:
You know? But how do you do that? Right? How do you get out from all under those kind of things? Well, we're gonna talk about that a little bit. And so I we have the great privilege tonight though to have somebody who, that when I when I think of who does this like like this is this this marks their life. It's my my good friends, Ted and Calin Offutt, and you guys have seen them, many times. They're missionary I'm sorry. What is the director? What is your title again?

Ted Offutt [00:08:23]:
Director of Church

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:08:24]:
Planting. Director of Church Planting for Encompass International. I'll kick myself later. Director of Church Planting for Encompass International and really basically just kinda overseeing the missionaries that go out to all over the world. And, but the thing is it's not that it's not just the things that happen around the world, that what I see is through their life that wherever they go, wherever they go that I'm always hearing a story about, man, this this, you know, that we had to party, we had these guys, and it's like people who do this so I don't know if it's always naturally, but who do it so well, are are my friends Ted and Kalyn off it. So would do me a favor? Would you welcome, give a warm, you hope Kapolei welcome to Ted Offit. He's gonna share on this first point. Thank you.

Ted Offutt [00:09:16]:
You know, we've been actually journeying together for, like, over 35 years now. Over which means we're old.

Ted Offutt [00:09:23]:
Yeah. You're here. Yeah. I don't know if I was better looking in or not. But, hey, before I get into the point, it's actually pretty risky for for Glenn to give the point a point of his message to somebody else because hopefully he doesn't have to pick up too many pieces, you know, from whatever I say. But, we are super grateful to be here. You guys have been partnering we've been partnering together for a lot of years through a lot of different situations. And so I just wanna say thank you.

Ted Offutt [00:09:51]:
I mean, huge thank you to this church for being working together and and actually touching lives all over the world together. And we we cannot express our our gratitude enough. I I and because it's reality. And we love our jobs. It's like the best job ever, actually. We get to actually work with the especially the younger generation going out to the world, touching lives and sharing and actually the the sharing the light of Jesus, you know, to others around the world. So and and our our mission agency, what we are about is really trying to take the light of Jesus to the least reached peoples of the world. And so to do that, that means you gotta do a lot of evangelism.

Ted Offutt [00:10:30]:
Right? Big old theological word evangelism to share the good news. So which is what you guys have been talking about for a few weeks at least. And so, because this means that if you're going to go to the least reached peoples of the world, then sharing Jesus is priority number 1. So the question is, how do you go about doing that? But you know what? Even for the missionaries, just like many of us, the the term evangelism does not bring up a lot of warm fuzzies in our minds because we feel intimidated by the thought of of talking about Jesus. We feel non confident. Is that a word? Unconfident? We don't feel confident about talking about Jesus. And, we feel guilty because we're not doing enough. And so that's just a typical thing.

Ted Offutt [00:11:22]:
And what what happens, I think part of it is because the typical thought of of sharing Christ, of evangelism, is I is like this. I meet somebody or I know somebody, right? And so because I know that person and I know Jesus, somehow, someway, I've got to be this incredible demonstration of the glory of God to this person. Right? I've gotta be so reflecting of Jesus that when that guy looks at me, he says, hey, that guy is just like Jesus. A lot of pressure. Right? And then and then I think, then I am also now responsible to share this message of Jesus with people in a very winsome and convincing way so that they will bow their knees to Jesus and trust Christ. And that's what we typically think. And there's some truth to that. And maybe not the exaggerated way I said it, but but there is something to that.

Ted Offutt [00:12:16]:
But So But basically, when we think of sharing the light of Christ, we typically think of it as an individual sport. Me and whoever I'm reaching out to. And I actually know a lot about individual sports. You know, I grew up. I did karate and judo and wrestling, you know, and power lifting. And then even now, I do mountain biking and play tennis. All individual sports. I think it's because I'm small.

Ted Offutt [00:12:40]:
Can't do a lot of other groups team sports. You know? But, so that's but we think of of sharing Christ as an individual sport sometimes. But what if what if it was a team sport? How would that change things and how we actually share Christ with others? And so, I wanna look at, well, pull it up. I think you probably have it. John 17 20 through 23. And, we're gonna I'll read it real fast and then, just make a couple points and move on. But so this is Jesus' high priestly prayer that he's praying for, you know, towards the end of his life. He says, my prayer is not for them alone.

