Bonded by Belief

Welcome back, brothers and sisters, to our blog. Today, we return to the majestic truths unfolded in Pastor Sam Merigala’s sermon on the book of Proverbs, aiming to summarize the glorious heights of chapter 8 before transitioning deeply into the monumental crossroads of chapter 9. If you have been following along in our teachings, you know that the eighth chapter of Proverbs stands as the breathtaking climax of Old Testament discipleship. In Pastor Sam Merigala’s sermon, we are powerfully reminded that Wisdom is not merely a set of pragmatic rules, but rather the God-centered wholeness of existence. Before we dive into the new territory of chapter 9, it is absolutely crucial to summarize the staggering truths we learned from chapter 8. The primary danger we face as human beings is fixing our hearts on earthly pursuits—like money, success, family, or even ministry—with an excessive emotional expectation that eventually leads to deep despair when these things inevitably leave us empty. W...

Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ, today let us take a look into the glorious truths unfolded by Pastor Sam Merigala in his powerful preaching on securing satisfying and enduring wealth through wisdom. The sermon lifts our eyes to the very heart of life’s meaning, proclaiming that true wisdom is the God-centered wholeness of existence, and it is inherently joyous. The Grandeur and Climax of Wisdom Pastor Merigala explains that the focus chapter, Proverbs 8, presents a wisdom speech that serves to offer inspiration and encouragement to the disciple. This exposition of wisdom must be evaluated against the deceptive rhetoric and false promises of non-wisdom found in the opening chapters of Proverbs. It is in Proverbs 8 that the portrait of Wisdom and her ways reaches its majestic climax, recognized by commentators as "the summit of Old Testament discipleship". The danger we face, Pastor Merigala cautions, is fixating on earthly pursuits—such as family, money, success, ...

Greetings, today let us explore the profound truths presented by Pastor Sam Merigala regarding the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the coming judgment, and the eternal destiny of all souls. This sermon offers essential instruction, drawing deeply from the Scriptures, particularly the Gospel of John, chapter 5, and the ancient wisdom of Job. We must grasp these biblical principles, for they govern not only our understanding of eternity but our conduct in this present age. The Uniqueness of Christ’s Resurrection: More Than Mere Revivification Pastor Sam Merigala begins by establishing a crucial distinction: the resurrection of Jesus Christ was an event entirely unique, one that "had ever happened before, nor afterwards". Though one might recall miraculous raisings in Scripture, such as Lazarus in John 11:1–44 or the widow of Nain’s son in Luke 7:11–17, the nature of these events differs vastly from Christ’s rising. What Lazarus experienced was technically not resurrec...