❖ Video ❖ Audio Why Doesn’t God Take Away Our Suffering? Luke 22:31-34 Mari Ikeda Today is called Palm Sunday, a week before Easter, and this week is Passion Week. It is a time when we should think again about the death and resurrection of Jesus, but preparing for this message was a bit difficult. That’s because I have been doubting God for some time now. I felt like God was not doing anything about my personal suffering and the many tragic things that are happening in this world, including Ukraine. While I was in the midst of suffering that I wanted to disappear right now, I had no idea…

❖ Video ❖ Audio From My Egypt to My Israel Psalm 114 Andy Nagahra 1 When Israel came out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign tongue,2 Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion.3 The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back;4 the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.5 Why was it, O sea, that you fled, O Jordan, that you turned back,6 you mountains, that you skipped like rams, you hills, like lambs?7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,8 who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Even When People Repeat Their Mistakes… Romans 11:25-36 Mari Ikeda      Today we finally come to the last part of Romans 11, the last of the difficult parts of the book of Romans. Scholars have different opinions on how to interpret this passage, and what I am going to share with you today is just one interpretation. But one thing is certain: Paul believed in the salvation of the Jews. Paul believed that no matter how many times man repeats the same mistakes, God’s mercy is poured out on man without ever changing.      To find out why Paul was so convinced, we shall…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Hallelujah Sandwich Psalm 113 Andy Nagahara 1 Praise the LORD. Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. 2 Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore. 3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised. 4 The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, 6 who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? 7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Prejudice of Faith Romans 11:11-24 Mari Ikeda Today’s verse is from Rome chapter 11 verse 11-24. The theme is about prejudice by faith. Don’t we sometimes look down on others by believing that I who know Christ is right because Christ is right? Today’s verse asks such a question to us. From verses 11 to 15. A. Those of faith judging those without faith (11-15) 11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the…