In Secret

Giving to the Needy (In Secret)

6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. -> If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. -> Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 

3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 

4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer (In Secret)

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. -> Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 

6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 

7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 

8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.’

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 

15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Fasting (In Secret)

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 

17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 

18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Treasures in Heaven (In Secret -> Reward In Heaven)

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 

20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 

23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Do Not Worry (Live Today, In Faith)

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 

26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 

27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 

29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 

30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 

31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 

32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 

34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES

Prepared for preaching in Pakistan
Translated to URDU by Pastor Ravi Daniel
3:30AM PST – 4:30PM Pakistan

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the eternal son of God, who manifest upon earth and made know to us the gospel of the kingdom of God. By faith the son of God, we are revealed as adopted sons and daughters of God. Even though there are moments of failure and weakness, God is faithful to us. As the word of God is planted in our hearts, may it grow strong and bear fruit as the tree is the tree of life.]

Greetings to Pastor Ravi Daniel who loves the Lord and cares for God’s people. He takes the gospel to adults and children, in the city and out in the villages. Like John the Baptist who made a way for Jesus Christ, my brother Ravi Daniel serves the Lord and makes a way. May the Lord bless him with good health, blessed relationships and wisdom.

Greetings to Miracle Presence Church in Pakistan. As we have progressed in the teachings of the gospel, you have come to see the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ. God, from the before anything was created, wrote your name down in the book of life and chose you to be a receive the gift of faith. The faith that is necessary for salvation is a gift. The question is now, what will you do with the gift?

Gods’ message for today comes from Acts chapter 1 verses 6 through 8. We will read it for you.

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:6-8 ESV)

This is the last conversation the disciples had with Jesus Christ, before he was lifted up into the cloud.


This is the final question the disciples had for Jesus Christ, before he was taken to heaven.

This is a question that we today still ask Jesus Christ.
This is a question that we ask when we become impatient.
This is a question that we ask during real trials and tribulation.

“Lord, when will you come back?”
“Lord, when will you bring the new heavens and new earth?”

The world is so bad right now.


Many people are in  hunger.
Many people are sick.

Many people have no education.

We look at all these hardships in the world and we ask, when Lord when?

Here is the answer of Jesus Christ to us.

“It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.”

We don’t need to know when Jesus Christ is coming back.
We don’t need to know  the date.
We don’t need to know the time.

God is the only one that knows the day and time which will begin the Day  of the Lord.

Jesus then teaches us what we should focus on instead.

In the following verse, it says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will be my witnesses…TO THE END OF THE EARTH.

These aren’t words, just for those who saw Jesus Christ face to face.
These are words for us to learn from and live out.

What does it mean to be a Christian?
What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus Christ?

Jesus Christ says it this way, “You will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.”

Why is Pastor Ravi preaching in the city and the villages?
Why is Pastor Ravi preaching to adults and children?
Why is Pastor Ravi giving out bibles?
Why is Pastor Ravi feeding the children?

Pastor Ravi is living out the calling of being a witness.

Why is Brother Don from USA preaching in Pakistan?
Why is Brother Don preaching through the internet?
Why is Brother Don preaching translated to URDU?

Brother Don is living out the calling of being a witness.

Miracle Presence Church is blessed by God! We are blessed by God, because the Holy Spirit has come to us. The Holy Spirit is with us now. Did you know the Miracle Presence is the Presence of the Holy Spirit? Miracle Presence Church is Holy Spirit Church. The Holy Spirit has come upon our church. As we join together and worship God, sing praises and pray to the Lord, the Holy Spirit is working in us.

Miracle Presence Church, Holy Spirit Church, what did Jesus Christ teach us will happen when the Holy Spirit comes up on us?

We will be witnesses.

We will be witnesses of the kingdom of God.

Instead of judging others.
Instead of hating others.
Instead of cursing others.


Instead of being a sinful person.

Jesus forgives through us.
Jesus loves through us.
Jesus blesses through us.

Jesus transforms us into a good person.

As a good person, we don’t complain about things we can’t change, instead prepare a farmland in our hearts to plant the word of God. By faith in gospel, those seeds will grow into the fruits of the spirit for the glory of God!

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Gal. 5:22-23 ESV)

Let us pray,

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank you for sending your son, Jesus Christ, as the final offering for guilt and sin. As our church continues to learn about you through your words, we ask for the Holy Spirit to come upon us and make us witnesses of God. Witnesses through our Good Works. Witnesses through our Good Conversation. Help us to point our lives to Jesus Christ that anyone knows us will know Jesus! May our lives, our works and our words point to Jesus Christ.


In the precious name of your son Jesus Christ we pray, AMEN!

GOD WILL SURELY DO IT

Prepared for preaching in Pakistan
Translated by Pastor Ravi Daniel
3:30AM PST Friday – 4:30PM Friday Pakistan

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has saved us from sin and death, but he isn’t finished with us. Jesus will continue to work in us until we are made complete. We will be made complete on the second coming of Christ. We will be made perfect when God makes a new heaven and new earth. This is the great hope that we have as believers of Jesus Christ.

Greetings to Pastor Ravi Daniel who faithfully and lovingly shares the gospel of Jesus Christ to many people. God has blessed Pastor Ravi with a heart for children and adults. As Pastor Ravi continues to serve in these ways, may God bless him and his family with peace and joy. We are very thankful to God for the ministry that God is doing through Pastor Ravi Daniel.

Greetings to Miracle Presence Church in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As the LORD God works upon our hearts, may we be reminded that all these things are by God’s grace. Even after you are given the gift of faith, the power which holds that faith in you is God himself. God has you in His hands.

The message for today comes from Philippians 1:6. This message is for those of us who feel discouraged, because of our own weaknesses. There are days where we are a good Christian and there are days where we are a bad Christian. Sometimes we are strong Christians and sometimes we are weak Christians. Whether we are strong or weak, Jesus Christ is the one who will complete us. We are the work of Jesus Christ. He will work on us until completion.

Let’s read the verse together.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to competition at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

The Apostle Paul writes a very powerful message to the church of Philippians. The Apostle is convinced that Jesus Christ began a work in the church and that Jesus Christ will bring it to completion.

Please say this with me.

“Jesus Christ began a work in me.”
“Jesus Christ will complete the work in me.”

There are many kinds of works.

Some works need only one man to complete.
Some works need two men to complete.
Some works need ten men to complete.

The good work that Jesus Christ is doing in you, only  God can do.

What Good work is Jesus Christ doing?

Jesus Christ is sowing the word of God in our hearts and nurturing it to grow into a fruit-bearing tree. Jesus Christ came preaching the gospel. The Gospel is the word of God. As Jesus Christ was preaching, some believed and others didn’t. For some, the seed didn’t lay root. For others, the seed laid root temporarily. For the chosen, the seed laid root and there was harvest of good works.

In Matthew 13, Jesus teaches us a parable.

A sower went out to sow seeds.

Some seeds were eaten by birds.

Some seeds were scotched by the sun.

Some seeds were choked by thorns and died.

Some seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty and some thirty.

In order to understand this parable, you must understand what Jesus means by the seeds here.

In Luke 8:11 it says, “The seed is the word of God.”

There are some people who hear the gospel, but after talking to their friends, they don’t believe.


There are some people who hear the gospel, but it doesn’t take root into their hearts.
There are some people who hear the gospel, but life gets hard and they don’t believe.

These are those who weren’t chosen by God, but heard the gospel and believed for a moment.

As for the elect, the chosen, we are good soil waiting for the seeds.
From before the foundations of the world, God has chosen us and prepared us as good soil. We have a plan and purpose in our lives to be a fertile ground for God to bear fruits of righteousness on earth.

2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

The good work of Jesus Christ is to make us into good workers. It is to make us like Christ. He does this by entering into our hearts and planting seeds of the word of God. Jesus Christ is the word become flesh. Jesus Christ is planting himself into our hearts. As this seed grows and matures, there comes a season of harvest. At harvest time, Jesus Christ will harvest the fruits of the spirit from us.

Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruits of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”

Jesus Christ is both the Sower and the seed. The heavenly father is the one that makes it grow. As we understand how our spiritual lives work, we can see clearly that God is at work in us.

Jesus Christ is the one who prepared the ground.
Jesus Christ is the one who planted the seeds.

As you and I know, we are not perfect.
We are forgiven, but we still doing bad works.
We are born-again, but our flesh still tempts us.

Please say this with me, “God isn’t finished with us.”

But pastor, I still sin. “God isn’t finished with us.”
But pastor, I am still tempted by sin. “God isn’t finished with us.”
But pastor, I still have evil thoughts. “God isn’t finished with us.”

Praise the Lord that you recognize you are a sinner!
Praise the Lord that you recognize that you are being tempted.
Praise the Lord that you recognize what is evil.

Recognizing sin is the first step cleansing yourself from what is dishonorable.

2 Timothy 2:21`, “Therefor, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart and holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.”

Do you see a repeating theme in the verses?

The good work that Jesus Christ started in us is that we would be useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. The good work of Christ results in good works through us. This is what we mean that the seed is alive. It’s real and it making real changes in us.

