Previous Sermons
The Door That Leads To Life
Entering the Abundant Life in Christ
Pastor Rodel Paz | March 22
John 10:7-10 ESV
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Introduction
Jesus declares, “I am the door of the sheep.” This is one of His powerful “I AM” statements, revealing His divine identity and His saving mission. He contrasts Himself with thieves and robbers—false leaders and deceptive voices that exploit rather than protect.
To understand the weight of this statement, we must step into the world of the first century. Shepherding was not just an occupation—it was a way of life. At night, shepherds would gather their sheep into a sheepfold, often a stone enclosure with a single opening. There was no wooden gate like we might imagine today. Instead, the shepherd himself would lie across that entrance. His body became the barrier. Nothing could come in without going through him. Nothing could go out without his awareness.
So when Jesus says, “I am the door,” He is not speaking abstractly. He is saying: “I am your access. I am your protection. I am your security. I am your life.”
This passage is deeply relevant today. We live in a world filled with competing voices, promises, and pathways. Many doors are presented as solutions—success, pleasure, self-fulfillment—but not all doors lead to life. Some lead to emptiness, bondage, or destruction.
The Central Message:
Jesus Christ is the only true door to salvation, security, and abundant life—and every person must choose whether to enter through Him.
1. The PERSON Who Declares the Door
John 10:7 ESV 7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
Jesus begins with authority: “Very truly I tell you, I am the door of the sheep.” This is not a metaphor of suggestion but a declaration of identity. In the broader context, Jesus is confronting false shepherds—religious leaders who mislead the people.
The phrase “I am” echoes divine language, pointing back to God’s self-revelation in Exodus. Jesus is not merely offering guidance—He is presenting Himself as the essential access point to God.
Exhortation
1. Stop treating Jesus as optional—He is essential.
Many people admire Jesus but do not submit to Him. They respect His teachings but resist His authority. You cannot keep Jesus at a distance and still expect His benefits.
2. Surrender fully, not partially.
Partial surrender is still resistance. Jesus is not a part-time Savior. A door is not something you admire—it is something you walk through.
3. Trust His exclusivity as an expression of His love.
In a world that resists absolute truth, Jesus’ claim feels narrow. But it is actually mercy. If there were many doors, we would wander endlessly. But because there is one door, we can be certain.
Reflection
Jesus does not just show the door—He is the door. Salvation is not found in religion, morality, or effort—it is found in a relationship with Him.
Acts 4:12 ESV
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Revelation 3:20 ESV
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Quote
“Christ is not one of many ways to approach God, nor is He the best of several ways; He is the only way.” — A.W. Tozer
2. The PRETENDERS Who Deceive the Sheep
John 10:8 ESV
8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
Jesus warns: “All who have come before me are thieves and robbers.” He is referring to false messiahs, corrupt leaders, and religious systems that burden people rather than lead them to God. These “thieves” exploit the sheep—they take rather than give.
Exhortation
1. Develop spiritual discernment.
Not everything that sounds spiritual is from God. Ask: Does this align with Scripture? Does it exalt Christ?
2. Guard your heart from subtle deception.
Deception rarely appears obvious. It comes disguised.
3. Reject voices that drain rather than give life.
If something constantly produces fear, confusion, pride, or emptiness—it is not from the Good Shepherd.
Reflection
Not every spiritual voice is from God. Some promise freedom but deliver bondage. Some promise truth but distort it. The enemy does not just attack—he imitates. He offers counterfeit doors.
Matthew 24:24 ESV
24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
2 Corinthians 11:3 ESV
3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
1 John 4:1 ESV
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Proverbs 4:23 ESV
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
Quote
“The greatest enemy to truth is not always a lie, but often a distortion.” — John Stott
3. The PROTECTION Found in the Door
John 10:9 ESV
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
Jesus says, “If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” The imagery speaks of safety, freedom, and provision. The shepherd as the door ensures that nothing harmful enters and nothing valuable is lost.
Exhortation
1. Rest in Christ’s finished work.
Your security is not based on your performance but on His promise.
2. Live from security, not for security.
Many believers still live as if they must earn God’s love.
3. Stay near the Shepherd.
Protection is experienced in proximity.
Reflection
The Christian life is not fear-driven—it is presence-driven. In Christ, we are guarded, guided, and kept.
John 10:28 ESV
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
Psalm 91:1 ESV
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
Quote
“Our safety is not in the absence of danger, but in the presence of God.” — Charles Spurgeon
4. The PROVISION Promised Through the Door
John 10:9 ESV
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
Jesus speaks of sheep finding pasture—symbolizing nourishment, satisfaction, and rest. In contrast to the barren offerings of false leaders, Jesus provides what truly sustains the soul.
Exhortation
1. Feed consistently on God’s Word.
Spiritual starvation leads to spiritual weakness.
2. Replace shallow consumption with deep communion.
Entertainment cannot nourish your soul.
3. Trust God as your provider—not circumstances.
Provision is not about abundance of things but sufficiency in God.
Reflection
Many people are spiritually malnourished—not because food is unavailable, but because they are feeding on the wrong things. True satisfaction is not found in more—it is found in Him.
Jeremiah 15:16 ESV
16 Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.
Psalm 34:8 ESV
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Quote
“The Word of God is not just information for the mind, but nourishment for the soul.” — Dallas Willard
5. The PROMISE of Abundant Life
John 10:10 ESV
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Jesus declares: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” This is not merely eternal life after death, but a rich, overflowing life now—marked by joy, peace, purpose, and relationship with God. The contrast is stark: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”
Exhortation
1. Reject the lie that sin satisfies.
Sin promises life but delivers death.
2. Pursue fullness in Christ daily.
Abundant life is cultivated through relationship.
3. Live with eternal purpose.
Abundant life is not about comfort but calling.
Reflection
Abundant life is not the absence of trials—it is the presence of Christ in every trial.
Hebrews 11:25 ESV
25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
Ephesians 3:20 ESV 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
Psalm 16:11 ESV
11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Quote
“Jesus does not offer a better life; He offers a new life.” — Watchman Nee
Conclusion
Jesus stands before us today and declares: “I am the door of the sheep.” Not a suggestion, not an option among many—but the only way to salvation, security, provision, and abundant life.
The question is not whether the door exists—the question is whether you will enter.
Some stand near the door but never step through. Others try to climb over the walls, seeking another way. But Jesus invites you plainly: Come. Enter. Live.
Call to Response
- If you have never trusted Christ, today is the day to enter the Door.
- If you have wandered, return to the safety and provision of the Shepherd.
- If you are walking with Him, step deeper into the abundant life He offers.
When The Light Breaks Through The Darkness
Walking in the Light of the World
By Pastor Rodel Paz | March 15, 2026
John 8:12 NIV 12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Introduction
This statement occurs during the Feast of Tabernacles, a Jewish festival celebrating God’s guidance of Israel through the wilderness. During this feast, giant lamps were lit in the temple courts, illuminating Jerusalem and reminding the people of the pillar of fire that guided Israel by night (Exodus 13:21).
Standing in the glow of those temple lights, Jesus makes a stunning claim: He is not merely reflecting light—He is the Light.
The religious leaders immediately challenge Him. They question His authority, reject His testimony, and attempt to discredit His claim. Yet Jesus stands firm, revealing profound truths about His identity and mission.
The Message: Jesus Christ is the Light of the world who reveals truth, guides our path, exposes darkness, and offers the life that only God can provide.
1. The DECLARATION of the Light
John 8:12 NIV 12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
This statement echoes the divine name revealed in Exodus 3:14, when God declared, “I AM WHO I AM.” By using the phrase “I AM,” Jesus identifies Himself with the God of Israel. Throughout Scripture, light represents God’s presence, holiness, and truth.
Exhortation
Christ’s declaration demands a response from every heart.
1. Recognize the darkness without Christ. Without Christ, we may appear morally upright yet remain spiritually lost. The first step toward the light is acknowledging our need for it.
2. Receive the truth Christ reveals. Jesus does not merely provide helpful insights; He reveals ultimate reality. His words illuminate God’s character, expose sin, and reveal the path of salvation.
3. Respond personally to the Light. The light of Christ is not merely something to admire from a distance. It calls us into relationship. The light of Christ renews every area of life when we allow Him to lead.
Reflection
The world offers many voices claiming to illuminate truth, yet only Christ reveals ultimate reality. Jesus is the lighthouse for the human soul.
As theologian John Stott once wrote: “The light of Christ not only reveals truth—it exposes error.”
Psalm 27:1 NIV Of David.
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid?
Isaiah 9:2 NIV
2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Jesus fulfills that prophecy.
2. The DIRECTION of the Light
John 8:12 NIV
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Israel followed the pillar of fire through the wilderness (Exodus 13:21). That God-given light guided their journey. Jesus now presents Himself as the divine guide. Following Him means more than believing—it means walking in His direction daily.
Exhortation
Following the Light requires intentional commitment.
1. Trust Christ even when the path is unclear. There are moments when God’s direction seems mysterious. Faith means trusting His wisdom even when we cannot see the full road ahead.
2. Submit your decisions to His leadership. Following Christ means surrendering personal control. Our ambitions, priorities, and plans must align with His will.
3. Stay close to the Light regularly. Darkness returns quickly when we distance ourselves from Christ. Regular prayer, Scripture reading, and fellowship help keep our hearts aligned with His direction.
Reflection
The Christian life is not simply believing in Christ—it is walking with Christ. Ask yourself: Is Christ guiding my daily choices, or am I directing my own path? Psalm 119:105 NIV 105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
3. The DISCERNMENT of the Light
John 8:13 NIV
13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”
According to Jewish law, a claim required two witnesses to be considered valid (Deuteronomy 19:15).
The Pharisees use this rule to challenge Jesus. However, Jesus responds by pointing out that His testimony is confirmed by the Father.
Exhortation
Spiritual discernment requires humility.
1. Guard against pride that rejects truth. Pride blinds the heart. When individuals believe they already possess ultimate wisdom, they stop listening to God.
2. Allow Christ’s light to expose hidden sin. The light of Christ reveals attitudes we often try to hide—bitterness, pride, envy, or selfishness.
3. Respond to conviction with repentance. God’s light is never meant to shame us but to restore us. When the Spirit exposes darkness, repentance brings freedom.
Reflection
Truth is often resisted not because it lacks evidence but because it confronts our hearts.
A.W. Tozer wrote: “The light of God reveals not only who He is, but who we are.”
2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV
4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
John 3:19 NIV
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
4. The DUAL Witness of the Light
John 8:16 NIV
16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.
Jesus emphasizes that His authority comes from His relationship with the Father. His authority is not self-appointed—it is divinely commissioned. Jesus is not an isolated teacher—He is the sent Son of God.
Exhortation
This truth strengthens our faith in Christ’s authority.
1. Trust Christ as the perfect revelation of God. If we want to understand God’s character, we must look at Jesus.
2. Honor the Son as you honor the Father. Worshiping Christ is not optional in Christianity—it is central.
3. Build your faith on the authority of Christ’s words. When culture changes and opinions shift, Christ’s truth remains eternal.
Reflection
Christian faith is not belief in a philosophy—it is trust in a person sent from God.
Hebrews 1:3 NIV
3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
John 5:23 NIV
23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
5. The DEFIANCE Against the Light
John 8:19 NIV
19 Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” Despite Jesus’ powerful claims, the leaders still reject Him. The Pharisees misunderstand—or refuse to understand—Jesus’ message. Their blindness reveals the tragic reality of hardened hearts.
Exhortation
Spiritual blindness is dangerous because it often disguises itself as religious confidence.
1. Do not mistake religious activity for spiritual sight. One can attend worship, study Scripture, and still resist Christ’s authority.
2. Examine your heart honestly before God. Ask the Spirit to reveal areas where pride or unbelief may remain.
3. Choose humility and faith while the Light still shines. Every encounter with truth is an opportunity to respond.
Reflection
Spiritual blindness is one of the most dangerous conditions of the soul. The same Christ who saves also reveals the condition of the human heart.
Matthew 15:14 NIV
14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
Romans 1:21 NIV
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Conclusion
The words of Jesus still echo across history:
“I am the light of the world.”
In a world filled with confusion, competing voices, and moral uncertainty, Christ stands as the unchanging source of truth.
He illuminates the path for the lost. He exposes the darkness of sin. He guides the believer toward life.
But light always demands a response. Some people turn toward the light and find life. Others turn away and remain in darkness.
The question for every heart today is simple but profound:
Will you walk in the Light?
