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To Do Your Will, O God!
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsHumanity is incapable of solving its own problems and cannot achieve peace or reconciliation with God while persisting in sin as a way of life. To reconcile with God and one another, people must change through repentance and conversion to God's way of life, turning their minds toward Him. God, in His wisdom, has provided the means for reconciliation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the gift of His Holy Spirit, to motivate individuals to repent, resist sin, build character, and live by faith. While God grants the power to accomplish these things, individuals bear the responsibility to carry them out, responding to Him and putting His Word into practice to exemplify His nature before others. This responsibility is an awesome one, as we must work with God the Father and Jesus Christ to ensure that His death for us was not in vain. Doing God's will is a personal call, requiring each individual to follow Christ by abandoning sin, past ways, and personal plans, even if it means surrendering relationships or comforts. Though following Christ is costly and challenging, God arranges what we surrender to work for our spiritual well-being, promising abundant compensation for any loss. Each of us has a unique work to fulfill, as determined by God, varying with our circumstances and gifts, and we must persevere in finishing this work despite discouragements, following Christ's example of completing the good He begins.
What Does God Really Want? (Part 2)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughWhat is it that God really wants from us? He desires our obedience to His voice, as expressed through His commandments, which form the foundation of His righteousness. As long as we obey His commandments, the system works, and things go well for us; but when we persistently break them, the walls come down, the enemy comes in, and we are scattered. God's will is clear: we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, prioritizing our lives according to His law, which is rooted in the Ten Commandments. Obedience to God, producing morality, is of the first order. It is not enough to merely believe or to put on an outward show; God values the doing of His will over feelings or intellectual assent. He prefers a person who, even if not feeling good about it, repents and obeys out of duty and respect, over one who claims to agree but does not act. If we obey His voice, understanding returns, and our relationship with Him is restored. God's desire goes beyond rigid commandment keeping; He wants faith that works through love, a faith that is warm, kind, generous, and serving, drawing others through benevolence. This faith, mighty in operation through love, reaches out to God and to fellow man, reflecting the character of Jesus Christ. What matters to God is whether we are keeping His commandments with this attitude, becoming His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works that He has ordained for us to walk in. Ultimately, God is working to move us toward keeping His commandments in the here and now, transforming us into His image for His Kingdom. Race, gender, or status are inconsequential to Him; what matters is whether our faith exercises itself in love through the keeping of His law. Repentance and returning to these basics—obeying His commandments—offers the solution to our spiritual condition, curing the blindness and nakedness that result from immorality and restoring our relationship with Him.
Worship God!
'Ready Answer' by StaffWhat is worship? What should our attitude be in worship? How do we worship God? Our God is seeking people to worship Him in spirit and truth!
God Works in Mysterious Ways (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughFor His Own reasons, God has chosen not to reveal His plan to those the world considers wise, but, instead, to work with the weaker sort of mankind.
Choices and a Man After God's Own Heart: Turn, Turn, Turn
Sermon by Mark SchindlerHonoring our free choice and understanding our weaknesses, God alters time and chance for us, using our mistakes as tools to enhance our godly character.
God's Rest (Part 2)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe two principal robbers of peace are pride and the drive to have complete control of our lives. Discontent and imagined victimization led Adam and Eve into sin.
Glorifying God
Sermon by John O. ReidWe have been called for the purpose of glorifying God by totally changing our lives, conforming to His character and image.
Fully Accepting God's Sovereignty (Part Six, Conclusion)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Our responsibility is to yield to God's sovereignty. Nevertheless, God has enabled us to freely sin, but holds us responsible for governing ourselves.
God's Rest (Part 1)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe Sabbath rest depicts the miracle of conversion, in which the transformation of mankind into God's image brings about a rest in which God takes pleasure.
The Importance of Doctrine
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughPeople who try to supplement their spiritual diet with lawlessness or other heresies risk losing their identity, and ultimately their spiritual life.
Human Will
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughGod's children should never emulate the self-willed attitude Frank Sinatra's song "My Way" glorifies. Human nature and godly character are polar opposites.
Jesus and the Feast (Part One): Alignment With God
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughOnly in John 7 do we find some evidence of Tabernacles and the Eighth Day, providing a gold mine to discover what was on Jesus's mind during this time.
God's Rest (Part 3)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughLust begets a guilty conscience, agitation, anxiety, depression, grief, torment. Wrong desire leads to lying, adultery, and murder—eventually leading to death.
Wrong Will Eventually Be Set Right
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsGod frequently turns things around with an element of surprise, defeating human will, replacing it with understanding of the benefits of His will.
God Expects a Return on His Investment (Part Six)
Sermon by David F. MaasWhen we find our proper niche of service in the body of Christ, we will experience more joy and fun than a human being ought to be allowed.
Godly Regret
Sermonette by Ryan McClureWorldly sorrow is superficial and unproductive, while godly sorrow yields not only repentance, but also a bumper crop of the fruits of God's Holy Spirit.
Holiness of God (Part 3)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughAs bearers of God's name, we must aspire to holiness. Perfecting holiness is the process by which we are transformed from the glory of man to the glory of God.
For Love of Family
Sermonette by Austin Del CastilloGod's saints, as both kings and priests, will both teach God's law as well as maintain civic governmental functions, needing to exercise patience.
Four Warnings (Part Three): I Never Knew You
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughChrist's third warning in the Sermon on the Mount is to beware of hypocrisy, professing to do things in Jesus' name but habitually practicing lawlessness.
Here I Am!
Sermonette by James C. StoertzThe Hebrew hinneh and the Greek idou translated 'Here I am,' is a declaration of humble readiness to serve, expressing obedience, trust, and availability.
Characteristics of the Surrendered Life
CGG Weekly by Mike FuhrerBy surrendering to God and conducting ourselves in harmony with His revealed truth, we can live abundantly, and our lives become transformed.
As I Breathe
Sermonette by Austin Del CastilloSome in the church of God have succumbed to the lie that we do not need to be overly concerned about sinning because we are under God's grace.
Go Forward
Sermon by Mark SchindlerAre we ready to sacrifice as was Moses, realizing that our precious calling is far more than the imaginary quest of Don Quixote?
On Works
Sermon by John O. ReidWorks are necessary for a Christian, and have not been neutralized by grace. Good works serve as the evidence of faith; faith without works is dead.
Spiritual Strongholds (Part One): Obedience
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsJoshua quickly acquiesced to God, realizing that it is not a question of God being with us; we must yield unconditionally to the sovereign will of God.
Abraham's Sacrifice (Part Three): Hope Demonstrated
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughAbraham's resolute intent to sacrifice Isaac displayed his unreserved devotion to God's purpose for him. We must display the same kind of tenacity.
He Who Overcomes
Sermon by John O. ReidIt is not profitable to focus on the place of safety or the specific time of Christ's return, but instead to make the best use of our time to overcome.