Playlist: Commandments, Keeping (topic)

listen:

Colossian Law-Keeping

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Nominal Christendom cannot see God's law even though it is in plain sight. In Colossians, Paul reiterates or alludes to all but one of the Ten Commandments.


Considered Rather Than Commanded - Choose Life

Sermon by Mark Schindler

As God calls His people, He enables them (through His Spirit) to make considered decisions concerning living His way of life by obeying His commandments.


Endeavoring to Keep the Unity

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

The leadership of a father and a husband has a profound influence upon family, society, and culture, especially regarding unity.


Keeping God's Standards

Sermon by John O. Reid

God's law will be the spiritual weights and measures in the Kingdom, but until then, we must glorify God by keeping these standards as a bright light.


The Two Great Commandments: First Principles

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

God made male and female in His image and has determined that the binary metamorphize into unitary in order to accomplish higher Spiritual purposes.


Feast: Command of God?

Sermonette by Ronny H. Graham

Keeping God's annual Sabbaths are just as much a mandate on God's people as keeping the Ten Commandments.


The Ninth Commandment

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

We must embody truth as did Jesus Christ, absolutely refusing to bear false witness in our words, our behavior, and our cumulative reputation.


The Fifth Commandment

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The fifth commandment teaches our responsibility to give high regard, respect, and esteem to parents and other authority figures, leading to a prosperous life.


In Honor of the Father

Sermonette by Austin Del Castillo

Father's Day is a time to not only honor our physical fathers, but also our Heavenly Father who established the family and the sanctity of marriage.


As I Breathe

Sermonette by Austin Del Castillo

Some 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.


Forms vs. Spirituality (Part 4)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The yoke grievous to bear (Acts 15:10) was not God's law, but an entire package of Pharisaic regulations that had been elevated to the level of God's law.


Our Need for God's Law

Sermonette by Austin Del Castillo

Gnosticism, which had infiltrated the congregations in Galatia and Colossae, has dominated mainstream Christianity, causing it to reject God's law.


The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Twenty-Nine)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

A summary of the Covenants, Grace, and Law series, reiterating the differences in the Covenants and the respective places of grace and law in God's purpose.


A Man of Fortitude and Conviction

Sermonette by Ted E. Bowling

Desmond Doss was the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor. This Sabbath-keeping medic exemplifies total conviction.


The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Fourteen)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

No part of God's Law has been 'done away'. Jesus came to magnify the law, giving it a far more penetrating, spiritual application. Man flounders without law.


The Faithfulness of God (Part One)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

God has a very real concern for us, promising to never leave us. We have to strongly believe in His faithfulness to build a relationship with Him.


The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Twenty-Eight)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The yoke of bondage Paul refers to in Galatians was a combination of the code of regulations added by the Pharisees and Gnostic ritualism, not God's Law.


The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Four)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Justification does not 'do away' with the law; it brings us into alignment with it, imputing the righteousness of Christ and giving access to God for sanctification.


The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Ten)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The term "covenant" describes an agreement made by two parties and "testament" to describe the one-sided commitment made by God to improve the promises.


Deuteronomy: Fear

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

When people allow fear to rule them, they lose their mind. Fear of God, however, is not mind killing, but inspires a reverential awe of the Creator.


Deuteronomy (Part 4) (1994)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

We must seek God as ardently as we would a physical love relationship, spending quality time with Him. If we make no effort, the relationship cools.


Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part Six)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

God wants us to use wisdom to change ourselves, humbly replacing our perspective with His perspective. God gives wisdom as a component of His grace.


The Law's Purpose and Intent

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

The effectiveness of a law is found in its purpose and intent rather than the letter. Love and mercy constitute the spiritual fulfillment of the Law.


Four Warnings (Part Three): I Never Knew You

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Christ'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.


Strategies for Escaping Babylon (Part Six)

Sermon by David F. Maas

All the New Testament writers warned about false prophets trying to sever the symbiotic relationship between law and grace, law and faith, law and works.


Does Doctrine Really Matter? (Part Ten)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The vast majority of Christian-professing churches has been saturated with pagan doctrines (like antinomianism and dispensationalism), derived from Gnosticism.


These Things We Know

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The writings of John contain nine categories of "we know" assertions. Fully knowing consists of developing a deep intense relationship with God.


The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The doctrinal changes made by the leaders in the Worldwide Church of God worked to destroy the vision of God's purpose through obscuring the real reason for works.


Love's Emotional Dimension

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Love doesn't become 'love' until we act. If we don't do what is right, the right feeling will never be formed; emotions are largely developed by our experiences.


