Month: March 2020

↓Audio link to the full sermon Today’s message is from Mark 7:20, “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. “ We want to learn together today that Jesus came to cleanse inside of our heart. First of all, please read from Mark 7:1 to 23. The Pharisees and teachers of the law saw some of Jesus’ disciples eating food with hands that were unwashed, they asked Jesus “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands? “ (verse 5). They were accusing his disciples of not following the traditional ways of ceremonial washing. The Pharisees at

↓Audio link to the full sermon The title of today’s message is from Mark 6:22, “Ask me for anything you want. “ This is the word spoken by King Herod when his daughter pleased him and his dinner guests by dancing in front of them. Please read Mark 6:14-29. The tragedy of John the Baptist is written here that he was killed by king Herod. In the Bible, we can see the record of human nature both good and bad without disguise. Even the history of Israel itself includes good and bad. When we see these sinful human nature, we, Christians, are made humble to pray for His guidance and

↓Audio link to the full sermon

↓Audio link to the full sermon The central verse of this sermon is “You give them something to eat” (Mark 6:37). The verse comes from the story of Jesus’ miraculously providing food for a crowd of 5,000 people. When he looked on this crowd, Jesus felt deep compassion for them as they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he taught them many things. Then he challenged his disciples to provide food for the hungry crowd. Their logical response: It would take some 200 denarii (equivalent to today’s 2 million yen) and they didn’t have that kind of money to buy so much food. You can read the rest of

In my last sermon, we read about the woman who had suffered bleeding for 12 years. Jesus had said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering” (Mark 5:34). Compare this with the response Jesus received in his hometown: “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” They took offense at him. And it is written that he was not able to perform miracles there… Jesus was amazed by their