Japan Journal - May 31st

Every week I meet for langauge exchange with a student called Kuniake. He is one of the few students who I actually study Japanese with as most just want to practice English. He sat in on a Bible study I did with Yusuke a few weeks ago but didn't say much. Afterwards he commented that he didn't see the point of the New Testament. It was clear he wasn't that interested and that was the end of it.

Last week he asked me if I'd like to go out for a meal. He is heading off to Europe soon (tomorrow) and so won't be able to meet up. We arranged to meet on Thursday at 6:30pm. I was teaching from 11:20 - 3:00 and then cycled down to the language centre for the weekly prayer meeting. Towards the end we split into groups and I asked my group to pray for the meal I would be having. I shared how I felt he wasn't really interested and didn't have a clue how to take things further in sharing the gospel with him. We prayed and then I rushed to the subway to arrive at the University at 6:25. At that point I was tired and couldn't really be bothered with the meal. At 6:40 he still hadn't come and I began to hope he wouldn't be coming. At 6:42 he arrived.

We went to a place near the uni which specialised in 'meat on sticks' as he put it. The idea is you just keep ordering little by little until you're full. We chatted for two hours about Japan and his trip to Europe and various other things. Throughout I had been praying that God would somehow give me the opportunity to share more about Him with Kuniake. I had no idea how to move the conversation in that direction. Kuniake asked me what I wanted to do in the future and I explained how I'd like to teach for a bit and then maybe go into full time Christian work (I had to simplify that somewhat as his english is good but not that good). The conversation moved on a bit and then a short while later he asked what I wanted to be when I was younger. I explained how I wanted to be a teacher or an architect or maybe work in cartoons. He asked me what had changed to make me want to be a pastor (as he put it).
Boom!
There's an opportunity if ever there was one. I got to talk about how I became a Christian and how everything changed because of what Jesus did. Throughout the next hour I was able to explain the gospel to him with the assistance of his pen and my napkin! It was sloppy and there was much repetition and use of his electronic dictionary but through the power of the Holy Spirit I was able to talk to him about: sin and judgement and Jesus' death and substitution and grace and eternal assurance.
I'm not sure how much he understood but from what he said he seemed to get it. He said he felt that people were already punished in their lives on earth and didn't see the need for another punishment when they die. He also felt that people shouldn't have to depend upon something other than themselves. A typical Japanese viewpoint. I encouraged him to read the Bible for himself and decide whether he could accept what he read to be true.

In the business of my day I had forgotten to bring a gospel or new testament just in case. I pray he either has one at home or finds one in a drawer on his trip through Europe and begins to read it for himself. I next see him in just over two weeks when we will have a meal together with Alex. Kuniake invited Alex (a member of the team) which is great because he has no other contact with FMZero or Christians.

Throughout chatting to Kuniake I was well aware just how useless in directing the conversation. When we did begin to talk about eternal things I often had no idea how to respond to things he said. I could only pray that God would be merciful and use me as he saw fit. He does not leave His children to witness alone. Without him I could literally do nothing. With him, I got to play a part in sharing His saving truth with someone who has no eternal hope. Pray that God will reveal the truth of how he deserves to be punished and how he can't rely upon himself. Pray that God would first break him so that he can then save him!