Christ’s invitation still stands:
1. Step out of the shadows.
2. Leave behind the confusion of darkness.
3. Follow the Light that leads to life.
When Jesus enters a life, darkness does not win.
And wherever you go, carry the light of Christ into the darkness.
Committed To God First
The Foundation of Faithful Relationships
By Pastor Rodel
Scripture:
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NIV
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."
Introduction:
"Every relationship problem is first a worship problem."
We live in a generation that celebrates love but resists commitment. Vows are replaced with feelings, promises with preferences, and faithfulness with convenience. Yet Scripture insists that the health of our relationships is inseparably connected to the direction of our devotion. When God is first, relationships find order. When God is second, everything else eventually falls apart.
Our primary text comes from Deuteronomy 6, a passage known as the Shema, the foundational confession of Israel’s faith. Spoken by Moses on the plains of Moab, this text was delivered to a people standing at the threshold of promise. Before they entered the land, before they built homes or formed families, God called them to settle one issue: Who would have their heart?
Jesus later affirms this same truth in Matthew 22, calling it the greatest commandment. In other words, before God addresses how we love others, He defines how we must love Him.
Faithful relationships are built on wholehearted commitment to God; when God is first in our hearts, love finds its proper place in our lives.
1. The CALL to Exclusive Commitment
Deuteronomy 6:4 NIV
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Historical & Literary Insight:
In a polytheistic world filled with competing gods, the Shema declared radical exclusivity. Israel’s God was not one among many—He was the only true God. This confession was recited daily, reminding God’s people that covenant begins with allegiance.
Exhortation:
God does not share the throne of the heart. Partial devotion is practical denial. Faithfulness in relationships begins with exclusive loyalty to God.
Reflection:
We cannot love faithfully horizontally if we are divided vertically. Competing loves always dilute covenant faithfulness.
Supporting Scriptures
Exodus 20:3 NIV - “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
Joshua 24:15 NIV - "But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Quote: “The essence of idolatry is giving anything the place that belongs to God alone.” — John Calvin
2. The COMMAND to Wholehearted Commitment
Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV
5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Historical & Literary Insight
The Hebrew word “all” is repeated for emphasis. Biblical love is not sentimental—it is total. Heart (affections), soul (identity), and strength (resources and energy) are all included.
Exhortation:
God wants more than attendance—He wants affection. Faithfulness grows where devotion is complete. Fragmented hearts produce fragile relationships. Reflection Wholehearted love aligns our desires with God’s design, shaping how we treat others.
Supporting Scriptures
Psalm 86:11 NIV - "Teach me your way, Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name."
Proverbs 4:23 NIV - "Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it."
Quote “God does not ask for our ability or our inability, but for our availability.” — Corrie ten Boom
3. The CHRIST- CENTERED Confirmation of Commitment
Matthew 22:37 NIV
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
Historical & Literary Insight Jesus speaks these words to religious leaders obsessed with legal technicalities. He reframes obedience not as rule-keeping, but as relational devotion. Exhortation Belief without love becomes cold religion. Loving God shapes how we love people. Right doctrine must lead to right devotion. Reflection Jesus connects loving God with loving neighbor—never separating the two.
Supporting Scriptures
John 14:15 NIV - “If you love me, keep my commands."
1 John 4:19-21 NIV - "We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
Quote: “Christianity is not first about what we do for God, but about loving the God who first loved us.” — Tim Keller
4. The CONSEQUENCE of Compromised Commitment
Matthew 15:8 NIV
8 “‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Historical & Literary:
Insight Jesus exposes religious hypocrisy—external obedience masking internal distance.
Exhortation:
Divided devotion leads to relational instability. Compromise in worship eventually shows up in marriage, family, and church life. What we tolerate spiritually will damage us relationally.
Reflection:
When God is sidelined, relationships carry weight they were never designed to bear.
Supporting Scriptures
Hosea 10:2 NIV - "Their heart is deceitful,
and now they must bear their guilt.
The Lord will demolish their altars
and destroy their sacred stones."
James 4:4 NIV 4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
Quote: “A divided heart is the breeding ground for spiritual defeat.” — A.W. Tozer
5. The COVENANT Foundation for Faithful Relationships
1 John 4:19 NIV - "We love because he first loved us."
Historical & Literary:
Insight John roots Christian love in divine initiative. God’s love precedes and empowers ours.
Exhortation:
Faithful love flows from being loved by God. Commitment becomes possible when grace is experienced. God-centered love produces enduring relationships.
Reflection:
We don’t commit to earn God’s love—we commit because we have received it.
Supporting Scriptures:
Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV - "Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children, and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
John 13:34-35 NIV - “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Quote: “Only when God is our ultimate love can we love others rightly.” — Augustine
Conclusion:
“Choose the God You Will Love” At the heart of every faithful relationship is a settled decision. Commitment is not sustained by emotion; it is sustained by choice. Long before Israel entered the Promised Land, God called them to choose who would have their hearts.
When God is first, love is no longer fragile. When God is central, commitment becomes steady. The reason so many relationships struggle is not simply because people are broken—but because God has been pushed to the sidelines.
The faithfulness of God is not just something we admire—it is something we are invited to reflect. As His people, our marriages, families, friendships, and church community are meant to become living testimonies of His covenant love.
When we love God wholeheartedly, our love becomes healthier, our commitments become stronger, and our relationships become sanctuaries of grace. Faithful relationships are not built by trying harder—but by loving God deeper.
Redeemed Experience: How God Uses Everything
By: Pastor Rodel Paz
Galatians 3:4 NLT
4 Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?
INTRODUCTION:
The Galatian believers were drifting away from the gospel of grace back into legalism. Paul reminds them that their Christian experiences—conversion, suffering, growth, persecution—were not random events. They were evidence of God’s work, not human effort.
Throughout Scripture, God consistently reveals Himself as the Redeemer of experience. Nothing in the believer’s life is accidental. From Joseph’s betrayal to David’s failure, from Peter’s denial to Paul’s imprisonment, God uses everything to accomplish His purposes.
Many believers struggle not with unbelief, but with interpretation. They ask:
- Why did this happen to me?
- Was this pain meaningless?
- Did I waste years of my life?
This message addresses a crucial truth: God never wastes an experience that is surrendered to Him. Our pain, preparation, delays, and disappointments all become instruments of grace when placed in God’s hands.
1. EXAMINE – Recognize That Experiences Shape Us
Paul assumes experiences matter. Christianity is not merely intellectual concurrence; it is lived reality. God works through time, process, and events to shape His people.
Exhortation:
“Experiences form convictions.”
Experiences are often the classroom where beliefs move from theory to reality. Many truths we confess intellectually become deeply rooted only after we walk through hardship, delay, or testing. Israel did not merely learn that God was a provider—they experienced it daily through manna. Likewise, believers often discover the faithfulness of God not in comfort, but in crisis.
This exhortation challenges believers to recognize that convictions are often forged, not taught. God uses experiences to move faith from the head to the heart.
“Trials deepen dependence.”
Trials expose the limits of self-reliance. When familiar supports are removed, we learn to lean fully on God. This is not God weakening us, but God weaning us from false securities. Paul’s thorn in the flesh taught him that divine strength is most visible when human strength fails.
The exhortation invites believers to stop resenting trials and instead ask: What dependency is God cultivating in me?
“Seasons refine faith.”
Faith matures in seasons, not moments. Just as gold is refined through sustained heat, faith is purified through prolonged obedience and endurance. Seasons of waiting, silence, or repetition are often God’s refining processes, shaping character and perseverance.
This exhortation reframes slow or difficult seasons as necessary stages of spiritual formation rather than signs of stagnation.
“God uses experience not to replace Scripture, but to apply Scripture.”
Experiences never override God’s Word—but they often illuminate it. Scripture provides truth; experience personalizes it. For example, Psalm 23 may be memorized easily, but it becomes deeply meaningful when one walks through the “valley of the shadow of death.”
The exhortation guards against experience-driven theology while affirming experience as a tool God uses to press Scripture into lived reality.
Psalm 66:10 NLT
10 You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver.
James 1:2-4 NLT
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
Hebrews 12:11 NLT
11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward, there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
Scholarly Quote
“Experience is the school of God’s grace.” — John Wesley
Life Application
Instead of asking, “Why did this happen?” ask, “What is God forming in me?”
2. EMBRACE – Trust God with Personal Experiences
Exhortation:
“God uses family backgrounds—healthy or broken.”
No one chooses their family story, yet God sovereignly works through it. Healthy families may model faithfulness; broken families may cultivate resilience, compassion, and dependence on God. Scripture is filled with flawed family lines that God redeems—Jacob, David, and even Jesus’ genealogy.
This exhortation frees believers from shame or resentment toward their upbringing and invites them to see God’s redemptive hand at work even in imperfect beginnings.
“God uses relationships—joyful or disappointing.”
Relationships shape us deeply. God uses affirming relationships to encourage us and painful ones to humble us, mature us, and sharpen discernment. Betrayal taught Joseph wisdom; rejection prepared David for leadership.
The exhortation helps believers understand that relational pain is not wasted—it often prepares them to minister with empathy and wisdom.
“God uses personality—strengths and weaknesses.”
God does not save people to erase their personalities, but to sanctify them. Peter’s boldness became preaching courage. Paul’s intellect became a missionary tool. Even weaknesses—timidity, sensitivity, caution—are used by God to balance ministry and protect character.
This exhortation affirms that believers do not need to become someone else to be used by God; they must surrender who they are.
“Your story is not a liability; it is a testimony in progress.”
Many believers see their past as disqualifying. God sees it as redeemable. A testimony is not the absence of struggle, but evidence of grace. What feels embarrassing today may become encouragement for others tomorrow. This exhortation invites believers to stop hiding their story and begin trusting God with it.
Genesis 50:20 NLT
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.
4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
Pastoral Quote
“God does not waste pain.” — Elisabeth Elliot
Life Application:
Stop resenting your story. Offer it to God for His glory.
3. ENTRUST – Surrender Work and Educational Experiences
Exhortation:
“God uses jobs we enjoyed.”
Skills gained in seasons of fulfillment—leadership, communication, creativity—often become tools for kingdom impact later. God wastes nothing learned in obedience.
This exhortation affirms that joy-filled seasons are also preparation seasons.
“God uses jobs we endured.”
Difficult jobs teach endurance, humility, patience, and faithfulness. David’s years with sheep were unseen but essential. Many believers discover that God used frustrating or monotonous work to shape character more than success ever could.
The exhortation reframes hardship at work as divine training rather than divine neglect.
“God uses skills we didn’t know mattered.”
Abilities that seem secular or insignificant—administration, craftsmanship, problem- solving—often become critical in ministry and service. Paul’s tentmaking sustained his mission.
This exhortation breaks the false divide between “ministry” and “work.”
“Even detours become training grounds in God’s hands.”
What feels like a delay may be divine direction. God often prepares His servants long before revealing their calling.
The exhortation encourages believers to trust God’s timing and process.
Colossians 3:23-24 NLT
23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 24 Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.
Acts 18:3 NLT
3 Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers [a] just as he was.
Scholarly Quote
“There is no sacred-secular divide in God’s economy.” — Abraham Kuyper
Life Application:
Offer your skills, education, and work experience to God as tools for ministry.
4. ENCOUNTER – Grow Through Spiritual Experiences
Exhortation:
“Church involvement forms spiritual maturity.”
Christian growth is communal, not isolated. God uses the church to correct, encourage, and shape believers. Faith stagnates in isolation. This exhortation challenges individualistic Christianity and calls believers into faithful participation.
“Worship renews perspective.”
Worship realigns the heart with truth. It lifts eyes from circumstances to sovereignty. In worship, burdens are reinterpreted through God’s greatness.
“Scripture anchors faith.”
Experiences without Scripture lead to instability. Scripture grounds faith when emotions fluctuate.
“Spiritual experiences deepen faith when anchored in truth.”
Experiences are meant to lead to obedience, not excitement alone. Peter’s transformation did not come from the mountain, but from surrender after failure. This exhortation warns against emotionalism while affirming genuine encounters with God.
Hebrews 10:24-25. NLT
24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but
encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Acts 2:42 NLT
42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.
Pastoral Quote:
“God meets us in the ordinary rhythms of faithful obedience.” — Eugene Peterson
Life Application
Commit to spiritual disciplines that position your heart for growth.
5. EXPECT – God to Use Painful Experiences Redemptively
Exhortation:
“Pain is not punishment for believers—it is preparation.”
In Christ, punishment was absorbed at the cross. Pain now serves a formative purpose. God disciplines, refines, and prepares His children through hardship.
This exhortation protects believers from guilt-based interpretations of suffering.
