❖ Video ❖ Audio The Trouble With Putting Our HopeIn Powerful Politicians　 (Mark 12:35-37) Mari Ikeda 35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ 37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with delight. A.  We have a tendency to long for powerful politicians who will protect our interests B.  A leader who became a servant to all 1. The…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Greatest Thing(s) (Mark 12:28-34) Mari Ikeda A.  The limitation of knowledge (32-34) 32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. B.  What only Jesus could teach 1. Love for…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Getting Back at Our True Enemy “Seven Times” (Psalm 79) Andy Nagahara A.  Everyone is suffering (1-7) A psalm of Asaph. O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble. They have given the dead bodies of your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of your saints to the beasts of the earth. They have poured out blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead. We are objects of reproach to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us. (1-4) B.…

❖ Video ❖ Audio To Die, To Rise Again, To Live (Mark 12:18-27) Mari Ikeda A.  The resurrected body (18-25, I Corinthians 15) 18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 19 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third.…

❖ Video ❖ Audio “Peace Be With You” x2 The Message for Easter Sunday (John 20:19-23) Mari Ikeda A.  Peace between us and Jesus 1. Peace in the midst of fear (19) On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”    2. The one who conquered death (20a) After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.  3. The one who offers love and forgiveness of sins (20b) The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.  B.  Peace between us and other people…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Passover 2020 Isaiah 53:4-12 Andy Nagahara A.  The road to the cross 1. Jesus who bears our sickness (4) 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.   2. Jesus who bears our mistakes (5) 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 3. Why we make mistakes (6) 6 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Our Attitude Toward Human Authority Mark 12:13-17 Mari Ikeda A.  Three different attitudes toward Rome (13-14) 13 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?  1. We should not pay taxes 2. We have no choice but to pay taxes 3. We…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Farmers Who Were Entrusted with Life (the World) Mark 11:27-12:12 Mari Ikeda A.  Unable to face their sin, they were unable to face God (27-33) 27 They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. 28 “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?” 29 Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Did God Create Viruses? Genesis 1:27-31, Matthew 6:19-21, Isaiah 55:2 Andy Nagahara A.  A simple question So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Bearing Fruit in Jesus Mark 11:12-25 Mari Ikeda A.  Things that anger Jesus 1. Things that don’t bear fruit (12-14, Micah 7:1-2) 12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. 1 What misery is mine! I am like one who gathers summer…