❖ Video ❖ Audio The Kingdom of God and Social Welfare Luke 17:20-21; Mark 4:26-29, 30-32 Mari Ikeda Today, I would like to pause the series on the Book of Romans one time. It’s because I have been thinking recently that I want to share with you all what I’ve been feeling at a welfare institution I work three times a week from 8 years ago. Sorry for this sudden pause, but I’d like to talk about it today. First, let’s read the Gospel of Luke, chapter 17. 20 Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Like a flower of the field Sermon Series “Praise the LORD, O my soul” (Psalm 103 & 104) #2 Psalm 103:11-22, Luke 12:27-31 Andy Nagahara Today, we will read Psalms 103 and 104, the second in the series, “Praise the Lord, O my soul,” from verses 11-22 of 103. First, let’s read the whole passage. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD…

Image by 愚木混株 Cdd20  on Pixabay ❖ Video ❖ Audio Captivated by Jesus The Series on the Book of Romans #12 Romans 6:15-23 Mari Ikeda Do you all think you are captivated by Jesus? Today we’re going to read the second half of chapter 6 in the Book of Romans, which exhorts us to become slaves of God, but I pondered if there was some better word than “slave,” because “slave” means a forced labor, which is neither what God demands us nor what Paul wanted to say. Then the word “captive” came to my mind. Because to be a captive originally means to be in captivity or be a…

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash ❖ Video ❖ Audio Praise the LORD, O my soul Sermon Series “Praise the LORD, O my soul” (Psalm 103 & 104) 1 Psalm 103:1-10 Andy Nagahara Starting today, I will be speaking over 4 or 5 Sundays on Psalms 103 and 104. Both of these psalms begin and end with the exhortation: “ Praise the LORD, O my soul.” Today, we will read through chapter 103 verse 10. Let’s start by reading this entire section. 0 Of David.1 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his…

❖ Video ❖ Audio We’re No Longer Ruled by Sin, but Under the Reign of Go Romans 6:1-14 Mari Ikeda      Today we will be reading the first half of chapter 6 in the Book of Romans. The first half and the second half of chapter 6 and the first half of chapter 7 are all speaking of a same content but from three different angles, which may give us an impression of it as a little persistent. The reason for this persistence is that Paul, who wrote this letter, was often misunderstood by both the Jew and the Gentile and that he needed to clear up the misunderstanding.…