Our Part in the Sanctification Process (Part Ten): Cultivating the Fruit of Self Control

Sermon by David F. Maas

It is impossible to cultivate self-control unless one uses God's Spirit to reprogram the desires of the heart from self-centeredness to submission to God.


Does Doctrine Really Matter? (Part Eleven)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Because of Dispensationalism, many believe there is an adversarial relationship between law and grace, as though they cannot be complementary.


The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Eighteen)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Paul never taught any Jew to forsake the Law of Moses, but he did warn against Pharisaical additions for the expressed purpose of attaining justification.


The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Sixteen)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Righteousness consists of applying the Law's letter and/or intent. Sin constitutes a failure of living up to the standards of what God defines as right.


Do You Really Know God?

Sermon by Clyde Finklea

We can know for sure that we know Him intimately by keeping His commandments and practicing loving kindnesses.


The Beauty of God's Law

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Keeping God's Law brings bountiful blessings, harmony, and profound peace (Psalm 119:165), while the 'cheap' grace brings guilt, anxiety, and pain.


In God We Trust

Sermonette by Ryan McClure

When the Assyrian monarch Sennacherib tried to intimidate Hezekiah, attempting to sow doubt and division, God intervened, destroying 185,000 soldiers.


Deuteronomy and History

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The Israelites lost their identity when they went into captivity. They failed to teach their children, to keep the Sabbath, and to remember who they were.


Intimacy with Christ (Part Four)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

We don't really know something unless we have experienced it. Knowing God manifests itself in the way one lives, reflecting faithfulness and obedience.


Whatever We Ask

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Prayer comes under attack if we live double-lives, giving us a guilty conscience, not practicing what we have been taught, allowing our hearts to condemn us.


Our Walk With God

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Like ancient Israel, we walk out of our individual circumstances through a metaphorical desert of trials and tests, following God into the Promised Land.


Leadership and Covenants (Part Twenty-Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Much of Protestantism misconstrues the significance of the New Covenant as a 'free pass into Heaven' without paying attention to the Law within the Covenant.


First Do No Harm

Sermonette by Joseph B. Baity

The physician's code attributed to Hippocrates was designed to inspire trust on the part of the patients, especially on behalf of the most vulnerable.


Hebrews: Its Background (Part One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Although God never intended the Old Covenant to endure eternally, the spiritual law (shared by both the old and new covenants) lasts forever.


The Sabbath: Redemption

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

God has blessed us with the Sabbath, a period of holy time, when He redeems us from the clutches of our carnality and this evil world.


Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Ecclesiastes is perhaps the most practical book in the Old Testament, providing overviews of life-guiding advice, essentially a roadmap through the maze.


Living by Faith: God's Grace (Part Four)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Because we are all sinners, we have earned only death; justification is not earned, but must come through faith and believing God as did our father Abraham.


Assurance That We Know Him!

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

If we know God, we no longer have the feeling that God is against us; we have no dread of God, but instead have awe and respect; we know that God loves us.


Does Doctrine Really Matter? (Part Thirteen)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The elect are not immune to antinomian deception, including the doctrine of eternal security, the total depravity of man, unconditional love, and cheap grace.


Deuteronomy (Part 2) (1994)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Deuteronomy, which is to be reviewed every seven years, provides us with vision and instruction for living in our spiritual Promised Land.


Our Part in the Sanctification Process (Part Eight) Cultivating the Fruit of Faithfulness

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by David F. Maas

The only tangible measures of faith is faithfulness, trust, and loyalty to God. We don't need to ask God for more faith, but rather work on being faithful.


You Are My Friends!

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

While it is common on Facebook to defriend/unfriend, Christ's love for His people is a friending with the condition that godly fruit is produced.


Sincerity and Truth (Part Three)

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

We should continually live and think on the same wavelength as God does, maintaining a close relationship with Him as we continue in the sanctification process.


God's Law Is Eternal

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Many say that God's laws have been abolished, even though Jesus taught that until heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or tittle of the Law will disappear.


Man's Greatest Challenge (Part Two)

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Many have difficulty accepting internal biblical evidence attesting to the Bible's authority. When properly studied, there are no contradictions in Scripture.


A Priceless Gift

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God's people are the precious jewels (or the private, personal possessions) of God, obligated to conform exclusively to His will and purpose.


Deuteronomy (Part 5)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God's faithfulness is the foundation of our faith. We cannot live by faith unless we believe we have a God who is faithful in everything He does.


