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I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life
Sermonette by Bill OnisickThe church was designated followers of 'the Way' before they were called Christians. 'Followers of the Way' is perhaps a better fit than 'Christian.'
The Way, The Truth, and the Life
Sermonette by Clyde FinkleaJesus Christ stands as the central focus of our spiritual journey, embodying the way, the truth, and the life. As He declared, no one comes to the Father except through Him. He is our exodus, our way out of the bondage of sin, mirroring the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Just as the Feast of Unleavened Bread commemorates that release, for spiritual Israel, it signifies remembering how He, through His sacrifice, freed us from sin and death. In His truth, Jesus Christ is the unleavened bread we are to partake of for seven days during the feast, representing perfection and completion. This unleavened bread symbolizes sincerity and truth, reflecting His essence as the Word, the entirety of which is truth. He proclaimed, I am the truth, urging us to love and cherish this truth as we cherish Him. Moreover, Jesus Christ is the life, offering eternal life to those who feed upon Him. His words are spirit and life, sustaining us as we observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This observance also serves as a sign that the Lord's law is in our mouth, preparing us as priests in His Kingdom to teach His ways and His Word to the world. Through Him, we find the path to salvation, embodying the plan for the firstfruits as we are drawn to Him by God.
Christ, the Way
CGG Weekly by Richard T. RitenbaughJesus Christ declares in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." His emphasis on being the way addresses the uncertainty of His disciples about the path to eternal life in God's house. He presents Himself as the sole route to the Kingdom of God, the true and living way that must be followed. Christ has blazed the trail, and to reach the goal, we must imitate Him, walking in His footsteps. Further, in John 14:7-11, Jesus reveals that knowing Him is knowing the Father, for He mirrors the Father's character and actions completely. He thinks, speaks, and acts as the Father does, showing that the only path to becoming part of God's Family is through Him. To be accepted, we must reflect the same character as the Father and the Son, and there is no other way to achieve this. Jesus also instructs in John 14:12 that those who believe in Him will do the works He does, and even greater works, because He goes to the Father. These works include the day-to-day efforts of Christian living, such as overcoming sin, growing in character, and helping others in their walk toward the Kingdom of God. These seemingly mundane tasks are, in truth, the greatest works, carrying eternal consequences by aiding in the salvation of ourselves and others. Following in His footsteps, doing good as He did, ensures that we will one day be where He is.
Jesus in the Feasts (Part Two): Firstfruits
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughJesus Christ stands as the central figure of Scripture, the Word of God, and the focus of all biblical revelation. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, declaring that no one comes to the Father except through Him. This profound statement reveals that He is the sole path to God's Kingdom, a trailblazer who has forged the way through His life and example for others to follow. As the Archegos, the captain of our salvation, He has cut a trail through the wilderness of this world, leading us to glory if we emulate His steps without straying. His call to "Follow Me" is the first duty of His disciples, urging them to imitate His actions, serve as He served, suffer as He endured, and keep God's commandments as He did. He never strayed from His Father's will, providing an unerring example that ensures we walk rightly if we mirror His path. This way is not a singular event but a procession of many steps over time, a narrow and difficult journey that demands endurance to the end. As the Firstfruit, Christ is preeminent in both chronology and quality, the model for all who aspire to be firstfruits in God's harvest. His life is the standard, the playbook of godly living, and the trail we must follow to reach the Kingdom of God. He is the true and living way, emphasizing our complete dependence on Him for spiritual understanding, growth, and fruitfulness. Without Him, we can do nothing, but by abiding in Him, we are enabled to walk as He walked, becoming firstfruits through His leadership and example.
