GCF NAGA English Sermons

The Lord Jesus assured His disciples that they would be together again. He was preparing His disciples for His leaving; His leaving was about His death and ultimate sacrifice. But He commanded them not to be troubled because He would be preparing a place for each of them in His Father’s house. He also reminded them to believe in the Father and in Him. The Lord Jesus also revealed that there is no...

The Lord Jesus explained what was about to happen: He would return to the Father. But His disciples could not join Him yet. He instructed them not to be troubled because He knew that His crucifixion would shock each of them. Jesus assured them they would be together again, but it would be in His Father’s house. However, He reminded them to believe in the Father and in Him, emphasizing again the un...

The Scriptures reveal that Jesus loved His disciples (John 13:1). He also expressed this by washing their feet, which only the lowest-ranking servant would do (John 13:4-5). After washing their feet, He instructed them to wash one another’s feet, which means to serve one another like the lowest servant (John 13:14). In the following text, Jesus would give them a new commandment, which is to love o...

The Lord Jesus announced that one of the twelve would betray Him. Furthermore, He revealed the betrayer without mentioning the name. However, the disciples remained oblivious. In contrast, the beloved disciple was mentioned by the author. Although unnamed, some believe it to be the author. However, there is not enough textual evidence to affirm such. Going back to the treacherous, the actions of J...

The writer mentioned that the Lord Jesus loved His disciples. The immediate action within the context was the Lord washing their feet. Thus, one would surmise that His love is reflected in His service. Only the lowest-ranked servant did the washing of the feet. The Lord Jesus was willing to do the most debased work to reflect His service. However, washing the feet was a pale comparison to His ulti...

The author made it clear that Jesus knew that the hour had come, which meant His suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension. Christ would no longer focus on the crowd but on His disciples. After supper, He would wash their feet, which was symbolic of His would-be sacrifice and an example to follow for His disciples. Jesus would reveal that not everyone is clean; He was talking about the one who...

The author of the Gospel of John revealed the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. John explained that even the Jews' unbelief was prophesied. It was mentioned in the first chapter that His own people would not believe (John 1:11). Yet before Jesus left the crowd, He spoke of eternal life for all who would believe in Him. John would give us another prologue (or abstract) to a new section of his writin...

The writer clearly explains that Jesus fulfilled numerous prophecies, affirming He is the Messiah, the promised Savior. Even the rejection and unbelief He faced were prophesied. Despite the many signs and miracles, many people did not believe. However, some did believe. Not everyone will accept the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, but those who do will have eternal life. Those who do not believe wi...

Christ's claims have resulted in two things: some believing and some not believing. Jesus explained that it is the Father who draws people to Him (John 6:44). The opposite is also true; those who do not believe or will not believe do not belong to Him. John, the writer, would explain that believing and unbelief are acts of God’s sovereign will, not human will.

Jesus said that unless a grain of wheat falls and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit (John 12:24). The metaphor reflected His coming death and the result of many others who would receive eternal life. He would continue to speak of His coming death, which would glorify the Father. The Lord would also speak about judgment and drawing all people to Himself

As Jesus's following grew, the Pharisees noticed that not just locals but people from other places began to seek Him. While it may sound like an exaggeration, there was truth to their observation about the world following Him (John 12:19). Notably, even the Greeks, representing the Gentiles, sought Him out. In response to this growing interest, Jesus stated that the time has come for His glorifica...

Mary wiped Jesus's feet with her hair using her expensive perfume. This was during a dinner held in honor of Jesus. Martha served, and Lazarus was with Jesus at the table. Judas reacted in false piety, saying the perfume could have been sold and given to the poor. However, the narrator clearly stated that Judas was a thief and the one who would betray Him. Jesus told Jesus to leave Mary alone beca...

During a dinner hosted in Jesus’ honor, Mary wiped Jesus' feet with high-quality, expensive, scented oil and with her hair. Martha served while Lazarus reclined nearby. Some would point out that expensive oil poured over the head of a king was the common practice, but poured on the feet and wiped with hair was extremely rare. Mary expressed a deep sense of humility to honor whom she knew as the Ki...

