Hey, church family! How’s everyone doing? We’re back for another message today. Before we begin, I just want to remind you—whether you’ve been a Christian for years, are just exploring faith, or even if you don’t believe in God at all, you are welcome here.
For those of you joining us for the first time, welcome! And for my regulars, I see you in the chat—Keisuke, Junko, Ayumi, good morning! It’s great to have you all here.
Earlier, we had our in-depth Bible Study Session, where we really dug into God’s Word. That’s something we do every week from 8:45 to 9:45 AM. It’s a space for deeper exploration, but what we do here—right now—is our public message, our sermon, where we focus on key lessons from the Bible and how they apply to our lives.
If you want access to the Bible study and aren’t part of our online church, you can join us for free. Just head over to our Discord community, and you’ll get all the details. If you’d rather support us in a different way, we also have a YouTube membership, though that’s a paid option. Either way, we’d love for you to be part of this journey with us.
Now, before we dive in, let’s take a moment to pray.
Father, we thank You for gathering us here today. We know it’s no accident that each person is listening to this message right now. Open our hearts, open our minds, and help us receive what You want to say to us today. May Your love fill this space. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
We’re continuing our Purpose Series—a deep dive into why we were created.
Let me ask you something: Have you ever wondered why you were born? What’s the purpose of your life?
There are two defining moments in life—the day you were born and the day you discover why you were born.
If you don’t know your purpose, you can feel lost. You can feel like life is meaningless. Like you’re just going through the motions. I don’t want that for you. I don’t want you to live like the walking dead—alive, but without purpose.
I’ve seen too many people like that in Tokyo, on the morning train, staring blankly, just existing. That’s not what you were made for.
Over the next four weeks, we’re going to explore the four reasons you were born—four key purposes that God has given each of us.
And today, we’re starting with the first and most important one: Love.
So, why is love the most important purpose?
Because every single one of us was created to love and be loved.
Without love, everything you do is meaningless. Your achievements, your wealth, your success—none of it matters if love isn’t at the center.
Even geniuses like Einstein and Steve Jobs, as they neared the end of their lives, realized that love was what truly mattered. They regretted not valuing it enough.
But we don’t need a genius to tell us this—the Bible has been saying it for thousands of years.
1 Corinthians 13:2 says:
"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."
It doesn’t matter how much you know, how much you achieve—without love, it’s all nothing.
We all know love is important. But let’s be honest—loving people isn’t easy.
Even when we want to love someone, we mess up. We say the wrong things. We hurt people we care about. Misunderstandings happen.
How many times have you thought, That’s not what I meant! Why did they take it the wrong way?
Love is complicated.
Look at society—love is what people crave the most, yet it’s also what we struggle with the most.
Young people spend most of their time thinking about love—who they like, how to get someone to like them, how to maintain a relationship.
But as people get older, many feel like they’ve lost love. They become numb. They stop believing in love.
That’s why so many people in their 40s and beyond seem like they’ve given up on deep relationships. They walk around with dead eyes, like love is something they’ll never experience again.
And yet, love is what keeps us alive.
Let me ask you:
What is love?
If you’re struggling to define it, you’re not alone. But here’s the truth—love isn’t a "what." Love is a "who."
1 John 4:8 says:
"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
Love isn’t just a feeling. It’s not just an action.
Love is God Himself.
And when you truly know God, you begin to understand real love—the kind that doesn’t fade, doesn’t fail, and doesn’t depend on how others treat you.
Think about this:
The greatest form of love the world knows is dying for someone you love—a friend, a spouse, a child.
But Jesus did something even greater.
Romans 5:8 says:
"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Jesus didn’t die for His friends. He didn’t die for people who loved Him back.
He died for His enemies.
For the ones who ignored Him. For the ones who mocked Him. For the ones who didn’t care about Him at all.
That’s the kind of love you were created for.
Some people think love is weak. That kindness makes you soft.
But let me tell you something:
Love is the most powerful force in the universe.
Even Napoleon, one of the greatest military leaders, said this:
"Other rulers built their empires with force, but Jesus built His with love. And even after thousands of years, His followers are still willing to give their lives for Him."
That’s the power of love. It’s stronger than fear. Stronger than control. Stronger than any kingdom built by man.
If you’re thinking, I can’t love like that. I don’t have that kind of love in me.
You’re right.
None of us do—on our own.
But when we have a relationship with Jesus, His love fills us.
John 15:5 says:
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing."
The more we stay connected to Jesus, the more His love flows through us.
And suddenly, we find ourselves able to love in ways we never thought possible.
So here’s my challenge for you today:
If you’re ready to take that step, let me know in the comments. And let’s pray together.
Father, fill us with Your love. Teach us how to love like You. Change our hearts and make us more like Jesus. In His name, Amen.
Let’s live in love, together.
Amen.
