Neither/Nor | Podcast in RSS.com

Neither/Nor

di Kenji Nitta

Miglioramento personale Salute mentale

Jonah Chapter One

The book of Jonah provides one of Scripture's clearest illustrations of what it means to follow God's will versus pursuing our own desires. When God gave Jonah crystal clear instructions to go to Nineveh and announce judgment against the city, there was no ambiguity in the command. Yet Jonah chose to run in the exact opposite direction, boarding a ship to Tarshish - essentially fleeing to the edge of the known world to escape God's call. God's response demonstrates both His power over creation and His determination to accomplish His purposes. He hurled a violent storm that threatened to destroy the ship, while Jonah slept peacefully below deck, remaining passive even in the crisis his disobedience had caused. Remarkably, the pagan sailors consistently acted with integrity throughout the ordeal - praying to their gods, working to save the ship, casting lots impartially to find the source of trouble, and even refusing to throw Jonah overboard until they had exhausted every other option. This story reveals how we often overcomplicate the Christian life with theological debates, religious activities, and cultural issues while missing the fundamental call to simply hear and obey God's voice. The core of faith never gets more complex than daily conversation with God, surrendering our will to His when conflicts arise, and obeying the commands we already know from Scripture. True Christian living requires mature community for accountability and starts with faithfulness in small things before God reveals larger aspects of His plan.

A Conversation about Jonah and stuff

In this episode, Pastor Manny and Pastor Kenji discuss biblical interpretation, focusing primarily on the Book of Jonah. They explore whether Jonah should be understood as a literal historical account or as a fable with theological truth, emphasizing that "everything in the Bible is true and some of it actually happened." The conversation examines different literary genres within Scripture—poetry, law, genealogy, parable, and prophecy—and offers guidance on how readers can discern literary style by comparing texts to the genres and language of their historical period. Additional topics include: - The historical resurrection of Jesus and key reasons for believing it as a factual event, including the radical transformation of His followers and family. - Practical approaches to preaching and personal Bible reading, advocating for flexibility, the use of audiobooks, and selecting passages that engage the reader rather than rigid plans. - Church history, noting that many early Christian communities thrived with only portions of Scripture, highlighting the role of the Holy Spirit beyond the written text. - The influence of market economics on modern Bible accessibility and translations. The core theological focus centers on Jonah’s central message: Can you love a God who loves your enemies? The pastors discuss the practical challenge of creating a personal list of individuals or groups one dislikes or resents, then meditating on God’s love for them. Both share candid personal experiences with this exercise, addressing the difficulties of overcoming resentment, tribalism, social media influence, and the human tendency to dehumanize others. This episode blends thoughtful biblical scholarship, pastoral wisdom, and honest spiritual reflection on grace, obedience, and relational transformation.

Concerning Grief

Death remains humanity's greatest unsolved problem, one that no technological advancement can overcome. Despite our incredible progress in science and medicine, the death rate continues at 100%, leaving us feeling helpless when we lose those we love. This overwhelming sense of permanence and loss confronts us with life's greatest mystery. The Bible reveals why death feels so wrong - because it truly is wrong. Death wasn't part of God's original design for creation. In the beginning, everything God made was declared good, and paradise included no death. People could live indefinitely in perfect relationship with their Creator. Death entered as an intrusion through sin, representing separation from God, the source of all life. This separation manifests in smaller ways throughout our lives - when we drift from God, we experience spiritual emptiness, addiction, and despair. Jesus conquered death through His resurrection, demonstrating power that goes far beyond the gentle image we often hold. Even demons fell before Him in terror, and when He spoke to the temple guards, His words knocked them to the ground. Though He allowed Himself to be crucified, He made clear that no one took His life - He laid it down by His own authority. Three days later, He emerged victorious from the tomb, conquering the one thing that defeats all human wisdom and technology. This victory transforms how we approach grief and loss, allowing us to grieve with hope rather than despair, knowing that Jesus' ultimate victory is certain.

Introducing Jonah: More Than a Story About Whale

The story of Jonah reveals a challenging truth about God's character that goes far beyond a children's tale about a whale. Jonah didn't flee from God's command because he was afraid of the Assyrians - he ran because he knew God would show mercy to his enemies if they repented. When Nineveh did repent and God relented from judgment, Jonah became angry, revealing our human tendency to want grace for ourselves but justice for others. This ancient story forces us to confront a difficult question: Can we love a God who loves our enemies? The book ends with God's question unanswered, leaving each of us to wrestle with whether we can align our hearts with God's heart for all people.