Jesus in the Feasts (Part Six): The Eighth Day
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughJesus Christ declares Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, embodying everything we need. He is the path to follow, the truth to adhere to, and the source of eternal life that sustains us. Within Him are all the tools, power, wisdom, and holiness necessary to attain God's Kingdom. There is nothing we require that cannot be found in Him. As He states, He is our everything, encapsulating all lessons, examples, reasons, hope, and good things revealed through God's festivals. His presence in us, as our Head, imparts divine gifts and powers, ensuring we lack nothing. Through Him, we share in the divine fullness, filled with all righteousness and holiness needed to overcome and endure. In the final revelation, He uses merisms to affirm His all-encompassing nature, proclaiming Himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, signifying He is with us from start to finish, in every way and at all times. He assures us not to fear, for we have in Him all that it takes to attain victory, urging us to stay close and keep our focus on Him.
The Post-Resurrection Last Words of Christ (Part One)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsJesus Christ offers Himself as the sole path to peace with God and the peace of God, a peace that surpasses worldly definitions and is rooted in His sacrifice and resurrection. He declared, "Peace be with you," to His disciples after His resurrection, imparting a profound blessing that signifies God's gift of reconciliation, achieved through His death on the cross. This peace is not negotiable on human terms but must be received as God provides it, through faith in Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished. There is no other way to attain God's peace, for He alone bridges the divide caused by sin, welcoming believers as His sons and daughters with smiles, not wrath. Beyond peace, Jesus Christ stands as the exclusive access to God's presence through prayer. Sin separates humanity from God, and no one can approach Him based on personal merit. It is only through Jesus Christ's death that a sinner, having repented and accepted Him, can come before God at any time, speaking from the heart. He is the gateway, ensuring that believers can communicate directly with God, day or night. Jesus Christ also embodies the truth that provides a sure and certain hope for the future, particularly beyond death. Having passed through death and returned in resurrection, He assures His disciples of a prepared future. His words and actions confirm that He has gone ahead to make ready a place for those who follow Him, establishing a foundation of hope that rests solely on His victory over death. As the source of eternal life and the mediator of God's blessings, Jesus Christ imparts the Holy Spirit, grants status as heirs with Him, and promises to meet all needs. He commissions His followers to go into the world as He was sent, to glorify Him as He glorified the Father, and to share God's truth with others. His command, "As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you," links the mission of believers to His own, emphasizing that they must live and witness as He did, entering the world to save sinners through faith in Him. Finally, Jesus Christ breathes the Holy Spirit upon His disciples, signifying a new creation and understanding that can only come through God's revelation. His act of breathing recalls the creation of man but elevates it by opening minds to spiritual truths necessary for salvation. Through Him, the faithful are made new, receiving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the privileges of the New Covenant, which include a new relationship with God, a new title as brethren, and a new commission to serve Him faithfully in the world.
Jesus Christ's Trial (Part Four)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsJesus Christ stands as the sole way to the Father, embodying the exclusive path to God by fulfilling Old Testament symbols and teachings. He alone provides access to God, as seen in the barriers of the past, such as the curtain that restricted entry to God's presence to only the Levitical priesthood. Jesus is the only conduit to God, ensuring that no human invention can serve as a means of approach. As the Truth, Jesus fulfills the teachings of the Old Testament and reveals the true nature of God. He defines His Kingdom before Pilate, affirming that it is not of this world, but rather of the truth, for which He came to bear witness. His statement challenges the cynicism of Pilate, who questions the very concept of truth, yet Jesus stands firm as the embodiment of truth, offering clarity amidst a disillusioned culture. As the Life, Jesus fulfills the Old Testament promises of life given by God. Possessing life in Himself, He is uniquely able to confer eternal life to all who believe in Him. Jesus Christ remains the singular source of truth, salvation, and eternal life, all of which ultimately flow from the Father, affirming His role as the way, the truth, and the life.
Is Jesus the Only Way?
Sermonette by Craig SablichWe all have working acquaintances with unbelievers, but to enter a close relationship with someone not yet called of God is dangerous and foolhardy.
