ILOCANO PREACHING BY Greg Fernandez Jr.

Greg Preaching

The following is a full text manuscript of an English-Ilocano sermon I preached at a radio station in Baguio, City Philippines.

This is the full sermon from another link

Rev. Greg B. Fernandez Jr.

October 8, 2003

Preached @ the only Christian FM Radio Station in

Baguio, 97.5

Kablaawak iti nagan ni Cristo Jesus ti tunggal maysa nga agdendengeg iti daytoy nga uras ti rabii. Naimbag nga rabii yo amin nga awan labas. In the name of Christ, idanon ko dita balbalayyo, wenno dita luglugan yo ti nailangitan nga bendisyion nga aggapo iti Apo. This spiritual blessing comes from the Word of God. It does not come from the world, but comes from the Lord. The blessing that I want to talk to you about tonight is the blessings from John 3: 16. This verse may appear to be overused and even abused to some, but its message never worn out it is always fresh. Pinilik daytoy nga verseculo ta ammok nga popular ket uray no awan Biblia yo nga iggem yo, makasurot kayo kaniak. Uray no ania ti ar-aramideyo itatta nga rabii, I want you to listen carefully, ta ti mensahe nga idanon ko kadakayo ket mabalinna nga balbaliwan ti biag yo. God’s message can turn your life around. Jesus can transform your life if you’ll let Him!

John chapter 3, verse 16 is called the Heart of the Bible wenno puso iti Biblia. It is the center of all messages because it talks about GOD and His Love through Jesus Christ His Son, and it talks about your SALVATION & ETERNAL DESTINY. Kayat ko nga ilawlawag ken warwaran ti palimed daytoy nga verseculo, iti innem nga puntos. Let’s divide John 3: 16 by Words or by Phrases.

I. Ti umuna nga phrase ket daytoy, “For God so Love the World” or  “Ta kasta la unay nga panagayat ti Dios iti Lubong.” I call this the GREATEST INFORMATION. The Greatest information that you will ever hear is to know that there is God who cares about you and loves you. No matter who you are, no matter where you have been, He loves you. Uray no ania nga klasen ti basol nga inarmid mo, aniaman ti kasasaad mo, uray no ania to napalabas mo, ay-ayatennaka ti Dios. He doesn’t care about your past, He cares for you now! God wants to turn your life around! That’s the greatest news! To know that someone loves you unconditionally is the greatest news of all.

Are lonely you and tired? Are you feeling depress, discourage, and want to give up? I have good News for you; Jesus cares! Awan ti condisyon ti ayat ti Dios. Sadinnoman ti ayanmo gayyem, addaka man dita balaymo, dita lugan mo, anywhere you are, I want to tell you right now, God loves you so much! Saan nga pilpilien ti Dios ti ayatenna. Ti ayat ti Dios ket irmanmanna tayo amin ken amin a tao ditoy lubong ay-ayaten ti Dios. God’s love is both unconditional and universal!

II. Ti maikadua, ket daytoy! “That He gave his only begotten Son,” Nga Intedna ti anakna a bugbugtong,” I call this, THE GREATEST MANIFESTATION Or DEMONSTRATION. This is also the greatest ACT, ACTION, & REVELATION. The Greatest demonstration of God’s love is when HE sent His only Son, to die for you and for me. The question is, why did God send His Son? The song says, “God sent His son, they call Him Jesus…He bled and Died so buy my pardon.” Rom. 5:8 says, “Ti Dios impatalgedna ti panagayat na kadatayo, agsipud idinto a mangbasoltayo pay laeng ni Cristo natay gapu kadatayo” (Rom. 5:8). This is all because of love! This not only the greatest act but also the greatest gift. Imbaon ti Dios ni Jesus ditoy Llubong tapno ti tao a managbasol ket maisalakan!

III. Ti Maikatlo, ket daytoy kunana nga “Whosoever,” or “Siasinnoman” I call this THE GREATEST INVITATION. Ania ngata ti ricnam no awisendaka ni Presedinte Gloria Macapagal Aroyo iddiay Malacañang Palace, nga makidinner? Siguro apan mo ipadamag kadigiti amin nga gaygayyem mo, kadigit barkadam wenno classmates nga inawisdaka ni Presdenti Arroyo. Perhaps you would consider it as the greatest invitation ever given to you. But Christ’s invitation for you is greater much greater than that. Apay nga aw-awagak daytoy nga kadadakkelan nga inbitasyon? This is the greatest invitation because it is not limited to few people. The word “WHOSOEVER” indicates the word unlimited, thus, the word ‘whosoever’ implies unlimited Guest, unlimited Time, and unlimited Space. Saan nga limitado ti aw-awisen ti Dios. No agawis ka iti party, limited laeng ti awisem, ngen ti awis ni Jesus ket whosoever or whoever. Kayat na nga saowen a tao mabalin ti umay ken Cristo iti uray ania nga tiempo. Saan laeng nga idi un-unana nga tiempo ngem uray itatta, mabalin. Uray no mano nga tao ti umay, mabalin. The song says “Though millions have come, there still room for one, there is room at the cross for you.”  Uray ania ti kasasaad ti biag mo, you are invited. Uray ania ti color ti kudil mo you are invited. Nabacnang ka man, pubri ka man, ania man ti trabahom, God is calling you to Himself now! Will you come to Him? Saan nga denomination ti iyaw-awis ko, definitely, saan nga religion no di ket aw-awisen kayo nga umay ken Cristo. Christianity is not a religion but it is a relationship with Christ. This is the reason it is called the greatest invitation! Decision

IV. Ti Maikapat nga puntos ket diay kunana nga, “Mamati Kencuana” or “Believes in Him” I call this, THE GREATEST DECISION.  Ti kadadakkelan nga decision nga aramidem ket ti mamati kenni Jesus. To choose Christ, and to believe and receive HIM as your Lord and Savior is the greatest decision you will ever make. Did you make that decision already? Was there a time in your life that you made the decision to receive Christ and Follow Him? Agtawenak ti 17, idi nagdecisionak nga awaten ni Cristo ditoy biag ko. After 15 years, I’m still following Him. I have no desire of turning back! It’s the greatest decision I have ever made because that decision can changed my eternal destiny. What do you do with Jesus Christ? I am persuaded that what you do with Christ now determines your destiny--heaven or hell. No piliem ni Cristo itatta, it will determine heaven as your destiny. If you don’t, it seals your eternal damnation! Saan kayo nga butbutngen! I’m just telling you the truth!

V. Ti Maikalima, ket daytoy phrase nga, “Saan a mapukaw” or “Should not perish” I call this THE GREATEST LIBERATION— OR the GREATEST DELIVERANCE. When I use the word “liberation” I am referring to the act of God delivering the soul from the bondage of sin, from the power of Satan, and from eternal punishment. In short, it is salvation from sin. Why do we need salvation anyway? Amin a tao ditoy lubong kasapulanda ti pannakaisalakan ta amin a tao nagbasol. Every person needs salvation for “All have sinned and come short to the glory of God.” The phrase, ‘Should not perish’ is the greatest deliverance because you will not only be delivered from the past, but also from the present and the future. Diay sao a ‘mapukaw’ ket kayat na nga saowen nga mapukaw ti kinaagnanayon. It is an everlasting separation from God. Awan patengana nga pannakaisina iti Dios ti kakakaskas-angan nga biag. But Jesus came that whoever believes in Him should not perish! Believing in Jesus brings the greatest deliverance of all. Ti question yo siguro ket, ‘Kasanoak ngarud nga maisalakan?’ Maislakanka babaen ti pammatim ken Jesus. But let me tell you this, Ti pannakaisalan kabsat ket mabirokan laeng kenni Jesu Cristo. Kunana idiay Aramid 4: 12, “ Ket awan ti sabali a pacaisalacanan, uray siasino; Ta awan ti sabali a nagan iti babaen ti langit, a naited cadagiti tao, a pacabalinantayo a maisalacan.” Uray no ballikogem daytoy nga bersekulo, salvation is found in no one else save Jesus Christ. Joining a church does not save you, Baptism does not save you, and good works do not save you. But Jesus can and will save you if you come to him. I am inviting you right now to come to Jesus Christ in faith for  “We are save by grace through faith, not by works.”

Some of you are tired living in sin! Some of you are bound by the power of drugs, alcohol, and cigarette but Jesus Christ can set you free.  No katkatongtong ka, dumngeg ka nga nalaing, ta ti mensahe ti Dios, mabalinna nga balbaliwan ti biag mo.