Some of the Jews witnessed the resurrection power of Jesus when He raised Lazarus from the dead. As a result, many who witnessed it believed in Him, but some reported the event to the religious leaders. The religious leaders did not believe that Jesus was from God because He healed on the Sabbath. They would perceive the most extraordinary miracle, the raising of the dead, as a threat to their sta...

I AM the Resurrection and the Life, the Lord assured Martha. Mixed with faith that He is the Christ, the Son of God, and the loss of her brother, she could not plainly understand Jesus. He said that Lazarus would rise again. She thought it would be at the resurrection on the last day. She would fetch her sister, Mary. Martha whispered to Mary that Jesus was looking for her. Mary immediately went t...

The Lord Jesus would reveal another part of Himself to His disciples. For their sake, they would witness His work, bringing the dead back to life. His additional claim is that He is the resurrection and life. Only through Jesus is eternal life, and only through Him is the resurrection unto life. Yet a phrase keeps repeating in John’s account: “I AM.” The “I AM” is the name God used to introduce Hi...

The Jewish leaders wanted to arrest Jesus for his claims, which included claiming that He and the Father are One. But the Lord Jesus escaped. After the event, Mary and Martha sent Jesus a message that their brother, Lazarus, was ill. He would die, but many would witness the Lord's work, which was bringing the dead to life. 1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and he...

Jesus explained that no one could take His sheep from Him because the Father, who is greater than all, protects them, and He and the Father are one. Jesus claimed to be greater than all, as the Father is. The Jewish leaders would not accept such a claim. For them, it was blasphemy to claim to be God. They expressed their unbelief with an intent to commit violence. But it was not yet time for the L...

The writer explained the background of the dialogue. It was during Hanukkah, a feast of dedication. The Jews celebrated the moment they expelled the Seleucid Empire, which defiled the temple with a pig. After removing the enemy, they dedicated the temple to the Lord. Every year, the Jews celebrate the Feast of Dedication. Jesus walked on the eastern side of the outer court of the temple. Jews conf...

The contrast is clear. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, laying down His life for the sheep. Conversely, the stranger has ill intent as well as the thief, while the hired hand will do nothing to defend the sheep from predators. There is one Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only One who could lay down His life for the sheep and take it up again. The religious leaders of the time did not re...

The Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself as the good shepherd and the door, highlighting that His sheep will not follow strangers and thieves. The strangers and thieves are symbolic of the religious leaders’ false teachings. Their false teaching is reflected in the misunderstanding that Jesus’ act to heal is a violation of the Sabbath. Throughout history, well-intentioned but mistaken teachers have...

Jesus healed a man who was born blind, which triggered a series of events. Instead of showing amazement, the Jewish leaders expressed their displeasure for the violation of the Sabbath. Several hearings happened where the blind man and his parents faced hostile questioning. The blind man received sight, but more than that, he believed in who Jesus claimed to be: the Son of Man. The Jewish religiou...

The Song of Solomon, also known as the Song of Songs, is traditionally believed to be the work of King Solomon. However, an alternative viewpoint relates to another author or curator whose work reflected Solomonic wisdom. Traditionally, the book was treated as a united work, but another viewpoint is that it is an anthology, a collection of poems arranged to reflect a story. The poetic structure in...

Ecclesiastes is considered one of the wisdom books. But unlike Proverbs, it has a sarcastic tone coupled with realism. If Proverbs started with the fear of the Lord, Ecclesiastes would end with the fear of the Lord. The text is about working with others; it is about working with allies or partners. However, the principles in the text can be applied to marriage, whose designer is God.

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them (Proverbs 11:3, ESV). Integrity is a cornerstone expectation for leadership across societies, whether in global nations, urban centers, or local communities. The absence of integrity often breeds a deficit of confidence, trust, and cohesion. Conversely, where integrity is present, one typically observes...