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　↓Audio link to the full sermon Today’s message is from Mark 12:10, ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;’ Jesus entered Jerusalem, and a crowd of people welcomed Him enthusiastically. After his entry, Jesus first cleansed the temple. Conflicts between Jesus and the leaders at that time were becoming more intense. Jesus used the parable to imply his death on the cross. The death and resurrection of Jesus implies that a new era, the age of the Church, was about to come, and that is the theme of this message. First, please read Mark 11:15-18.  Offering animals as sacrifices was the center of worship at the temple in Jerusalem.

↓Audio link to the full sermon Reflection on James 4:13-17 Intro Good morning, brothers and sisters. I pray that you are well, even though your daily life has been affected by COVID-19. I’m sure the virus affected your plans. Some of you had to cancel your travels this year, whether it was a holiday, a business trip, or going to another prefecture. This is especially true for foreign residents in Japan like me, since if we leave, we cannot reenter Japan due to a strict travel ban, even if we are permanent residents or married to Japanese spouses. So, I had to postpone my annual trip to Malaysia that usually

↓Audio link to the full sermon 　Today’s message is from Mark 11:3, “The Lord needs it.” From Mark Chapter 11, the passion week had begun. The first events in the week was Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem. Jesus didn’t come to Jerusalem riding a horse, but on a donkey. In Zachariah 9:9, it says “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was accomplished as a fulfillment of this Old Testament prophecy. Your king means Messiah, the Christ, and it is really interesting that Christ

　↓Audio link to the full sermon Today’s message is from Mark 10:52, “your faith has healed you.” We’ll take a look at a life of Bartimaeus, who was a blind man in Jericho. We would like to learn from his faith and we want to be thankful for Jesus, being a true follower of Jesus. Please read Mark 10:46-52. First, let’s consider the context and meaning of this event. Jesus and his disciples are on the way to Jerusalem (verse 32). Jesus tells his disciples that he will be on the cross and will be raised three days later (33, 34). Do you remember these things I shared with you

　↓Audio link to the full sermon Today’s message is from Mark 10:31, “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” It is a passage where the truth is revealed, that those who seek to enter heaven by deeds are left behind, and those who long for heaven by faith and grace come first. Jesus has used these expressions elsewhere. If you are interested, please check Matthew 20:16 and Luke 13:30. This message follows on from the previous message, in which the rich man who seeks heaven for his deeds is left behind, but rather those who believe in Jesus with a heart like children come first.

↓Audio link to the full sermon Today’s message is from Mark10:27, “all things are possible with God.” The message is hidden here that we cannot save ourselves, but only God can save us. In Mark 10:45 Jesus says “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Ransom means the cost you pay to free slaves. It is revealed that Jesus pays the ransom for the Atonement, so that the whole humanity who are salves of the sin will be set free, and to make them belong to God, that is what Jesus did

　↓Audio link to the full sermon 　Today’s message is from Mark 10:8, “ So they are no longer two, but one flesh.” These are the words spoken by Jesus about marriage. Please read Mark 10: 1-12. Last week’s message was from “Have salt among yourselves,” but here Jesus added that we should live in harmony with each other. The emphasis was on keeping a balance between having salt and living in harmony. That also applies to marriage that we need the same balance within the married couple. 　First, let’s look at the context of this verse. In verse two, “Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful