Jonathan Toledo

The writer encourages people to remember to give a gift to Christ during Christmas, as he is the reason for the celebration. They urge their congregation to commit to giving their best service to Jesus through transformed lives willing to serve both inside and outside the church. The writer receives a message the next day that emphasizes Jesus' example of serving as a servant and giving everything. They feel joy to see that the Holy Spirit is inspiring others to prioritize service.

In Psalm 32, King David thanks God for forgiving his sins, rather than asking for forgiveness. This is a testament to the joy one receives from experiencing God's forgiveness, knowing it is by grace that one is forgiven. The Psalm is a liturgical dialogue between King David and God, and an invitation to confess to God to experience the joy of forgiveness. It is interesting to note that King David's happiness and feeling of being blessed is not based on material possessions, but rather on the forgiveness of God. This teaches us that true happiness and blessings come from a relationship with God, not material possessions.

True blessings are not necessarily connected with material prosperity, but with God's forgiveness and favor. The Bible teaches us that being blessed refers to receiving God's grace despite our circumstances. In Psalm 32, David recognizes the greatness of God's forgiveness and considers himself blessed for it. We should not take God's forgiveness lightly, but remember it every day and be grateful for it. A grateful heart recognizes the need to express its gratitude to God, as illustrated by the story of the sinful woman anointing Jesus' feet. We should not deceive ourselves by covering our sins, but humbly seek God's forgiveness.

The speaker talks about the story of Daniel from the Bible and how it is a story of integrity, loyalty, courage, and simplicity. They encourage the audience to read the Book of Daniel and explore its richness. The historical background of the Book of Daniel is discussed, including the exile situation in Babylon and the invasion of the city by Nebuchadnezzar. The speaker highlights how Nebuchadnezzar took the smartest, strongest, and most outstanding young men and women as slaves and left the poor and those who didn't serve him behind in the city. The speaker draws a comparison with the current immigration issue in the US and how educated, intelligent, and illustrious people from all over the world have a certain facility to emigrate to the country.

The speaker reflects on the story of Daniel and his friends being taken as captives to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. He notes that Nebuchadnezzar had a well-planned strategy to invest in the education of young people, taking the most illustrious and educated from other nations to bring their knowledge back to his own. He wanted to mold them to his liking and make sure they represented his kingdom in the future. The speaker reflects on how this strategy is still relevant today, with society promoting opportunities to attract and educate young people. He also emphasizes the importance of parents and adults in educating and nurturing young people, even if they don't appreciate it at the time. Finally, the speaker notes how Nebuchadnezzar changed the names of Daniel and his friends to show his authority over them and naturalize them into Babylonian culture, and how this had spiritual implications as well.

The speaker talks about celebrating women and shares quotes about the importance of mothers in the development of children. She then shifts to talk about Hagar, an Egyptian servant in the Bible, and the love triangle between her, Abram, and Sarai. The speaker reflects on the dangers of trusting the advice of those closest to us and not consulting with God. She also highlights Hagar's vulnerability as a servant and victim in the situation. Lastly, the speaker warns against misinterpreting circumstances as God's will and emphasizes the importance of faith and trust in God's promises.

Hagar lost her identity and humility when she became a wife, leading to conflict with Sara. Sara blamed Abram for the situation, and Hagar fled into the desert. God found Hagar in the desert and reminded her to return and submit to her mistress. Avoiding problems is not the best solution, and we should confront them with love and seek God's guidance.

The passage from Ephesians 4:1-3 urges Christians to live a life worthy of their calling, which means being representatives of Christ on earth. This includes being humble, kind, patient, tolerant, and working to maintain unity within the body of Christ and with others. The historical context of the Book of Ephesians in the Bible was a city that struggled with elitism and social classism, and Paul wrote to encourage Christians to grow in love and unity despite these challenges. To illustrate these principles, the speaker uses the story of Noah's Ark and encourages listeners to focus on their own growth and change rather than trying to change others.

The speaker talks about a man in Holland who built a replica of Noah's Ark, and compares it to the construction of their own church. They then discuss the musical Marcos Vidal wrote about Noah's Ark, and how it compares different animals to different personalities in the church. The peacock is seen as selfish, while the donkey is helpful but can become resentful, and the nightingale is overly pessimistic. The speaker encourages people to be humble, helpful, and positive in their service to the church.

The letter of First John is about being an authentic Christian and holding onto the genuine gospel. The purpose of the letter is for believers to know that they have eternal life. The letter warns against idolatry, which can take many forms, including money, success, power, comfort, and even good things. The pressure on Christians to adapt the Bible to what is commonly accepted in the world is a danger, and Christians must be authentic in the face of this pressure. The Book of First John gives three tests to evaluate if one is in the real faith: believing in the real Jesus, obeying God's commands, and loving others. Some things, such as belief in Jesus' death and resurrection on the cross for salvation, are not negotiable in orthodox Christian belief.

