❖ Video ❖ Audio The Peace and Hope That Comes From Accepting One Another Romans 15:1-13 Mari Ikeda We are now in August. Every year, this is the time for Japanese to remember the mistake of going to war, but I suppose many people have a special feeling this year because we have learnt so well since the war started in Ukraine last February, how difficult it is to end the war, and how fragile the peace is. Also, it was a memorial day for Hiroshima yesterday, and for Nagasaki it will be the day after tomorrow. Although Japan is the only country to have been bombed with atomic weapons,…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Correctness Is Sometimes Wrong Romans 14:13-23 Mari Ikeda Today we’re going to read the second half of the chapter 14 of Romans. Following the first half of the chapter we read last time, the problem of different opinions in the church on what to eat and what not to eat as believers continues to be discussed here, but the point of emphasis is different today from last time. Let’s start reading, first from v.13-16. 1. We need to know our correctness can sometimes hurt others (13-16) 13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling…

❖ Video ❖ Audio ד (Daleth)： The Law as Our Way Series: Finding the Gospel in Psalm 119ーA Hymn to the Law　4/22 Psalm 119:25-32 Andy Nagahara The fourth in the series of Psalm 119, called Hymn to the Law, contains the fourth paragraph, verses 25-32, with the fourth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, dalet, placed at the beginning of each line. Although there is another theory, Daret is said to derive from the letter depicting a door (Hebrew: דללת delet).　　 In today’s passage, you may have noticed the repeated use of the expression way (Way, Path). Way is a frequently used expression in the New Testament.　For example, Jesus himself introduced…

❖ Video ❖ Audio We Must Not Control Other People’s Faith Romans 14:1-12 Mari Ikeda      From today we are going into chapter 14 of the book of Romans. Today, we’ll read 14:1-12, which tells us, “We must not control other people’s faith,” as the title says. As usual, let’s read a little at a time. Let’s start with v.1-3  A. Faith is the one-on-one relationship between God and each person 1. Are there people of weak faith and those of strong faith? (1-3) 1 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose…

❖ Video ❖ Audio ג (Gimel)： Essentials for Strangers Series: Finding the Gospel in Psalm 119ーA Hymn to the Law　3/22 Psalm 119:17-24 Andy Nagahara In this third sermon in our series on Psalm 119, which we have characterized as a “hymn to the law”, we will be focusing on the third paragraph that starts with “gimel” the third letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Gimel comes from the Hebrew word gamal, from which some theorize that we get the English word, “camel.” 　Today is election day for the Upper House in Japan. Has the terrifying event from this past week impacted your vote? This should not be the case. The fact…