As we wait for the second coming of Jesus Christ.
As we wait for the day of the Lord.
How can I be steadfast?
My heart is so weak.
My mind is so weak.
My life is bad at times.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to competition at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

God will surely do it.

Well Built House

Prepared for preaching in Pakistan
Translated by Rev. Ravi Daniel
3:30AM PST Friday – 4:30PM Pakistan Friday

25-35 Minute Sermon with Translation

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whom has attained salvation for sinners, through cleansing by faith. We are blessed, because Christ is in us and we are in in Christ. We walk by faith, not by sight. When we walk by faith, we follow Jesus to where he leads us, because unless we have faith, we can’t make it there.

Greetings to Pastor Ravi Daniel whom God is using as a powerful vessel of the gospel. He continually pours out the cup of grace upon you all as He gives his life as a servant of Christ. How beautiful are the feet of those who share the gospel! May the Lord bless our pastor with more love, peace and grace in the Holy Spirit.

Greetings to Miracle Presence Church! I greet you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Even though we are on the other side of the world, our hearts are together, because of our Love for Jesus Christ! The presence of the Lord is here. God is working on your hearts and molding you into the likeness of Jesus Christ. This isn’t, because of Pastor Ravi or Brother Don, it’s because God is doing it. Continue to thank the LORD for the blessings of this ministry.

The message from God comes from Luke 6:48-49, we will read it for you.

“Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock, and when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

Jesus makes a comparison with a person who has faith in the gospel to a well-built house next to a stream.

It’s important for a house to be well built. Jesus places the most importance on the foundation. The reason why the foundation is important is because this house is next to a stream of water.

Houses next to streams of water are known as flood areas. As the seasons come and go, when there is heavy rain there is possibility of a flood. A flood area is a danger zone, because when the water rises the home can be destroyed.

Of course, we don’t normally build a home in a danger zone, but as Christians we are like homes next to a danger zone. Wherever we are, we are around trials and persecution. This is something that we must accept about this life. As a Christians, we must always know that there is a chance of damage by others.

Persecution, trials and tribulations will come.


The flood waters will rise and streams break.

When this happens, it doesn’t matter how beautiful you are.
When this happens, it doesn’t matter how handsome you are.
When this happens, it doesn’t matter how rich you are.
When this happens, it doesn’t matter how smart you are.

At that moment, when the flood waters rise.
At that moment, when the streams are on your house.
At the moment the world attacks you
At the moment the devil speak lies to you

Instead of collapsing, the foundation keeps you up.
Instead of destruction, the foundation keep you still.

When the persecution, trials and tribulations come, you may be scared, but you aren’t moved.

Why?

Those who come to Jesus, hear His words and do them, they are prepared for anything.

Please say this with me, “We are prepared for anything!”

You have heard the voice of Shepherd who called you by name and said, “Follow me!” You recognized His voice and wherever He goes, you are with him.

When Jesus Christ is the foundation of our life, nothing can defeat us.

Now, Jesus also gives us a picture of a home with no foundation. He teaches us what happens to those who claim to know Jesus, but don’t follow Him.

Luke 6:49, “But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

There are those that don’t truly love God, but claim they do.
There are those that don’t truly have faith in Jesus, but they claim they do.

These people are also like a house built next to a stream. The problem is, because they don’t really have faith in Jesus Christ, when the flood comes up on all the Christians, these false believers won’t be able to handle the trials and tribulations.

Instead of standing firm in their faith, they will give into what the world wants.
Instead of being a light in the darkness, they will give into the darkness.

What is the difference between the well built house and the weak house?

One has Jesus as the foundation,
the other didn’t have Jesus Christ as the foundation.

The well built house is one that has faith in Jesus Christ, dying to self and obeying the word of God.
The weak house is one that claims to have faith in Jesus Christ, but denies Christ and disobeys the word.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, those of you who have faith in Jesus Christ. Let us be thankful to God for building us up on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Let us be thankful to the Father, for sending his only begotten son to die on the cross for us. Let us be thankful to God, when we are able to stand in trials and tribulations. All these things are made possible, because of the gift of faith that has been given to you.

Let us not take our faith lightly.
Let us not take our trials lightly.

May we realize the amazing strength of the faith given to us by Jesus Christ. We walk by faith and not by sight. Even when we see how hard it is to be a Christian in the world. Even when we see many of our Christian brothers and sisters suffering. Even when we experience persecution in the world. We are may be attacked, but we are not destroyed.

This strength isn’t because we are so strong.
This power isn’t because we are so powerful.

All of this is because, Jesus Christ is the true God!

We have salvation, because of Jesus Christ!
We have faith, because of Jesus Christ!
We have strength, because of Jesus Christ!
We have perseverance, because of Jesus Christ!

Therefore, may we realize the great truth in the gospel. While we had no foundation, Jesus Christ came and built one for us. This foundation protects us from the trials and tribulations of the world. This foundation gives us the hope of eternal life. When Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, He became our foundation. He became the foundation to defeat sin and death. He became the foundation of eternal life. He became the foundation of our lives.

There is no earthquake.
There is no flood.
There is no lightning strike.
There is no tornado.
There is no hurricane.

There is nothing that can break you away from your Savior!

Jesus Christ is our foundation!

Let us pray!

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank you for being a master builder. We thank you for protecting us. We know that we are constantly around trials and tribulation, but our foundation, Jesus Christ is our strength. Even when we are weak, Jesus Christ, is still strong. Please help Miracle Presence Church realize that the faith that they have is powerful. Please help them realize that Jesus Christ can’t be moved. May this church be filled with praise and glory to God!

In the precious name of your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray AMEN.

FREEDOM TO SERVE GOD

Prepared for preaching at Pakistan

Translated by Pastor Ravi Daniel

3:30AM PST – 4:30PM Pakistan

25 – 35 minute sermon with translation

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through whom we have received salvation by faith. This faith that we have is more powerful than the works of the LAW. It is more powerful, because by faith we have been transformed from servants of evil to servants of God. Jesus Christ begins to use as His hands and Feet. Through this, we are made white as snow.

Greetings to Pastor Ravi Daniel who has been chosen by God as a servant and elder of Miracle Presence Church. Many obstacles and problems come to those who serve God, but God has blessed Pastor Ravi Daniel with the joy of the Lord and continued work of spreading the gospel. May God bless Pastor Ravi Daniel with more joy, more blessings and more anointing of the Holy Spirit!

Greetings to Miracle Presence Church whom has been cleansed by the blood of the son of God, the perfect Lamb. Life isn’t easy, there are many temptations and obstacles that come our way. The LORD loves us, even when we fall, He picks us up. When the devil comes to attack us, the LORD Himself will protect us. May we love the LORD with all our heart, mind and soul. May this love cause us to not only believe, but also to give our lives as servants of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Gods’ message for today comes from Romans 14:18-19. I will read it for you, “Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and mutual upbringing.”

Let us pray together.

Dear Heaven Father,

You are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You are seated on the throne, high and lifted up! We look to you for life and wisdom. We look to you for salvation and sanctification. Thank you for staying the same. Thank you for keeping your promises. As we grow as Christians, please transform us from who we were to who you want us to be. Please help us to serve you with all of our hearts as Jesus Christ your son has served you.

In the precious name of you son, Jesus Christ, we pray.

AMEN.

In the book of Exodus, the Israelites were under slavery in Egypt. They were under great persecution. All day long, they made bricks out of mud. They had no time to make sacrifices to God. God remembered the promise He made with Israel. He decided to use Moses to speak to Pharoah.

Moses and Aaron were sent to Pharoah.

Let’s say Moses words to Pharoah together, repeat after me, “Let my son go that he may serve me!”

Pharoah answered, “I don’t know your God, I will not let your people go.”

Moses and Aaron left, but God told them to go back.

Say Moses words with me, “Let my people go, that they may serve me, or I will bring a plague of frogs.”
Pharaoh saw the frogs and asked for mercy, but after the frogs went away, he didn’t let them go.

Moses and Aaron left, but God told them to go back.

Say Moses words with me, “Let my people go, that they may serve me, or else, I will send a swarm of flies on you and your people.
Pharaoh saw the flies and asked for mercy, but after the flies went away, he didn’t let them go.

Moses and Aaron left, but God told them to go back.

Say Moses words with me, “Let my people go, that they may serve me, or else, I will send a severe plague upon your livestock.”
Pharaoh saw all his own livestock die, but Israel livestock was alive. Pharaoh still didn’t let them go.

Moses and Aaron left, but God told them to go back.

Say Moses words with me, “Let my people go, that they may serve me, or else, I will send a plague on your people.”

Pharaoh saw his people die and asked for mercy, but after it stopped, he didn’t let them go.

Moses and Aaron left, but God told them to go back.

Say Moses words with me, “Let my people go, that they may serve me, or else, I will send locust on your land.”
Pharaoh saw the Locust and asked for mercy, but after they left, he didn’t let them go.

Moses and Aaron left, but God told them to go back.

Lastly, Say Moses word with me, “About midnight, every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from Pharoah to every slave to every cattle.”