The authenticity of one's faith in Jesus is tested in three ways: the doctrinal test, the ethical test, and the social test. The doctrinal test requires one to believe in Jesus' death and resurrection on the cross for the forgiveness of sins. The ethical test requires one to change and become more like Jesus as the Holy Spirit works in them. The social test requires one to love their brothers and sisters in Christ. The world is under the control of the evil one, but the blood of Jesus covers and protects authentic Christians. The Son of God has given understanding so that one may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, even His son Jesus Christ. We must come back to the heart of worship and rid ourselves of idols to live genuinely as Christians.

The speaker exhorts the congregation to present lives that reflect Christ both inside and outside the church. They highlight three steps to reflect Christ from Ephesians 4:22-32: putting off the old man, renewing the spirit of the mind, and putting on the new man created according to God. The speaker also reflects on the importance of respecting the place where we worship God by dressing respectfully. They confess their own struggles with this and ask for forgiveness for wanting to be accepted by the world instead of standing out as a Christian.

The author reflects on Paul's exhortation to the Ephesians to live a different life as Christians, with three main points: speak the truth in love, do not let anger last long, and do not steal. They explain the practical implications of these points, such as being a person of integrity at work, controlling anger in relationships, and not wasting time during work hours. The author also emphasizes that these changes should come from a transformation of the heart and mind, not just outward appearances.

The speaker reflects on the life of Jesus and how he can relate to him as a young man. He talks about the privilege of being friends with God and the struggle of being a Christian in a world that sometimes doesn't accept it. He realizes the importance of putting God first in his life and promises to try his best to do so.

The speaker reflects on the importance of having a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. He emphasizes the need to prioritize Jesus above all else and to speak about Him openly with others. The speaker suggests scheduling time for prayer and Bible study and being mindful of one's words and actions to reflect Christ's character. He also shares his desire to develop discernment, a quality he admires in Jesus. Overall, the message encourages believers to cultivate a deep, personal relationship with Jesus and to let His character shine through their lives.

The speaker reflects on the meaning of gifts at Christmas and the story of the Three Wise Men giving gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus. They explore the symbolism behind each gift and how it relates to Jesus' life, death, and divinity. The speaker then shifts to the idea of service and how Jesus' incarnation as a servant is a model for us to follow. They define the terms serving and servant and emphasize the voluntary nature of serving. The speaker concludes that the best gift we can give to Jesus is our service and sacrifice, just as he gave himself as a sacrifice for us.

The speaker reflects on the concept of being a servant, inspired by the example set by Jesus in washing the disciples' feet. They note that Jesus voluntarily took on the attributes of a servant, even going so far as to be born in a manger and enduring a life of service. The speaker also discusses the idea of surrendering one's rights in service to others, and contrasts the concept of conditional service with service out of love. They conclude by asking what price they are willing to pay in service to God.

This sermon is about the life of Joseph in the Bible and his dreams. Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob, which caused envy among his brothers. However, Joseph was obedient and faithful to God, which led to God blessing him even when he was sold into slavery and imprisoned. The sermon encourages parents to celebrate their children's achievements and instill confidence and security in their lives. It also highlights the importance of being aware of God's call in our lives and obeying it.

In 2 Kings 2:19-22, the people of Jericho had a problem with their water being contaminated and causing infertility and death. Despite worshiping the pagan god Baal, they could not solve the problem. Elisha, a prophet of God, was able to heal the water by pouring salt into it and proclaiming the word of the Lord. The passage reminds us that God can change any situation, no matter how impossible it may seem, through his word. It also emphasizes the importance of obedience without question and identifying the root of the problem. The result of God's intervention is eternal and can bring life to our lives, no matter how long we have been dealing with a problem.

God can transform any situation, no matter how impossible it seems, and He does it to glorify Himself. We need to obey Him and give Him what He asks of us. We should not lose hope and trust that God will work in His time. We need to come to God and ask Him to change our situation, and be willing to give up what He asks of us. Through this, God will do miracles and be glorified in our lives.

The guest preacher, Jonatan Toledo, speaks about the importance of listening, understanding, and obeying God's word. He uses the Hebrew phrase 'Shema Yisrael' which means 'Listen Israel' to emphasize this point. He explains that it is not enough to just listen to God's word, we must also understand it and obey it. To illustrate this, he uses a math equation: listening + understanding + obeying = service, and the opposite: listening + understanding - obeying = disobedience. The Israelites had a problem with disobedience, and it is a problem that we still face today.

The message from the passage in Deuteronomy is to listen, understand, and obey God. Moses tells the Israelites to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, and strength and to teach this to their children. God wants us to pass on His word to the next generation. We can do this by imitating God's love, instructing our children, and inspiring them to follow God's path. We should model unconditional love for God, teach by example, and make sure our children understand and change. We must pass on the message of God's love to the next generation.