“Suffering shapes compassion.”
Those who have suffered deeply often love deeply. Pain enlarges the heart for ministry.
“Brokenness births ministry.”
Many callings are born out of wounds—comforting others with the comfort we received from God. This exhortation encourages believers to expect God’s redemptive work even in suffering.
Romans 8:28 NLT
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
2 Corinthians 4:16-17 NLT
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last
very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!
1 Peter 5:10 NLT
10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and
strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
Scholarly Quote:
“The theology of the cross teaches us that God works most powerfully where He seems most absent.” — Martin Luther
Life Application
Invite God to redeem your pain by using it to serve others.
CONCLUSION: A CALL TO TRUST GOD WITH YOUR STORY
Summary of Truths
- Experiences shape us.
- Personal history is redeemable.
- Work and education matter to God.
- Spiritual encounters form faith.
- Pain is never wasted.
“God is weaving every chapter into a redemptive masterpiece.”
Final Encouragement:
What feels like loss today become someone else’s lifeline tomorrow. Trust the God who redeems everything.
Covenant, Not Convenience
Faithful Love in a Disposable World.
By;Pastor Rodel Paz | Febrruary 08, 2026
Malachi 2:14-16 NIV
14 You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
15 Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.
16 “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.
Introduction
We live in what many sociologists call a disposable culture. When something no longer works, no longer satisfies, or no longer feels good, we replace it.
Phones are upgraded. Contracts are canceled. Subscriptions are ended. Sadly, this mindset has quietly shaped how many people view relationships—even sacred ones. But Scripture confronts us with a radically different vision: covenant, not convenience.
Our primary Old Testament text comes from Malachi 2, where God rebukes Israel—not for ignorance, but for betrayal. They were religiously active but relationally unfaithful.
In the New Testament, Jesus echoes this covenantal vision in Matthew 19, reaffirming God’s original design for faithful, lifelong commitment. Before we can talk about healing relationships, strong marriages, or faithful communities, we must recover God’s understanding of covenant. God calls His people to covenant faithfulness—relationships grounded in sacred promise, not shifting convenience—because covenant love reflects His own faithful heart.
1. The COVENANT God Who Initiates Relationship
Malachi 2:14 NIV
You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
Historical & Literary Insight
Malachi prophesied after Israel’s return from exile. Though worship had resumed, hearts were cold. Men were divorcing their wives to pursue foreign marriages for social and economic gain. God exposes the root issue: they had forgotten that marriage—and all faithful relationships—are covenant acts initiated before God. The Hebrew word for covenant (berith) implies a binding, sacred agreement, not merely emotional attachment.
Exhortation
- God is not only the designer of covenant—He is the witness to it.
- Faithfulness matters because God is personally involved.
- When we treat relationships lightly, we dishonor the God who stands as witness.
Reflection
Relationships rooted in covenant are not self-centered but God-centered. Faithfulness flows from reverence for God.
Supporting Scriptures
Proverbs 2:17 NIV 17 who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.
Hebrews 13:4 NIV 4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
Quote “A covenant is not sustained by feelings but by faithfulness to a promise made before God.” — Gordon Hugenberger
2. The CONTRAST Between Covenant and Convenience
Malachi 2:15 NIV
Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.
Historical & Literary Insight
God contrasts covenant unity with human selfishness. Israel treated marriage as a means to personal advantage rather than spiritual stewardship. Convenience seeks benefit; covenant seeks faithfulness.
Exhortation
- Convenience asks, “What do I get?” Covenant asks, “What have I promised?”
- Convenience exits when it costs too much.
- Covenant remains when obedience is costly.
Reflection
Convenience-driven relationships collapse under pressure. Covenant-driven relationships deepen through adversity.
Supporting Scriptures
John 6:66-68 NIV
66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
Ruth 1:16-17 NIV
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.
17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”
Quote “Love that lasts is love that stays—especially when leaving would be easier.” — Eugene Peterson
3. The COST of Covenant Breaking
Malachi 2:14-16 NIV 16 “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.
Historical & Literary Insight
God’s strong language is not hatred toward people, but toward betrayal. Divorce in Malachi was a symptom of spiritual unfaithfulness. Covenant breaking always wounds more than one person. The Hebrew word translated “unfaithful” conveys betrayal of trust.
Exhortation
- Covenant breaking grieves the heart of God.
- It damages families, faith, and future generations.
- God takes faithfulness seriously because people matter deeply to Him.
Reflection
God’s hatred of divorce reveals His love for covenant, stability, and healing—not condemnation.
Supporting Scriptures
Hosea 4:1-2 NIV 1 Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites, because the Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: “There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.
2 There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.
Matthew 5:32 NIV
But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Quote “God opposes covenant breaking because He is a covenant-keeping God.” — Walter Kaiser
4. The CHRIST-CENTERED Confirmation of Covenant
Matthew 19:6 NIV
So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
Historical & Literary Insight
Jesus responds to a debate on divorce by returning to Genesis, reaffirming God’s original design. He elevates covenant above cultural compromise. Jesus does not deny human brokenness, but He refuses to redefine covenant to accommodate hardness of heart.
Exhortation
Covenant is God’s work, not merely human agreement.
- Faithfulness honors God’s design.
- Grace does not cancel commitment—it restores it.
Reflection
The cross proves that covenant love pays the ultimate cost.
Supporting Scriptures
Ephesians 5:25-27 NIV
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
Hebrews 13:20 NIV
20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
Quote “The covenant love of Christ defines the meaning of all Christian commitment.” — N.T. Wright
5. The CALL to Covenant Faithfulness
Hebrews 10:23 NIV 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Historical & Literary Insight
Hebrews was written to believers tempted to abandon faith under pressure. The call is perseverance rooted in God’s faithfulness.
Exhortation
- Faithfulness is possible because God is faithful.
- Covenant love is sustained by grace, not grit.
- God empowers what He commands.
Reflection
Covenant faithfulness becomes a witness in a culture of abandonment.
Supporting Scriptures
Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV 22 Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, or his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
1 Corinthians 4:2 NIV 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
Quote “Faithfulness is not spectacular, but it is powerful.” — Eugene Peterson
Conclusion:
Choose Covenant Again
God is not calling us to perfect relationships—but to faithful ones. Covenant love stays when convenience would leave. It forgives when pride would withdraw. It endures because God endures.
Faithful relationships are not sustained by human strength alone but by divine grace. As God remains faithful to us, He empowers us to remain faithful to one another. When believers live out covenant love, the world sees a visible picture of the gospel.
Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV
9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.
Hope For Tomorrow: When The Future Seems Unclear.
INTRODUCTION
Church, one of the hardest things after pain is learning how to hope again. Many people don’t just fear the past — they fear the future. After disappointment, loss, or failure, we become cautious. We protect our hearts. We stop dreaming. Some of you are not living in yesterday’s pain anymore — but you’re still afraid of tomorrow.
But God did not heal you so you could live in fear. He healed you so you could live in hope.
Have you ever noticed how quickly life can change? One phone call, one doctor’s report, one unexpected loss, or one closed door—and suddenly the future you thought you understood becomes unclear. We make plans, set goals, and dream dreams, but there are moments when the road ahead feels foggy and uncertain. Questions begin to rise: What’s next? Where is God in this? How do I move forward when I can’t see ahead? The truth is, uncertainty is not a sign of weak faith—it’s part of being human. Even God’s people in Scripture faced seasons where the future was unknown, yet those moments became the very places where God revealed His faithfulness most clearly. When we cannot see what’s coming, we are invited to trust the One who already stands in our tomorrow.
Today, we will explore what God’s Word teaches us about living with faith, hope, and courage when the future is uncertain—and how trusting God in the unknown can become the foundation for peace and strength right now.
POINT 1 — GOD STILL HAS A PLAN
When the future feels uncertain, it’s easy to assume that everything is falling apart. [Ang dali nating magworry, ang dali nating magchange of plan] The Scripture reminds us that God is never confused, never surprised, and never unprepared. Just because we cannot see what’s next does not mean God has stopped working. Our uncertainty does not cancel God’s purpose. Throughout the Bible, we see men and women who felt stuck, lost, or unsure of what the future held. Yet behind the scenes, God was still writing their story. What looked like delay was actually direction. What felt like loss was often preparation. Today, we hold on to this truth: even when the future is unclear, God still has a plan.[Let’s say it again] His plan may not unfold the way we expect, but it always unfolds according to His wisdom, His timing, and His love. His plan may not unfold the way we expect, but it always unfolds according to His wisdom, His timing, and His love. His plan may not unfold the way we expect, but it always unfolds according to His wisdom, His timing, and His love.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
“For I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
This promise was spoken to people in exile — not in victory, not in comfort, but in captivity. This verse was not a promise of immediate relief or easy success. It was reassurance during a long, painful season. God was saying: “Even here… I’m still planning.” Hey ya’ll, I’m still your God, I still have better plans!
Your setback didn’t erase God’s plan. Your pain didn’t erase God’s purpose. God’s plans can withstand and endure the seasons of life. Nothing can stop God, Amen.
Supporting Scriptures:
Proverbs 16:9 (NLT) “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” God guides the future even when our plans change.
Romans 8:28 (ESV) “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good…” God is working all things, including uncertainty, into His plan.
Isaiah 55:8–9 (NIV) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…” God’s plan is higher than what we can see or understand.
ILLUSTRATION — THE GPS RECALCULATING
Have you ever missed a turn while driving and expected the GPS to give up on you? It doesn’t. It simply says, “Recalculating.” God does the same thing. When life takes unexpected turns — God recalculates, not panics.
Question “Will you trust God or make it your own way?”
POINT 2 — PRESENT PAIN CANNOT COMPARE TO FUTURE GLORY
There are moments in life when pain feels heavy and unrelenting—when prayers seem unanswered and faith is tested by suffering. In those moments, God invites us to lift our eyes beyond what we see and feel now. The apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 8:18” “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us.”
“Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” This truth anchors our hope: what we face today is temporary, but what God has promised is eternal. Present pain cannot compare to future glory, because God is using every trial to prepare us for a glory far greater than our suffering. Paul wasn’t minimizing pain — he was magnifying hope. Question: What are you carrying now? The weight, The grief, The waiting these are all temporary. But what God is building in you is eternal.
POINT 3 — GOD IS DOING A NEW THING
We are living in a moment of divine movement—a season where the familiar is giving way to the extraordinary. God is not confined to what He has done before, nor limited by our expectations of yesterday. In times of transition, uncertainty, and renewal, one truth stands firm and alive: God is doing a new thing. He is awakening hope, restoring purpose, and opening doors no one imagined possible. What once seemed barren is beginning to bloom, and what was broken is being reshaped for His glory.
Isaiah 43:18–19 (NIV)
“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall sprout; shall you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.”
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past,” God speaks these words not as a suggestion, but as a summons. Heaven is announcing a shift. What once defined you, confined you, or delayed you no longer has the final say. “See, I am doing a new thing!” declares the Lord. Even now—right now—it is springing forth. In places that felt dry, God is making a way. In seasons that felt stuck, He is releasing rivers of life. This is not a repeat, not a revival of yesterday—this is God doing a new thing. God says:
“Don’t live looking backward when I’m moving forward.” He is opening new doors let go of the old handles
MODERN ILLUSTRATION
There are people who:
- Started over after the divorce
- Found new purpose after job loss
- Discovered calling after failure
What felt like an ending became an assignment. Sometimes God closes chapters not to punish us — but to reposition us, because a new chapter is coming.
Question: Are you afraid to start all over again? Are you worried about the uncertain things?
2 Corinthians 4:16–18
'That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.’
Paul reminds us:
- What we see in our eyes is temporary
- What we can’t see is eternal
- Suffering is real but temporary
- Spiritual renewal is ongoing Eternal glory is certain and incomparable
- Faith means choosing an eternal perspective over present circumstances
POINT 4 — SHIFT YOUR FOCUS
We spend much of our lives reacting to what we can see—problems, pressure, pain, and circumstances that feel overwhelming. But in 2 Corinthians 4, Paul reminds us that what’s visible is not what’s permanent. Though our outer selves may be wasting away, there is an unseen work of God producing eternal glory. When we fix our eyes on what is unseen, we discover the strength to endure what is seen. Today, God is calling us to shift our focus—from the temporary to the eternal, from the seen to the unseen. Shift your focus, shift your focus So often, our attention is captured by what we can see: our struggles, our limitations, our circumstances. But Scripture reminds us that what is visible is only for a moment, while what is unseen—God’s promises, His purposes, and our future glory—will last forever. You know, church, when we focus only on the temporary, we become discouraged. But when we fix our eyes on God, our strength is renewed. Faith enables us to endure present hardships because we trust that God is at work, beyond what our eyes can perceive. This shift in focus does not deny reality; it redefines it.