Pharoah let the people go, that they may serve God.

In Exodus, the people were slaves of Egypt, but today, they are slaves to Sin.

Everyday, people are doing what sin wants them to do, they are stuck.

The Heavenly Father felt sad for them and sent his own son Jesus Christ to free them from sin.

Jesus Christ came with the gospel of the kingdom of God.
He freed us by dying on the cross for our sins.

We as believers of Jesus Christ, we have been freed by Jesus Christ.

Why did God send Jesus Christ to free us from the slavery of sin?

Does anyone remember Moses’ words?


Please say this with me, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.”

Please say this with me, “God freed me from sin, that I may serve him.”

Lets go back to our verse today, Romans 14:18-19

18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God

and approved by men.

This is the difference between someone who is a slave of sin and someone who have been freed by Jesus Christ. The slave of sin continues in sin. Those saved by Jesus Christ serve God!

18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. (Mal. 3:18 ESV)

How do you know if you are a true believer of Jesus Christ?

Before you knew Jesus, you wanted to serve yourself.
Before you knew Jesus, you wanted to do what you wanted.
Now that you have faith in Jesus, you want to serve God.
Now that you have faith in Jesus, you want to do what God wants you to do!

This is why you are born again, you are no longer the same.

1 Peter 1:3 says, “Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

The reason why we serve God is because by faith, we have resurrected with Jesus Christ. We are no longer dead in our sins. Our sins have been forgiven and Christ’s righteousness becomes our own; We are living in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ in us.

How do you serve God then?

It’s very simple. Lets look at the next verse.

19 So then let us pursue what makes for

peace and for mutual upbuilding.

 (Rom. 14:18-19 ESV)

How do you serve God?

Be a person of peace.

When there could be a fight, bring peace.
When there could be an argument, bring peace.
When we can be an opportunity for evil, bring peace.
When we can be a reason to be upset, bring peace.
When we can have revenge, bring peace.
When we can cause damage, bring peace.

Chose the route that would cause our church to be at peace and with mutual encouragement to be like Christ.

We show love.
We show peace.
We show patience.
We show kindness.
We show generosity.
We show faithfulness.
We show gentleness
We show self-control.

Not because it’s the easy way.

Not because it’s the fastest way.

It’s because it’s God’s way of transforming and sanctifying you.

When we show these things in our lives, in our family and in our church, We are building up the body of Christ. We are serving God. We are being who God wants us to be through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Therefore, remember, why God has freed us from the slavery of Sin. Remember Israel during their time in slavery under Egypt. There was a reason why God wanted to free us. It wasn’t simply so that we would be free, but free to do something. Free to serve God.

Please ask this question, “How does this happen?”

It happens to you and through you by the will of God and favor shown to you.

It’s both a grace and a work at the same time.

It’s works that only can be done through the grace of Jesus Christ.

This is a fruit of the spirit of Jesus Christ in you.

Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Let us pray!

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank you for your words that you have written down in the bible. We thank you that these words are for the purpose of teaching and correcting us. As we read about our brothers and sisters in their slavery under Egypt, we find that we are similar in our slavery to sin. Both of us weren’t able to serve you, because of our slavery. We thank you that you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, to free us from slavery that we may serve you in spirit and in truth. We pray for Miracle Presence Church! We pray for your blessing on this tree that it may bear good fruit. We pray so many good fruits to come from this church that people in the local neighborhood would know of what God is doing here. We love you Heavenly Father!

In the precious name of your son, Jesus Christ, we pray AMEN.

UNASHAMED

Prepared for preaching in Pakistan
Miracle Presence Church
Translated by Pastor Ravi Daniel
Service on Friday 3:30AM PST – 4:30PM Pakistan Time

25-35 Minutes with Translation

“UNASHAMED” THE GREAT REVERSAL!

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The one through whom the power of God has been revealed to us. The promised messiah from the prophets of the Old testament. The perfect, spot-free lamb of God who came to save the world. The one who was promised to Abraham as a blessing to all the world. Through whom, we are adopted as sons and daughters of God.

Greetings to Pastor Ravi Daniel, whom the Lord is using with great anointing in Pakistan. The power of God is upon Him as He leads this ministry of teaching, evangelizing and praying for the sick. May the Lord Jesus Christ increase His ministry for more of the Glory of God to be shown through his life.

Greetings Miracle Presence Church! Greetings in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. As the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached here, may your hearts grow in faith, peace, love and joy. May the Lord bless you wherever you are. May the Lord wipe away your tears. May the Lord give the water of God to those who are thirsty.

The message from God today comes from Romans chapter 1 verse 16. Let us listen to the scriptures now.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel”

Let us pray together, asking God to help us understand the bible verse and for God to anoint us, Pastor Ravi and Evangelist Don to share the word of God clearly and powerfully.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank you this day, for this is the day that you have made. The devil comes to us in many ways, but you are our strength. When the world is against us, we are always for you. Thank you for saving us with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, you son. Thank you for giving us faith when faith was impossible to be had. We love you, because you loved us first. We ask for you to light up the word of God that we can understand clearly. We ask that you anoint the vessels of your word.

In the name of your precious son, Jesus Christ, we pray, AMEN.

Romans 1:16 says “For I am not ashamed of the gospel.”

What does it mean to be ashamed?

It’s the feeling we get when we did something wrong.
It’s the feeling we get when we forgot to do something important.
It’s the feeling we get when we didn’t do as well as we thought we would.

When God created Adam and Eve, they were created without sin and perfect. They didn’t have any evil, dishonest or perverted thoughts in their mind. They were pure.

They were so pure that even when they were naked they didn’t feel ashamed.

Genesis 2:25, “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” They felt comfortable, they felt no feeling of wrongdoing. They were happy, at peace and joyful.

Say this with me, “What happened when they sinned?”

After they sinned, suddenly they felt ashamed. Suddenly they realized their nakedness. They wanted to cover themselves. They were no longer pure.

Genesis 3:7, “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.”

When they sinned, they felt shame and felt afraid. They were afraid of God, for God told them they would DIE when they eat of it.

Genesis 3:10, “And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked and I hid myself.”

To be ashamed means that we have wronged God.
To be ashamed means we have disobeyed God.

Say this with me, “What happens when we obey God?”

Did you know, when we believe in the Messiah, we are obeying God’s command?
Did you know, when we believe in the Messiah, the shame from Adam and Eve is reversed?
Did you know, when we believe in the Messiah, there is no more need to hide before God?

This is why, when we sin, we feel ashamed, but when we have faith in Jesus Christ, we are free from shame.

The Lord God prophesied through Isaiah in Isaiah 28:16

“Behold, I am the one who has laid the foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be ashamed.”

Do you know who is the cornerstone? Do you know who this is talking about?

Ephesians 2:20, “Built on the foundations of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus being the cornerstone.”

Say this with me, “Jesus Christ is the cornerstone!”

Lets read Isaiah 28:16 again, “Behold, I am the one who has laid the foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be ashamed.”

WHOEVER BELIEVES IN JESUS CHRIST WILL NOT BE ASHAMED!
WHOEVER BELIEVES IN JESUS CHRIST WILL NOT BE ASHAMED!

Therefore, when Romans 1:16 says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” It means, the shame and guilt which started with Adam and Eve has been reversed. We have been healed of the sins of our ancestors. We have be cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

What then is the gospel?

The gospel is that while we were sinners, under ADAM, by faith, we are now under JESUS CHRIST!
The gospel is that while we were sinners, while we didn’t love God, GOD LOVED US FIRST!
The gospel is that while we were sinners, impossible to save ourselves, GOD SAVED US!

You and I know, that in the Old Testament, lambs were sacrificed for cleansing of sin.

The lamb that was sacrifice was to be the whites, cleanest, spotless lamb. There couldn’t be any blemish on them. They shouldn’t have any problems with their body. They were to be the perfect lamb.

Exodus 12:5, “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male and a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats”

The lamb had to be without blemish.
The lamb had to be without spot.
The lamb had to be healthy.
The lamb had to be perfect.

The lambs were sacrificed to cleanse sin.

Leviticus 4:32 says, “If he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he shall bring a female without blemish.”

It was important that the lamb had no blemish.

Let me ask you a question.

Did Jesus Christ have any blemishes? NO
Did Jesus Christ commit any sins? NO
Did Jesus Christ ever lie? NO

Say this with me, “JESUS CHRIST IS THE PERFECT LAMB OF GOD!!!!”

When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him in John 1:29, he said this, “BEHOLD, the LAMB OF GOD, who takes away the sin of the world!”

JESUS CHRIST IS THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD!

THIS IS WHY HE HAVE FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST!
THIS IS WHY WE TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST!

How can we be ashamed of the gospel?
The gospel heals our shame.
The gospel forgives us of our sins.
The gospel gives us hope for tomorrow.

Let us live our lives with Love for God!
Let us live our lives with Love for Jesus Christ!
Let us live our lives with the Guidance of the Holy Spirit!

LET US HAVE NO SHAME IN THE GOSPEL!

FOR THE GOSPEL TAKES AWAY OUR SIN AND SHAME!