What Does God Really Want? (Part 3)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The Good Samaritan parable teaches that unless one practices doing good rather than just knowing good, his faith will be severely compromised.


The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Seven)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The New Covenant was designed by God to circumcise the heart, making it possible for God's laws to be written in our hearts and reflected in our behavior.


Deuteronomy (Part 1) (1994)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Deuteronomy could be considered the New Testament of the Old Testament, serving as a commentary on the Ten Commandments. It gives vision for critical times.


Secret Faults and Presumptuous Thoughts

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

People can mentally 'legalize their iniquities,' in doing so attempting to make God the accomplice of their sins. But He will not overlook blatant faults.


Leadership and the Covenants (Part One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

We qualify to lead by internalizing the covenants, not only believing God, but doing what He says, realizing that the covenants are not complicated.


Faithful, Following Firstfruits

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Those reveling in the 'new freedoms' of apostasy cannot be persuaded to return to former beliefs because they no longer believe in the sanctified Word of God.


Seeking God's Will (Part Five): Goodness

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

God employs goodness when He shakes us out of complacency and directs us toward repentance. God's goodness is there to take advantage of if we trust Him.


Trumpets: Glorious Appearings

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

God spoke audibly to Moses and the people, intentionally testing their faithfulness, to instill the fear of the Lord in them, and to keep them from sin.


Foundations of Sand

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

We all have a measure of sand in our foundations, symbolic of the world's evil standards, prioritizing badly, becoming neglectful, and letting things slip.


Who Do You Trust? (Part Four): You Shall Soar Like Eagles

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Mark Schindler

Even Hezekiah, more righteous than any other king, stumbled. But Almighty God is always ready to pick us up, enabling us to soar like eagles.


Does Jesus See You as His Friend?

Sermonette by Austin Del Castillo

Jesus puts a condition on our friendship: We are His friends if we do what He commands, unlike the assumption that belief on His name is the only requirement.


No One Else Matters (Part Two)

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Sin has tainted the most faithful leaders. Most (perhaps all) church leaders have skeletons in their closets, but we follow them as they follow Christ.


Manasseh

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Even though Manasseh was absolutely the worst king ever to lead Judah, Manasseh finally got the message that God only is God, and sincerely repented.


Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part Five)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Solomon warns against bad choices in our investment of time. Our knowledge that we will ultimately die should motivate us to use our time circumspectly.


God's Sea of Glass (Part 2)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

At the marriage supper of the Lamb, the resurrected saints, those who have faithfully kept God's commandments, will be allowed to assemble on the sea of glass.


No Real Love Without God

Sermon by John O. Reid

We are called to take on the very nature of God, to put on the love of God. Surprisingly, We can rekindle our first love by ardently keeping God's Commandments.


The Christian and the World (Part Four)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Help in following God comes from displacing the love for the world with the love for God, and setting our hearts on spiritual treasures instead of earthly ones.


The Christian and the World (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

There is a clear demarcation in God's mind regarding which is the true way and which is not. We were formerly children of Satan until God rescued us.


James and Unleavened Bread (Part One)

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The book of James applies to us after the sanctification process has begun. The most effective way of eliminating sin is to do righteousness.


Offerings (Part Seven)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

If we want to follow Christ, we must sacrifice, take up our cross, and follow His example of service to God and others.


The Fifth Teacher

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

Corinth had four positive teachers, yet a mysterious fifth teacher was also influencing them and instilling beliefs that were the source of all the bad fruit.


Things Pertaining to the Kingdom!

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Between Christ's resurrection and ascension, He appeared to His disciples 10 times within 40 days, instructing them about things pertaining to the Kingdom.


Living Abundantly In Tough Times

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Lived properly, a Christian's life is scintillating and deeply satisfying, full of rewards, even though it involves responsibility and self-control.


Deuteronomy's Major Themes

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Deuteronomy is the heart of the Old Testament, with its words throughout the New Testament, providing a foundation of doctrine and an outline for entering God's Kingdom.


Change and Hope

Sermon by John O. Reid

As God found it necessary to test our forbears, He allows us to go through grueling experiences (trials, tests, and temptations) for maximum growth.


What Does God Really Want? (Part 2)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

If we want to be like our Savior, then we will live the way He lived, keeping God's commandments — which exemplify the highest form of love.


Forms vs. Spirituality (Part 6)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Christ emphasizes that the internal, weightier matters, which change the heart, take precedence over external ceremonial concerns that don't change the heart.