APPLICATION — THREE WAYS TO WALK IN FUTURE HOPE
- Release the Past: You can’t carry yesterday and expect tomorrow to feel light.
- Renew Your Mind: Stop expecting pain where God promised purpose.
- Step Forward in Faith: Faith always involves movement.
HOPE MOMENT — YOUR STORY IS STILL UNFOLDING
You may be in a season that feels unfinished, unclear, and uncertain. But God specializes in unfinished stories. What you see as delay, God sees as development.
CONCLUSION — THE BEST IS STILL AHEAD
Your past is redeemed—nothing you’ve been through is wasted. Your present is held—God’s hands are steady even when life feels uncertain. Your future is secure—His promises cannot fail. God is not finished with you yet.
The Sound of Hope. Do You Hear What I Hear?
By Pastor Debbie Dillon (1-11-2026)
Sripture Reading:
Matthew 3:13-17
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
14John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.
16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;
17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
Introduction:
Have you been listening to the news??? I personally hate watching the news nor listening to them. Headlines: More than 500 killed in Iran unrest. Iran threatens to stike American military bases in the Middle East if the US hits first. The world is full of bad stuff. So many people are just out to get each other. Everyone and everybody blames others with what’s happening to our world. Our own native land goes through pain and suffering, and sometimes we feel guilty to seem like we live in paradise… although we have our share of troubles here even around our neighborhood…
We hear so many voices,, some our good, and some are not so good,,, and some are really really bad…
Our Bible tells us that Jesus came to earth to bring peace, hope, joy and love… the world then has the similar troubles as our world now … that’s why the coming of the Prince of Peace is always relevant,,, we have not progressed any.. if anything we even digress.
Many people mistakenly assume this Christmas classic has been around for years and that it is of European origin. But it was written in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis as a powerful plea for peace and hope by a man who had experienced the horrors of war. The song’s message of peace and hope is as desperately needed today as it was then.
Illustration:
A French-born Noel Regney had studied at Strasbourg Conservatory and at the Conservatoire National de Paris. Although the Second World War, took Regney against his will, when he was drafted into the German army. He hated the Nazis who occupied the land where he was born. So, while still in the German army, Regney became a member of the French underground. His assignments required him to remain in a German uniform. He collected information and, when possible, warned French resistance fighters of attacks the Germans were planning against them. After the war, he worked for a few years as the musical director of the Indochinese Service of Radio France and as music director at Lido, a popular nightclub in Paris. In 1952, Noel Regney moved to Manhattan.
He composed music for many early TV shows and commercial jingles, in addition to writing serious musical compositions. In the late ’50s, Noel Regney married pianist Gloria Shayne. In October 1962, the Soviet Union and the United States were involved in a crisis centered on missiles the Russians had installed in Cuba.
The United States threatened military action if the missiles were not removed. The world trembled and prayed as these two nuclear powers stood eyeball-to-eyeball. That October, as Noel Regney walked through the streets of New York, a sense of despair was in the air. No one smiled. Regney had endured the horrors of war. He knew the fear and terror of being close to death. The safe and secure life he had built for himself in the United States was on the verge of ending.
Christmas, which was supposed to be a time of peace and goodwill, was approaching. Noel Regney had been asked by a record producer to write a holiday song. “I had thought I’d never write a Christmas song,” he recalled. “Christmas had become so commercial. But this was the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. In the studio, the producer was listening to the radio to see if we had been obliterated. “En route to my home, I saw two mothers with their babies in strollers.
The little angels were looking at each other and smiling. And the moment filled with mood changed and a glimpse of these babies filled Noel Regney’s heart with poetry. The little ones reminded him of newborn lambs.
Thus, the song begins, “Said the night wind to the little lamb….” As soon as Noel arrived home, he jotted down the lyrics. Then he asked Gloria to write the music to accompany his words. “Noel wrote a beautiful song,” Gloria said later, “and I wrote the music. We couldn’t sing it, through; it broke us up. We cried. Our little song broke us up. You must realize there was a threat of nuclear war at that time.” “Do You Hear What I Hear?” carried a beautiful message close to people in all walks of life. It became a popular Christmas carol, “a song high above the tree, with a voice as big as the sea.” But the message of peace and hope was lost on many people. Of all their works, that simple Christmas song is the one that will continue to be treasured:
“Do You Hear What I Hear?” Said the night wind to the little lamb,
“Do you see what I see?
Way up in the sky little lamb, Do you see what I see?
A star, a star, Dancing in the night, with a tail as big as a kite, with a tail as big as a kite.”
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy, “Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing thru the sky, shepherd boy, Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song high above the tree, with a voice as big as the sea, With a voice as big as the sea.”
Said the shepherd boy to the might king, “Do you know what I know? In your palace warm, Mighty king, Do you know what I know?
A child, a child shivers in the cold, Let us bring him silver and gold, Let us bring him silver and gold.”
Said the king to the people everywhere, “Listen to what I say:
Pray for peace, people everywhere! Listen to what I say: the child, the child sleeping in the night,
He will bring us goodness and light, He will bring us goodness and light.”
“I am amazed that people can think they know the song and not know it is a prayer for peace and hope. Listen to the song: “The Child, The Child sleeping in the night he will bring us goodness and light; he will bring us goodness and light.”
Hope requires: Living as if it was the last day of our life.
What does that mean? A classic Peanuts cartoon. Charlie Brown says to Lucy, "Someone has said that we should live each day as if it were the last day of our life." "Aaugh!" cries Lucy. "This is the last day! This is it!” She dashes away screaming, "I only have 24 hours left! Help me! Help me! This is the last day! Aaugh!" "Some philosophies," says Charlie Brown, "aren't for all people."
Living each day as if it is the last day of our life is not a bad philosophy. Living each day as if it was the first day of our life might be a better one. This is a new year with exciting new possibilities. The old year is gone. The mistakes we made, the obstacles we have overcome are now in the past. A new year has arrived. “Do you hear what I hear?”
Hope requires: Living your faith.
Believing and living.
Motivational speaker Danny Cox shared about a Broom Hilda cartoon, in which her troll-like, naive, innocent little friend Irwin puts on a long-tailed formal tuxedo jacket, picks up a conductor's baton and walks into the woods alone. Irwin steps up on a fallen tree trunk and begins to wave his arms as if to conduct. There are no musicians, only rocks, trees, and flowers. Soon, musical notes pour from the rocks, trees and flowers and fill the panel. Finally, Irwin turns and confidently says to the reader, "It's all in there; you just have to work at getting it out." As we look at this New Year that has just arrived, we know it is filled with all kinds of possibilities: "They're all in there; we just have to work at getting them out." “Do you hear what I hear?”
Hope requires: Letting go of the past and reaching out to the possibilities of tomorrow.
A few years ago, a large group of Vietnam veterans met in New York to commemorate the Vietnam War and its effects on their lives. Many were still suffering emotional wounds from that devastating conflict.
A Vietnamese Buddhist monk came to the gathering and told a moving story. During the war, a young Vietnamese woman was killed. She left behind her husband and her young son. The husband, needing to provide for himself and the boy, traveled far and wide looking for odd jobs and often left the child with neighbors.
This was going on for a while, when after one long trip looking for work, the man returned to find his village demolished and his neighbors gone. Searching through the rubble, he found scattered about some small bones. He was sure that these were the remains of his beloved son. He wrapped the bones in a cloth and carried them with him everywhere he went.
Many years passed, and one night the old man heard knocking on his door. He called out, "Who's there?" "It is your son!" the voice outside replied. "My kidnappers set me free, and I have spent many years trying to find you!" The old man yelled, "You are a fake and a cruel man. My son is dead. Leave me alone!"
And he would not open the door. The pounding continued for a while, and then it stopped. The young man gave up and left. The old man never found happiness. And he lost his son who was still living. Why? Because he was determined to hold on to the bones of the past . . .
“Do you hear what I hear?”
Our world are full of voices.
- There are voices that speak to me continually.
- There are the voices of my parents that still ring even now in my adult ears.
- They were voices that told me I was loved and that I was to be the responsible person they raised me to be.
- Then also there is the voice of my family that shows their love and their expectations of me.
- There are voices of my children that demonstrate everything from love and compassion to frustration and rebellion.
- Then, of course, there are the voices that we hear in the rest of the world. There is the voice of our consumer-based world that demands that we produce more so we can spend more.
- There are the voices of our peers that entice us to act on values that we know are contrary to our faith and our upbringing.
- There is the voice of advertising that tells us that it is all about feeling good and having more. Wherever we go, we are surrounded by voices.
- Then there was that voice that was heard at Jesus’ baptism.
It was a voice that sounded foreign amid the other voices that the people were accustomed to hearing. It was a voice that affirmed something few had yet to affirm. It was the voice of a holy parent affirming and revealing to the world the real identity of this holy child.
“This is my beloved Son, the Beloved with whom I am well pleased.”
Stop and think for a moment about this voice.
- This is the voice that spoke creation into being.
- This is the voice that called Moses and delivered the children of Israel.
- This is the voice that called and then spoke through the prophets.
- This is the voice of which the Psalmist spoke: “The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the lord is full of majesty”
Psalm 29:3-5
"The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea. The God of glory thunders. The Lord thunders over the mighty sea. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon."
If ever there was a voice to be heeded, this would be that voice.
I have sought to remind my children from the time they were small of something important. When I drop them off at school or when they leave the house. I leave them with the admonition to remember who they are and who loves them. I know that during the day they will hear many voices.
They will hear voices that will invite them to do what the popular kids are doing. They will hear voices that invite them to forget their moral underpinnings. They will hear voices that invite them to use drugs or alcohol. Amid these voices, I want them to hear my voice each day reminding them who they really are.
If we listen, the voice of God is sounding yet again.
This is Jesus, the Beloved, and Jesus is here to remind us to listen for that same voice.
We, who are the Body of Christ, are also beloved, and when we function as that body, certainly we must know that God is pleased. Amid all the voices we hear in our world, this is the best voice to hear.
The sound of hope, healing, and love!!! It is after all, the voice of our salvation! Today is the 11th day of the New Year… we already used up 15,840 minutes. Were they minutes that count? Remember, from today on… listen to the voice of Him who continues to call and affirms…
Conclusion:
The sound of Hope and Healing…..
A voice from heaven that said, “This is my Son whom I dearly love; I find happiness in him.”
Hope for all … and remember who you are, no matter what the voices out there says… God’s voice is louder. . . You are God’s he claimed you on your baptism, gave you hope, healing, and LOVE!!!
Step Into The New
Theme: Hope for the Future & Healing for Your Past
Scripture Text:
Philippians 3:13–14, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Isaiah 61:1–3, Hebrews 12:1–2, Revelation 21:5
Introduction
We’re entering a new season and there is a moment in every believer’s life, in your life, when you must decide:
“Will I stay in what was, or will I step into what God is making new?”
God didn’t save you simply to “get you out of something” He saved you to “lead you into something”.
Hebrews 12:1–2
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Throw off - Greek word is “apotithémi” [ah-po-TEE-thay-mee] to cast away
Many people want change, but they’re still holding onto:
- old patterns
- old bad habits/sins
- old pains
- old relationships
- old identities
You cannot walk into a new season while dragging the weight of the old one. I know going into a new season is not easy, but I tell you it is worth it.
God rarely starts a new season by making you comfortable. He starts by making you uneasy. Before elevation, there is disruption.
Abraham had to leave the familiar. Moses had to be driven out before he was called back. David lived on the run. Discomfort is not rejection, it is preparation. When God says, “Get out,” it is not because He is done with you, it is because He is getting you ready for what you cannot reach by staying where you are. Every new season begins with something being removed. People, patterns, comforts, even good things that no longer fit where He is taking you. Not as punishment, but as alignment. God will not drag what cannot survive the next level. Separation feels like loss, but it is actually precision. He is clearing the view so you can see what is coming. God has something new for you —but you must MOVE.
Point 1 — New Life Requires New Direction
Paul says in Philippians 3
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Illustration: A track and field athlete cannot win the race if they run forward and look backward. It is also not good if you are in a NASCAR race, not looking whatsoever ahead of you, “You’re going to crash.”
Forgetting in this verse "It’s not amnesia" — but choosing not to live stuck in the past.
You cannot:
- chase destiny while holding hands with history.
- step forward while staring backward.
Did you know that the windshield is bigger than the rear-view mirror because where you’re going matters more than where you’ve been.
