Teaching summary
In this sermon, Pastor Leonard Rola shares a powerful revelation about grace and freedom from the law. He explains that believers are no longer under sin’s dominion but are fully liberated through Jesus Christ. Using examples like Peter’s reaction to the miraculous catch and the woman caught in adultery, the message highlights how religion keeps people in bondage while grace sets them free. The “glorious announcement” is that believers are righteous, loved, empowered, and invited to live in freedom and receive God’s blessings without fear, guilt, or condemnation.
Bible verses referenced
Romans 6:14- “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
Deuteronomy 28:15- “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee.”
John 8:10-11- “When Jesus had lifted himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
Luke 2:10- “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
Galatians 5:4- “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”
Ephesians 4:23-24- “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
Romans 8:11- “But if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
Ephesians 1:18-19- “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,”
Ephesians 3:20- “Now unto him that can do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”
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.”
Teaching notes
Table of Contents
- Opening Prayer and Introduction to the Message
- Religion vs. Grace: Breaking Free from Bondage
- The Emancipation Parallel: Understanding True Freedom
- Personal Testimony: Transformation Through Grace
- The Nature of the New Creation and Freedom from Sin
- The Woman Caught in Adultery: Grace Over Condemnation
- The Miraculous Catch: Peter’s Struggle with Grace
- Law vs. Grace: The Mindset Shift
- Religion’s Use of Fear and Guilt
- The Angel’s Announcement: Good News for All
- The Glorious Announcement: You Are Free
- Five Keys to Living in Grace
- Closing Encouragement and Prayer
Opening Prayer and Introduction to the Message
The message begins with a heartfelt moment of prayer for a fellow believer in need. This sets the tone for a message centered on God’s love, care, and awareness of every individual situation. Pastor Leonard then introduces the sermon titled “Glorious Announcement,” emphasizing that what he is about to share is a fresh revelation given directly by God that morning.
Religion vs. Grace: Breaking Free from Bondage
The sermon quickly contrasts religion with grace. Religion is described as something that keeps people in chains, constantly reminding them that they are sinners. Grace, however, reveals freedom.
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
This truth becomes foundational: sin no longer rules over the believer because they are no longer under the law.
The Emancipation Parallel: Understanding True Freedom
Pastor Leonard draws a powerful parallel to the emancipation of slaves. Even after being declared free, many slaves continued living in bondage simply because they did not know or believe they were free.
He explains that many Christians today live the same way—free in Christ, yet still mentally enslaved by religion and law-based thinking. True freedom must be understood and received.
Personal Testimony: Transformation Through Grace
The message becomes deeply personal as Pastor Leonard shares his past struggles. He describes how, under a mindset of sin-consciousness, he behaved poorly, even in his marriage. The more he focused on avoiding sin, the more he failed.
But everything changed when he understood grace. Instead of striving, he began to see himself as righteous and Christ-like. This revelation transformed his behavior, relationships, and responses.
The Nature of the New Creation and Freedom from Sin
The sermon emphasizes that something inside the believer—the seed of Christ—cannot sin. When a person understands that Christ lives in them, their identity shifts.
Grace doesn’t encourage sin; it empowers righteousness by revealing who the believer truly is in Christ.
The Woman Caught in Adultery: Grace Over Condemnation
The story of the woman caught in adultery is revisited to demonstrate how Jesus responds to sin—not with condemnation, but with grace.
“When Jesus had lifted himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
Jesus did not demand confession, penance, or punishment. Instead, He removed condemnation and empowered transformation.
The Miraculous Catch: Peter’s Struggle with Grace
The central revelation comes from Peter's story in Luke 5. After receiving a miraculous catch of fish—an overwhelming blessing—Peter responds with fear and unworthiness.|
Instead of embracing grace, he says, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.”|
This reaction reveals how deeply the law-based mindset had shaped him.
Law vs. Grace: The Mindset Shift
Peter’s thinking was rooted in the law, particularly in passages like:
|“But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God… that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee.”
Because of this mindset, he believed blessings had to be earned. When he received something he didn’t earn, it created discomfort. The sermon reveals that grace operates completely differently—it gives freely, not based on performance.
Religion’s Use of Fear and Guilt
Pastor Leonard strongly critiques religious systems that use fear, guilt, and shame as motivation. These systems:
- Keep people feeling like sinners
- Emphasize law over grace
- Promote condemnation instead of freedom
He references Paul’s warning:
“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”
Returning to law-based thinking is described as falling away from grace.
The Angel’s Announcement: Good News for All
The message connects back to the birth of Jesus:
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
This “good news” is the gospel of grace—freedom from fear, condemnation, and separation from God.
The Glorious Announcement: You Are Free
The core declaration of the sermon is clear: Believers are no longer under the law—they are under grace.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
This is the “glorious announcement”—complete freedom, liberation, and blessing through Christ.
Five Keys to Living in Grace
Pastor Leonard outlines five practical truths:
- Know how much God loves you
- Know you are righteous and holy
“And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
- Know God’s power lives in you
“But if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you…”
- Reject fear, guilt, shame, and condemnation
- Receive God’s blessings freely
“Now unto him that can do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”
Closing Encouragement and Prayer
The message ends with encouragement to fully embrace grace and allow God’s blessings to flow without resistance. Believers are urged not to respond like Peter—rejecting blessing out of unworthiness—but to receive it boldly as a gift.
We hope this article has blessed you. This “glorious announcement” is a life-changing truth: you are free, loved, righteous, and empowered by grace. Share this message with others so they, too, can walk in the liberty that Jesus Christ has already given.