❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) Christmas is the birthday of the true King (Psalm 149・The Third Week of the Advent) Andy Nagahara Today is the third Sunday of Advent, when we look forward to Christmas. Normally I would take a break from the Psalm series and take up a text about events just before Christmas, but this year I decided to continue with the Psalm series and read Psalm 149. This is because the joyful anticipation sung in this verse is appropriate for Advent, when we anticipate the birth of Jesus. 1. Christmas which was expected to be the birth of a new king (1-3) 1 Praise the LORD.Sing to…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) The Most Wonderful Gift in the World (Matthew 1:18-25・The Second Week of the Advent) Mari Ikeda Today is the second Sunday of Advent. Today let’s quickly start by reading Matthew 1:18-25. 18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) Shining in the Darkness (John 1:1-13) Guest Speaker: Wayne Jansen 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) Lights and Shadows of the Story of Healing for the Deaf Series “Theology of Interdependence and Disability,” Part 5 (Mark 7:31-37) Mari Ikeda      This July, we began a series of readings from Kathy Black’s book to reconsider the Bible from the perspective of people with disabilities, and today is the fifth in the series. Today we will look at Mark 7:31-37. This is the only passage in the Bible that records an episode in which Jesus heals a deaf man, unrelated to the casting out of demons. Because it is the only passage in the Bible, this passage has been important for deaf…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) Let us praise the name of the LORD (Psalm 148) Andy Nagahara Today’s psalm is the 148th. The word that appears most frequently in today’s verse is “Praise.” This psalm sings, “Praise the Lord” or “Praise the name of the Lord,” and actually I covered the difference between these phrases in my talk about Psalm 124 about a year ago, so if you’re interested, please read it again. Jesus Is The Name Of The Lord (Psalm 124)https://yourchurch.jp/wpe/2023/10/08/e231008 This morning I would like to consider why we should praise the Lord. First, let’s read up to verse  1. Let us give thanks for creation and praise…