If God has forgiven you, stop revisiting the graveyard. He already raised you, He already called you out, and why go back to the old cemetery? (
Point 2 — You Are Not Who You Used To Be
2 Corinthians 5:17:
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
On this passage God didn’t:
- polish your old identity
- repair your old nature
- upgrade your old life
He made you new, he made us new.
But there is this thing, the enemy wants to remind you:
- of who you were
- of what you did
- of the shame you carried
I don’t know who you were, I don’t know what you did in the past, and I don’t know what you carried. What I know is you are now a new person God has raised up.
Ephesians 2:5
“made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
The moment you hear these voices telling you of your past, they are not from the Holy Spirit.
Conviction points to Jesus — condemnation points to your past.
Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
You are:
- Forgiven
- Redeemed
- Renewed
- Called
- Set free
Walk like it.
Illustration — The Butterfly
The caterpillar doesn’t return to crawling once it becomes a butterfly. It doesn’t say: “I miss the ground. Flying is scary.” That would be abnormal!…
Yet many believers are set free but still live bound.
You were created to:
- fly in freedom**, not crawl in your past.
Point 3 — A New Season Requires New Steps
Hebrews 12:1–2:
“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles…Let us run with perseverance…”
To step into what God has for you, you may need to let go of:
- habits that drain you
- relationships that pull you away from God
- bitterness that poisons your heart
- comforts that keep you complacent
- excuses that delay obedience
Faith is not passive — it’s a movement, it’s an action.
Faith compels you to take steps, even when uncertain, like stepping out of a boat (Matthew 14) or preparing for what you're praying for.
Remember Peter…
Every step of obedience is a victory over your past. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Abraham became the father of all nations after he became obedient to what God had called him.
Point 4 — Jesus Makes All Things New
Revelation 21:5 — “Behold, I am making all things new.”*
- Out of the dust God breathed air on it, and he made the first man…
- Out of a creator’s hand, a new creation is being made.
Are you praying for a:
- Healing? He makes new.
- Hope? He makes new.
- Identity? He makes new.
- Future? He makes new.
Jesus doesn’t give you a better version of the old you — He gives you a “supernatural new beginning”.
Your next chapter is not a sequel to your pain —it’s a story written by grace. Paul says, "I am what I am because of God's grace."
Give the pen to Jesus, and he will rewrite the story of your life. He is our hope for tomorrow.
One of the best stories in the Bible is the life of Joseph.
Conclusion — Hope for Tomorrow
Hear this in your spirit today: Your current chapter is not your final story.
- God is making new things in your life.
- God is not done with you.
- Hope is not lost.
- Healing is coming.
Just like Joseph, someday you’ll look back and say: “What the enemy intended for evil… God used it for good.”
- God is already working…
- Already restoring…
- Already writing redemption into your story.
So hold on to hope. Stand firm in faith. Your purpose is greater than your pain.
Scripture Reading:
Philippians 3:13–14:
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Isaiah 61:1–3
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord ’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”
Hebrews 12:1–2
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Revelation 21:5
“He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Wise Men Still Seek Him
Revelation, Rejoicing, and Reverent Worship
Matthew 2:9-12 NIV
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Introduction
Matthew 2:9–12 is part of Matthew’s infancy narrative, written primarily to a Jewish audience to present Jesus as the promised Messiah, the true King of Israel. The “wise men” (Greek: magoi) were likely astrologers or scholars from the East—Gentiles, outsiders to the covenant promises—who studied the heavens and were attentive to signs of divine activity.
This passage comes after God has already guided the magi through a star and protected them from Herod’s deception. Now, Matthew slows the story down, focusing not on distance traveled but on hearts revealed when they finally come face to face with the Christ.
In a world filled with religious noise, political power struggles, and spiritual confusion, Matthew 2:9–12 reminds us that true wisdom is not found in status, proximity to religion, or earthly power—but in humbly seeking and worshiping Jesus. The wise men model a faith that pursues Christ persistently, recognizes Him rightly, and responds wholeheartedly.
“Wise men—and women—are still those who earnestly seek Christ, joyfully surrender to Him, and worship Him as King.”
1. The SIGN that Still Leads Seekers (v. 9)
The star reappears after the magi leave Herod. God does not abandon sincere seekers to human manipulation; He renews His guidance. The star “went ahead of them” and “stopped” over the place where the child was—language emphasizing divine initiative and precision.
Exhortation:
- God still guides those who genuinely seek Him.
- Divine direction often becomes clearer after we step away from worldly voices.
- Obedience positions us to see God’s next move.
Illustration: Like a GPS recalculating after a wrong turn, God redirects those whose hearts are fixed on the right destination—even when they pass through confusion.
Jeremiah 29:13 NIV
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Psalm 25:9 NIV
9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
Quote: “God reveals Himself to those who truly desire to know Him.” — D.A. Carson
2. The SATISFACTION that Overflows in Joy (v. 10)
Matthew describes their joy as “exceedingly great joy”—a doubled expression in Greek emphasizing intensity. Their joy erupts before they see the child, simply because they know they are close.
Exhortation:
- Joy is the fruit of assurance, not possession.
- Spiritual joy grows as we draw nearer to Christ.
- True joy is independent of circumstances.
Illustration: Think of a traveler who sees the lights of home after a long journey—the joy comes before stepping inside.
Psalm 16:11 NIV
11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
John 15:11 NIV
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
Quote: “Joy is the serious business of heaven.” — C.S. Lewis
3. The SURRENDER that Falls at His Feet (v. 11a)
The magi enter the house, see the child with Mary, and fall down to worship Him. No throne. No palace. Just a child—yet they recognize His worth.
Exhortation:
- Worship begins with humility.
- True faith bows before it understands.
- Encountering Christ demands surrender, not evaluation.
Illustration: When Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up, his immediate response was humility and repentance (Isaiah 6).
Philippians 2:10-11 NIV
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Psalm 95:6 NIV
6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
Quote: “The essence of worship is valuing Christ above all.” — John Piper
4. The SACRIFICE that Honors the King (v. 11b)
The gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—were costly and symbolic:
- Gold for royalty
- Frankincense for deity
- Myrrh for suffering and burial
Exhortation:
- Worship always involves giving.
- We honor Christ not with leftovers, but with what is costly.
- Our gifts reflect what we believe Christ is worth.
Illustration: Like David refusing to offer a sacrifice that cost him nothing (2 Samuel 24:24), the magi gave generously.
Romans 12:1 NIV
12 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.
Proverbs 3:9 NIV
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;
Quote: “Where Christ is truly honored, self is gladly surrendered.” — Matthew Henry
5. The SEPARATION that Marks True Wisdom (v. 12)
After worshiping Jesus, the magi are warned in a dream and return home by another route. An encounter with Christ always changes our direction.
Exhortation:
- Worship leads to transformation.
- Obedience often requires a new path.
- True wisdom listens to God above human authority.
Illustration: Meeting Christ is like reaching a crossroads—you never leave the same way you came.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Quote: “To worship Christ and then ignore His voice is a contradiction.” — N.T. Wright
Conclusion:
The wise men teach us that wisdom is not about intellect, culture, or status—it is about response. They sought diligently, rejoiced deeply, surrendered humbly, sacrificed generously, and separated obediently. Wise Men still seek Him. Wise Hearts still bow before Him. Wise Lives are still changed by Him.
Heaven’s Headline of Joy
Good News of Great Joy for All People
The angel’s words to trembling shepherds summarize the heart of Christmas Gospel:
Luke 2:10 NIV
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
This message is the heartbeat of Christianity — that God Himself has come, not to condemn, but to redeem.
The “Good News” announced by the angels brings great joy to all people and reveals the heart of God’s redemptive plan through Jesus Christ.
I. The Good News that is Divine in Origin
A. The Angel’s Announcement
Luke 2:8-9 NIV
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. The birth of Christ signals the end of spiritual terror and the dawn of peace. The gospel always begins with grace that drives out fear. The Greek word used for “good news” (euangelizomai) is where we derive “gospel.” It is the divine declaration that salvation has arrived, not the human achievement that we have earned.
B. Freedom from Fear
Luke 2:10 NIV
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
The birth of Christ signals the end of spiritual terror and the dawn of peace. The gospel always begins with grace that drives out fear. The Greek word used for “good news” (euangelizomai) is where we derive “gospel.” It is the divine declaration that salvation has arrived, not the human achievement that we have earned.
C. The Nature of the News
Luke 2:11 NIV 11
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
Three titles summarize salvation’s essence:
- Savior: He rescues humanity from sin and its consequences.
- Christ: The promised Messiah, anointed for redemptive mission.
- Lord: The divine ruler, God in flesh, sovereign over all.
“If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator; if it had been technology, He would have sent a scientist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior.” – Max Lucado
II. The Good News that Produces Great Joy.
A. Joy Promise
Luke 2:10 NIV
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
Joy is the distinguishing mark of those who meet the Savior. True joy is not circumstantial but Christ-centered, rooted in reconciliation with God.
B. Joy Experienced
The Christmas Gospel transforms hearts from dread to delight.
True Christmas Joy:
1. Grounds us in God’s presence:
Psalm 16:11 NIV
11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
2. Strengthens amidst suffering
Nehemiah 8:10 NIV
10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
3. Persists in trials
Philippians 4:4 (NIV)
Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!
C. Joy Shared
Luke 2:17 NIV
17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, When the shepherds found the Christ Child, they spread the word. Their joy overflowed into proclamation. Likewise, when we encounter Jesus, silence becomes impossible.
III. The Good News that Reaches All People
A. Universal Scope
The Christmas Gospel is for “all people.” There is no ethnic, social, or moral boundary that the love of Christ cannot cross.
Galatians 3:28 NIV
28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
B. Personal Invitation
Still, the angel said, “A Savior has been born to you.” The invitation is universal, but salvation is personal. You must respond.
John 1:12 NIV
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
C. Inclusive yet Transforming
Grace welcomes us as we are but doesn’t leave us unchanged. Like the Shepherds become heralds. Sinners become saints. Outcasts become ambassadors.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
IV. The Good News that Glorifies God
A. Heavenly Worship
Luke 2:13-14 NIV
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
This Heavenly response shows that salvation’s purpose is not only our joy but God’s glory. Joy and worship are inseparable—the more we experience His grace, the more we exalt His name.
B. Human Response of Worship
Luke 2:20 NIV
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
The message began in heaven, came to earth, and returned in praise back to heaven. Redemption completes its cycle when human hearts glorify God again.
Psalm 95:6 NIV 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
C. Worship Rooted in Revelation
Luke 2:20 NIV
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Their worship was based on what they “had heard and seen.” Authentic worship flows from revealed truth. Emotion follows revelation; the deeper we understand who Christ is, the higher our praise ascends.
True worshipers are those whose understanding of the gospel fuels their passion for God’s glory. “Worship is the natural response of a heart that has seen the greatness of God.” – Charles Spurgeon
V. The Good News that Transforms Lives
A. Obedience of Faith
Luke 2:15 NIV 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Faith moves toward obedience. The shepherds hurried, demonstrating the right response to divine revelation.
B. The Encounter with Jesus
Luke 2:16 NIV
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
Their revelation turned into relationship. Every true believer must experience Christ personally.
C. The Witness of Transformation
Luke 2:17-18 NIV
17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
They become the first gospel preachers of the new covenant era! Their testimony caused wonder among listeners. The transformation from simple shepherds to joyful witnesses demonstrates the power of the message.
D. The Meditation of the Heart
Luke 2:19 NIV
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. True discipleship blends action with meditation. The Gospel produces both outward witness and inward wonder.
Conclusion – A Call to Joyful Faith
Luke 2:10 NIV
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
The Good News announced that night outside Bethlehem remains the most joyful message the world has ever heard. Caesar may have ruled the world politically, but in a manger lay the One who would rule eternally. The decree of Rome affected a census; the decree of God accomplished salvation.
This Good News remains Good because Christ still saves, Great because it brings eternal joy, and For All People because His love knows no bounds.
Hungry for More "The Bread That Satisfies Forever"
By Pastor Rodel
John 6:35 NIV
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Introduction
Jesus fed five thousand with five loaves and two fish. The crowd had eaten until they were satisfied. The miracle stirred excitement, even political ambition. They wanted to make Him king by force (John 6:15). But Jesus withdrew. Now, in John 6:25–69, the crowd finds Him again—this time in Capernaum. They are still thinking about bread. Their stomachs are full, but their souls are empty. What follows is one of the most searching sermons Jesus ever preached—a sermon that sifted the crowd, exposed motives, and divided true disciples from casual followers.