PRAISE GOD!

God bless you, Pastor Ravi Daniel & Miracle Presence Church, may the Lord Jesus Christ show his faithfulness to you, by not only the forgiveness of sins, but by the power of God to live with no shame of the gospel and be a light that shines in the darkness.

FULLFILL THE LAW

Prepared for Las Vegas Presbyterian Church, Senior Pastor Paul Chong
English Ministry Worship Service
Face-to-Face Live Worship
1PM Pacific Standard Time

35-45 Minute Sermon without Translation

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the eternal God who came in the flesh. The only one who obeyed the LAW as given by Moses in spirit and truth. Through whom, the promise to Abraham, that he would be a blessing to all nations, came to fulfillment.

Greetings to Senior Pastor Paul Chong who has given his live to the service of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Even though tough times and suffering, the spirit of the LORD gave him joy and strength to persevere. May God bless His life, family and ministry with joy, peace and love.

Greetings to you all, Las Vegas Presbyterian Church, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The triune God. As we have gathered today, may this worship be pleasing and glorify the Lord our God.

God’s message for today comes from Matthew 5:17-20. I will read it for you now.

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Lets join together in solemn prayer, asking the Father to illuminate our minds by the Holy Spirit, that we would understand clearly and believe. Also, let’s pray that God would anoint this vessel for the preaching of the word.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We join together in praise of your Holy name. We come before you as cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, but still struggling in the flesh. We ask for your sanctification as we are filled with the knowledge of your word. As we worship you today, please illuminate our minds to see the greatness of who you are. Also, we ask for your anointing upon this vessel for the preaching of your word. We thank that your son, Jesus Christ, is here with us now.

In the precious name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Let us begin with Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.”

The Pharisees and scribes were leaders and teachers of Judaism. They had the outer appearance of holiness by doing the law, but their hearts were void of one very crucial evidence. They didn’t love the Father. They carried on the traditions for their own honor and pride.

Jesus was direct as He spoke of them in Matthew 3:7, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Already, there was tension between the Messiah and the leaders of Israel who denied him. Later in verse 8 Jesus said to them, “And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’” Don’t think your connection to Abraham and the traditions will deem you as righteous. Remember, righteousness doesn’t come from the law, for no one is righteous under the law. Jesus doesn’t relent in his attack of hypocrisy, Matthew 3:10, He said, “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees.” When the Pharisees and Sadducees heard, this they thought Jesus was going to axe away Abraham and the prophets, but actually He was talking about the godless, heartless, traditional religion that Judaism had become.

As we understand this backstory, lets go back to Matthew 5:17-20. Let’s begin with verse 17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them.”

The Greek word for Abolish is, “Kataluo” which means, “to put down, loosen, destroy, demolish or dismantle.” Jesus Christ came with an axe to cut at the root of the trees, but this didn’t mean that Jesus Christ came to put down the LAW. Jesus Christ came to cut down the bad tree which had sprouted in Jerusalem. The tree which took the LAW and made it the pinnacle of righteousness, meanwhile putting down the promises of the Messiah, who would be the sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus Christ came to teach us that righteousness cannot be had apart from faith in Him. He was the only way to righteousness.

Jesus Christ didn’t come to loosen the laws that we may be free to sin.
Jesus Christ didn’t come to demolish the law that we no longer need to follow it.

Actually, Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law & The Prophets.

How did Jesus fulfill the Law & the Prophets?

Let’s touch upon the how He fulfilled the law.

The book of Leviticus establishes the law and offerings.

Leviticus 7:37, “This is the law of the burnt offering, of the grain offering, of the sin offering, of the guilt offering, of the ordination offering, and of the peace offering, which the Lord commanded Moses on Mount Sinai.”

Of these offerings, Jesus Christ was the sin offering.

The phrase “Sin Offering” comes out 49 times in the book of Leviticus. Depending on who sinned and the severity of the sin, the life on an animal had to be taken away. It’s flesh and blood offered by fire to the Lord as a sign of repentance. They would sacrifice bulls, goats, lambs, two turtle doves or pigeons. The blood would be on the fingers of the priests who offered them to the Lord.

Jesus Christ fulfilled the law in two ways. The first, though Jesus Christ was tempted, He was found to be free of iniquity and any kind of deception. Jesus Christ was pure as He was the imprint of the Father, the word become flesh. He carried out LAW as set forth by the Father, given to Moses. He followed it to the “T” as we would say it. He fulfilled every moral law.

Jesus Christ also fulfilled the law by offering himself as the final offering for sin offering, which would be incomparable to the bulls, goats, lambs and birds that were offered through the ages.

We see the first archetype of sin offering when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, even though God had told them that they would die. Instead of striking them dead on the spot, in the nakedness of their sin, God put to death an animal that they would live a little longer. In Genesis 3:21, “And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.” This act of grace and first sacrifice of sin showed, that that it was temporal in nature for sacrifices would be made again and again, until God would provide for himself the final sacrifice, His own son, Jesus Christ.

We see a foreshadow of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in Genesis 22.

When God called out to Abraham and said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” When I read this, I envision my own son, Austin Isaiah and I wonder, could I do the same? My heart hurts, literally, as imagine this happening to me. We read the account in suspense and disbelief, can someone who loves their only son really have the ability to place him on the altar for sacrifice?

As we know, as Abraham took his son and walked up to the place where he would build an altar, Isaac the young boy notices something different about this trek to the altar, “My Father,” Isaac said to His Father. Abraham answered, “Here I am, my son.” My heart is already breaking. Isaac then asks, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering.”

Then, as I read the next phrase, I realized that this is a prophetic word, which at the time Abraham was speaking about his situation, but actually it was pointing to the Son of God, who would be the true sacrifice.

Abraham answers, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burn offering, my son.”

Don’t look over this too quickly and consider it as just part of the story. Actually, this is a prophecy. It was prophetic stating that God the Father would provide for himself the lamb, the Lamb of God, who would take away the sins of the world.

The reason why I take this as a prophetic word is because Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb.” A lamb is a young sheep. On that day, God didn’t provide a lamb. He provided a RAM.

Genesis 22:13, “And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his thorns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.”

A RAM isn’t a lamb. A RAM is a full grown sheep. This is a revelation of God.

The Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide.” Notice that the name of the place isn’t, “the Lord provided.” The name is, “The LORD will provide.”

Although Isaac was a young and innocent boy, his sacrifice on the altar wouldn’t be enough to do what God really wanted to do, which is to be a final offering of sin and the door of eternal life. The only one who can do this is the lamb whom God will provide for himself.

As John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, he declared in John 1:29, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” BEHOLD, THE LAMB THAT GOD HAS PROVIDED FOR HIMSELF! BEHOLD, THE FULFILMENT OF THE PROPHECY, THE LORD WILL PROVIDE.

Jesus Christ came to fulfill not only the moral law, but to bear upon himself the recompense of disobedience.

As we move on in the passage, I would like to convey the seriousness of understanding it correctly. Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, provided by the Father, makes a statement that we must understand rightly. For if we understand incorrectly, we will find ourselves in a tug of war between the temptations of the world and our inner man which has been cleansed by the precious blood of the son of God. If we do, in fact, understand correctly, it will give us guidance for our lives.

In verse 18 it says, “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law, until all is accomplished.”

The son of God said he didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill them. He then tells us that “Not an iota, not a dot”, will pass from the Law, until all is accomplished. Iotas and dots are vowels in the Hebrew language. They weren’t even necessary, because the original Hebrew text was written without vowels. They were added later for ease of reading. Jesus said that not even these vowels will be removed from the law. Which means, we are still to study them and meditate on them as King David had done.

They will not pass, until the heaven and earth pass away.
They will not pass, until all is accomplished.

This is because, the LAW was established as a result of the fall.
We need the LAW, because we are sinful.

There are other things that will pass along with the law when the heavens and earth pass away.

1 Corinthians 13:8, “As for prophecies, they will pass away, as for tongues; they will cease, as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.”

Even the good things that we have see in the bible, prophecies, tongues, prayer, knowledge, they are results of a corrupt world.

If Adam and Eve didn’t sin and corrupt mankind, all the generations after them would have been like them. We would have had the heart of perfect obedience without the need for a bible. We wouldn’t need the LAW, because our hearts would be so pure, we wouldn’t even have the KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. We would only know good. We would have been able to speak to God and hear His voice.

There would have been no need for intermediaries.
There would have been no need for prophets, priests and kings.
There would have been no need for apostles, pastors, teachers and evangelists.

But, we all know, because we all have experienced corruption in our own lives. We have been separated from God and our hearts are born with sin. Therefore, we need all these intermediaries, of which Christ was the greatest.

Jesus makes it clear, that the LAW will not pass away until the day of the LORD.

2 Peter 3:10 described that day, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.”

The day of the LORD is when the works that are done on it will be exposed. The works are either obedience of the law or disobedience of the law. The day of the LORD is when all things are accomplished.

Here is where the confusion happens, the confusion happens when we believe that LAW has been abolished after the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. If we were to quickly read this passage, we may have the impression that the accomplishment of Jesus Christ on the cross was that the dot and iota would pass away. The law would no longer be in effect.

