❖ Video ❖ Audio His Love Endures Forever Psalm 118 Andy Nagahara Psalm 118 is a long psalm in contrast to the previous one. So, my suggestion is, why don’t you read this psalm to yourself little by little this week, starting today, and have a short service of meditation and prayer every day?　So today I will try to provide a guiding explanation for this. The first thing I would like you to know about this entire psalm is that the 113-118, including this one, were sung as a series of prayers during the Passover meal.　So it is likely that these were also the songs that Jesus and his disciples…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Practice of Love (Part2/2): “Love Your Enemies” Romans 12:17-21, Matthew 5:38-48 Mari Ikeda Today I’m going to talk about what it means to practice love by reading the Romans chapter 12, continuing from last time. While last time we heard about loving each other in church, we’ll learn today what it means to love our enemies. I’d like to briefly read the Romans first, but will more focus on Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Mark afterwards. Let’s read from Romans 12:17-21. A. Flawed reasoning in Old Testament teachings （Romans 12:17-21） 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is…

❖ Video ❖ Audio Lord of “All Nations” Psalm 117 Andy Nagahara The Psalm 117 is the shortest verse in the Book of Psalms. However, as the Apostle Paul quotes it as an important matter, it offers important suggestions for us as we walk through this world with faith. Today, while introducing some related texts, I would like to consider how we can take on the problems that the psalmist and Paul faced, which are actually our challenges as well. Let’s read it once first. 1 Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. 2 For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Practice of Love (Part1): In Church Romans 12:9-16 Mari Ikeda Today I was planning to read the Romans 12:9-21, but I decided to divide the passage into two parts, as its content is quite broad. So we’re going to read the first half today, which is verse 9-16.The very first sentence of the first verse today, 12:9, says this: “Love must be sincere.” It means, love must be true and genuine. What does it mean specifically? We’ll learn it from the passage we’ll read today and in the next time.The passage up to v.16, which we’ll read today, talks about the practice of love in…

❖ Video ❖ Audio How can I repay the LORD？ Psalm 116 Andy Nagahara Like many of the songs in the Psalms, it seems that at the core of this song is the experience of the psalmist’s own near death, such as a serious illness, for example. But at the same time, when it came to be sung publicly in temple services, it was sung to recall the tribulations in Egypt, which were the common affliction of the people, and the tribulations under occupation by neighboring nations in later times. In some denominations of the modern church, it is even sung to thank God for the safe delivery of the…

❖ Video ❖ Audio A New Heart and A New Way of Life Romans 12:1-8 Mari Ikeda Today we begin Romans chapter 12. Let’s read it right away. First, verses 1-2. A. A new way of life (1-2) 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will. 1. Every…

❖ Video ❖ Audio The Lord is Our Help and Shield Psalm 115 Andy Nagahara In this week of Easter Sunday, typically I bring a message from a chapter of the gospel, putting aside the general topics. Interestingly however the series from Psalm suits the context of Easter very well. Thus we continue reading Psalm, and today’s chapter is 115.  A. To whom does the glory belong? (1-3) 1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. 2 Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” 3 Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.  “…

❖ 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…