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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.
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.'
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.
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.
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. CollinsGod will not reveal His precious truth to idle curiosity, as was the case with the self-indulgent Herod Antipas, seeking entertainment rather than truth.
Approaching God Through Christ (Part Seven)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughWe have access to a Trailblazer, who has gone before us to show us the way. The only way can have fellowship with the Father is through Jesus Christ.
Four Views of Christ (Part 6)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughChrist provides a model of how to live a godly life in the flesh, living life the way God lives it. Using His light, we can navigate our way in this world.
Principled Living (Part One): Imitating Christ
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughFollowing Jesus requires absolute commitment, often involving sacrifice and discomfort. We must be willing to give up family and societal ties for God's sake.
Christ, the Chief Cornerstone
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughIf a foundation is flawed, the building cannot stand. God built His spiritual temple on the prophets and the apostles, and Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone.
Christ Our Standard
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughKnowledge of God's truth is useless unless it is acted on. God will only accept children who follow Christ's example and conduct their lives by His high standards.
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.'
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.
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.
The Commandments (Part Four)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughThe prohibition against taking God's name in vain is the least understood commandment. When we bear God's name, we are to bear His character and nature.
John (Part Twenty-Two)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJesus encouraged His disciples by promising to send the Holy Spirit to empower them for the challenges of the Christian life, making us sensitive to God.