We read verses such as John 19:30, “When Jesus had received the sour win, he said, “It is finished,”

When Jesus Christ said, “It is finished.” Jesus

Christ accomplished the work of salvation apart from the law, but all isn’t accomplished. The heavens and earth didn’t pass away yet. The day of the Lord is not ye there. Yes, Jesus Christ accomplished the work of freeing us from the law of righteousness, but again, the heaven and earth has not passed away.

This means that, not an iota, not a dot, has passed from the moral LAW.

To further confuse us, we take this verse and take it out of context, Romans 6:14, “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under the law, but under grace.”

See brother Don, we are not under the law, but under grace!

Here is another verse brother Don, Romans 10:4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

We take this verse to mean, this the end of the law. This is the abolishing of the law. But, if you actually read it carefully, it doesn’t say that it is the end of the law.

Actually it says, “It is the end of the law, specifically, FOR RIGHTEOUNESS.”

When we understand this text correctly, it means, “We are no longer made righteous under the law, but we are made righteous by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, the power of the law to condemn and punish is now powerless to those who believe in Jesus Christ, because our righteousness is by faith. Our righteousness is the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ!

Since we have received righteousness by grace, does this mean that the law is abolished? Does it mean that we can loosen the law for our own fleshly desires?

Lets look one more time into the book of Romans 3:31, “Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? NOT AT ALL! Rather, we UPHOLD the LAW!”

Before the Messiah came, the LAW was heavy and hard to follow. It only took one sin to throw away decades of perfect obedience. The yoke of the LAW was heavy and would break the neck of all who was joined to it. Jesus Christ says, my yoke is light. We no longer bear the weight of punishment from the law, but rather, because we are free from punishment, we can follow the law with joy.

What once was a crushing weight, became light that we may UPHOLD it.
What once was a crushing weight, became light that we may UPHOLD it.

Jesus Christ warns leaders, ministers, teachers who dismantle and loosen the LAW, because of the righteousness by faith.

In verse 19, “Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teachers others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (COMMANDS of GOD)

Jesus Christ makes it clear, that there will be those in heaven who had faith in the gospel, but disobeyed the law, perhaps by misunderstanding or by wishful thinking, relaxes the commandments of God and teachers other to do the same. Jesus said, “they will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.” Salvation isn’t based upon works of the law, they will still enter into the kingdom of heaven, because of their faith. Yes, you heard it right, they will still enter into the kingdom of heaven, but what will they be called? They will be called the least in the kingdom of God.

On the contrary, those in heaven who had faith in the gospel and used their freedom, their light weight to uphold the LAW, they use their freedom from the wrath of God as an opportunity to practice the law and to UPHOLD it. They too will enter into the kingdom of God, but they will be different. They will be called “GREAT in the KINGDOM OF GOD!”

The works of everyone will be exposed. The works of unbelievers will be exposed and they will be cast into the fire. The works of believers will be exposed as well. They will enter into the kingdom of heaven by faith in Jesus Christ, but based upon their works, some will be called least and others will be called great in the kingdom of God!

In the EYES of Jesus Christ, the Judge, to have faith, but live a mediocre Christian life, is better than the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, who without faith did the LAW.

This point is driven by our last verse, verse 20, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

This doesn’t mean, that salvation is attained by doing MORE good works than the Pharisees. In fact, the Pharisees were very good at the outward appearance of good. It means that with all the works that they have done, without faith in the messiah, Jesus Christ, all their good works are like dirty rags. It means, that righteousness can never be establish through the LAW and tradition. Righteousness can only be established in a person life by having faith in Jesus Christ. Only by believing in the promised Messiah, can there be forgiveness of sins, imputation of righteousness and the life everlasting. A Christian who barely makes it into heaven by faith, their righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, because that Christians’ righteousness is the righteousness of Christ.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us remember that Christ didn’t come to abolish the Law. He didn’t come to loosen the Law. He didn’t come to dismantle the Law. He came to fulfill them. Not only in his own life, but in the life of his followers. You and I, our salvation is by faith alone, but when we enter into the kingdom, we will be great or the least depending on our works. May we live this life for the glory of God, awaiting the greatness that awaits those of us who obey the LAW and teaches others to do the same. May this word give clarity to your heart, mind and soul. May this word give you the desire to utilize the freedom you have received in Christ Jesus to UPHOLD the LAW, instead of LOOSENING IT.

Blessings to you Las Vegas Presbyterian Church!

Heavenly Father,

We thank you for the knowledge that you have given us through your prophets and apostles, but especially from your son, Jesus Christ. Please help us to remember the rightly divided truth to up hold the law and continually turn away from sin. We pray that our church, Las Vegas Presbyterian Church, would know Jesus deeply and be one the great churches at the day of the Lord. Thank you for your Love and Grace abounding up us. Thank you that the LAW no longer condemns us, but rather is now a source of life.


In the precious name of your son, Jesus Christ, we pray, AMEN

Saved by Grace

Prepared for Preaching at Miracle Presence Church (Pakistan)
Translated by Pastor Ravi Daniel to UDYU

25-30 Minute Sermon with Translation
Friday 3:30AM Pacific – Friday 4:30PM Pakistan

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph. 2:8-9 ESV)

Greetings in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He who is God and created all things. Through whom was the spotless lamb, free of blemish, the final sin offering for man’s unrighteousness. His sin offering was not like the bull, goat, lamb, doves or pigeon, animals which needed to be offered again and again. The sin offering of the son of God, Jesus Christ, the messiah, was final and the finisher of all sin offerings. The blood that was shed was the blood of God, Jesus Christ.

Greetings to Pastor Ravi Daniel that has given his life to the service of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. This position isn’t easy, it is one of sacrifice. It’s one of giving up the desires of the world and serving the Father God. Please pray for him that God would give him love, gentleness and wisdom.

Greetings to Miracle Presence Church, fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I greet you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As we gather together for worship, may we realize the grace that has been shown to us. The only reason that you are sitting in this room and listening to this message is because the grace of God enabled you to see that Jesus Christ is Lord. The Holy Spirit dwells within you, that you may have life and life abundantly.

Today, the message is about how to understand salvation correctly. The purpose of this message is to give you a clear understanding of how you were saved. This is important, because if you misunderstand how you were saved, it could lead you to spiritual pride. Spiritual pride can lead you to judge others and think badly of other people. It can lead you to think you are better than others, but if you have the correct understanding of salvation, you will see that this way of thinking is impossible.

Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith.”

It doesn’t say, “For by works you have been saved.”
It doesn’t say, “For by humbleness you have been saved.”
It doesn’t say, “For by beauty you have been saved.”

The bible says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith!”

Please say this with me, “I have been saved by grace through faith.”

What does grace mean?

Grace means, you receive something you didn’t deserve.

If you work at a job, you deserve a wage.
If someone harmed you, you deserve justice.
If you disobeyed your parents, you deserve discipline.

To deserve something means that we did an action that justifies a reward or punishment.

Grace means, you receive something that you didn’t deserve.

If you break the law of God, you deserve the wrath of God, but you received the grace of God.
If you break the law of God, you deserve a curse from God, but you received a blessing from God.

You have been given something that you are not worthy to receive. God is saying that while you should deserve punishment, you received a blessing. You should of received the wrath of God, but instead you received eternal life. This is what it means to received the grace of God.

Romans 5:8 the Apostle Paul write, “but God showed his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”

The bible teaches us that God loved us while we were still sinners.

You and I are sinners. We have sinful hearts. There are times when the desires of our heart isn’t the desires of God. There are times where we allow anger to come up with in us. There are times where we are filled with pride. There are times where we covet our neighbors belongings. We are sinners before God. We are not perfect.

This is why we know God’s love is unconditional.

Turn to your neighbor and tell them, “God’s love is unconditional.”:

God loves you simply because he loves you.
God loves you even though you are unlovable.
God loves you even though have the stains of sin.
God loves you even though you disobeyed the law.
God loves you even though you are not ready to love God.

How do we know that God loves us?

Let me read Romans 5:8 again, “but God showed his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

While we were still sinners.
While we deserved the wrath of God.
While we deserved eternal death.
While we deserved hellfire.

Christ died for us.

Turn to your neighbor and say, “Christ died for us!”

Christ didn’t die for the righteous.
Christ didn’t die for the perfect.
Christ didn’t die for the blameless.

Christ died for sinners, like you and me.

How does a sinner like you and me receive salvation?
How does a sinner like you and me receive forgiveness of sin?

BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST!

Turn to your neighbor and say, “By faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ!”

“For by grace you have been saved through faith.”

Even the faith that you have, that faith isn’t from you.
The faith that you have isn’t by your understanding and knowledge.
The faith that you have is a gift from God.

God prepared it for you before you were born.
God knew your name because you came into existence.
God was waiting for this moment where you would receive this gift and be born again.

Say this with me, “My faith is a gift from God.”

This means, by the grace of GOD, He set his only son Jesus Christ to die for us and not only did He send his Son, but He sent the Holy Spirit to impart the gift of faith. Even FAITH is from God.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, but it is a gift from God.”

