JRM Sison Chapter - January 24, 2010 Sunday Service

Exercise… The most common cause of sickness is lack of exercise. Hypertensions, rheumatism, colds, heart problems, to mention just a few, are common results of lack of physical exercise. All healthy people are those who are physically fit and having a well-balanced diet. Exercise has been the most neglected part of a man’s physical task. It is part of a man’s routine and must be done regularly. Even the most seasoned athlete knows that exercise keeps a man healthy, strong, and vibrant. One’s vitality is maintained through proper and regular exercise. Now that we mentioned it, exercise is not done rigorously but properly to get its optimum effect. It is not only the sweat or pain that one must gain but also the proper development of muscles and organs, especially the heart.

Facts about Martial Arts

The most rigorous and healthy exercise is martial arts; almost all the parts of the body are involved when executing a technique or exercise. If you want to have the best exercise program, then take up martial arts. Even physical fitness instructors have found martial arts as the most beneficial way of gaining a healthy and vibrant body. Billy Blanks, an American kickboxer, founded the now famous tae-bo. Tae-bo involves punching, kicking, and blocking techniques incorporated with dance moves. Not only is tae-bo about physical exercise but also about cardio-vascular as well. Through tae-bo, many other martial arts became physical fitness programs.

What made martial arts unique that physical fitness instructors begin to adopt it in their repertoire? Was it the physical attributes? Was it the mental faculties that it contributes? There are many other physical fitness programs that are great contributors in the aspect of physical and mental faculties. But there is a certain charisma that attracts people towards martial arts. Though it is hard to believe, it is not only the physical side that really matters in martial arts. It is the harmony of the physical and spiritual attributes that really matters. Let us take aikido for example: aikido began as a brutal martial art called aiki-jutsu where it involves breaking, throwing and grappling, pinching, punching and kicking. It eventually became an art of harmonizing one’s body and spirit. It became both physical and spiritual.

Martial art’s goal is toward spiritual enlightenment. It has never been a one-sided development. It is like a two-edged sword where one blade is physical and the other spiritual. Martial arts can never be martial arts unless both physical and spiritual attributes had been exercised.

The Spirit is Truly Ready but the Body is Weak

When Jesus said “the spirit is truly ready but the flesh is weak (Mark 14:38)”, He saw the physical state of His disciples; they were tired and sleepy. Even if they wanted to stay on guard, their physical bodies won’t respond. They were spiritually strong but physically weak.

Jesus was not only a man of words but also a man of action. Through His words He acted. Through His actions He taught. Jesus was a balanced individual during His ministry. He never taught what He couldn’t do. And He wouldn’t do what He can’t teach. He was an advocate of doing the will of God. And through doing the will of God is the ability to respond in all situations. He went through a lot for all our sakes. He couldn’t have done it without teaching it. He wouldn’t have taught it if He can’t do it. He knew that through His action, His words will be made perfect. He knew that through His words, His actions will be justified.

The Way of Harmony

In martial arts, power is acquired through proper breathing. In aikido, the power of the ‘unbendable arm’ can never be achieved without knowledge of proper breathing. Through the process of ‘kokyu-ho’ or ‘breath-exercise’, an aikidoka or practitioner of aikido can achieve optimum results in his/her aikido training. Another way of acquiring power in aikido is by practicing with a partner. Aikido is like a dance where you need a partner to note your progress. It is like the relationship of a knife and a whetstone; the knife is the aikidoka while the whetstone is the partner. Practicing with a partner hones one’s skills and movements. The third way of achieving power in aikido is practicing with multiple and different partners. This is called ‘randori’ or free-style practice. This is where one’s techniques are perfected. Without ‘randori’, aikido will only be dancing.

Thus, power in martial arts is achieved in three steps:
     ·     Kokyu-ho
     ·     Practice with partner
     ·     Randori
Through these steps, an aikidoka can be in harmony with one’s environment; not only in combat but also in one’s way of life.

Jesus is also teaching us about these three steps in achieving power not only in the physical side but especially spiritual.

The Breath of Life

Pneuma is an ancient Greek word for “breath,” and in a religious context for “spirit” or “soul.” In Genesis 2:7, man became a living soul because of the breath of life that God had given him. Without the breathing of God, man is nothing but dust. Through His breath (Spirit) man became alive; a living soul. This made man distinct from all of God’s creation. It was only man who was given God’s breath (Spirit).

In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is described as ‘breath’ or ‘pneuma’. Truly, that even now, God is giving His breath unto us. He knew that without His Spirit, man can never be a living soul. Man will have a dead soul if God’s Spirit is not in man.

But sad to say, God’s breath is not used properly. That is the reason why many unbelievers continue to remain astray due to Christians who does not use God’s breath according to His will. Note that breathing requires two process; inhalation and exhalation. Breathing has never been pure exhalation else you suffocate. Nor is breathing pure inhalation else you die. Christians should never keep God’s word and withhold it. There must be an expression of God’s word in a Christian’s life, either by testimony/witnessing or action. Christians must reflect God’s word. Reading God’s word and understanding it is a Christian’s inhalation. Being the reflection of God and His word is a Christian’s exhalation. Through this process, a Christian will be a healthy, vibrant, and powerful servant of God.

Setting an Example

The reason why unbelievers don’t believe on Christians is because of the Christians’ way of life. They don’t set the example that Jesus had commanded. To be able to be an example, a Christian must practice inside one’s home, church and friends. Begin to testify about God’s goodness; how Jesus had changed you into the person you are now. Be the right witness in the right time that the Lord had commanded you. Be involved in the church activities and ministry. Continue to show love and affection towards your friends and loved ones. Through setting an example people will begin to reflect and begin to see the moving of God in their lives. Through proper testimony and witnessing, many people will be willing to open their lives for Jesus.

Great Commission

The Great Commission is the ‘randori’ of all Christians. This is a free-style move where you don’t rely on your pastor’s teachings nor on your church doctrines but on the Holy Spirit. The Great Commission is not about bringing people to the church but on bringing people to God. This requires God’s aid not the pastor’s or the church’s. This is where you need the wisdom of God. Through the Great Commission, Christians gain strength. With every soul that one can win for Christ, one’s strength is increased. The Great Commission increases one’s faith. Through the increase of faith comes the increase of power from the Holy Spirit in one’s life.

Like a martial artist, Christians gain experience through the Great Commission. It is actually one’s faith in practice and action. Through the Great Commission, many doorways of opportunities will open.

A Change for a Lifetime

Martial artists are distinct from non-martial artists. They are more disciplined; their perception and understanding about life is overwhelming. Christians are the same. With God’s breath, Christians become discipline. Their perception and understanding about life is inspiring.

We need to have a balanced growth in our lives. Not only must we gain physical strength but also spiritual strength (or vice-versa). We must not be physically conscious but must also consider the spiritual side as well. Nor must we be spiritually mature and allow out bodies to be physically weak and sick.

Brethren, let us, like a martial artist, have an attitude of humility yet have the power of God through His Breath, the Holy Spirit. Let us be distinct from unbelievers and make a believer out of them. And like a martial artist, let us be strong and vibrant, winning souls wherever we go. Let us bless the name of the Lord forever! Whatsoever we do, we do it for the glory of God! AMEN!!!