ひと雨ごとに寒さが増す時期になりました。新型コロナウイルス感染症に加え、インフルエンザに注意が必要な季節です。皆さん、体調にはくれぐれも注意してください。
10月26日（月）～30日（金）は、本学の名称の由来となっている、マルティン・ルターが1517年10月31日にドイツ・ヴィッテンベルク城及び教会の扉に『95ヶ条の論題』を張り出したことから始まる宗教改革を覚えるための週でした。
また、10月30日（金）には、今月から開始した英語礼拝の2回目を実施しました。今回は、アメリカからの宣教師で、ルーテル学院高校英語教師のエリカ・ブライヤさんのメッセージでした。以下に全文を掲載します。
これからも、定期的に英語礼拝を計画しています。英語での祈りをささげる礼拝に是非参加してください。
【聖書の箇所】
Luke 19:38-40
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
“Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
新約聖書p. 983，ルカによる福音書19章38～40節
「主の名によって来られる方、王に、祝福があるように。天には平和、いと高きところには栄光。」
すると、ファリサイ派のある人々が、群衆の中からイエスに向かって、「先生、お弟子たちを叱ってください」と言った。
イエスはお答えになった。「言っておくが、もしこの人たちが黙れば、石が叫びだす。」
【エリカ・ブライヤさんのメッセージ】
I grew up going to church every Sunday morning. I learned a lot about the Bible by hearing some of the stories over and over many times. I learned about God’s love and how we should love all people, even when it is hard. What I didn’t learn from my church growing up was how to talk to other people about God.
This meant that, while other people could be openly talking about God, and how awesome God is, I always felt awkward. I was often quiet about my faith in God, even though I did have strong beliefs!
In today’s Bible verses, there are 3 groups of things talked about. There is a crowd, the Pharisees, and the stones. I want talk a little about each of those 3 groups.
First, there is the crowd. These are people who see Jesus coming into town and are so excited, they begin shouting about how amazing Jesus is! We should be like the crowd! Cheering for Jesus. Praising God for all the amazing things that God does. Worshiping God.
In our Bible verse, the Pharisees are upset because Jesus is letting the crowd praise God and Jesus in a way that makes them unhappy. We want to be the crowd, but sometimes we are like the Pharisees. Sometimes we tell people that they are too loud in how they celebrate God. We tell people that the Good News they are spreading about Jesus isn’t right.
The last group we have in the story is the stones. The stones that Jesus was talking about were just normal stones. The kind that the people walked on every day. They were perfectly ordinary! Except that God made them. And everything that God created will praise God. The Pharisees were telling Jesus to quiet the crowd, but Jesus wants them to know that all of Creation will cheer for him. All of Creation will cheer for him. All of Creation will praise God for God’s greatness.
For me, after growing up not learning about how to talk about God, sometimes it is hard for me to be like the crowd, talking about God and praising God in such a public way. However, it is important to remember that every part of God’s creation can praise God, from the cheers of people to the cheers of the stones along the roadside.
Let us pray.
God, let us be like the crowds. May we shout your name and want to share with everyone the good things you did through Jesus. Help us not to be like the Pharisees, who tell others to be quiet about Your greatness.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