VI. Ti maikainnem ken maudi ket daytoy sao nga, “but have eternal life,” I call this the GREATEST POSSESSION & INSPIRATION. Ti kadadakkelan nga tagikkuaem ket biag nga agnanayon. Life without end in God’s kingdom is the greatest possession of all.. To possess great wealth is wonderful. Ti maaddaan ti dakkel nga balay ket nagsayaat unay. Ti maaddaan ti Pajero nga lugan  ket nagsayaat unay. No annawa di luti yo wenno garden et mayat. Baken dakes di bumacnang ono mawadaan si dakdake ay beey. But, the greatest possession you will ever have is to have everlasting life in heaven. “Ti biag ditoy lubong agpatingga, madamdama aglabasda, idiay Gloria biag nga agnanayon, madamdam isunton ti pagtaengam!” Aggibus ti kinabacnang! Agkupas ti pintas, popularidad, ken dayaw. Amin a naindagaan a banbanag ket aglabasda ngem ti biag idiay langit ket mataginayon! Ti saludsodko, do you have eternal life? Eternal life is found in Jesus only! If you have Jesus Christ, you have eternal life also. Do you have this possession and inspiration? At the end of this message tonight, I’m going to give you opportunity to receive Jesus Christ!

Kayat ko nga gibusan daytoy nga mensahe iti maysa nga istorya: Iti maysa nga rabii, adda maysa a lalake nga agnagan Juan a magmagna iti igid ti teppang. Nasamit unay ti panagpagpagnana, nalamiis ti pul-oy ti angin, ken narangiag ti silaw ti bulan ken bitbituin iti tangtang. Pagamoam ta idi timmngad ni Juan, naikaglis ket natnag. Ngem daksanggasat ta adda kimpetanna nga ramut, ngem bassit didiay nga ramut. Ket idi kitaena diay pagtennaganna koma, nakaununeg nga danum ti karayan ket adda pay ti buwaya. Nagngisit diay danum ti kinaunegna ket adda pay buaya nga agur-uray kenkuana. Ni Juan mangrugi nga agsangit ken agpukkaw, “O tulungandak”!  Ngem diay ramut ket dandani nga mapugsaten. Thank God, from out of the blue, adda inmay a maysa nga angel. Diay angel napan idiay sakaana ni Juan ket kunana, “Juan, kayat mot matulungan,” “saludsodem pay, matmatnagak ngaruden,” insungbat ni Juan. Ngem kuna diay angel kenkuana, “Juan, no kayat mot matulungan, ibatam dayta pagkapkaptam ket sippawenka. Kitaen ni Juan, mabuteng, ket madina nga ibbatan diay ramut nga inna pagkapkaptan!

No kasdiay ti condisyon tayo delikado. Ngem ni apo Jesus adda idiay sirok, ngem sika dimo kayat nga ibbatan ti pagkapkaptam dika mabalin ti maisalakan.

Kakabsat ken gagayyem, siguro ti pagkapkaptam kinabacnang, siguro ti pagkapkaptam gagayyem mo ken barkadam. Siguro ti pagkapkaptam adal, siguro ti pagkapkaptam bisyo! Ibbatam tapno maislakan ka. No saan mo nga ibbatan dayta pagkapkaptam, dumtengto ti alday nga agkapuy ka ket mapugsat dayta nga ramut, agdisso ka idiay impierno.

It is not by accident that you are listening to this radio station right now! God designed this very moment just for you. This is your chance to say, “Yes Lord, I am coming home. By faith I believe you are the Son of God. I turn away from my sins.”

Dear friends, don’t allow anything to destruct you at this point & time. Satan doesn’t want you to come to Christ. Sadinnoman ti ayanmo, addaka nga nakatugaw, nakalugan or whatever you are doing, right where you are, pray this prayer with me silently in your heart. Right now, right where you are, pray this prayer silently within in your heart. “Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. I acknowledge my sins before you. I am hopeless and powerless to change my life. Dear Jesus I believe that you are the Son of God. I repent of my sins please forgive me and change my life. I receive you now as my Lord and savior. I invite you to come into my heart. I turn away from my sins, and I’m willing to follow you. Make me the person you want me to be. In Jesus name Amen!

If you have prayed that prayer in faith, I encourage you to go to a church, which teaches the Full Gospel & the Word of God! 

Indeed, the blessing found in John 3: 16 provides the Greatest INFORMATION, it shows the Greatest MANIFESTATION, it offers the Greatest INVITATION, it requires the Greatest DECISION, it results in the Greatest LIBERATION, and it leads to the Greatest POSSESSION! Hallelujah! 

Note: To read more Ilocano preaching by Rev. Greg B. Fernandez Jr. here: Ilocano-English sermon