Approaching God Through Christ (Part Seven)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughOur Savior Jesus Christ is the way and the means to our relationship with God the Father. If you wish to reach the treasure at the top of the mountain, the only way to get there is to follow the Trailblazer Himself. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. This statement strikes at the heart of man's stubborn, independent nature that believes it can achieve anything in its own way. Yet, there is only one way to have fellowship with the Father, and that is His way, through Jesus Christ. As the way, Jesus Christ describes the sole and complete means of approach to God. His way is the path to walk, the manner of living life. He is our chief example, and if we follow the path He forged, we will arrive at the same destination He reached, the Kingdom of God. The way emphasizes behavior, not just in individual acts, but also in the direction of one's life. As the truth, Jesus Christ embodies God's reality. Everything He did reflected the truth, and every word He spoke was true. His teachings are necessary and helpful in growing into the character image of God and entering the Kingdom of God. His truths are timeless and eternal, the only reality that is worthwhile. The truth emphasizes spiritual knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, encapsulating revelation. As the life, Jesus Christ is the Life-giver. In Him was life inherent, and He has the power to impart spiritual life. He is the only one who has gained immortality through resurrection from the dead, and through Him, we too can attain immortality. He forged the way for eternal life, and to us, He is eternal life. The life represents the connection to eternal life through God's Spirit, linking us to communicate with God and Jesus Christ. These three elements—behavior as the way, knowledge as the truth, and eternal life as the life—are necessary to approach God. Jesus Christ is the key to all of them, the Mediator in the midst of everything involved in approaching the Father. No one comes to the Father except through Him, summarizing the necessity of right behavior, right knowledge, and the godly life provided through His Spirit for entering the Kingdom of God.
Christ, the Chief Cornerstone
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughJesus Christ stands as the central and most vital part of our spiritual foundation, embodying the way, the truth, and the life. As declared in John 14, He asserts, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." This profound statement reveals Him as the sole means to salvation, the embodiment of all truth, and the source of eternal life. He is not merely a guide but the very path we must tread, the example we must follow, and the essence of real, abundant life that leads to the Father. As the way, He provides the access point to God, ensuring that through Him alone we can approach the Father and establish a relationship with Him. His life and teachings illuminate the path to the Kingdom of God, making clear the steps we must take. As the truth, every word He speaks holds unwavering reliability, serving as the standard against which all else is measured. His truth reveals what is right and guides us in righteousness. As the life, He is the origin of all vitality, offering not just existence but a life of eternal significance and abundance, promising that if we follow Him, we will live forever in glory. His role as the way, the truth, and the life underscores His indispensability in our spiritual journey. Without Him, we can do nothing, for He is the vital connection to the Father, the source of all we need to grow and produce fruit in our lives. Through Him, we see God, understand His will, and receive the sustenance necessary for eternal life. Jesus Christ, as the cornerstone of our faith, anchors us in this truth, ensuring that our foundation remains unshakable and our path to salvation secure.
Have You Given Your Heart to Jesus?
Sermonette by Austin Del CastilloIt behooves God's called-out ones to recognize Jesus Christ as providing the access to God the Father, the Way and the Life.
Four Views of Christ (Part 6)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughIn the book of John, Jesus Christ is presented as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, embodying divinity and soaring above humanity like an eagle into the heavens. He is portrayed as God, otherworldly, with everything under His control, leading and protecting His people with untouchable authority. His life is the light of men, offering a path out of darkness, destruction, and condemnation, revealing the true form of our environment so that we may negotiate through the wilderness of this world safely. Without the light He provides, we are immobilized, unable to move without risking destruction and death. Jesus Christ, as the Light, shows us the way to live, enabling us to avoid the pain and suffering that come from ignorance of our surroundings. His life, self-generated as God in the flesh, contrasts with ours, which must be ignited and sustained by an external source, God's Holy Spirit, to bear witness to Him. He is the source of eternal life, a quality of life lived as God lives it, not merely endless existence, but a way of being that brings true fulfillment and prepares us for the kingdom of God. Through His teachings and example, He unravels condemnation and death, guiding us toward a life of repentance and faith. As the Truth, Jesus Christ speaks with authority from His own observation of heavenly things, elevating our understanding of God and life. His words lead to life if we follow them, emphasizing a way of living that aligns with God's purpose, beyond mere forms or rituals, focusing on the reality of how life is to be lived. His insight into the hearts of men reveals His divine nature, discerning true faith from superficial belief, committing His power and loyalty only to those who trust in His word and emulate His life.