Ted Offutt [00:13:19]:
I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be 1. Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be 1 as we are 1. I in them and you and me so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will love you. Then the world will know that you sent me and I've loved them even as you have loved me. Now there's a lot in these few verses that we're not gonna talk about tonight, but just or in the morning tomorrow with the, the idea though is that Jesus says in in first in that in 21 is that he prays for us that we would be 1.

Ted Offutt [00:14:05]:
And this is kinda radical, actually, just like Jesus and the father are 1, which is mind boggling to think of what that unity would be like. And then he says, so that the world may know that the Father sent me. And then he says in 23, he prays that we would have perfect or experience perfect unity that the world would know that the Father sent Jesus and that Jesus loves the world just or God the Father loves the world just like He loves Jesus, which is pretty radical, actually, even in that. Right? Have you ever thought about the fact that God loves people just as the father loves people just as much as he loves Jesus? That's crazy. That's crazy. But that's what it is. But the thing is, it's actually this this unity, this this community that we have with each other, which is actually a testimony to those who don't know Christ, that He's actually real and worth knowing. It's us together that is the proclamation or the statement of the good news of Jesus.

Ted Offutt [00:15:19]:
So it's not just me being my individual sport, you know, being so awesome that people just wanna follow follow Jesus, which I can't do anyhow. But it's us together, our relationships together, our community, our unity that Jesus prays for us, that is the sign to those who do not know Christ. So the thing is that what we wanna do, and it's the title on your notes, is that we wanna merge our worlds together. And so because and to put it simply is that we have the world of my non believing friends and the world of my believing friends. I wanna get them together. I want to get us together so that the non believing friends can see and witness and experience that fellowship and community of our believing friends. So even like when you inviting people to Easter, that's part of what you're doing. You're exposing your non believing friends and family to your believing friends and family so that they can see Jesus in us together, not just in me by myself or you by yourself.

Ted Offutt [00:16:27]:
So practically, what does that look like? And I wanna give a couple, just simply a simple way to do this is one is be involved in things that make connections that happen on a regular basis. And then, with that invite or try to do it where it's believers and non believers together. So let me give a couple of examples to help make sense. And these are overseas examples. The first one is in in Kyrgyzstan, Muslim Kyrgyzstan. I wanna share this example because it's my daughter and son-in-law who are there as missionaries right now. And so my daughter and son-in-law, they like board games. I mean, they're really into board games.

Ted Offutt [00:17:09]:
The kind of games I cannot understand. Right? I try to play games with them. I just don't know what they're talking about. Because I just wanna play Monopoly or something. You know? But they have these games. It's super complicated. They love them. And so they've been in Kyrgyzstan now for about only about 6 months, but they love board games.

Ted Offutt [00:17:22]:
And so what they've done is start a board game night, and they get people together to play board games. Now what happened, they're averaging about 20 people plus and not, every time it happens, every week. Some of the people are believers. Some of the people are non believers. And they get together and all they do, they they eat food, they play games, and they talk story. And that's what they do. But what's happening is they're getting to know each other. And as a result already, some of the people who do not know Jesus are becoming interested in knowing Jesus and even starting to come to their church and and hear about Christ.

Ted Offutt [00:17:59]:
I'll give you another example also overseas of our our friend Roy. Now Roy is that was Kyrgyzstan, Muslim Kyrgyzstan. Roy is in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland. Now we probably most of us don't know this, but Ireland is crazy hostile to Jesus. I mean, to be honest, it might be the most hostile place I've ever been. Now they're not gonna get cut off your head like some places in the world, but people do not wanna know about Jesus. If they know that you're saying something from the Bible to them, they will probably not even wanna have a relationship with you anymore. It's that hostile because of some background things.

Ted Offutt [00:18:34]:
So Roy, what he has done, he's done a few things, but one of the things he's done is he started a book club. And so the book club, they they had a group of people, some a few not a few believers, a lot of non believers. And they they just read read a book and they discuss it together as a club. And so they they get to rotate who chooses the book. You know? So non believers choose a book that doesn't reflect Christ when his sister and he chooses a book that talks about Jesus. But they're actually but it's open, and they can actually discuss these things in a context where they can't normally do it. Now, Roy, I don't know how many of you would like to do a book club. I wouldn't do it.

Ted Offutt [00:19:12]:
But Roy is actually a full on intellectual philosopher. And so he loves doing it. And so he loves and and so the people who do it, they love doing it too. And, and and and so and it's working. Because of that, people are now they're warming up to Jesus and and about and to knowing him. And by the way, Roy is 70 years old and doing this. So he is still serving hearts. So so when I talk about when we talk about merging our worlds, to keep it simple, what we're talking about is finding something that we like.

