Filter by Categories
The Great Mystery
Sermonette by Gary GarrettAdam and Eve originally had a most enviable relationship with the Creator, as well as access to the Tree of Life, if they had chosen it.
A Feast Message From Hebrews
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe Tabernacle, along with the temple, served as a place of worship and was considered God's house, the highest place of reverence. It consisted of two rooms separated by a heavy veil or drape, each containing significant furniture crucial for Israel's proper understanding and worship. Every aspect of these structures provides a pattern and model for worship under the new covenant. Daily, officiating priests performed duties in the exterior and the first room, while only the high priest entered the second room, known as the Holy of Holies, once a year on the Day of Atonement. This inner room symbolized God's personal space and the place from which He judged mankind, functioning as both a personal room and a courtroom. The veil separating the rooms holds great importance, and its tearing at the moment of Christ's death opened direct access into the Holy of Holies, signifying that nothing hinders entry to God's presence. This access invites believers to draw near with boldness, assured of His kindness, generosity, and readiness to listen and instruct.
God's Power: Our Shield Against Apostasy
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughIn the journey of faith, the patterns of the Tabernacle become vital to our spiritual understanding and practical holiness. Though we may lack the deep familiarity and reverence for the Tabernacle that the Israelites held, we are called to grasp the spiritual truths embedded within its symbolism. The Tabernacle, as a shadow of greater realities, points us toward the profound access we have to God through Jesus Christ. As High Priest, He has torn the veil, granting us liberty to enter boldly into the very throne room of God, the Holy of Holies, a place once reserved only for the High Priest once a year. This access, made possible by His sacrifice, invites us to draw near to God with eager boldness, to meet with Him not outside, but within the innermost sanctuary of His presence.
Hebrews (Part Two): Who Was Jesus?
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Under the Old Covenant, God warmly invited the Israelites to come to the Tabernacle, to participate fully and with understanding in fellowship with Him in His dwelling place among His people. This marked a new era with the completion of the Tabernacle, where God spoke to the Israelites through Moses from a place other than the top of Mt. Sinai. He desired them to know they were welcome to visit with Him, though respectful order was to prevail. Each person and group, including the ministry, had specific roles to perform in this sacred space, ensuring that the process of offering sacrifices for sin and repentance was deeply personal and not treated with detachment. The offerer was fully immersed in the act, bringing the animal, laying hands on it, killing it, and cutting it into pieces, underscoring the costliness and significance of having fellowship with God and receiving forgiveness of sins.
Hebrews (Part Eight)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJesus Christ's priesthood is superior to the Aaronic priesthood because Christ tenure is eternal rather than temporal, guaranteeing both continuity and quality.
Hebrews (Part Nine)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughAfter the change from the Aaronic to the Melchizedek priesthood, it was also necessary to change the Covenant. The flaw was not the law, but the heart.
Hebrews (Part Ten)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughEverything about the Priesthood of Christ is superior to the Levitical system, which only served as a type of the access to God that Jesus would fulfill.
The Glory of God (Part 2): In Christ
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughWhen we (following Jesus' example) display the way of God in our lives, bearing His name, and keeping His commandments, God's glory radiates in our lives.
The Glory of God (Part 1): The Shekinah
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe Shekinah, the pillar of cloud and fire, depicts God's visible presence and protection. Yet His glory is manifested in many other ways as well.
Government (Part Four)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughFor us to take on the glory of God, we must have the same kind of access to the Father as Christ did, taking on the responsibility of behaving like His sons.
Eden, The Garden, and the Two Trees (Part Two)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe real cradle of civilization is not Mesopotamia, but Jerusalem, where God started His physical creation and where He will bring it to spiritual fruition.
The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part Seven)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod personally handpicks individuals with whom He desires to form a reciprocal relationship. This relationship must be dressed, kept, tended, and maintained.
The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part Six)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughWe receive more of God's Spirit as we respond to His calling, drawing near to His presence and reversing Adam and Eve's fatal errors.
Eden, The Garden, and The Two Trees (Part Three)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJesus' crucifixion took place outside the camp of Israel, just outside the border of the Garden of Eden, the general area where the Miphkad Altar stood.
Eden, The Garden, and the Two Trees (Part One)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughWe we follow God's patterns, Jerusalem becomes the likely location of the Garden of Eden and the likely location for the future, heavenly Jerusalem.
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Eighteen)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughPaul never taught any Jew to forsake the Law of Moses, but he did warn against Pharisaical additions for the expressed purpose of attaining justification.
Lessons from the Count to Pentecost
Sermon by Mark SchindlerThe Sabbaths midway through the count to Pentecost represent times of faithlessness among our ancestors who complained about food and rejected God's leadership.
Psalms: Book Two (Part One)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe Pentecost season generally corresponds to Book II of the Psalms, Exodus, and the story of Ruth. Major themes include exile, separation, and redemption.