❖ Video ❖ Audio The Friendship of Mary and Elizabeth ADVENT 3-Luke 1:26-56 Mari Ikeda We have entered the third week of advent. Today, from Luke 1, we will read the story of Mary, who became the mother of Jesus, and Elisabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. Mary and Elisabeth were relatives. We don’t know exactly how old they were, but we can say that they were at least as far apart as grandchildren and grandmothers in the sense of that time. Today, through their relationship, I would like to talk about how God gives us friends who look up to Him and walk with us. It’s a little…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Not a Religious, a Revolutionary, a Politician, but a Friend ADVENT 2- Isaiah 11:1-5, 42:1-4 Andy Nagahara A. The Arrival of the Prophesied Savior (Messiah) (Isaiah 11:1-5) 1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him– the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD–3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Joseph’s Solitude ADVENT 1- Matthew 1:18-25 Mari Ikeda Today Advent just started to wait for Christmas. Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ birth, but I don’t think it’s that easy to celebrate with all of our hearts. The most important meaning of Christmas is Immanuel, that God is with us. But don’t we find ourselves searching for God rather than feeling safe knowing God is with us more often? I think there are times when we know that God is with us, but we can’t feel it. That’s something all people would repeat throughout their lives, and it was the same with the people 2000 years ago…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Foolishness of Asking: Does the Bible say that  ____   is a sin? Luke 15:11-32, John 8:7-11, 31,32 14:6 Andy Nagahara A. How does the Bible define sin? 1. Sin as a violation of the law 2. Sin in the early church B. How did Jesus view sin? 1. How did Jesus view the law? 2. How has the church defined sin? 3. The right question is “What is sin?” rather than “Is ______ a sin?” Summary We are not under Old Testament law. We also do not follow all of Paul’s teachings from the New Testament. Some people believe that the Bible identifies certain actions…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Mystery of God’s Choice (Part 2) Romans 9:14-29 Mari Ikeda Continuing from last time, today we will continue with the theme of what God’s choice is and why some are chosen, and some are not. As usual, we will read the second half of Romans 9, verses 14-29, bit by bit. First, verses 14-16. A. God has mercy on whom he has mercy and hardens whom he hardens  1. God’s choice is God’s mercy (14-16) 14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will…

❖ Video ❖ Audio A Steadfast Heart in the Midst of Suffering Psalm 108 Andy Nagahara 0 A song. A psalm of David.1 My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul.2 Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.3 I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.4 For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth. 6 Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Mystery of God’s Choice (Part 1) Romans 9:1-13 Mari Ikeda A. The reality that the people chosen by God are rejecting God (1-5, Deuteronomy 7:6-8) 1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Let Us Heed These Things Psalm 107:33-43 Andy Nagahara A. Reasons for withering and flourishing (33-38) He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs; there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle. They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest; he　blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and he did not let their herds diminish. For the people of Israel and the surrounding areas at that time, water was so precious that it is completely unimaginable to those of us who live in Japan where water is abundant.…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Irreplaceable Love of God Romans 8:31-39 Mari Ikeda We’ve been reading Romans from the beginning of this year, and now we have finally got to the halfway point today. Today’s part  – Chap 8 verse 31-39 is the praise to God as a closing of the first half of Romans. We will hear Paul’s words of excitement to God repeatedly. Verse 31-34 talks about how God loves us so much, and 35-39 talks about how we can never go astray from God now that we know His such love for us. We will read the scriptures little by little as usual. Let’s start with 31-32. …

❖ Video ❖ Audio Crying Out to the Lord in Distress Psalms 107:1-32 Andy Nagahara I will divide Psalm 107 into two parts. Today we will go through verse 33. Here, the people of Israel were redeemed from various hardships and brought together, which is appropriate for us as we have just resumed our on-site worship service this month! The first three verses describe the gratitude and joy of being redeemed and called together. After that, four different kinds of hardships are recorded. Each of us, as a people who have been freed from various hardships and called to this place, should listen carefully to the message of Jesus as…