This passage confronts one of the most relevant issues in modern Christian life: the difference between physical hunger and spiritual hunger. We live in a culture of abundance yet experience profound emptiness. We are well-fed but spiritually famished. Message: Only Jesus, the Bread of Life, can truly satisfy the deepest hunger of the human soul—and that satisfaction comes through believing, abiding faith.
1. The SEARCH for the Savior (vv. 25–27)
John 6:25-27 NIV
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
The Crowd’s Motivation:
People followed Jesus not for the "sign" but for the "sandwiches." They wanted a political king who provided free lunch.
The Better Bread:
Jesus challenges them not to work for food that spoils, but for the food that endures to eternal life.
Exhortation
- Examine your motives in seeking Christ.
- Do not reduce Jesus to a problem-solver or provider.
- Seek Him not for what He gives, but for who He is.
- Labor for what endures to eternal life (v. 27).
Reflection
There is a difference between using God and loving God. Many want a bread-king, not a cross- bearing Lord.
Augustine famously wrote, “You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.”
Jeremiah 29:13 NIV
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Matthew 6:33 NIV
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. God desires worshipers, not customers.
2. The STRIVING of the Self (vv. 28–29)
John 6:28-29 NIV
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
Faith is not another work; it is the end of self-reliance. Salvation is not achieved—it is received.
Exhortation
- Stop striving to earn what God gives freely.
- Abandon spiritual scorekeeping.
- Trust wholly in Christ’s finished work.
Reflection
Faith is not another religious achievement—it is the surrender of achievement. The verses deepen the contrast between earning and entrusting.
John Calvin wrote, “Faith is the empty hand that receives the grace of God.”
Galatians 2:16 NIV
16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
Titus 3:5 NIV
5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, Are you striving—or surrendering?
3. The SIGN They Sought (vv. 30–40)
John 6:30-32 NIV
30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?
31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
Manna vs. Messiah:
Manna was a "shadow" that sustained physical life temporarily. Jesus is the "True Bread" who gives eternal life.
John 6:33-35 NIV
33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
The "I Am" Declaration:
Jesus uses the phrase Ego Eimi—the divine name of God—identifying Himself as the source of all spiritual sustenance.
Exhortation
- Do not measure God’s faithfulness by visible signs.
- Recognize that Jesus Himself is the ultimate sign.
- Anchor your faith in His character.
Reflection
Manna sustained physical life for a day. Christ sustains eternal life forever.
D.A. Carson comments, “The bread from heaven is not a what but a who.”
Matthew 12:39 NIV
39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
John 20:29 NIV
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Christ is God’s final and sufficient revelation.
4. The SCANDAL of His Saying (vv. 41–59)
John 6:48-53 NIV 4
8 I am the bread of life.
49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.
50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die.
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
To “eat” and “drink” is metaphorical language for internalizing Christ’s sacrifice—trusting wholly in His atoning death. The cross offends pride because it declares we cannot save ourselves.
Exhortation
- Are you willing to follow Jesus when His words challenge you?
- Accept the scandal of the cross. Will you accept hard truths?
Reflection
True faith is not casual admiration; it is internalizing Christ—trusting His death as your life.
Charles Spurgeon once said, “To believe is to take Christ into your very self.”
1 Corinthians 1:23 NIV
23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
Luke 9:23 NIV
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
Christianity is not spiritual snacking—it is total nourishment in Christ.
5. The STEADFASTNESS of True Disciples (vv. 60–69)
John 6:66-69 NIV
66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Peter’s Confession: Peter stays not because he understands everything, but because he knows there is nowhere else to go: "You have the words of eternal life".
Exhortation
- Stay when others stray.
- Cling to Christ when culture drifts.
- Trust His words above your feelings.
Reflection
Peter doesn’t say, “We understand everything.” He says, “We know You.” Faith is relational before it is rational.
John Stott wrote, “The essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting Himself for man.”
Hebrews 10:39 NIV
39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.
Psalm 73:25 NIV
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
When doubts rise:
- Return to His words.
- Remember His faithfulness.
- Reaffirm your confession.
Conclusion:
The Message reveals a spiritual sorting:
- Some searched but for the wrong reasons.
- Some strove but refused to believe.
- Some demanded signs but missed the Savior.
- Some stumbled over the scandal of His words.
- But a few remained steadfast.
Jesus does not promise full stomachs forever. He promises full souls forever. He is the Bread that:
- Sustains in suffering.
- Satisfies in emptiness.
- Saves through sacrifice.
The world offers endless appetizers but no lasting nourishment. Only Christ satisfies.
Today, hear His invitation again:
John 6:37 NIV
37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
Will you come—not for bread that spoils, but for the Bread that saves?
Will you believe—not with shallow interest, but with soul-deep surrender?
The Shepherd Who Walked To The Cross And Rose Again
By Pastor Rodel Paz | March 29
John 10:11 NIV
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Introduction
As we enter Holy Week, we walk with Jesus from celebration to suffering, from the cheers of Palm Sunday to the cries of the cross, and finally to the triumph of the empty tomb. Jesus declares, “I am the good shepherd.” At first glance, this seems like a comforting pastoral image—but in reality, it is a prophetic declaration of what He is about to do. The Shepherd will not merely guide His sheep—He will die for them.
This passage prepares us for Holy Week. It tells us:
a. Why Jesus came
b. What He would do
c. And how we are to respond
The Good Shepherd does not avoid the cross—He walks straight toward it.
The Central Message:
During Holy Week, we see that Jesus, our Good Shepherd, willingly lays down His life, lovingly calls His people, gathers all into one flock, and rises again in sovereign victory—inviting us to follow Him fully.
1. The Shepherd’s Sacrifice
John 10:11 NIV
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Unlike hired hands, who worked for wages, the true shepherd had ownership and affection for the sheep. Jesus elevates this image by declaring that His care goes beyond duty—it leads to death. This is a direct foreshadowing of the cross. We see this fulfilled—Jesus walked to the cross; He chose this path.
Exhortation
1. Recognize the depth of Christ’s love—it is not shallow or conditional.
2. Live a life shaped by the cross.
3. Surrender your life to the One who sacrifice His for you.
Reflection
The cross is not an accident; it is intentional love. Jesus is not a victim—He is a willing Savior.
Isaiah 53:6 NIV
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Romans 5:8 NIV
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Quote
“Christ did not die to make us lovable; He died because He loved us.” — Charles Spurgeon
2. The Shepherd’s Steadfastness
John 10:12-13 NIV
12. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
13. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. Hired hands had no personal investment. Their loyalty was limited.
Jesus contrasts Himself with leaders who abandon God’s people in times of danger.
During Holy Week, even the disciples falter:
a. Peter denies Him
b. The others scatter But Jesus does not run. He remains steadfast.
Exhortation
1. Trust Christ’s faithfulness even when others fail you.
2. Discern who or what you are trusting in.
3. Be cautious of spiritual voices that lack commitment to truth.
Reflection
Our hope is not in our faithfulness to Him, but in His faithfulness to us.
Psalm 118:8 NIV 8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.
2 Timothy 4:16-17 NIV
16. At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.
17. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.
Quote
“The strength of a shepherd is not seen in calm weather, but in the storm.” — Adapted pastoral proverb
3. The Shepherd’s Seeking
John 10:14-16 NIV
14. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
15. just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
In ancient shepherding, sheep recognized the shepherd’s voice. There was intimacy, familiarity, and trust. Jesus compares this relationship to the unity between Himself and the Father. Jesus speaks of a personal, relational knowledge—and a mission to gather more sheep.
From Palm Sunday to the cross, Jesus is actively seeking:
a. He weeps over Jerusalem
b. He calls sinners to Himself
c. Even on the cross, He saves the thief beside Him
Exhortation
1. Respond to the Shepherd’s call—don’t ignore His voice.
2. Pursue a personal relationship with Jesus, not just religious activity.
3. Join Him in seeking others who are far from God.
Reflection
Even during His suffering, Jesus is still seeking and saving. Be part of the Shepherd’s mission.
Luke 19:10 NIV
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
John 17:3 NIV
"Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Quote
“To be known by God is the highest dignity; to know God is the deepest joy.” — J.I. Packer
4. The Shepherd’s Salvation
John 10:15 NIV
"just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
This statement emphasizes substitution—Jesus dies for the sheep. At the cross, Jesus becomes our substitute:
a. He takes our sin
b. He bears our punishment c. He secures our salvation
Exhortation
1. Believe fully in the finished work of Christ.
2. Receive grace with humility and gratitude.
3. Live in the freedom of forgiveness.
Reflection
a. The Shepherd’s Self-Giving (emphasizes love and willingness)
b. The Shepherd’s Submission (more theological, emphasizes obedience to the Father)
c. The Shepherd’s Offering (ties to sacrificial imagery in the Old Testament)
2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV
"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
Galatians 2:20 NIV
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Quote
“In the cross, we see the seriousness of sin and the greatness of God’s love.” — John Stott
5. The Shepherd’s Sovereignty
John 10:17-18 NIV
18. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.
17. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.
This command I received from my Father.” Jesus emphasizes His authority over life and death. His death is voluntary, and His resurrection is certain.
This affirms His divine nature and mission.
a. The Shepherd who died
b. Is the Shepherd who lives again Death could not hold Him.
Exhortation
1. Jesus has conquered death.
2. Trust in Christ’s control over your circumstances.
3.. Surrender your fears about the future.
Reflection
Jesus is not only Savior—He is Lord. His authority guarantees our hope.
Matthew 28:18 NIV
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Romans 14:9 NIV
"For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
Quote
“Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.” — Martin Luther
Conclusion
This Holy Week, we walk the path of the Good Shepherd:
a. He Surrendered His life willingly
b. He Stayed when others fled
c. He Sought us even in our sin
d. He Saved us through His sacrifice
e. He Rose in sovereign victory
The Shepherd did not remain distant—He stepped into our world, carried our sin, and conquered our death.
And now, He calls.
He calls you to trust Him.
He calls you to follow Him.
He calls you to rest in His care.
There are many voices in this world—voices of fear, success, pleasure, and distraction.
But only one voice leads to life. Today, hear the voice of the Good Shepherd.
The Shepherd Who Walked To The Cross And Rose Again
By Pastor Rodel Paz | March 29
John 10:11 NIV
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Introduction
As we enter Holy Week, we walk with Jesus from celebration to suffering, from the cheers of Palm Sunday to the cries of the cross, and finally to the triumph of the empty tomb. Jesus declares, “I am the good shepherd.” At first glance, this seems like a comforting pastoral image—but in reality, it is a prophetic declaration of what He is about to do. The Shepherd will not merely guide His sheep—He will die for them.
This passage prepares us for Holy Week. It tells us:
a. Why Jesus came
b. What He would do
c. And how we are to respond
The Good Shepherd does not avoid the cross—He walks straight toward it.
The Central Message:
During Holy Week, we see that Jesus, our Good Shepherd, willingly lays down His life, lovingly calls His people, gathers all into one flock, and rises again in sovereign victory—inviting us to follow Him fully.
1. The Shepherd’s Sacrifice
John 10:11 NIV
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Unlike hired hands, who worked for wages, the true shepherd had ownership and affection for the sheep. Jesus elevates this image by declaring that His care goes beyond duty—it leads to death. This is a direct foreshadowing of the cross. We see this fulfilled—Jesus walked to the cross; He chose this path.
Exhortation
1. Recognize the depth of Christ’s love—it is not shallow or conditional.
2. Live a life shaped by the cross.
3. Surrender your life to the One who sacrifice His for you.
Reflection
The cross is not an accident; it is intentional love. Jesus is not a victim—He is a willing Savior.
Isaiah 53:6 NIV
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Romans 5:8 NIV
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Quote
“Christ did not die to make us lovable; He died because He loved us.” — Charles Spurgeon
2. The Shepherd’s Steadfastness
John 10:12-13 NIV
12. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
13. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. Hired hands had no personal investment. Their loyalty was limited.
Jesus contrasts Himself with leaders who abandon God’s people in times of danger.
During Holy Week, even the disciples falter:
a. Peter denies Him
b. The others scatter But Jesus does not run. He remains steadfast.
Exhortation
1. Trust Christ’s faithfulness even when others fail you.
2. Discern who or what you are trusting in.
3. Be cautious of spiritual voices that lack commitment to truth.
Reflection
Our hope is not in our faithfulness to Him, but in His faithfulness to us.
Psalm 118:8 NIV 8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.
2 Timothy 4:16-17 NIV
16. At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.
17. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.
