❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) Healed from “The Sickness unto Death” (Proverbs 6:20-35) Andy Nagahara Today in our Proverbs series, we are reading the second half of chapter 6. Let’s read the whole thing. 20 My son, keep your father’s commands and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.21 Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.23 For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,24 keeping you from the immoral woman, from…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) God Who Has Served Us (John 13:1-20) Mari Ikeda Today, we will continue with the series on the Gospel of John, reading from chapter 13, verses 1-20. As I mentioned last time, the record of Jesus’ public ministry ends with the passage we read last time, and from today’s passage onward, the record of Jesus’ teachings within the context of His intimate relationship with His disciples begins. From today’s passage onward, there are a series of particularly memorable words of Jesus that stand out throughout the entire New Testament. Today’s passage describes the scene where Jesus washes His disciples’ feet. Although it is lengthy,I have…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) Seven things the Lord hates (Proverbs 6:1-19) Andy Nagahara Today in our series on Proverbs, we will be reading the first half of chapter 6. Let’s start by reading up to verse 5. 1. The Limits of Human Relationships (1-5) 1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another,2 if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth,3 then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor!4 Allow no…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) Jesus’ Cry (John 12:37-50) Mari Ikeda Today we continue in the Gospel of John, reading the end of chapter 12. This passage actually marks a break in the Gospel of John. Today’s passage concludes the record of Jesus’ public activities, and the next passage begins the record of his message to his disciples. After that, we will read about Jesus’ arrest, execution, and resurrection. As such, today’s passage is both a summary of Jesus’ teaching to date and his final call to a wider audience outside of his disciples. In fact, Jesus “cried out.” Jesus continued to cry out to those who hated and rejected…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) Wisdom to avoid making your loved ones sad (Proverbs 5) Andy Nagahara In the series on Proverbs, today we have chapter 5. Let’s read it in three parts. First, we will read up to verse 15. 1. How should we read Proverbs, who are not young men from the era in which it was written? (1-14) 1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight,2 that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;4 but in the end she is bitter as…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) The Lord Is My Shepherd (Psalm 23:1) Mari Ikeda After finishing our series on the theology of disability and interdependence last month, I thought I would continue our series on the Gospel of John for a while, but I decided to speak from a different passage specially for today. I have a reason for this: I will be giving a short message to a young audience at a university this Wednesday, and in preparing for this message, I thought I would expand on this story in a little more depth at Your Church. The passage I am going to take up is Psalm 23. It…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) Inheritance of wisdom is the inheritance of faith (Proverbs 4) Andy Nagahara Today, we are in chapter 4 of our series on the book of Proverbs, which consists of three sections: verses 1-9, 10-19, and 20-27. So far, we have learned that the “wisdom” found in Proverbs is not merely insight for the purpose of making life comfortable. We also noted that “wisdom” is something God gives us in his good time, and not something that we strive for and accumulate on our own. So, I think you already know that to gain the kind of wisdom recommended in Proverbs and not to let it…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) The One Who Changed History and Changes Our Lives (John12:27-36a) MARI IKEDA Today we continue our series on the Gospel of John by reading 12:27-36. In this passage, Jesus speaks about the time of His death and that it is to signify the beginning of a new era and to change each individual’s life. First, let us read verses 27-33. A. The “time” when history changes （27-33) 27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) Creeds (NICENE Creed, Apostles’ Creed) Andy Nagahara Today I’m going to take a break from my usual Proverbs series and talk about creed. In Japanese, the word “creed” is pronounced “shinjou”. If you ask Japanese people, many of them will think of Shinjo-san of the Nippon Ham Fighters, but I’m not going to talk about him today. (Sorry, this is just a Japanese wordplay joke.) The word “shinjo” which means “creed” is generally used to mean something that one firmly believes in based on one’s own values. In Christian churches, it is a statement that summarizes the content of faith in the form of a…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) If you take your eyes off it, it’s gone (Proverbs 3:21-35) Andy Nagahara 21 My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight;22 they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.23 Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble;24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.25 Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,26 for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared. Couldyou recall…