A sermon from James 5:7-20.

In our instant-gratification culture, finding genuine peace seems impossible. James teaches us that biblical patience means waiting without agitationt. The key difference between peace and anxiety lies in prayer versus grumbling - taking our concerns to God rather than complaining to others. James emphasizes living authentically without manipulation or false personas, trusting God's grace enough to simply be ourselves. True peace comes from seeing others as human beings worthy of love rather than obstacles to our happiness. Through Jesus' perfect example of patient love, we can live with contentment and hope, knowing God is working all things for good. This sermon was preached at Timberview church in Mead, WA on 5/3/2026.

Warnings about Wealth from James 5:1-6

James 5:1-6 warns against trusting wealth as our ultimate security. Like Howard Hughes, who died isolated despite his billions, we often build protective armor around ourselves through money, relationships, or success. But these false securities become prisons, cutting us off from authentic life and genuine relationships. When we organize our lives around anything other than God, we end up using people instead of loving them. True security comes from trusting Christ as our only mediator, not from accumulating possessions or achievements that can be taken away.

A sermon on James 4:1-10 preached on 4/12/2026

Church conflicts often stem from selfish desires disguised as spiritual convictions. James 4:1 reveals that quarrels among believers typically arise from personal preferences wrapped in theological language rather than genuine biblical disagreements. The same selfishness that divides churches also damages marriages when we approach relationships as 50/50 partnerships focused on personal fulfillment. True Christian relationships require covenant thinking where both parties give 100% with their primary obligation to God. The solution isn't better communication but crucifying selfish desires and surrendering our will to God's will.

Easter Sermon 2026

Many Christians picture Jesus primarily as a gentle teacher walking peacefully through Galilee, but the book of Revelation unveils a dramatically different and updated picture of Christ. John received a stunning vision of the risen Christ that left him falling at Jesus' feet. This glorified Jesus appeared with eyes like flames of fire, feet like polished bronze, hair white as wool, and a voice thundering like ocean waves. Later in Revelation, Jesus appears as a conquering warrior on a white horse, wearing a robe dipped in blood with the title King of Kings and Lord of Lords written on His thigh. He leads the armies of heaven and defeats all forces of darkness with the sword that comes from His mouth, representing the power of His word. This vision was given to early Christians facing persecution from the Roman Empire, when it appeared that evil was winning and the small Christian community was destined for destruction. Understanding Jesus as the victorious warrior king transforms how believers approach their faith and struggles today. When we realize that Christ conquered death itself and holds the keys to death and the grave, it becomes clear that no sin is too great, no problem too complex, and no enemy too powerful for Him to handle. The same Jesus who achieved ultimate victory 2,000 years ago is the one believers pray to today, and His triumph gives hope that appearances can be deceiving and that He will ultimately make all things new. This audio includes our baptisms following the sermon. Praise God for new life in Christ!

A sermon on James 3:1-18 preached on 3/29/2026

The Bible suggests we should ask 'What kind of person am I becoming?' more than we ask "What should I do?". James chapter 3 reveals that our speech is a powerful indicator of our heart's condition. Though small, the tongue has enormous impact, like a bit controlling a horse or a spark igniting a forest. Our words often reveal internal struggles rather than external reality. When we speak destructively, complain constantly, or control conversations, we expose our spiritual condition. Selfish ambition corrupts our relationships, especially in marriage and parenting, turning communication into combat. Godly speech reflects wisdom from above - it's pure, peace-loving, gentle, and merciful. By transforming our speech, we develop character that increases our capacity to love God and others.

Christianity Can Work

This sermon was preached at Timberview Church on 3/15/26. Many people claim to be Christians but show no real transformation, leading others to question whether faith actually makes a difference. James 1:21-2:13 provides clear markers of authentic Christianity that actually works. Real faith requires humbling ourselves before Scripture and obeying what we learn, not just listening. Practical tests include controlling our speech, caring for vulnerable people like orphans and widows, and resisting worldly corruption. True Christianity also means showing no favoritism based on wealth or status, treating all people with equal dignity. The law of freedom is mercy - entering into others' troubled reality to help them, just as God entered our world through Jesus Christ. When practiced authentically, Christianity produces genuine transformation that others can see.