Quote
“The strength of a shepherd is not seen in calm weather, but in the storm.” — Adapted pastoral proverb
3. The Shepherd’s Seeking
John 10:14-16 NIV
14. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
15. just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
In ancient shepherding, sheep recognized the shepherd’s voice. There was intimacy, familiarity, and trust. Jesus compares this relationship to the unity between Himself and the Father. Jesus speaks of a personal, relational knowledge—and a mission to gather more sheep.
From Palm Sunday to the cross, Jesus is actively seeking:
a. He weeps over Jerusalem
b. He calls sinners to Himself
c. Even on the cross, He saves the thief beside Him
Exhortation
1. Respond to the Shepherd’s call—don’t ignore His voice.
2. Pursue a personal relationship with Jesus, not just religious activity.
3. Join Him in seeking others who are far from God.
Reflection
Even during His suffering, Jesus is still seeking and saving. Be part of the Shepherd’s mission.
Luke 19:10 NIV
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
John 17:3 NIV
"Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Quote
“To be known by God is the highest dignity; to know God is the deepest joy.” — J.I. Packer
4. The Shepherd’s Salvation
John 10:15 NIV
"just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
This statement emphasizes substitution—Jesus dies for the sheep. At the cross, Jesus becomes our substitute:
a. He takes our sin
b. He bears our punishment c. He secures our salvation
Exhortation
1. Believe fully in the finished work of Christ.
2. Receive grace with humility and gratitude.
3. Live in the freedom of forgiveness.
Reflection
a. The Shepherd’s Self-Giving (emphasizes love and willingness)
b. The Shepherd’s Submission (more theological, emphasizes obedience to the Father)
c. The Shepherd’s Offering (ties to sacrificial imagery in the Old Testament)
2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV
"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
Galatians 2:20 NIV
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Quote
“In the cross, we see the seriousness of sin and the greatness of God’s love.” — John Stott
5. The Shepherd’s Sovereignty
John 10:17-18 NIV
18. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.
17. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.
This command I received from my Father.” Jesus emphasizes His authority over life and death. His death is voluntary, and His resurrection is certain.
This affirms His divine nature and mission.
a. The Shepherd who died
b. Is the Shepherd who lives again Death could not hold Him.
Exhortation
1. Jesus has conquered death.
2. Trust in Christ’s control over your circumstances.
3.. Surrender your fears about the future.
Reflection
Jesus is not only Savior—He is Lord. His authority guarantees our hope.
Matthew 28:18 NIV
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Romans 14:9 NIV
"For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
Quote
“Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.” — Martin Luther
Conclusion
This Holy Week, we walk the path of the Good Shepherd:
a. He Surrendered His life willingly
b. He Stayed when others fled
c. He Sought us even in our sin
d. He Saved us through His sacrifice
e. He Rose in sovereign victory
The Shepherd did not remain distant—He stepped into our world, carried our sin, and conquered our death.
And now, He calls.
He calls you to trust Him.
He calls you to follow Him.
He calls you to rest in His care.
There are many voices in this world—voices of fear, success, pleasure, and distraction.
But only one voice leads to life. Today, hear the voice of the Good Shepherd.
When Jesus Never Too Late - But Right On Time.
By: Pastor Rodel Paz | April 05
Introduction
The passage brings us to one of the most dramatic and deeply personal moments in the ministry of Jesus—the raising of Lazarus. This is not just a miracle story; it is a revelation story. It reveals who Jesus truly is in the face of humanity’s greatest enemy: death.
By the time Jesus arrives in Bethany, Lazarus has been dead for four days. In Jewish understanding, this detail is significant. Many believed the soul lingered for three days, but by the fourth day, death was irreversible. The situation is beyond hope. The funeral is over. The grief is settled. The outcome seems final.
And yet, this is exactly where Jesus steps in.
The literary tension in this passage is powerful:
a. A delayed Savior
b. Grieving sisters
c. Confused followers
A sealed tomb And then comes the defining declaration:
“I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) This is not merely a promise—it is a person. Central Message: Jesus is the resurrection and the life—He meets us in our deepest grief, calls us to faith in the midst of delay, and demonstrates His power by bringing life out of death.
1. The DELAY that Develops Faith
John 11:17-21 NIV
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem,
19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.
20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Jesus arrives after four days. Martha’s words—“Lord, if you had been here…”—reveal both faith and disappointment. The tension lies in timing. The delay is intentional. Though not stated here directly, the broader context shows Jesus operates on divine timing, not human urgency.
Exhortation
1. Trust God when His timing disrupts your expectations. Martha’s words—“Lord, if You had been here…”—echo the cry of many hearts today. We often measure God’s faithfulness by our timeline. But God is not bound by our clocks. His delays are not mistakes—they are moments where He is preparing something deeper than immediate relief. When God delays, He is not ignoring you—He is working in ways you cannot yet see.
2. Bring your disappointment honestly to Jesus. Martha did not hide her feelings. She brought them directly to Christ. Faith is not pretending everything is fine—it is bringing everything to Him. God is not offended by your questions; He is inviting your trust.
3. Let waiting stretch your faith, not shrink it. Waiting exposes what we truly believe. Will we trust God only when He acts quickly, or will we trust Him even in silence? Faith grows strongest in seasons where sight is weakest.
4. Believe that God is doing more than you can perceive. What looked like delay was actually divine positioning. Jesus was setting the stage for a miracle that would reveal His glory in a greater way.
5. Shift your perspective from “Why is God late?” to “What is God preparing?” This shift changes everything. Instead of frustration, it births expectation.
Illustration
Like a teacher who allows a student to struggle before stepping in, Jesus allows the situation to deepen so that the lesson becomes unforgettable.
Reflection
What feels like divine delay is often divine design.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Psalm 27:14 NIV
14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
Quote
“God’s delays are not His denials; they are His preparations.” — Adapted pastoral insight
2. The DECLARATION that Defines Life
John 11:22-27 NIV
22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;
26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
Jesus declares:
“Resurrection” (Greek: anastasis) – rising again
“Life” (Greek: zoē) – eternal, divine life Martha believes in a future resurrection, but Jesus shifts her understanding—resurrection is standing right in front of her.
Exhortation
1. Move from believing truths about Jesus to trusting Jesus Himself. Martha believed in resurrection—but in the future. Jesus brings her into a deeper revelation: “I AM the resurrection.” Many believers know about Jesus, but have not fully trusted Him as their present life.
2. Anchor your identity and hope in who Jesus is. If your hope is in outcomes, it will rise and fall. But if your hope is in Christ, it remains unshaken. He is not just a solution—He is the source.
3. Declare your faith even when circumstances contradict it. Martha boldly confesses, “I believe that You are the Messiah.” Faith is not silence—it speaks. Even in uncertainty, declare who Jesus is.
4. Allow truth to reshape your emotions. Feelings are real, but they are not ultimate. Truth must lead where emotions follow. Jesus invites us to see beyond what we feel into what is eternally true.
5. Trust Jesus not just for what He can do—but for who He is. Even if the miracle hasn’t happened yet, His identity has not changed. Illustration It’s like standing next to a well while thirsting—Martha believed in water but didn’t realize the source was right there.
Reflection
Eternal life is not just future—it begins with knowing Christ now.
1 John 5:11-12 NIV
11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Romans 6:23 NIV
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Quote
“To have Christ is to have life; to be without Him is to be without hope.” — D.L. Moody
3. The DISTRESS that Displays Compassion
John 11:28-37 NIV
28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.”
29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.
31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. 32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
“Jesus wept” (v. 35). The Greek word dakryō means quiet tears, but verse 33 also uses a stronger term implying deep emotional agitation. Jesus is not detached—He is deeply moved.
Exhortation
1. Bring your pain to Jesus without hesitation. Mary falls at His feet in sorrow—and Jesus does not rebuke her. He receives her grief. You don’t have to clean up your emotions before coming to Christ.
2. Recognize that God feels what you feel. Jesus wept—not because He lacked power, but because He was full of compassion. Your pain matters to Him. Your tears are not ignored—they are understood.
3. Let your grief draw you closer, not push you away. Suffering can isolate us, but it can also deepen our dependence on God. The same pain that tempts you to withdraw can become the place where you encounter Christ most deeply.
4. Reflect Christ’s compassion to others. The world is full of hurting people who don’t need quick answers—they need Christlike presence. Be someone who sits, listens, and loves.
5. Trust that even in grief, God is still working. Jesus wept—but He also knew resurrection was coming. Your pain is real, but it is not final.
Illustration
A parent weeping with a child doesn’t remove the pain immediately—but shows love that carries through it.
Reflection
The One who raises the dead still pauses to weep.
Psalm 34:18 NIV
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Romans 12:15 NIV
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
Quote
“God is most present to us in our deepest pain.” — Adapted from Timothy Keller
4. The DEMAND that Requires Obedience
John 11:38-40 NIV
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
Jesus commands, “Take away the stone.” Martha hesitates—“there is a bad odor.” Faith often meets resistance at the point of obedience.
Exhortation
1. Obey God even when it feels uncomfortable or illogical. “Take away the stone.” This command didn’t make sense. The situation was already beyond hope. Yet obedience opened the door for the miracle.
2. Identify and remove the “stones” in your life. Fear, pride, unforgiveness, doubt—these are barriers that keep us from experiencing God’s power. Sometimes the miracle is waiting on your obedience.
3. Step forward in faith before you see results. God often requires action before revelation. Faith is not waiting for proof—it is trusting God enough to act.
4. Understand that obedience is participation in God’s work. Jesus could have moved the stone Himself—but He involved others. God invites us into His process.
5. Expect God to move when you obey. Obedience positions you for breakthrough. It aligns your life with God’s power.
Illustration
Like stepping into the Jordan River before it parts, obedience often comes before the miracle.
Reflection
Faith is not passive—it moves at God’s command.
James 1:22 NIV
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Hebrews 11:6 NIV
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Quote
“Obedience is the pathway on which God’s power travels.” — A.W. Tozer
5. The DISPLAY that Defeats Death
John 11:41-44 NIV
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Jesus cries out, “Lazarus, come out!” The command is specific and authoritative. Lazarus comes out still bound—alive, but needing to be freed.
Exhortation
1. Believe that no situation is beyond Jesus’ authority. Four days dead. Completely hopeless. Yet one word from Jesus changes everything. There is no “too far gone” with God.
2. Listen for the voice of Jesus calling you to life. “Lazarus, come out!” That same voice calls today—out of sin, out of despair, out of spiritual death.
3. Step out of what has been holding you back. Lazarus came out—but still bound. Salvation is immediate, but transformation is ongoing.
4. Allow others to help you grow. Jesus said, “Unbind him.” We need community to walk in freedom.
5. Give glory to God for every breakthrough. The miracle is not about us—it is about revealing His glory.
Illustration
Like someone waking from deep sleep, Lazarus responds to the voice of the One who gives life.
Reflection
Jesus doesn’t just resuscitate—He resurrects.
Romans 8:11 NIV
11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
John 5:24 NIV
24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
Quote
“The voice that called Lazarus from the grave still calls souls from death to life.” — Charles Spurgeon
Conclusion
In this powerful moment, we see:
- The Delay that Develops Faith — God’s timing is purposeful
- The Declaration that Defines Life — Jesus is life itself
- The Distress that Displays Compassion — Jesus feels our pain
- The Demand that Requires Obedience — Faith acts
- The Display that Defeats Death — Jesus has all power
Jesus stands before a tomb—and everything changes.
This story is not just about Lazarus.
It is about you.
Because all of us have stood at some kind of grave:
The grave of broken dreams
The grave of unanswered prayers
The grave of sin and spiritual death
The grave of hopelessness
And like Martha, we have all said at some point:
“Lord, if You had been here…”
But here is the truth of the Gospel:
Jesus is never too late.
He is always right on time.
He may not come when you expect—
But He always comes with power, purpose, and resurrection life.
And He calls:
“Come out.”
Come out of fear.
Come out of sin.
Come out of doubt.
Come out of everything that has been holding you captive.
Because the same voice that called Lazarus out of the grave Is calling you into life today.
One Way, One True, One Life
Trusting Christ Alone
By Pastor Rodel
John 14:5-7 NIV
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Introduction
In Gospel of John 14, we step into one of the most intimate and emotionally charged moments in Scripture. Jesus is in the Upper Room, just hours before His crucifixion. The disciples are troubled, confused, and fearful. Their world is about to collapse—at least from their perspective. The One they left everything to follow is speaking of leaving them.