Ted Offutt [00:19:45]:
You know, it's not a big chore to get involved in, and we do it not just by ourselves, but we do it with part of our believing community. So we can merge our believing community world with our non believing world. And through that connection, our non believing friends and family, they see Jesus in all of us. Thank you.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:20:13]:
Thanks, Ted. And, you know, like, for instance, it's like if we're in the season then and some of us maybe you've been in that season, you're in the season now where your kids are playing sports, right, and, you know, like it's you're you're there. Maybe it's not that that you always love going to the sports things, but but you you tend to hang out with these people. Right? You tend to see them a lot. Right? So, you know, sometimes it's in the midst of those kinds of relationships where, you you can invite people, you talk to them, and you you have people who do the same kind of a thing. I I was sending my oldest son when he was playing I9 sports. He was playing flag football. He's never was gonna be the guy who's gonna be big playing on the football team in high school or college or anything, but he could play football, you know, growing up.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:21:02]:
And so as a result, I'm sorry, it's not wasn't Jacob, it was was Marky. And, as a result, so was another brother that he was there. And then he, you know, he was coaching and he didn't know didn't know me from Adam, but we our kids played together and then we invited each other and started talking story and and then he came to church and he he came to rededicate his life. His wife came to know Christ and their names are Chad and Anela Mahoy. The ones who lead our worship. Right? And I had a my oldest son was playing soccer with, you know, like just kind of the what do you call that? ASO soccer, and then he played different leagues in soccer and met some other folks. And then when he just said, hey. You know, do you guys do you look familiar? You know, they're from, like where are you from? And we're talking about kind of, kind of in the same time a little bit and different things.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:21:58]:
And kids played soccer and, like, my son played went on to play soccer. His son didn't go on to play soccer, but as a result, they started to come and we we got to meet them and got recommitted and and the whole thing and and have been involved. And and their names are Quentin and Kim Machida. Right? So, you know, the thing is that it's just as you go around your life, if you don't if you don't separate your life, just live one life and and don't try to keep them separate. Don't try to keep people separate. It's so tiring that way. You can live one life. That's the best.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:22:35]:
You don't have to worry. Worry. You don't have to make up stuff. You just because you just live one life. But there are things that you probably do. You know Invite your friends together. Play music for some. Kendall for some.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:22:48]:
Right? For others at golf, different things. For some of you guys, you know, coffee, shopping, it doesn't matter as a place to just let people hang out with people and let them sometimes meet each other. I I love that. Thank you. Can we just say thanks so much again to to Ted? This this family, they do that so well. They do that so well. I'm I'm always, like, enamored, to be honest. And, like, if we if I see their family Christmas picture, it's like, this is dude, that Japanese boy over there and this lady that, like, I mean, obviously, they're not related, but it's like just this extended ohana that that comes.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:23:30]:
And they're not all believers. They're just they're just people that they befriend because, you know, they're they're in, you know, doing the same things. Ted plays tennis and different things. And and so we just see that and, you know, it's it works to be honest. It works. Hey, what happens though is that that at times, what do you do when, you know, you make those connections and you you already have some of those connections and you maybe invited them and they didn't come. And what what do you do? You know what? Just keep having relationship with them. And one of the things that you can do is sometimes just serve your neighbors in practical ways.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:24:04]:
Serve serve your friends in practical ways. When I say neighbor, I I mean that not necessarily like the guy who lives next door, but maybe like how Jesus uses that, to love your neighbor as yourself, just the people that are in in the the throw of your life. Right? And then what does that mean to serve your neighbor? It's doing good to people at times, maybe in their time of need, but sometimes it's just doing good to people. Right? And people never forget that. Right? And it's like at times when people are in a point of need have you guys ever been in a point of need? Just I don't know what it is. It's like, you know, you taking care of a sick child, taking care of a sick parent. Right? You're you're in the midst of you're working like a 2 different things and you're just it it's just overwhelmed when you're in this kind of a situation, maybe financially struggling, what have you. But but when someone kinda walks alongside you, comes alongside and and they don't come in a spirit of judgment.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:25:07]:
They don't come like because they're the savior of the world, but they they just they they just come alongside. That somehow you never forget that. Right? Sometime you never forget that. I I I remember people who who towed my car when we were stuck. I just still remember these 2 brothers of out in in Kauai, but I don't remember I don't forget that. Right? But here's the thing is that the scripture talks about that it's it's good to just do practical things to people when they're in a point of need. It says it like this in Proverbs 29:7, the godly care about the rights of the poor, the wicked don't care at all. Right? That that what does that mean? It's just saying that obviously when somebody's in a hard time, just that that somebody just is concerned about them.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:25:53]:
It's like that we don't lock and close out our hearts. It says it like this that in in Galatians 2:10, it says they encourage us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, unbelievers. Right? While they continued their work with the Jews, their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor which I have always been eager to do. And so Paul is saying, you know what? Yeah. No. Don't worry about it. I I'm I'm always willing to kinda minister to somebody in a in a point of need. Is it because that we do that only to the people in financial distress? No.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:26:29]:
But it's one of the ways that we do it collectively. It's one of the ways that we do it, as a church is with the food pantry. Right? It that's one of those ways. Or or maybe there's other ways that when folks are in a a period of transition and some of the youth that they just don't quite fit in the traditional system and maybe they have some dynamics that are happening at home that make it hard to figure it out and to do school together. And so we minister at u challenge. Right? So You Challenge is coming up as well this this month. Right? So there's a number of different ways we do it collectively, but what do you do that if if those things, you know, that those are group orientations that we do that, but but sometimes you can just do what the marketing concept is, that when you see a need, you fill it. If you wanna have a successful business, you find a need, you fill it.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:27:19]:
And it if there's some thing that's around you and you see that there's this need, go come along and fill it. Now, sometimes, I think we we don't wanna serve and, you know, serve our neighbor or serve a situation. Why? Because the need can be so overwhelming. You guys ever been in there? Like, there's people that sometimes you see that their lives are in such kind of a disarray or maybe it's it's such a kind of a difficult season that we we get a little gun shy. I don't know if you guys ever been in that. Right? Because we don't want to, you know, I I cannot meet all that. It's gonna it's too much for me. Right? Right? Now, this is what I I think that happens to all of us at times.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:28:05]:
It it's happened to me. But one of those things I remember is when I see that, and maybe people have felt that about me. Right? When when when I've had different situations, I like, my taking care of my dad or, you know, taking care of different people. But but here's the thing is I just when we say this, I'm not saying you are responsible to fix everyone's problems. Please don't hear that. That's that's not what I'm saying. You're not responsible. Do me a favor.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:28:32]:
Turn your turn your neighbor. You're not responsible to fix everybody's problems. I'm not responding. You're not. That's not what I'm talking about. Right? If you think that, you will certainly burn out. Right? If you think that's your orientation. If this is what you think of this point, you will certainly burn out because then you will you'll be overwhelmed, right, you cannot do that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:28:50]:
You're not called to do that. I'm not called to do that. But you know what you are called to do at times? If you cannot fix, you know, all those things and and you you can't meet everybody's need, you're called to do what you can do. Right? Sometimes you cannot do everything, but you can do what you can do. Right? If that's all you gotta do. Right? And sometimes we think that when we see overwhelming needs that because I cannot fix everything, then no sense. And I think that's a lie from the enemy. Right? It's it's that when we just do that, you just come alongside.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:29:27]:
They're like, you know, maybe sometimes you've seen people that, you know, their the situation is they don't have childcare and and, you know, you cannot say as I'm gonna babysit your kids every week at like, maybe you cannot do that. But, you know, there's been times we just babysat for folks, not because we could do it every week, but at that time, we could. Right? Or or maybe someone's sick and the you know, you cannot bring every night food. So are you gonna what are you gonna say? I'm never gonna bring any food? No. You just say, but you do what you can. Right? It's that's the aspect. Don't let the enemy tell you because you cannot do everything, then don't do anything. That's that's a lie from the enemy.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:30:05]:
Instead, do what you can. This is what Jesus said in Matthew 1042. If you even get if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded. What is he saying? If all you can do is give somebody a cup of water, God notices. Right? He won't forget. But I bet if you're thirsty, you're grateful too. Right? Does that mean that you fix all their problems? No. Does it mean that you that you led them to Jesus, you know, because, like, you drink this water, you'll thirst again.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:30:42]:
But Jesus no. You don't have to, you know, you don't have to do that. But the thing is that don't not do what you can. Right? And what does that mean? It's sometimes it is as simple as, hey, just coming alongside. Sometimes it's listening to somebody's story. Somebody's sometimes it's it's taking somebody to lunch. Sometimes it's, hey, can I get you a cup of coffee? Sometimes it's, you know, can I give you a ride? Right? Sometimes it's like, hey, no, use my car. Whatever the case, but whatever it is that you can do that when you do that for your the people that you love, that you do that for the people that are in your life and sometimes the people that are sometimes the people that are around you, it goes a long way.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:31:22]:
It goes a long way. And I know many of us, you do that already. Right? You do that when then when there's been a loss that you there's a there's a there's an app now I I know that sometimes we use for a sign up so that, hey, we don't duplicate and that people don't just get a ton of food when when sometimes when they've lost, when they've lost a loved one or or when someone is sick. And I know that sometimes that when some of you guys, you'll you'll watch somebody's house or or go water the plants or take care of the dog or, you know, those kinds of things, or that you give somebody a ride, and it's not the most convenient, but you do it with a good attitude, you do it with a a sense of excellence. Right? You know, and and sometimes I think this is when I think about people who who just serve their neighbor, there's there's a couple that I've known for quite a long time as well and, and not might not quite as long as I've known Ted, but that when I used to, be on staff at the, different church before we started this church, that I was on staff at a church in Mililani, Hope Chapel in Mililani. And there's a wonderful couple, had great kids. She used to be part of our staff as well. She used to kinda like be the Donna.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:32:36]:
She was the office manager. Her name's Patty and and their kids. And and the son, Eric, that we we'd hang out, you know, that he was like in the young adult thing and I was back then, I was a young adult. Now, I'm just adult. No. But, you know, the thing is that, but we used to hang out and and every once in a while he'd say, hey, we're gonna go do this thing and he'd say, oh, I cannot because I gotta I gotta go back. I gotta take mister Bose to the doctor or I gotta, I gotta go check on him, mister Bose. And it's like, I'd hear this mister Bose, this mysterious thing that where they would bring food.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:33:13]:
This mysterious thing is I gotta go check on him. This mysterious thing I gotta take him somewhere. And then I say, Eric, I always hear you talking about mister Bose, but the stuff that you guys talk about is, like, is are you calling him mister Bose, but is he related to you? Because, man, it seems like you guys are always over there, and and and you guys are always doing this stuff. You're watching him, feeding him, and taking care of him, taking to the doctor, doing all this stuff. He says, oh, no. No. No. We're not related.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:33:42]:
I said, oh. Oh, wow. Like, he says, how do you know him then? He just lives on the street a few houses away. And and I said, oh, oh, okay. I I guess, you know, like, my next door neighbor growing up, this guy, mister Hashizumi, who was the nicest nicest guy. He wasn't a believer, but, like, he was a fisherman. He was a, like, he was a plumber. Like, anytime he caught fish, we would have.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:34:06]:
Right? That, anytime there was a problem, we could ask mister Hashizumi. He was a great neighbor. I was like so I was thinking like, oh, he must be like my my neighbor, mister Hashizumi. Was that such a great guy? Wasn't a believer, but an awesome guy. So I said to Eric, hey, Eric. So said must be, like, a really good guy then. He goes, well, k. Kinda.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:34:28]:
Like, you know, I go, what do you mean? Like, he's not that great. He goes, well, you know, like, his wife, like, sometimes she makes comments. Like, what do you mean he makes comments? He said, well, you know, just kinda I don't wanna say it. Like, you mean, like, you mean, like, come here, little girl? He goes, yeah. Kinda that kind. Right? They get he's like, oh, well, it's like but you guys still take care of him? You guys still, like, bring food all the time? You guys still take him to the doctor? You just, you know, like, why in the world do you do that? You're not that great. He just said and and I was shocked that I didn't expect this. I was a pastor, but this is what he said, because that's what Jesus would want us to do.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:35:12]:
And it was like and sometimes isn't that enough? Because that's Jesus what Jesus would want us to do. And and for them, it turned out like it's like they took care of this man till he died. I don't think that's what Jesus is calling all of us to do. Sometimes he puts things like you, a call. He they they put a God put a call on the Tengbergans to take care of mister Bowles. But sometimes, if you cannot do that, can you just do what you can do? That's what God's asking. Right? But to serve, to serve His people. And, you know, when we started this series, we talked about prayer and how how we need to bring people before God, and like we did tonight, that we we did by name tonight, and we said that, God, would you open their eyes, and God, would you draw them, and God, would you speak to them, and God, would you reveal yourself to them? And that is a prayer that you ought to pray before as you're trying to reach people, but sometimes you gotta pray with people as well.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:36:17]:
Not just pray for people, but pray with the people who may not even be believers yet. Pray with the people. I I said, why? Because you wanna merge your worlds. Right? It's like you don't wanna just I live this private spiritual world that nobody else can see, but but, you know, the thing is that sometimes people need to see because they don't know how. This is what it says in 1st Timothy 21. In 1st Timothy 21, it says this. Let's read what it says together. Ready? Begin.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:36:45]:
I urge you first of all to pray for all people. Let's say all people. Right? Not some people. Right? Not just pray for the ones you like. Right? But pray for all people. He says, ask God to help them intercede on their behalf and give thanks for them. Now when it says the word urge, right, I urge you, right, that I was trying to think, how can I say urge without using the word urge? But this is how this is what Merriam Webster says, to present, advocate, or demand earnestly or pressingly. In other words, you know, man, you you say it with some passion.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:37:22]:
You say it with some fervor that he's saying, I I really I you guys gotta pray for people. Because E. M. Bounds, he's a he's a writer, a theologian, a a pastor from, from an earlier time, but he said this that God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world, the better the world will be, the mightier the forces against evil, the prayers of God's saints, or the capital stock of heaven by which God carries on his great work on earth. God's condition God conditions the very life and prosperity of his cause on prayer. And so how do we pray then? And it uses this term to intercede. Right? It uses the term intercession.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:38:11]:
It well, it says it in different ways. Right? It says, ask God to help them, and it says to intercede on their behalf and then to give thanks. But this concept of of intercession is the concept of stepping in and helping someone that they cannot do for themselves. You guys ever heard the the saying, God helps those who help themselves. Right? Now, you guys know what verse that is, what book that is in the Bible? Yeah. Obviously, it's not in the Bible because that's not that's not the scripture. Right? But sometimes that concept is out there that, oh, God helps those who help themselves. But the thing is, intercession is that you step in and you help someone who couldn't help themselves.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:38:54]:
You mediate. You you plead for. You represent one party to another. And and sometimes it's legal, sometimes it's not. This is this concept of intercession. But but sometimes you have to pray for someone's prayer request. They might not have to say prayer request. You might it just might be a problem.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:39:16]:
You know what I mean? You guys ever talk to somebody and it's like they're having a hard time in their marriage? It's like, oh, man. Sorry, bro. Sorry to hear that. It's like, I know it sounds tough. You're just hearing that. And you guys ever tell somebody that, hey, I'll pray for you. You guys ever pray for people to pray for you? And and and I've said that and I I've I've I've done that, But I don't say it so much, lately. And you guys if you guys have been around and you're telling me things going on in your life.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:39:46]:
You should heard me say, hey, can we just pray for a minute? Right? Can we just you mind if I just pray for you? And and I'll just you know, if it's okay, I'll put my hand on your shoulder or whatever, and I'll pray. Why do I do that? You know why I do it? I do it for several reasons. One is so I don't forget. How many of us made the promise? I'll pray for you late. I'll pray for you. I'll be praying for you, and you go home and just like, bro, you just, you know, you're just doing other stuff. I forget. So I don't wanna forget, right? I don't wanna tell somebody I'm praying for them and I'm not praying for them.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:40:18]:
So I usually I will forget. So I ask that's one of the main reasons. But the other things are because sometimes you see immediate results and sometimes you get to see the response of people. Right? And and so I ask. And to be honest, I have prayed with so many different people and throughout the years, it's 100, if not, 1,000 of people. And I can count 2 times where people have said no. Right? So one was because he was a different religion and he felt like I worship the devil, and so he didn't want the devil worshiping guy who's Christian to pray for him. That's one.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:41:03]:
And another one was just this I don't know. This super hardcore atheist that he just didn't want. Now but I prayed for a lot of other atheists. I prayed for other people that I just expected almost them to not let me pray for them. But to be honest, you know, most people, when you pray for them, even if that's not their faith, you know what the the the the standard response I get or the most common response I get is, well, thank you. That's the biggest response. Right? That's the biggest response that you get. You know why? Because it's not that they always don't believe in God, but they don't know how to get in touch with God.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:41:49]:
They don't know how to pray. They don't they don't know if they're gonna be heard. They don't feel heard. They don't feel seen. And so this is why we when you do that, pray with people, does that not now, you gotta take that same principle that we said in the last point about you're not responsible to fix everybody's problems. Sometimes, this is the reason why we don't pray for people. Because what if I pray and nothing happens? Right? That do you guys ever see is that sometimes the reason why you don't pray? Oh, they're going through this hard time with their, you know, kids, and what if I pray and then nothing changes, and then they're gonna not believe in. That's not how the people see it.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:42:32]:
How do people see it? Thank you for caring. Like, I I didn't even know how to pray. Thank you for praying for me. That's really that's the that's the general response that I have. And, you know, the thing is that sometimes I I do ask. I just ask that would it be okay for you? And and one of the people that I remember, I got to pray for was pastor Brian. You guys all know pastor Brian and and Sharon. And, still my spiritual son.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:43:08]:
Right? Still, he's been on staff with us a long time, but now he's, probably gonna go on staff real soon at, New Hope, Kauai. Although he's here still, he goes back and forth. But we would often go if we had we'd have conferences that were in Vegas, church conference now, by the way. Like, somebody has, like, oh, yeah. What kind of conferences is professor Glenn going to? But, and we'd just to save money, we'd stay at his sister in law's house. Her name's Gwen. It's Sharon's, sister. And she's not a believer.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:43:41]:
And she would come and pick us up and she would take us, and we would eat and do all that stuff. And that's Brian's sister-in-law. Right? So just she was, you know, doing that. And and sometimes when we would come back from the conference, she goes, oh, how was it? Was it good? Like, you just you know, she didn't know what to say and kinda check it out. And, you know, the thing is that she'd do that, but she would never really wanna get into deep discussion. Right? She'd never wanna really get into a deep discussion. That's fine. And, we just hung out and and sometimes laugh, teach each other, and go eat and and all that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:44:19]:
But the one time when I was there, just when we were leaving, I just said, oh, Gwen, let me let me pray for you before we leave. And she's dropping me off at the airport, and she goes, oh, okay. And she kinda make, you know, like how the holy like, okay. Kind of above my head and like that. And I just said, no. No. No. No.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:44:36]:
Just come. Come. And I just let me just pray for you. And I just put my arm around it. I kinda just pulled her in, and I just started praying for her. And I just I started thanking God for her, and I just said, God, would you just would you reveal yourself to her? God, I thank you that, you know, as much as we care about Gwen, that that you love her so much more. And I know that you're just that you want her to know you. And, so would you just do that? Would you just draw her close to show yourself? And I don't know what else I prayed.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:45:05]:
Right? Just trying to pray like that. And then I left. And we we jumped on the plane and came back home. As soon as we went into the gate, Gwen calls Sharon, her sister, and says, you know, Pastor Glenn prayed for me, but I don't know what, but I felt something. Right? And, you know, it wasn't that long after that she gave her life to Jesus. Was it just because I prayed for her? Absolutely not. I mean, Sharon and Brian have been trying to reach out to her for a long time. She's walking with God now.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:45:42]:
She's she's a believer now. But, you know, sometimes when you just pray for that person, they