Ecclesiastes and the Feast of Tabernacles (Part 2)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God emphasizes Ecclesiastes during the Feast of Tabernacles to show the result of doing whatever our human heart leads us to do. The physical cannot satisfy.


Loving Christ and Revelation 2:1-7

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

There is a direct relationship between loving Christ and doing the right works. God's love for us places us under a compelling obligation to reciprocate.


Love and Works

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God expects works from all He has called. We show our faithfulness and loyalty to God by our works or conduct - what we produce by what we have been given.


Grace Upon Grace

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Forgiveness is only the beginning of the grace process, enabling us to grow to the stature of Christ. Paradoxically, grace puts us under obligation to obey.


Deuteronomy: Hearing

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

By listening, taking heed, and drinking in of God's Word daily, we take on the wisdom of God, upending and making foolish the wisdom of man.


Seeking God's Will (Part Seven): Conclusion

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

As we walk in the light, we will prove to ourselves and others that God's way is best. Wisdom and understanding will accrue by keeping God's commandments.


Many Excuses

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

We need to avoid the trap of self-justification, allowing our hasty words to lure us into sin. We must be quick to listen, and slow to speak.


The Father-Son Relationship (Part Seven)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The Holy Spirit is never venerated as a separate being. Our hope is the indwelling of Christ, used interchangeably with 'Spirit of God' and 'Spirit of Truth.'


Principled Living (Part Four): Giving of Ourselves

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

As Christ sacrificed for us, we are called to sacrifice for others. Love is an action, a behavior, rather than an emotion, described in I Corinthians 13.


The Five Paraklete Sayings

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The five parakletos sayings of Christ prove that the Holy Spirit is the essence, mind, and power of God and Christ in us, providing us assistance and counsel.


Deuteronomy (Part 4)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

If we learn to fear and love God, loyalty, faithfulness and commandment-keeping will naturally follow, and we will instinctively hasten to depart from evil.


Maintaining Good Health (Part 12)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The church of God today resembles a patient languishing from a deadly disease, resulting from a diet of spiritual junk food and neglecting the bread of life.


The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Twenty-One)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The Colossian Christians were criticized by ascetics for the way they were keeping the Sabbath and holy days. Paul argues against a philosophy, not the law of God.


Truth (Part 3)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

With the Spirit of God—the light of God—we see the true shape and form of things, and reality appears as something we can see clearly. We find truth.


Abraham (Part Eight)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

If we surrender to God, allowing Him to shape character in us, He will enable us to live in hope, giving us direct access to Him, giving us a more abundant life.


It is Done! The Perfect Peace of God

Sermon by Mark Schindler

In the peace offering, Christ is the priest, offeror, and offering. Since all parties share the peace offering as a meal, it exemplifies a peaceful communion.


Wilderness Wanderings (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The spiritual journey of God's people is more difficult than the physical one of the ancient Israelites, requiring as it does more resources to navigate.


Faith Over Fear

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

When it looks like things are out of control, God is busily at work behind the scenes. If we replace anxiety with faith, God will grant us divine peace.


Hebrews: Its Background (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Hebrews emphasizes that Jesus qualified as High Priest, teaching us about living by faith in the New Covenant, which mandates that we keep His commandments.


Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part Twenty-Six)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

To keep us secure from the temptations of the world, we must embrace our metaphorical sister, Wisdom, keeping us focused on our relationship with God.


Antichrist Deceptions

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Antichrists manifest several characteristics, including fostering deception and confusion, preventing fellowship, and creating intense spiritual conflict.


Unity and Unleavened Bread

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

As members of Christ's body, we must function for the good of the whole body, not competing with other parts. We must continually function as a son of God.


Unity

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Each member of Christ's body must choose to function in the role God has ordained to produce unity, emulating Christ in striving to please the Father


Sabbathkeeping (Part 1)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

How and why a person keeps the Sabbath determines whether this test commandment is really a sign between God and His people or an act of futility.


The Christian and the World (Part Three)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

We must realize we are walking on a razor's edge, with the Kingdom of God on one side and the world with all its sensual magnetic charms on the other side.


The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Six)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Circumcision is a token, sign, or seal that one was the heir of Abraham. No physical sign has the power to transfer righteousness to the doer.


The Mark of the Beast

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Will we trust God in the basic areas of life—food, clothing, and water—or compromise, accepting the mark of the beast to save our physical lives?


Ecclesiastes and the Feast of Tabernacles (Part 1)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Love for this world will inevitably bring disillusionment. Because the world is passing away, our priorities should be to fear God and keep his commandments.


