Teaching summary
In Part 1 of "Breaking Free," Pastor Leonard Rola teaches on the need to escape the grip of traditionalism and denominationalism in order to walk in the fullness of God's grace. Using John 10 and other scriptures, he shows that the thief Jesus spoke about was not Satan, but false teachers and legalistic leaders who keep believers stuck in guilt, shame, and performance-based religion. True freedom comes from embracing the finished work of Jesus, understanding our righteousness, and refusing to let mental strongholds built by old covenant teachings steal our abundant life in Christ.
Bible verses referenced
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John 10:10 "The thief cometh not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
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John 10:1-2 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep."
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John 10:7-9 "Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."
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John 10:11-12 "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep."
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Colossians 1:13 "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son."
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Romans 3:23-24 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."
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Romans 3:26 "To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
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Romans 4:25 "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."
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Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
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Romans 5:17 "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ."
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Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."
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Acts 20:28-29 "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock."
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Galatians 3:1 "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been set forth, crucified among you?"
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Romans 10:9-10 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
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Matthew 26:26-28 "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
Teaching notes
Table of Contents
- Introduction: Praise and the Real Gospel
- The Power of Finished Work
- The Yuck of Staying Stuck
- The True Identity of the Thief
- Breaking Free from Traditionalism
- The Gospel of Righteousness
- The Danger of Mental Disorder Teaching
- The Parable of the Lost Son
- You Don’t Have to Earn What Jesus Paid For
- Wolves Among the Sheep
- Closing and Communion
Introduction: Praise and the Real Gospel
The message opens with praise and worship focused on the name of Jesus. Pastor Leonard emphasizes that Jesus’ name is above every name and that at the sound of His name, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. He reflects on the song “Worthy is Your Name” and transitions into the foundational message: Jesus is worthy because He was the Father's perfect offering.
The Power of Finished Work
Jesus said “It is finished.” Pastor Leonard explains that Jesus' work is complete—He was the perfect sacrifice who brought eternal redemption, healing, wholeness, and provision. Yet many believers wrongly think they need to add something more to what Christ already completed. They say “I know there’s more I must do,” but the message is clear: "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
The Yuck of Staying Stuck
Many people feel temporarily uplifted by grace-based messages but then return to churches or teachings that initially caused their bondage. Pastor Leonard warns: if you return to the source of spiritual oppression, you stay stuck. Some people feel convicted by his teaching but choose familiarity over freedom. He encourages listeners to break ties with places and people that perpetuate religious bondage.
The True Identity of the Thief
Pastor Leonard reinterprets John 10:10, teaching that the thief is not Satan but legalistic religious leaders. Jesus said, "All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them" (John 10:8). He explains the Greek word kleptēs (where we get “kleptomaniac”), identifying the thief as false teachers who rob believers of the truth.
Breaking Free from Traditionalism
Traditionalism teaches that we're still sinners, still broken, and need to earn God's blessings. But scripture teaches otherwise. Pastor Leonard recalls decades of being told he was “just a sinner” despite numerous New Testament verses affirming his righteousness. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24). He encourages believers to let go of teachings that deny the new covenant.
The Gospel of Righteousness
Pastor Leonard discusses how the new covenant reveals that believers are made righteous, not through behavior, but by faith. He highlights the overlooked verses that establish righteousness as a gift. "To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Romans 3:26). "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:25). "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). These truths have often been ignored or downplayed by traditionalism.
The Danger of Mental Disorder Teaching
Leonard calls out religious leaders who unknowingly mislead believers. He explains how these false teachings are not always malicious but are symptoms of a spiritual “mental disorder”—a deep-rooted misunderstanding of the covenant of grace. The Greek word used for “thief” in John 10 implies someone who compulsively steals, like a kleptomaniac. This describes how false teachers operate from compulsion, not necessarily evil intent.
The Parable of the Lost Son
In Luke 15, Jesus shows the Father’s radical grace. The younger son is restored without punishment, and the older son is corrected for his performance-based mindset. Pastor Leonard points out that there is no chastisement—only full restoration. This challenges the traditional belief that we must earn restoration or be punished for failure. "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body." (Matthew 26:26-28).
You Don’t Have to Earn What Jesus Paid For
Many believers still feel they must sow or perform to receive blessings. But Pastor Leonard reminds us that Jesus became poor so we could be made rich, not through works, but through receiving. "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17). He illustrates this with a story of asking Jesus why someone hasn’t been healed after 15 years, and Jesus’ response is: “I healed them all.”
Wolves Among the Sheep
Jesus and Paul both warned about wolves—religious leaders adding burdens. Jesus said, "But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd… the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep" (John 10:12). Paul said, "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock" (Acts 20:29). The Greek word for grievous (barus) means burdensome—those who add legalism. Pastor Leonard explains how mixing law with grace bewitched the Galatians: "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth…" (Galatians 3:1).
Closing and Communion
The sermon concludes with a reminder that the gospel of grace must be heard repeatedly. Pastor Lori leads communion, reading from Matthew 26:26-28, celebrating the finished work. Viewers are invited to receive Jesus through Romans 10:9-10: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus…". Pastor Leonard encourages believers to walk away from dead tradition and toward the abundant life of grace, saying: "You are the top and not the bottom. You are above only. You are blessed coming in and blessed going out."
We hope this article has blessed you. Share this teaching with someone who needs to break free from religious tradition and step into the abundant life Jesus promised. You are righteous, qualified, and deeply loved—because of Jesus and His finished work.