This Sunday we look at 1 Thessalonians 5.1-11 as we continue our Advent series. This December we’re specifically thinking about the final or last advent. Just as the OT saints looked forward in anticipation of Christ’s first coming, the church should be looking forward to Christ second coming, and advent is a reminder that Jesus will come back for his church. In our text we find two ways that the church can prepare for the final advent: 1) we need to continue growing in spiritual discernment and 2) we need to continue growing in spiritual sobriety.

For the rest of December we’ll take a break to focus on Advent, specifically the second advent of Christ. Here in 1 Thessalonians 4.15-18, we consider three important aspects of the final advent: 1) the return of the king, 2) the resurrection of the dead, and 3) the reward of the saints. It’s the kuleana of every Christian to help others live in anticipation of this final advent.

In Genesis 11.10-32 we consider the mo’oku’auhau (genealogy) of Shem. Here we find three reasons we should celebrate this advent season with renewed hope, gratitude, and joy: 1) the Line of Promise (10-26), 2) the Idolatry of Abraham (27-29), and 3) the Barrenness of Sarah (30-32).

Today we took a break from Genesis. Uncle Mike preached from Colossians 3.16-17.

E KALA MAI: we continue to have recording issues and last week’s sermon on Genesis 9 was not recorded. Today we covered Genesis 10-11.9. Throughout history there have always been powerful and influential kingdoms and empires but just as nations rise, nations will also fall. The one constant eternal unchanging supreme ruler is God. God is Lord over the nations. There are two main ideas that help us to see this in our text: 1) The Table of Nations (Genesis 10) and 2) The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11.1-19).

E kala mai our sermon (Pt.1) from last week on Genesis 6.9 - Genesis 8 wasn’t recorded. Last week, we looked at 8 scenes that made up the flood narrative. Today we went back to Genesis 6-8 to consider how the flood points us forward to greater things to come. Through Genesis 6-8 we learn that the flood helps us to anticipate: 1) a New Covenant, 2) a New Creation, 3) A New Adam, 4) A New Humanity, and 5) a New Baptism.

In Acts 1.12-26, Pastor Dan Wong (Hawaii Kai Church) helps us see a beautiful picture of the people of God who would make up the early christian community. Here he we see 4 vital characteristics of this community: 1) a commitment to obedience even in difficulty, 2) a devotion to prayer as a community, 3) the primacy of the word of God even in the midst of scandal, 4) a humble deferential submission to God in choosing leaders.

E kala mai, last week’s sermon on Genesis 5 was not recorded. Today in Genesis 6.1-8, we see that great wickedness was spreading across the earth. And in the midst of this great wickedness, we find the grace of God coming to sinners. Anytime we see mercy in judgment, we should be floored and astounded. There are two big themes we find here: 1) the corruption of the earth (1-5) and 2) the response of God (6-8).

In Hebrews 12, Pastor Jay Haynes (Kahului Baptist Church) helps us to see three important realities about the Discipline of God: 1) The Blessing of God’s Discipline, 2) the Purpose of God’s Discipline, and 3) the Result of God’s Discipline.

We take a break from our Genesis series to meditate on 1 Peter 5.1-11. Here we see how pastors and church members should be relating to one another. Pastors must shepherd faithfully and church members must receive shepherding faithfully. In verses 1-4 we find five encouragements for faithful pastors. Then in verses 5-11, we find two encouragements for faithful members.

Pastor Todd Morikawa preached from Acts 20.17-37 at our elder ordination service on September 29. This was a historic moment for our church as it was the first time we had ever raised up and affirmed pastors to serve at WCC. Pastor Todd gave several encouragements from Acts 20 both for the pastors and the congregation.

E kala mai, last week’s sermon on Genesis 3.14-24 was not recorded. This week, in Genesis 4, we find three reasons why we need to be killing sin. The first reason is because sin’s desire is for you, the second reason is because sin will take dominion over your life, and the third reason you need to kill sin is because Christ (as the promised offspring of the woman) has already triumphed over sin through his death and resurrection.

In Genesis 3.1-13, the time of testing had come for Adam. Should he succeed in obeying the covenant by refraining from eating from the forbidden tree, Adam and all his prosperity would enjoy the blessings of life with God forever. But should he fail and break the covenant by eating from the forbidden tree, Adam and his descendants would be shut out from the life of God and experience the curse of death. There are two main scenes that play out in this narrative: 1) the temptation of Adam (1-6) and 2) the fall of Adam (7-13).

In 1 Peter 4.12-19, Matthew Harper (director of Speak 4 Unborn and member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Louisville KY), encourages us to entrust our souls to God our Faithful Creator in the midst of our suffer. He shows us two reasons in our text why we should do this: 1) because Christian suffering is normal, and 2) because Christian suffering is blessed.

In Romans 8.18-39 we find some of the most profound and glorious truths in all of Christian doctrine. These truths help us navigate all the complexities of the Christian life because the Christian life is full of rejoicing and suffering. And when we go through the stormy trials of life, the church is called by God to be a source of comfort. We are to comfort one another in our sorrows and affliction with the truth of the gospel. In this text we find three important realities that will help us as we comfort each other: 1) the reality of inescapable suffering, 2) the reality of incomparable hope, and 3) the reality of inseparable love.

In Genesis 2.18-25, we find the creation of the first marriage. Marriage is the union of one man and one woman in a lifetime covenant. In the garden we find the goodness, beauty, and truthfulness of God’s design for marriage. And Marriage must be upheld in honor by all people, but especially, the church. There are three foundational truths that we consider to help us with that: 1) The Necessity of Marriage, 2) The Celebration of Marriage, and 3) The Union of Marriage.

In Genesis 2.4-17, we find the extravagant generosity of God toward Adam in his original state prior to the fall. There are three really important ideas that we unpack in this text: 1) Eden’s garden-sanctuary, 2) Eden’s prophet, priest, and king, and 3) Eden’s promises and threats.

In Genesis 2.1-3, God rests from his work of creation and by doing so, he sets an example and pattern for all people to follow. Here we learn that we must sanctify the sabbath, devoting a special day in our weeks for worship and to rest. If we’re going to do that, there are four important themes we need to understand concerning God’s rest: 1) The completion of the cosmic temple, 2) the coronation of the cosmic king, 3) the consecration of the sabbath day, and 4) the consummation of the sabbath rest.

Kenny Komatsu preaches from Titus 3.8-11 helping us to see the importance of consistent and faithful gospel living. Gospel living simply means we live out the gospel by devoting ourselves to good works and avoid foolish distractions. In our text, we find that we have to do three things : 1) trust in the gospel and insist on living it out, 2) devote ourselves to good works, and 3) avoid foolish distractions.

We continue to meditate on Genesis 1.26-28. Last Sunday we considered what it meant to bear God’s image. Today we considered seven societal implications of being made in God’s image: 1) Man is creaturely, 2) Human-life is sacred, 3) Gender is a gift, 4) Family is foundational, 5) Sin is dehumanizing, 6) Sin is cosmic treason, and 7) the Church is essential.