◆“The Triple Jump of Faith” (Hebrews 11:6) July 20, 2025

Have you ever heard of Mikio Oda? He was the first Japanese athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. That was in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics—about 100 years ago. The event he won was the triple jump.

Interestingly, the Japanese term “三段跳び” (sandan tobi, or triple jump) was coined by Oda himself during his time as a student at Waseda University, translating the English phrase “hop, step, and jump.” The former National Stadium in Yoyogi, built for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, had a flagpole on the field measuring exactly 15.21 meters—the distance of Oda’s gold medal-winning jump.

Now, in the sport of triple jump, the athlete runs up and then takes off in three stages: hop, step, and jump. Today, I’d like to use this movement as a metaphor to consider the “hop, step, and jump of faith.”

Let’s begin with the “run-up.” In athletics, this part is regulated in terms of length and direction. But when it comes to faith, each person’s run-up is unique. God uses the totality of each individual’s life journey and experiences to lead them toward faith.

Then comes the takeoff—the first movement: the hop. What is the hop of faith? It is to know that God exists.

In fact, all human beings are inherently aware of God’s existence. You may ask, “But aren’t there people who say they are atheists?” That’s true. But I would suggest that the very existence of atheists actually points to the existence of God. If someone were entirely incapable of even conceiving the idea of “God,” then perhaps God might not exist for that person. But an atheist is not such a person—they deny a concept they already acknowledge. To say “God does not exist” is still to recognize the concept of God. In that sense, the existence of atheism may paradoxically affirm the existence of God.

But even without such philosophical discussion, Scripture speaks clearly. Romans 1:19–20 says:

“What may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

In other words, “Just look at nature!”

My son is a beekeeper. Who taught bees how to collect nectar? Who showed flowers how to attract bees for pollination? In the Northern Alps of Japan, there used to be many rock ptarmigans. In summer, they change their color to match the rocks, and in winter, they become pure white to blend into the snow and hide from predators. Who made it that way? Evolution? But if they had to wait for camouflage to evolve, they would have been eaten by predators before completing their adaptation.

The natural world is full of such wonders. Where there is design, there must be a designer. When we look at nature, we see the hand of the Creator.

Then comes the step. The step of faith is to know Jesus Christ as your Savior.

Earlier in Romans, we read that God’s eternal power and divine nature can be clearly seen through creation. But nature alone does not reveal what kind of God He is or what thoughts He has toward you or me. That is revealed most clearly in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

The Bible is the Word of God, through which we come to know who God is. Nature also communicates God’s message, but Scripture speaks more deeply and directly.

To put it simply, God is perfectly holy and righteous. He cannot overlook or tolerate sin. And we—all of us—are sinners before Him and subject to judgment.

At the same time, God is love. He must judge, but He does not want to judge. This tension is not a flaw but a reflection of God’s perfect character.

So, what did God do? He upheld both His justice and His love by becoming human Himself. That is Jesus Christ. Jesus, though God, became man and bore our sins. He took on the judgment we deserved, and died on the cross in our place.

Through His death, judgment was satisfied. The problem of sin was removed. And through His resurrection, reconciliation with God was completed.

Romans 4:25 says:

“He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”

And Jesus Himself says in John 5:24:

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

The step of faith is to know that Jesus is your personal Savior, and that God loves you so deeply He redeemed you at great cost.

However, some people stop here. They say, “Jesus died for my sins. Thank you,” and go no further. But the triple jump of faith isn’t complete yet. You must now jump.

The jump of faith is to connect to the church and walk daily with the Lord.

Regarding the Christian faith of former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, there may be a variety of opinions. But someone who was baptized with him—a man named Mr. Yamauchi, the principal of Konan High School—once shared that their pastor told him:

“Be prepared to live your entire life connected with God.”

That’s the kind of word that prompts a leap of faith.

Romans 12:1–2 says:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

What does this mean? It means that the true protagonist of your life is the Lord. When you listen to Him and follow His lead, you begin to live your most authentic and fullest life.

And God promises this in Romans 10:11:

“Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

Following the Lord takes courage. You may lose something. But what you gain is far greater than anything you lose.

When I became a Christian, some friends walked away from me. But now, I am here with all of you. Isn’t that far more?

In my case, I was called to leave my corporate job and dedicate myself to ministry. Had I not obeyed, perhaps I would be more financially secure today (especially when I receive my pension, I feel this keenly!). But what I have is peace that money cannot buy—the peace of being with Jesus, knowing He is on my side.

You too may lose something when you follow the Lord. But know this: no one has ever followed Jesus and regretted it. No one has ever been disappointed.

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Sermon script modified based on proofreading and translation with ChatGPT.