Principled Living (Part One): Imitating Christ
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughOur leader, Jesus Christ, has blazed the trail before us, punching a hole in the air for us to follow. We benefit from what He has already done, and our success in this race depends on how closely we follow Him. The foundational principle of Christian living is imitating Christ, living as He lived. When He calls us to follow Him, it means more than just walking behind Him; it means doing what He does, living as He lives, and experiencing what He experiences. It also means suffering and dying like Him, but it equally means sharing eternal life and His rewards. Following Jesus is not easy or risk-free; it involves severe sacrifices and hardships, demanding absolute devotion and dedication to Him. He tests us to see if we are willing to commit to His way of living and His will, requiring us to give our all for the Kingdom of God. The Christian life is one of discomfort, where we live as strangers and sojourners without a fixed place, often forsaking the comforts of this world for our devotion to Christ. It is sacrificial, requiring us to forsake customary duties and focus on preaching the Kingdom of God. It demands new loyalties, where our devotion to Him and God's family must be stronger than any earthly ties. Jesus instructs us to deny ourselves, to renounce and forsake our own desires, prioritizing Him above all. He requires us to take up our cross, voluntarily submitting to God's will, even if it leads to torture and death. Following Him is a death sentence of sorts, as we die to ourselves and this world through baptism and daily sacrifice, pledging everything for a reward we will not receive in this life. Yet, He assures us that He is preparing a place for us, securing our reward at the end of the road. Despite the immense demands of discipleship, we are safely tucked into the palm of His hand, with no power able to take us away from Him. Our call is to know His life, to imitate Him fully, and to rededicate ourselves to living as He lived, especially as we approach Passover, commemorating His sacrificial death for us.
Christ Our Standard
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughAs we approach the Passover season, our focus sharpens on Jesus Christ, who is our Standard. He embodies everything good, right, and godly, personifying the ultimate goal we strive to reach. Christ is the way, the method, and the process by which we achieve the Kingdom of God. There is no other path; attempting any other means will lead to failure. He is not only the destination but also the guide who aids us along the journey. Christ declares Himself as the way, the truth, and the life, setting a clear goal for us. He prepares the path and assures us that we know the way to reach it. Without Him, no true or lasting good can be accomplished, and no fruit can be borne. He demands not just fruit, but much fruit, emphasizing that our actions must reflect His life in every moment. Our every deed should have its root in Him, for He is the one who starts and finishes our salvation, and everything in between. We must keep our eyes focused on Jesus Christ, looking to Him as the one who initiates and completes our race. He is there at the beginning and will be there at the end, waving us through to victory. By imitating Him, we align ourselves with the character of the Father, ensuring our admittance into the Kingdom. Christ's life, summarized by His constant doing of good, shows us how to avoid sin and walk the path toward perfection, applying the truth in all things as He did.
Life in the Church
Sermon by David C. GrabbeOutwardly, many members in Sardis bore Christ's name, but like the apparently religious Pharisees, they were in reality hypocrites, full of dead men's bones.
Jesus the Door
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughJohn 10:7-10 proclaims that Jesus is the door of the sheepfold or corral. If we follow Him in and out, we will have abundant life, now and in the Kingdom.
Approaching God Through Christ (Part One)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughReligious bumper stickers fall short of revealing the full counsel of God, which is more complex than 'believe on the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved.'
Glorify You Me
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John O. ReidThe purpose of our calling is not the place of safety, but that we glorify God, following the example of Jesus Christ.
Let's Get Real!
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughWe exist as imperfect shadows of God. As we follow the example of Christ, the real Light that reveals God's way, we also move from shadow to reality.
Holiness (Part 1)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughTo appropriate the name of God means to represent His attributes, character and nature. Our behavior must imitate Christ just as Christ revealed God the Father.
Experiencing God
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughTrue knowledge of God comes only from experience. The apostle Peter has admonished us to grow in knowledge, both biblical knowledge and secular knowledge.