❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:1-7) Andy Nagahara After finishing the series of Psalms that I had been reading over the course of several years, I thought over the New Year holidays about what to read next, and I decided to continue with Proverbs, which come after Psalms in the Old Testament, and then Ecclesiastes, which comes after them.Today I would like to start with the first part of Proverbs, talk about what kind of book it is and how we should read it. 1. About Proverbs (1) Let me read the first verse. The proverbs of Solomon son…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) A Statement of Determination that “I Am Yours.” (Your Church Member’s Covenant Mark 12:28-31, Luke 10:25-37) Mari Ikeda Today I would like to talk about church membership. Christian churches around the world have membership systems, and this church has one as well, but the way the system works differs from church to church. Some churches automatically renew membership semi-permanently once a person becomes a member, while others confirm each person’s commitment every year. At that time, some churches also confirm how much each member plans to contribute each month, and budget accordingly. At Your Church, membership is not automatically renewed, and although we confirm each…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) Let us walk through 2025 praising the Lord! (Psalm 150) Andy Nagahara It seems strange timing that the first service message of 2025 should be the last time of a long-running psalm series, but this psalm is full of a fitting call to action as we walk forward in the new year. The last psalm, Psalm 150, is a summary verse of the 5th volume of the Psalms, which begins with Psalm 107, and also a summary verse of the entire Psalm. In other words, it is a song that allows us to reaffirm the essence of the entire psalm. This psalm teaches us how…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) God who gave Himself into the hands of man (Luke 2:1-7, II Corinthians 4:6-11・The Fourth Sunday of Advent / Christmas Service) Mari Ikeda This week is the last week of the four-week-long Advent season of waiting and celebrating the birth of Jesus. Today I would like to focus on the fact that God became man through the birth of Jesus. When Jesus was born, God became a weak baby who could not live without human help. It is very symbolic that God Almighty became a helpless human baby. Jesus would eventually die on the cross, and even then He was helpless. It seems as if…

❖ 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…

❖ Video ❖ Audio (Message) Let us have sincerity from the heart rather than piety in appearance (John 10:22-39) Mari Ikeda     Today we continue in the Gospel of John, reading 10:22-39. This passage records a dispute between Jesus and the Jews. It is an exchange that has been repeated in the past, but I believe that this passage calls us once again to be sincere with God. What God wants from us is not for us to be respectable believers in the eyes of others. Rather, what God asks of us is that we face our own weaknesses and come before God as we are, even if we…