Thomas, often remembered for his doubts, voices what many are thinking: “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?” (v.5). Jesus responds with a statement that cuts through confusion and speaks into every generation: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
This passage (John 14:5–7) comes in the midst of Jesus comforting His disciples: “Let not your hearts be troubled…” He speaks of preparing a place, of returning, and then makes one of the most exclusive and profound declarations in all of Scripture.
Central Message:
Jesus is not merely a guide to the Father—He is the only way to the Father, the full revelation of truth, and the very source of eternal life. To know Him is to know the Father; to reject Him is to remain lost.
1.The PATHWAY That Directs Us (The Way)
Insight & Word Study The word “way” (Greek: hodos) refers to a road, path, or journey. Jesus does not say He shows the way—He says He is the way. This is not instruction; it is identity. In Jewish thought, “the way” often referred to the path of righteousness (Psalm 1:6). But Jesus redefines it—He Himself is the path.
Exhortation
1. Stop trusting in self-made paths to God. Many people today try to “design” their own spiritual journey—mixing beliefs, relying on good works, or assuming that being a good person is enough. But Jesus makes it clear: salvation is not DIY. We cannot construct a bridge to God using our own efforts because sin has already broken that connection.
Trusting Christ means surrendering the idea that “I can get there my own way” and instead saying, “Lord, I will follow You.”
2. Reject the illusion that sincerity equals salvation. You can be sincere and still be wrong. A person can sincerely follow the wrong direction and still end up lost. Sincerity does not determine truth—Jesus does.
What matters is not how strongly you believe, but what you believe in.
3. Walk daily in dependence on Christ. Jesus is not just the starting point of salvation—He is the daily path of life. This means consulting Him in decisions, seeking Him in prayer, and aligning your steps with His Word. Christianity is not a one-time decision; it is a daily walk. Many today believe, “All roads lead to God.” But Jesus lovingly and firmly says otherwise.
Reflection
Salvation is not about finding the right Philosophy—it is about following the right Person.
Acts 4:12 NIV
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Isaiah 35:8 NIV
8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it.
Quote
“Christ is not one of many ways to approach God, nor is He the best of several ways; He is the only way.” — John MacArthur
2. The PRINCIPLE That Defines Reality (The Truth)
Insight & Word Study The word “truth” (aletheia) means reality as it truly is—unconcealed, absolute, unchanging. Jesus is not just truthful—He is truth itself. In a culture of shifting morals and subjective beliefs, Jesus anchors reality.
Exhortation
1. Reject cultural relativism that denies absolute truth. We live in a world that says, “Your truth is your truth, and my truth is mine.” But truth does not change based on opinion. If something is true, it is true for everyone. Jesus is the standard of truth, not culture, trends, or feelings.
2. Submit your beliefs to Christ, not Christ to your beliefs. It’s easy to reshape Jesus into someone who agrees with us. But true discipleship means allowing His Word to correct us, challenge us, and transform us—even when it’s uncomfortable.
3. Build your life on God’s Word, not popular opinion. Trends change. Opinions shift. But God’s Word stands forever. A life built on anything else will eventually collapse under pressure. Reflection Truth is not something we create; it is something we receive in Christ.
John 8:32 NIV
32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Psalm 119:160 NIV
160 All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.
Quote
“Truth is not determined by majority vote.” — R.C. Sproul
3. The POWER That Delivers Us (The Life)
Insight & Word Study The word “life” (zoē) refers to eternal, divine life—not just existence, but fullness of life in God. Jesus is not merely alive—He is the source of life itself.
Exhortation
1. Stop seeking life in temporary things. Many chase fulfillment through money, success, relationships, or pleasure. These things may satisfy briefly, but they cannot sustain the soul. Only Jesus gives lasting, eternal life.
2. Receive the eternal life Christ offers through faith. Eternal life is not earned—it is received. It begins the moment you trust Christ and continues forever. It is not just about heaven later, but transformation now.
3. Live with spiritual vitality, not religious routine. It’s possible to go through the motions—attend church, pray occasionally, read Scripture—and still feel spiritually dry. Jesus invites us into a vibrant, living relationship, not empty ritual.
Reflection
True life is not found in possessions, success, or pleasure—it is found in relationship with Christ.
John 10:10 NIV
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
1 John 5:12 NIV
12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Quote
“To live without Christ is to die; to live with Christ is to live forever.” — Augustine
4. The PRIVILEGE That Draws Us (Access to the Father)
Insight & Word Study “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” This is both exclusive and gracious. Jesus is the only mediator (1 Timothy 2:5).
Exhortation
1. Abandon any attempt to earn your way to God. We often feel we must “prove ourselves” to God. But the gospel says Christ has already done the work. Trying to earn God’s love dishonors the finished work of Jesus.
2. Embrace the grace offered through Christ alone. Grace means unearned favor. You don’t deserve it—you receive it. This should produce both humility and deep gratitude.
3. Approach God with confidence through Jesus. Because of Christ, you don’t have to approach God in fear or uncertainty. You are welcomed as a child, not rejected as a stranger. Reflection Christianity is not about climbing up to God—it is about God coming down to us.
Hebrews 4:16 NIV
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Ephesians 2:18 NIV
18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Quote “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance, but laying hold of His willingness.” — Martin Luther
5. The PERSON Who Displays the Father (Knowing God Through Christ)
Insight & Word Study Jesus says, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.” To know Jesus is to know God. This is a staggering claim—Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God.
Exhortation
1. Pursue a deeper relationship with Christ. Knowing about Jesus is not the same as knowing Him. Relationship requires time, attention, and intentional pursuit—just like any meaningful relationship.
2. Study His character in Scripture. The more you see Jesus in Scripture, the more clearly you understand God’s heart—His compassion, justice, mercy, and holiness.
3. Reflect His nature in your life. As you grow in Christ, your life should begin to mirror Him—your words, actions, attitudes, and love for others.
Reflection
God is not distant or unknowable—He has revealed Himself fully in Christ.
Colossians 1:15 NIV
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Hebrews 1:3 NIV
3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Quote
“Christ is the clearest revelation of God the world has ever seen.” — A.W. Tozer
Conclusion
Jesus’ words in John 14:6-7 are not merely theological—they are deeply personal and eternally significant.
1. He is the Way that guides us.
2. He is the Truth that grounds us.
3. He is the Life that sustains us.
4. He is the Access that brings us to the Father.
5. He is the Revelation that shows us who God truly is.
In a world of confusion, competing beliefs, and spiritual uncertainty, Jesus stands with unwavering clarity: “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” This is not arrogance—it is grace.
If there were many ways, we would be left to wander. But because there is one way, we can walk with confidence.
Call to Response
Picture a traveler lost in darkness—no map, no direction, no hope. Then suddenly, a voice calls out, “Follow Me.” A light appears—not in the distance, but right beside him.
That is Jesus.
He doesn’t just point the way—He walks with you.
He doesn’t just speak truth—He embodies it.
He doesn’t just give life—He breathes it into your soul.
So today:
If you are lost—He is your Way.
If you are confused—He is your Truth.
If you are empty—He is your Life.
Stop wandering.
Stop searching.
Stop trying to figure it all out on your own.
Come to Jesus. Walk with Jesus. Remain in Jesus. And you will find not just direction— but destination.
Not just answers— but assurance. Not just life— but life everlasting.
Worthy Is The Lamb
“Who Holds the Future?”
By Pastor Rodel
Introduction: When History Feels Unfinished
There are moments in life when everything feels unresolved—prayers unanswered, injustice unpunished, suffering unexplained. The question rises in the human heart: Who is in control? Does history have meaning?
In Revelation 5, the apostle John is given a vision that answers that question. What begins in sorrow ends in worship. What begins with a sealed scroll ends with a singing universe. And at the center of it all stands Jesus Christ—the Lamb who was slain, yet lives.
1. The SEALED Scroll (Revelation 5:1–4)
Revelation 5:1-4 NKJV
And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.
4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.
John sees a scroll “written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals” (v.1). In the ancient Roman world, a scroll sealed with seven seals symbolized absolute authority and complete security.
The word “sealed” (Greek: sphragizō) implies authentication and restriction—no one can access or execute its contents unless authorized.
Then comes the crisis: “Who is worthy?” The word “worthy” (axios) means “morally fit, deserving, qualified.” Without someone worthy, history remains locked, unresolved, and meaningless.
The Scroll: Represents God’s sovereign plan for history and final judgment (seven seals denote completeness).
The Search: No one in heaven or earth is worthy to unlock the future.
The Emotional Weight: John weeps because without the scroll being opened, history has no closure and redemption is incomplete.
Quote
“History is not a random sequence of events; it is a scroll held in the hand of God.” – Adapted from biblical theology tradition
2. The SOVEREIGN Savior (Revelation 5:5–7)
Revelation 5:5-7 NKJV
5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” 6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
An elder speaks: “Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah…” (v.5)
This title points to:
Genesis 49:9–10 – Messianic promise
Royal authority, power, kingship
But when John looks… he sees a Lamb.
The word “Lamb” (arnion) refers to a sacrificial lamb—gentle, vulnerable. Yet this Lamb “stood as though it had been slain”.
The word “slain” (esphagmenon) implies violent sacrifice—but the Lamb is standing, meaning resurrection victory.
The Paradox: John hears of a mighty "Lion of Judah" (Power) but sees a "Lamb standing as though it had been slain" (Sacrifice).
The Victory: Christ conquers not by force, but by sacrificial love and resurrection.
The Authority: The Lamb takes the scroll, showing He alone controls the unfolding future and the culmination of redemption.
3. The SECURED Salvation (Revelation 5:8–10)
Revelation 5:8-10 NKJV
8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
The elders fall down with harps and bowls of incense—symbolizing:
Worship (music)
Prayer (incense)
They sing a “new song.” The word “new” (kainos) means fresh in quality, not just recent.
Why a new song? Because a New Act of Redemption has been accomplished.
“Redeemed” (agorazō) means purchased from the marketplace—a slavery metaphor.
Quote
“True worship is a response to the worth of God revealed in redemption.” – A.W. Tozer
4. The SINGING Multitude (Revelation 5:11–14)
Revelation 5:11-14 NKJV
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,
12 saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.
This sevenfold praise is not random—it is carefully structured, theologically rich, and linguistically precise. The use of seven attributes signifies perfect completeness in biblical literature.
A. “POWER” (dunamis) Dunamis refers to:
Intrinsic ability
Miraculous power
Capacity to accomplish It is not merely authority—but effective power in action.
B. “WEALTH / RICHES” (ploutos) Ploutos denotes:
Abundance
Fullness of resources
Overflowing riches Not merely material wealth—but spiritual abundance.
C. “WISDOM” (sophia) Sophia is not just knowledge, but:
Divine insight The ability to apply truth perfectly
Skill in ordering reality
D. “MIGHT / STRENGTH” (ischus) Ischus refers to:
Physical strength
Enduring force
Manifested power Distinct from dynamis, this emphasizes strength exerted.
E. “HONOR” (timē) Timē conveys:
Value assigned
Public recognition
Esteem and reverence In Greco-Roman culture, honor was tied to status and reputation.
F. “GLORY” (doxa) Originally meaning “opinion,” doxa evolved to mean:
Radiance
Splendor
Manifest presence
In the Septuagint, it translates Hebrew kavod (weight, heaviness).
G. “BLESSING” (eulogia) From eu (good) + logos (word), meaning:
Speaking well of
Praise and adoration
H. THE STRUCTURE: A PERFECT DOXOLOGY
The seven terms form a climactic crescendo:
1. Power (ability)
2. Riches (resources)
3. Wisdom (strategy)
4. Strength (execution)
5. Honor (recognition)
6. Glory (radiance)
7. Blessing (response)
This progression reflects:
Who Christ is (intrinsic attributes)
What Christ possesses (authority and resources)
How creation responds (worship and praise)
I. THE UNIVERSAL DOXOLOGY
“To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb…”
This is one of the clearest New Testament affirmations that:
Jesus receives the same worship as God the Father
Conclusion:
The Theology of Praise and Worship Worship in heaven is not driven by emotional highs, but by accurate theological truth.
Every word matters. Every term reveals:
Christ’s worthiness
Christ’s work
Christ’s wealth Church, do not just admire this vision—enter it. Live as people:
Anchored in God’s sovereignty
Transformed by The Lamb’s sacrifice
Commissioned for mission Consumed with worship Because one day, what John saw—you will see.
And declare with heaven: “Worthy is the Lamb.”
REJOICE CHURCH
3578 Clayton Road, Concord, CA 94565
925.325.1902
Links
Copyright © 2026 | Powered by 
churchtrac
churchtrac