❖ Video ❖ Audio John the Baptist for Our Time Luke 1:67-80 Andy Nagahara 1. John the Baptist who came ahead of Jesus (67-77) 67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us– 72 to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The light that shines in darkness Isaiah 9:1-7 Mari Ikeda We have entered the Christmas season, but this year’s Christmas has become very unusual (compared to other Christmases). How are we going to receive Christmas in this darkness called Corona? Today, during the first week of advent, we will be looking at Isaiah chapter 9 in the old testament. First, we will read the whole passage.  1Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Becoming a Person Whose Trust is in the Lord Psalm 91 Andy Nagahara 1. Expressing our trust in the Lord (1-8) 1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Mark Entrusted Us With Jesus’ Post-Resurrection Story Mark 15:42-16:8 Mari Ikeda A. Jesus’ death: The result of our sin (15:42-47) 15:42 It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. 45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 So Joseph…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Make Your Worship ＊＊＊＊＊ Again! Psalm 130, Deuteronomy 4:27-29, Luke5:37-39, Matthew 18:18-20 Andy Nagahara 1. Worship with expectation (Psalm 130) Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.  If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.  I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Jesus Died in Our Place and Now We Live in His Place Mark 15:21-41 Mari Ikeda A. Jesus’ death 1. Excluded from society (21-27) 21 A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. 22 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 23 Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. 25 It…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Lord’s Unfailing Love Psalm 60 Andy Nagahara 1. The God who transcends history (1, 2) 0 A prayer of Moses the man of God.1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 2. Our lives are but a small part of history (3-6) 3 You turn men back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, O sons of men.”4 For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.5 You sweep…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Love in the Midst of Silence Mark 15:1-20 Mari Ikeda A. Jesus was handed over… 1. To the religious leaders (1) 1 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. (Mark 10:33) “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles,… 2. To Pilate (2-5) 2…

❖ Video ❖ Audio What Has Become of Our World? Psalm 88 Andy Nagahara Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: “I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have exalted a young man from among the people. I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him. My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him. (19-21) A. The “good” world that God created 1. Human beings as God’s final creation 2. Human beings as God’s partners Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: “I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Let’s Return Home Luke 15:11-32 (The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen) Mari Ikeda 1. A despair that separates us from others and from which there is no escape a. Leaving home (11-13) 11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. b. Wandering further and further away from home (13-16) 13…