It is a gift from God!

If I believe that God saved me because I was special, a good person, I can be very prideful. I can feel like I am special, because I did something to receive God’s love. I did this and I am able to do this. Then, we can look at others and say, “Why can you do this? Why can you have faith? Why can’t you be a good person?” We can be full of spiritual pride.

But, the truth is, you didn’t do anything. You didn’t live a perfect life. You didn’t obey the law of God. Even the faith you have, you didn’t do that. God gave it to you. Everything in the Christian Life is a gift from God. It’s not a result of works.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, And this is not your own doing, but it is a gift from God, not a result of works, so that none may boast.”

It’s not a result of works.

When our life is finished and God calls us to the next life in paradise,

there will be no one in heaven that can say, I am here because I am a good person.
there will be no one in heaven that can say, I am here because I did good works.

The only good person who did good works is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

We can only say, “I am in heaven, because God gave me the gift of faith to believe in the Messiah Jesus Christ who sacrificed His own life that I may have eternal life.”

Notice the end of our bible passage says, “so that none may boast.”

Do you know a prideful Christian?
Do you know someone who thinks they are great before God?
Do you know someone who thinks they received favor from God, because they are special?

Don’t follow in the footsteps of that person.

Follow the word of God.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing, but it is a gift from God, not a result of works, so that none may boast.”

As a Christian, we can’t boast in ourselves, because our sins placed Jesus Christ on the cross.
As a Christian, we can’t boast in ourselves, because none is righteous, not even one.
As a Christian, we can’t boast in ourselves, because even out faith is a gift from God.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, may we come before God in humbleness, knowing that we received something that we didn’t deserve. We received the blood of Jesus Christ as payment for our sins. We receive eternal life by faith, which is a gift from God.

As we receive these blessings from God, may we be humble and loving to one another. Knowing that we are all here, not because we deserve it, but because God loved us first.

God Bless You Miracle Presence Church, may you humbly serve the Lord our God in spirit and in truth.

FULFILL THE LAW

Prepared for Friday Worship at Pakistan
Translated by Pastor Ravi Daniel to URDU

4:30AM – Pacific Time, 4:30PM Pakistan Time
25-30 Minute Sermon

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He came to earth and dwelled with us to fulfill the law and be the final sin offering. By his obedience as a willing sacrifice, the wrath of God has been satisfied and our sins forgiven.

Greetings to Pastor Ravi Daniel, our faithful and passionate brother in Christ. As he has given his life to be a sacrifice for others, may God bless Him with joy and peace in the Holy Ghost. May God bless his family with health and greater faith in God.

Greetings to our family of God in Pakistan. God loves you dearly and has given himself up for you. He has bought you with a price and now you belong to him. May you rest in this truth and have greater faith in our savior Jesus Christ!

Today, the message from God is a reminder that the precious blood of Jesus Christ gives us freedom to obey the LAW, rather than freedom to disobey the law. By faith in the Gospel, we have be cleansed of all sin. We are white as snow in the sight of God. It is no longer we that live, but Jesus Christ lives in us.

What a beautiful life!
We no longer fear of death and the wrath of God, because Jesus has set us free.

But we must understand this freedom correctly.

This freedom isn’t a freedom to sin.
This freedom isn’t a freedom to live in disobedience to God.
This freedom isn’t to throw away the LAW of God.

Romans 8:20 says this, “creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”

Our freedom is from the bondage of corruption.
Our freedom is from the wrath of God.
Our freedom is to shine the glory of God.
Our freedom is to be sons and daughters of God!

We no longer belong to sin.
We belong to Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is our owner. He has bought us with His blood. We are his own.

Since Jesus Christ has forgiven us our sins, does this mean we can sin freely?


Since the precious blood of Jesus Christ was shed for us, does this mean we can live without the LAW?

Matthew 5:17-20 says, “Do not think I have come to abolish the LAW or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.”

Jesus Christ didn’t come to abolish the LAW.
He didn’t come to destroy the LAW.
He didn’t come to dismantle the LAW.

Jesus Christ came to fulfill them.
He came to perform them.
Jesus came to complete them.

To fulfill the law is not easy to do, in order to fulfill them, it must be done PERFECTLY.

Jesus Christ came to fulfill the LAW perfectly.

He had to do this perfectly, because Jesus Christ was the final sacrifice for sin offering. Animals that were used for sin offerings must have been perfect and without blemish.

Leviticus 22:21 tells us more about this, “And when anyone offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering from the herd or from the flock, to be accepted it must be perfect; there shall be no blemish on it.”

Jesus Christ, the final sacrifice for sin offering, wasn’t an animal, but it was God himself. God himself was the final sacrifice for sin. He was perfect, without blemish. He followed the LAW perfectly.

By being the final offering for sin, the wrath of the FATHER has been satisfied and forgiveness became available to us.

Hebrews 10:18, “Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.”

Through Jesus Christ the forgiveness of sins was made available for those who have faith in Him. There is no longer any need for sin offering, because Jesus Christ fulfilled the LAW.

We have freedom from the wrath of God that comes from the LAW, because Jesus Christ took our place. This doesn’t mean that the LAW has now be destroyed.


This doesn’t mean that the LAW doesn’t have to followed.

Jesus teaches us in verse 18, “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the LAW until all is accomplished.”

When Jesus Christ comes back and gives us a new body, the LAW will be written on our heart. We don’t need the LAW to be taught to us, because it will be in US and we will live our lives according to it. Until then, Jesus says that the LAW will still be in place. We are to still use the LAW as a guide for our lives.

He gives a warning to those who relaxes the LAW.

Jesus says in verse 19, “Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven,”

There will be preachers and teachers in the church that will say, because Jesus Christ died for us, it is okay to sin.

They will say it’s okay to sin, because we are forgiven.

They will say, it’s okay to forget the LAW of Moses, because our sins have been forgiven in Jesus name.

Jesus makes it clear that these teachers and preachers will be the LEAST in the kingdom of God. They will enter into the kingdom of heaven and their rank with be the LEAST. They will still get into heaven, because of their faith in JESUS CHRIST, but when they enter in, they will the LEAST.

Do you want to be least in the kingdom of God?
Do you want to enter in, but rank the lowest?

If you don’t, listen closely to what Jesus says next.

In verse 19, Jesus aid, “but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.”

Use your freedom for Good!
Use your freedom to do MORE Good works!
Use your freedom to follow the LAW of GOD with JOY!
Use your freedom to be a LIGHT that shines!
Use your freedom to GLORIFY GOD!

Do you want to be great in the kingdom of heaven?

Use your freedom in Christ, to obey the LAW in gladness.

Do you want to be great in the kingdom of Heaven?

Teach others of your freedom in Christ and to use it to obey the LAW in gladness.

LISTEN!

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

 (Matt. 5:14-16 ESV)

This obedience we have through faith in Jesus Christ is different than that of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Jesus said in “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

The Scribes and Pharisees followed the LAW, but they didn’t do it for the glory of God.


They shined a light, but that light was not the light of God.
They shined a light, to be praised by others.
They shined a light, to be seen by others.

2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (Matt. 6:2 ESV)

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (Matt. 6:5 ESV)

16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (Matt. 6:16 ESV)

Without being born again, we are selfish. Even when we think we are serving God, we are doing it for selfish reasons.

Jesus Christ doesn’t want selfish righteousness.
Jesus Christ wants righteousness that gives glory to God.
Jesus Christ wants righteousness that can only come out from faith in the Gospel.


If you have faith in Jesus Christ, you have an opportunity to be the light.
You have an opportunity to do follow the LAW.
You have an opportunity to do good works.
You have an opportunity to teach others to do the same.

Take that opportunity. Seize the MOMENT!

Do good works.
Do them in the church.
Do them in the community.
Do them in the city.
Do them for the glory of God!


And teach your neighbor to do the same.

If you do these things, you shall be GREAT in the kingdom of God.
If you do these things, you shall be GREAT in the kingdom of God!

Brothers and Sisters!


LISTEN!

When I go to heaven.
When Pastor Ravi Daniel goes to heaven.

We desire to see GREAT men and women.
WE DESIRE TO SEE GREAT MEN AND WOMEN FROM PAKISTAN!
WE DESIRE TO SEE GREAT MEN AND WOMEN WHO LOVE JESUS CHRIST!
WE DESIRE TO SEE GREAT MEN AND WOMEN WHO LOVE THE LAW!
WE DESIRE TO SEE GREAT MEN AND WOMEN WHO TEACH OTHERS TO DO THE SAME!

Blessings to you Miracle Presence Church.
Blessings to Pastor Ravi Daniel and Family.

May the King of Kings and Lord of Lords grant you wisdom to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, to love the law, to fulfill the law and to teach the law by FAITH in Jesus Christ.

Amen and Amen.

I Am The Good Shepherd

Prepared for Orange County Christian Evangelical Church
Sunday Worship Service

Greetings in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Through whom, true love is on full display. Love that knows no bounds. The love that laid down his life that we would have life and life abundantly.