Ted Offutt [00:45:49]:
don't know

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:45:49]:
how to connect to God. They don't know how to ask for that. But they're usually very open to that. You'll see at times results. I just close with this one story. You know, a few months ago or not a few months ago, about a year ago, my daughter, she had already graduated from college. She she I was so proud of her. She graduated in three and a half years.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:46:15]:
You know why I am so proud of her? She saved me plenty of money, that one last semester to pay for. But she was still working right in Oregon and, and so the through some friends that she had an opportunity to get a job interview back home. And so, it was sort of like this connect and it's like, can you be here on this day? And she said, oh, yeah. So like it was like the next Monday she had to fly home. So we booked her ticket, even though she was working up there, daddy still had to buy the ticket to come home and go back. But, when she came home she did the interview and all that, but she also then spent a few days here. Right? And, her best friend was, would come over and she she came over and and I knew that Sarah was already done with college and done with all the finals and all that, and it was this kind of time of the year. Right? So they're going into midterms, her friend at senior year in nursing, and it's like crunch.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:47:18]:
You know what I mean? It's just pressure for them. And although, like, Sarah, when she's home after the interview, she's just playing and she wants to hang out, but her friend is still busy, but they're at the house. And I just said, hey, Katie, can can I just pray for you? I know there's so much things going on in your life right now in school and all that. And and she said, oh, yeah. Sure. And and I start praying for her and I start praying, God, would you give her peace and would you just help her and, like, to finish well and I know that just the pressure, Lord, that we just cast that on you and all whatever I was praying. And this is the thing. It's like my daughter who grew up in my house that sometimes when I pray it's kinda one of these.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:48:04]:
You guys know what I mean? Like it's just like And I can hear I hear like the breathing like that from my daughter. And, but I keep praying. I just ignore her and keep praying. No. But I could. And then when we're done, you know, just kinda like your kids they say straight. Right? Oh, dad. Kinda long.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:48:28]:
And her friend says this, she just said, no. I really liked it. And and and I think it's just not that because she's like a great Christian or she where she's kinda I'm not sure exactly where she is. I think she she knows about God. She's been to church, but she just felt covered. She felt cared for. She felt the hand that God had to be honest at this point, I know she knows the Lord. But you know that sometimes you just gotta pray for people.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:49:04]:
You don't have to hide your world. Right? You bring the 2 worlds together, and it's so much easier to live at just one world. You know? And so I think when we do that, we have a capacity to shine the light. That makes sense? Let's bow our heads, we'll close on a word of prayer. Father, I'm so grateful that you're not calling us that we fix every problem in the world, that we answer every question. That's not what it means to shine our light. But Lord, it is it is giving not just being in control of the response that people have, but it's giving somebody a chance to respond to something. Sometimes it's an invitation.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:49:48]:
Lord, sometimes it's a a to share our story or to share their story. Sometimes it's to let us serve or sometimes it's to let us pray for them. But, Lord, that would you open our eyes today? Today, sometimes right now we get so busy. If that's you, would you just would you just confess to the Lord, Lord, sometime I'm so busy that I don't really even see the people that are around me. But would you help me? I I wanna lift up my eyes and see the people in my life. And some of you, you might be sitting on that table with that person God wants you to see. But for some of us, it's that person who's at home or or that that people that you see 9 to 5, 5 days a week. But, Lord, that would you I wanna lift up my eyes.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:50:38]:
I want to see who you want me to see. I wanna see the people in my life. And Lord, I may not know all the answers, but, Lord, I I can merge my worlds. I can I can let my friends who know, don't know you maybe start to meet people who do? Lord, sometimes I can kinda bridge some of those those gulfs. And, Lord, there are times that I can serve somebody, and, Lord, there are times that that when people are going through different things, I I want to pray, but sometimes I forget. Would you help me to maybe just have a spirit of boldness to just even ask to pray? And I thank you. It's not for the magic of our words or the most the greatest eloquence, but it's heartfelt connection with you. Lord, so often the world is open to it.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:51:36]:
They just don't know how to connect with you. And when we do, Lord, sometimes it gives them a glimpse. And then we're so thankful that you move and you work in these situations. Lord, I'm thankful that you can use anyone. Would you do me a favor if you're here tonight, you're watching at home, would you just open your hands to God today and say, God, just be honest. If you if you felt insecure about being the light in your to your family or being the light to your, you know, your spouse or your boyfriend or your girlfriend because you don't always know the answers and somebody's a little bit more skeptical or or if, you know, you're in a place where I understand some of us work in environments that is so sensitive about people, you know, response and who's gonna get offended or whatever. But but would you just say, God, but I'm willing to be the light. You told me I'm the light of the world.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:52:47]:
And so would you help me to be that light? Lord, we are mindful that everybody will stand account to you, and we want them to stand with you, with Jesus. And, Lord, I I think I can invite people. I think I can live an invitational life or I I know my story may not be so dramatic, but I thank you. We don't need dramatic stories, we need real stories. And Lord, I don't live a perfect life, but if you can use my life, I open my hands to you and say, God, use me, God. Make me a vessel to somehow make you known in this world. And you start in my heart and that, Lord, would you give me some tools that like what we've talked about? But thank you that you can use me. Lord, if you can speak through a bush when Moses saw the burning bush or you could speak through a donkey, Lord, then then you could probably speak through me.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:54:00]:
I say these things in Jesus' name. God's people say amen. Amen. Amen. Hey, God bless you guys. Thank you for, joining us tonight, but thank you for opening your heart to let God use you.