Having a Steadfast Heart by the Mercy of God (Psalm 57, 2 Corinthians 12:9, 10) Andy Nagahara ❖ Video ❖ Audio A. God’s mercy (0-3) 0 For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A When he had fled from Saul into the cave. 1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. 2 I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills [his purpose] for me.3 He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly…

Mari Ikeda ❖ Video ❖ Audio The Mystery of God’s Kingdom (Mark 4:21-34) A. The key to the mystery is the “lamp” 1. A lamp is to be used to shine a light (21-23) 21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” 2. A measure to hear and a measure to receive (24-25) 24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use,…

Andy Nagahara ❖ Video ❖ Audio In God I Trust; I Will Not Be Afraid (Psalm 56) 0 For the director of music. To [the tune of] “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A When the Philistines had seized him in Gath. 1 Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack. 2 My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me in their pride. 3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? 5 All day long they…

Mari Ikeda ❖ Video ❖ Audio God’s Way Is Inefficient (Mark 4:1-20) A. Wasteful sowing (1-9) 1 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where…

Andy Nagahara ❖ Video ❖ Audio Cast Your Cares on the Lord (Psalm 55) A. Is the psalmist truly relying on the Lord? 1) Trusting and crying out For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A<maskil> of David. Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught at the voice of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger. My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed…

Mari  Ikeda ❖ Video ❖ Audio   We cannot see our near future, but we CAN see our final destination (Hebrew 11:1; 8-10; 13-16) A. What do we hope for? (1) 1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. B. Abraham’s journey and our journey (8-10, 13-16) 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents,…

Andy Nagahara ❖ Video ❖ Audio   The 25th year of Your Churchs (I Thessalonians 1:1-10) A. What is Your Church? 1) A family of people who nurture faith, hope, and love in one another (1-3) 1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you. 2 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 2) People who are chosen…

Mari Ikeda ❖ Video ❖ Audio Byzantine icon of Nativity, in the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens Ricardo André Frantz (User:Tetraktys) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons Let Us Receive The Eternal King (Matthew 2:1-12) – From the Christian hymn”The First Noel” A. The King, who brings the eternal peace (Isaiah 9:1b-7) 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 Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— 2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. 3 You…

Andy Nagahara ❖ Video ❖ Audio The Guiding Star of your Journey (Matthew 2:1-12) – From the Christian hymn”The First Noel” 1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.…

Mari Ikeda ❖ Video ❖ Audio God Came To This World So Silently (Luke 2:8-16) – From the Christian hymn”Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” A. The fulfilled prophesy (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:6) (Micah5:2) “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Matthew 5:6)“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” B. It started silently (Luke 2:8-14) 8 And there were…