Greetings to man of God, Pastor Roland, whom has given his life to the service of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. May the Lord grant him more wisdom, love and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Greetings to man of God, Pastor Barnabas, who has come in to serve the next generation with love, passion and the word of God. May the Lord grant him with huge heart for the youth that they would fall deeply in love with our Savior Jesus Christ.

Greetings to all of you who have joined together to worship the Lord our God. I greet you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. May the love of the Father as displayed in the Son be an encouragement and nourishment to your spirit.

My name is brother Don Chang. I’m an interim pastor for churches without a pastor and I also preach internationally through streaming video & audio in places such as Pakistan, India, South Africa and West Africa.

Today, the message from God is from the book of John Chapter 10, Verses 1 through 18. May the Lord bless you today with His words.

Please turn with me to John Chapter 10 and I will read the passage for you.

ESV John 10:1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.

 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

 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.

 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,

 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.

 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

At this time, let us come together earnestly in prayer asking for the illumination of the Holy Spirit as we listen and the authority and anointing of the Holy Spirit as I convey the Word.

Dear Heavenly Father, The hosts of heaven declare of your holiness. All of heaven and earth are full of Your glory. There is none who compare to you, your wrath and your grace. All things are in existence now, because you willed it to be so. As we listen to Your words this morning, we ask for the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Help us to hear and with clarity understand. We also ask for the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon this vessel of your word. I submit to you, may your love control me.

In the precious name of your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray AMEN.

The opening of our passage  begins with the words in verse 1 says “truly, truly.”

Knowing who is saying truly, truly makes a paramount difference. John 1:1, “In the beginning was the word, the word was with God and the word was God.” The Apostle John then connects the Word and says in John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.” Jesus Christ, the son of God, is the word become flesh. Therefore, we can read John 1:1 in this way, “In the beginning was Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ was with God and Jesus Christ was God.”

The one saying truly, truly is God. He was from the beginning and was with the Father. Listen closely, as word become flesh is about to proclaim the truth.

John 10:1, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in by another way; that man is a thief and a robber.”

Jesus preaching to the crowd and warning them about those who teach salvation and eternal life, but denies the Messiah who was promised by the Father. He is warning of the Pharisees and Scribes that took the people of Israel and the knowledge of God and perverted it for their own selfish desires.

It’s self-evident as through the gospels we see not curiosity or a seeking attitude toward Jesus Christ, but rather plans and schemes to overthrow him. They did this, not to protect the religion of Judaism, but actually to be like a god in Jerusalem, receiving praise and honor from the people. They did this by following the LAW of Moses, while denying it’s God. They did this by way of tradition, without loving God.

Psalms 49:13-14, “Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beast that perish. This is the path of those who have foolish confidence. Yet after them people approve their boasts. Selah. Like sheep they are appoints for Sheol; death shall be their shepherds”

Here are four examples of where Jesus calls out the thieves and robbers that have entered into the sheepfold.

Matthew 6:2, “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others.”

Matthew 6:5, “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.”

Matthew 6:16, “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others.”

Matthew 15:7, “You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines the commandments of men.”

The one who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief, a robber, a hypocrite.

The Pharisees and Scribes taught the doctrine of salvation by works. They did many works. They gave to the needy. They stood and prayed. They fasted. They honored God with their lips. The problem was that their heart was void of the love of God. They did everything out of habit and tradition.

The purpose of the LAW isn’t to show us that we can live a perfect life.
The purpose of the LAW isn’t to give us life.
The purpose of the LAW is for the exposure of our sins and wickedness.
The purpose of the LAW is to show us, every one of us, that we deserve the wrath of God.

To teach only the LAW and reject the Messiah as promised by God, they are now sheep appointed for Sheol, death shall be their shepherd.

Let us continue, in verse 2 “But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.”

There are two observations we can make about entering by the door.

First is, if you come in by the front door, chances are you are not a thief.

Just this past week, a thief came into our home. When I watched the video, he came into our gate and walked right to the rear of the house. He checked to see if any doors were open. When he found that all the doors on the first floor was locked, he went up to the backdoor of the 2nd floor. Upon entering, we continually made-way deeper into the house.

Hypocrites, Thieves and Robbers don’t come in the front door, they sneak in and try to enter from the back where they aren’t seen.

When Jesus came to the people of Israel to proclaim the Kingdom of God, He didn’t try to become an elder and change the direction of the church through politics.

When Jesus came to the people of Israel, He didn’t try to steal the members away by holding secret meetings.


When Jesus came to the people of Israel, What did he do?

He went into the temple and synagogues and proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom.
He went into the temple and synagogues and healed the sick, healed the lame and demon possessed.

In Luke 2:46, at the age of 12, Jesus was sitting among the teachers in the synagogue, listening to them and asking questions.

In Matthew 12:9, Jesus went into the synagogue and healed a man with a withered hand.
In Matthew 13:54, Jesus taught in the synagogue and the crowds were astonished at his teachings.
In Matthew 21:14, “Jesus healed the blind and lame as they entered into the temple.
These are just a few examples of how Jesus conducted ministry as he entered through the door.

Jesus Christ came and entered by the door.
Jesus Christ didn’t enter through the window.
Jesus Christ didn’t enter through the back door.
Jesus Christ didn’t enter through the attic.
Jesus Christ came and entered by the door.

The second meaning of the door, is that the door is Jesus Christ himself. Jesus Christ himself is the door. Anyone who tried to enter by bypassing Jesus Christ is a thief and a robber. Anyone who claims to know God, yet rejects Jesus Christ doesn’t know God. This point will be explained further later on in the passage.

Further in Verse 2 Jesus says, “But he who enters by the door, is the SHEPHERD of the sheep.”

For those of us in the 21st Century, understanding the dynamics of a Shepherd and Sheep may be farfetched, especially when many of us only have only seen them at the zoo or pumpkin patch, but if you were to look through the lens of those in the Old Testament, you would realize that it was very common for them and was a significant part of their culture. These are words that Israel, especially the Pharisees and Scribes would understand.

In the Old Testament, Jacob, known as Israel said in Genesis 48:15, “’God has been my shepherd all my life long to this day.” God, as His Shepherd, provided his needs, cared for him and protected him against the wolf.

Jacobs trust in the Shepherd was so great that when he was under attack by archers, his bow remained unmoved. He stayed still. His arms were made agile by the Mighty One of Jacob (The Shepherd).” This is from Genesis 29:24.

God is not only the Shepherd of Jacob, but he is also our Shepherd. He is the Shepherd of the people of God. God’s chosen people.

The next verse in Verse 3 Jesus says, “To him the gatekeeper opens.”

Gatekeepers were established by King David. They were chosen based upon their lineage and connection to Abraham. At one point, there were 4000 gatekeepers. Their purpose was to guard the entrances from the Wall of Jerusalem all the up to the corridors of the King. If someone came to the door who didn’t belong, the gatekeepers would reject them and turn them away. If they were supposed to enter into, the door was open to them.

There are gatekeepers still and now. There are those listening to my sermon asking the question, is this man really from God? I believe that even here, at OCCEC, if I were to teach something that is not according to scripture, there would be someone who would protect this community and turn me away. This is a good thing. This is a God thing.

Continuing forth;

Jesus Christ came through the front door and God, being the true Gate Keeper, allowed for him to have access to the sheepfold. It was by the provision of Father that Jesus Christ, the son of God, even at the age of 12, enters into the Synagogues and Temple to being teaching.

After the Shepherd enters by the door and given access by the Gatekeeper, it bible says

Continuing in Verse 3 Jesus says, “The sheep hear His voice.”

The phrase, “Hear his voice” isn’t talking about just anyone’s voice, but God’s voice. This phrase comes out 8 times in the bible and every time, it’s about the voice of God. The sheep hear His voice. Those who are elect and names written down in the book of life, the people of God, they can recognize the voice of God. They can recognize the voice of the Shepherd.

When the sheep hear his voice, what do they hear?

“The sheep hear His voice, and he calls his own sheep by name.”

God isn’t just speaking to the churches in general.
God isn’t just speaking to you all.
God knows each of you by name.
God calls you by name.

God knowing our names is a bigger deal that we think. It’s more significant than we think. There is an implication when God knows us by name.

Exodus 33:12, “I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.”

Exodus 33:17, “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘This very thing you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”


Isaiah 42:1-2, “O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”

For God to call you by name means that you have been favored by God.
For God to call you by name means that you have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
For God to call you by name means that you belong to God.
For God to call you by name means you have been shown mercy and grace indescribable.

God doesn’t know everyone by name

In Matthew 7:23 we see this cold hard reality, “And then I will declare to the, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”

There will be those on the day of Judgment, the day of the Lord, whose name God does not know.


To them, he will say, I never knew you.
To them, he will say, depart from me.
To them, he will say, you workers of lawlessness.

For those under the law will die under the law.

Now, as the Shepherd has entered into the gates and called u

s by name, he leaves us not where we are. He doesn’t leave us under the law, in a state of sin and death. He doesn’t leave us in despair and wrath. He comes into our broken world, our broken homes and our broken lives and leads us to somewhere better.

As we progress in our passage, Jesus says in verse 4 “and he calls his sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them.”

Numbers 27:16-17, “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as a sheep that have no shepherd.”

At this time of Jesus Speaking, the congregation had no shepherd. He only had thieves and robbers. Jesus Christ came to ISRAEL to be the True Shepherd that would lead the people to the promised land.

Jesus Christ came to save us from sin and death.
Jesus Christ came to lead us to green pastures.
Jesus Christ came to give us shelter.
Jesus Christ did this by leading the way.
Jesus Christ did this by carrying the cross to Calvary.
Jesus Christ did this by laying down his life on the cross for our sins.
Jesus Christ did this by raising himself up on the 3rd day.

As Jesus Christ leads us, so the chosen, the elect, those whose names are written down in the book of life, the sheep will hear his voice and follow him wherever He goes.

Lastly in Verse 4, Jesus says “And the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”


It’s simple here.
It isn’t complex.
Faith isn’t something that we do.
Faith is something that has been prepared for us.
Faith is a gift from God.
It’s a gift given to His people.

They are those who will know his voice when the gospel is preached.

When we hear the voice of God, we will follow him.

Matthew 4:19, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”

Matthew 8:22, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

And when he got  into the boat, his disciples followed him.

Matthew 9:9, And Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.”

And he rose and followed him.

It wasn’t the hypocrites.
It wasn’t the Pharisees.
It wasn’t the Scribes.

It was the fishermen.
It was the tax collectors.

It was the sinners that God called and among them were the sheep who heard the voice of God.

Jesus said in Luke 5:32, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”


1 Corinthians 1:27, “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”

Some of you in here are thinking,


God can’t love me, because I’m too ordinary.
God can’t love me, because I’m too sinful.
God can’t love me, because I’m not righteous enough.
God can’t love me, because I’m not wise enough.

Dear brother, Dear sister

Jesus didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
In which, we all are sinners before the Holy God.

In verse 5 Jesus says, “A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

I believe that what God is saying here is that those who are truly God’s people will be able to recognize when the message being preach isn’t from God, but it is just human wisdom. When this happens, we will flee from them, because we don’t hear God’s voice in them.

All this time Jesus was talking about the Pharisees and Scribes.

In verse 6, it says, “This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.”

Jesus the Messiah, was talking about them.
The ones who claimed to be righteous.
The ones who claimed to be wife.
The ones who were actually hypocrites and shepherds of death.

Now, in verses 7 and 8, “So Jesus again said to them, Truly, Truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.”

Jesus Christ, the messiah, is revealing something to us that we must understand. As I mentioned in the beginning of the sermon of the two observations we made about Jesus’ teachings on entering through the door. Now, Jesus reveals to us that He Himself is the Door.

He isn’t just the one who will open to door.
He isn’t just the one who will lead us in and out the door.

Jesus Christ, He Himself, is the door.

We cannot enter into heaven unless it is by Jesus Christ.
We cannot have eternal life unless it is by Jesus Christ.
We cannot have our sins forgive unless it is by Jesus Christ.

When the gospel isn’t preached, the people of God will know.
When salvation by works is preached, the people of God will know.

The people of God will not listen to them.

Jesus says once again, listen closely.

“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”

When we have faith in Jesus Christ, we will be saved and we will go in and out and find the green pasture. We will be brought to a place of spiritual nourishment. We will be brought to the New Heavens and New Earth upon the physical return of Jesus Christ.

Psalms 23:1, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me life down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the path of righteousness for his names’ sake.”

Jesus makes an explicit comparison between the Good Shepherd and the shepherd of death in the next verse.

Verse 10 Jesus says “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

If we follow the LAW and Human Wisdom, it will destroy us.
If we follow Jesus Christ and the grace and mercy which flows from him, we will have life and life abundantly.

“I am the good shepherd.”

How do we know that Jesus is the Good Shepherd?

In order to understand, first we must know the difference between a Good Shepherd and a hired hand.

“He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”

The Pharisees and Scribes didn’t won the people of God. They couldn’t claim ownership of them, but they were paid to do the work. They saw it more as a career and job, rather than stewarding the possession of God. When they see trouble, they run away. When they see the wolf, they run for their own lives. They don’t care, they are just there for the benefits.

This is why the Prophet Jeremiah said these words.

In Jeremiah 10:19, “For the shepherds are stupid and do not inquire of the LORD; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.”

These hired hands left the sheep for dead and they were scattered.

Now, Jesus says again.

“I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.”

Jesus Christ takes care of us, the sheepfold, the body, not because he has been paid to do so, but because we are His own. We belong to Him.

We have been ransomed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
We are no longer our own, for we were bought with a price.

The Good Shepherd loves us, because WE ARE HIS OWN.

The Good Shepherd protects us, because WE ARE HIS OWN.

The Good Shepherd fights against the wolf, because WE ARE HIS OWN.

We no longer belong to ourselves, we belong to God.

1 Corinthians 6:20, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.”
1 Peter 1:18-19, “You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.”

We belong to Christ, not because of our own will.
We belong to Christ, not because of our own ability.
We belong to Christ, because He knew us by name.
We belong to Christ, because He had favor upon us.

This intimate relationship that we have with Christ isn’t a less form of love than the love of the Father and the Son. Just as the Father loves the Son and the Son loves the Father, so does God loves us. So does the Father, Son and Holy Spirit love us and knows us.

God knows us, but in our relationship with Him, we have an eternity to know more intimately our God.

Up until now, Jesus was speaking specifically about the people of Israel from the bloodline of Abraham, but in the next verse is a glimpse of people of all nations being adopted as sons and daughters of God.

“And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

Praise God.

Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s then you are Abrahams offspring, heirs according to the promise.”

We will not be ending with the last two verses, but very powerful verses which reveal about the authority of our Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

“For this reason, the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. NO ONE TAKES IT FROM ME, BUT I LAY IT DOWN OF MY OWN ACCORD. I HAVE AUTHORITY TO LAY IT DOWN AND I HAVE AUTHORITY TO TAKE IT UP AGAIN. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Let us remember Calvary. After enduring gruesome whippings, mockery and the crown of thorns; The place where Jesus Christ carried his own cross and placed it at the feet of the soldiers. The soldiers nailed Jesus Christ, the carpenter, upon the wooden cross, raised him up with a sign above his head which wrote, “King of the JEWS”

At this very moment, if we were there, we may think, I can’t believe this is happening to Jesus.

I can’t believe He is on the cross.

The teachers of the law, Pharisees and Scribes, feeling prides in their authority.
The crowd, shouting profanity at Jesus Christ.
The soldiers, casting lots for his clothing.
The sing above him mocking him.
The disciples in fear and hiding.
The women in tears.

It looks hopeless.
It looks like Jesus lost.
It looks like Satan won.

LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF JESUS.

“NO ONE TAKE IT FROM ME, BUT I LAY IT DOWN OF MY OWN ACCORD. I HAVE AUTHORITY TO LAY IT DOWN, AND I HAVE AUTHORITY TO TAKE IT UP AGAIN. THIS CHARGE I HAVE RECEIVED FROM MY FATHER.”

JESUS CHRIST HAS THE AUTHORITY TO LAY HIS OWN LIFE DOWN.

JESUS CHRIST HAS THE AUTHORITY TO RAISE HIMSELF BACK TO LIFE.

THE AUTHORITY HAS BEEN GIVEN BY THE FATHER.

THE WHIPPING DIDN’T LAY CHRIST LIFE DOWN.

THE MOCKERY DIDN’T LAY CHRIST LIFE DOWN.

THE CROWN OF THRONES DIDN’T LAY CHRIST LIFE DOWN.

THE BLOODSHED DIDN’T LAY CHRIST LIFE DOWN.

THE NAILS IN HIS HANDS DIDN’T LAY CHRIST LIFE DOWN.

THE SWORD TO THE SIDE DIDN’T LAY CHRIST LIFE DOWN.

JESUS SAID, “NO ONE TAKE IF FROM ME!!”

The Good Shepherd endured the wrath of God, placed all blame upon himself on the wooden cross and laid his OWN life down. He laid his own life down to satisfy the Fathers wrath. He laid his own life down that we wouldn’t have to lay our own lives down.

Remember, the moment where Jesus Christ LAID HIS OWN LIFE DOWN BY HIS OWN ACCORD…

When Jesus said, “It is finished.”

Let us pray.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We have learned about your glory upon the throne, how excellent and amazing it is. Yet, son of God, left the throne and came down to endure mockery, physical abuse and death. By our logic, it seems that it was taken by man, but today you have revealed that it was laid down by the Son of God himself. May we rejoice in the truth that you GOD are our Good Shepherd. May we rejoice in the truth that Jesus our Messiah was always in control. May we rejoice in the truth that even when life looks hopeless and dark, you are with us. We rest in the words of Jesus Christ, “It is finished.” We bless you, We honor you and We love you Heavenly Father.

In the precious name of your Son, Jesus Christ we pray, AMEN.

Now, may the Love of God, our Shepherd, call you by name, guide you to green pastures, bring you in to shelter, deliver you from the evil one and bring you rest that is only in Christ Jesus our Lord.