Offerings (Part Five)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

We give peace offerings today through living sacrifice, keeping God's law out of love and to glorify Him rather than just to perform duty.


Why Do You Believe What You Believe?

Sermonette by Craig Sablich

Why are we taking ten days out of our lives, putting 10% of our income aside, bringing ourselves to a vacation mecca but seemingly not doing whatever we want?


Going Up to the Mountain of the Lord

Sermonette by Ryan McClure

God commands us to rejoice during the Feast of Booths. We make a journey to where He has placed His name, imitating the joy God continually experiences.


Isaac and the Day of Small Things

Sermon by Charles Whitaker (1944-2021)

Isaac did not play what historians might judge to be a significant role on the world's stage, yet kept the faith, never despising the day of small things.


Light of the Body

Sermonette by Ronny H. Graham

If we take their focus off the genuine Light of the World (John 8:12), we run the risk of being blinded by the lusts of the world and the pulls of the flesh.


Continue to Live the Perfect Law of Liberty

Sermonette by Mark Schindler

America is an experiment in self-government, successful only if the citizens remain moral. The law of liberty works only if we obey God's Commandments.


Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen (Part One)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Jesus Christ warns us to hold fast to true doctrine. Secular historians help us discover the identity of the small flock repeatedly rescued from apostasy.


Forgiving, Giving, and Living

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

God possesses attributes that are His alone, like omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. But there are other attributes that become part of our new nature.


Truly Unleavened

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

God has imputed righteousness to us as His Children because we are in Christ. Our state before God is unleavened provided we maintain this relationship.


Leadership and Covenants (Part Fifteen)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The quality of leadership affects the morality and well-being of a nation, and the quality of family leadership trickles up to civic and governmental leadership.


Deceivers and Antichrists

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

Whoever does not abide in the doctrine of the indwelling of Christ does not have God, but whoever does abide in this doctrine has both the Father and the Son.


In Search of a Clear World View (Part Six)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The responsibility given to the church Christ has called out of this world is to expand His teachings, magnifying them and making them clear and honorable.


In Search of a Clear World View (Part Three)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Each member has been gifted by Christ. We must not go beyond the gifts that have been given to us, but must use them humbly, employing them to edify.


In Search of a Clear World View (Part Two)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The true church is a unique educational institution, teaching the way of God and amplifying His Commandments, in contrast to the churches of this world.


The Epistles of II and III John (Part One)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

In our quest for unity, we can never compromise with the truth. True love between brethren is impossible without an equal pr greater love for the truth.


Finding Favor

Sermonette by Ryan McClure

When we attain favor with God, we often find favor with our fellow man, but not always. We can find favor with both God and man if we value a good name.


Are You Living an Abundant Life?

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

If Christianity is lived the way Christ intended, rather than as represented by media caricatures, it is one of the most exhilarating and abundant lifestyles.


Peace with God Through Christ

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

The only possibility of attaining peace is a relationship with God—peace with God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, which must continually be refined.


Who Are You?

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John O. Reid

God chooses the base and the foolish of the world, giving them the precious truth leading to sanctification and glorification, making us unique to God.


Teach Them Young

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The most dramatic growth in the brain occurs between age 3 and age 12, at which time 1000 trillion synaptic connections turn the child into a knowledge sponge.


Highly Skilled Overcomers

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Following our passions only applies if we invest the career capital to perfect our craft, honing our skills so that other people will pay for what we have to offer.


Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Until Christ returns, the world's problems will not be solved. Using godly wisdom helps us to deal with our circumstances, but it won't change the world.


God's Calling and Election

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

We have been given something far more valuable than the lottery, namely our calling. We are obligated not to squander this valuable opportunity.


Psalms: Book Five (Part Five): Psalm 119 (Part Two)

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Even though keeping the law does not justify us, it does point out to us what sin is. The law is a guide keeping us within moral and ethical boundaries.


Eternal Servant Leadership

Sermon by Mark Schindler

Our responsibility should be to learn to serve rather than to emulate the pompous gentile leaders who love to domineer over their subjects.


Lacking Nothing (Part One)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Scarcity seems to redefine the value of everything, including tools, food, or sentimental objects. Utility trumps every other consideration.


The March Toward Globalism (Part Seven)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Neither permissiveness nor harshness are endorsed by God; sound-mindedness in child-rearing requires control and measured justice while avoiding extremes.


Marriage and the Bride of Christ (Part Six)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Husbands must be humble (willing to sacrifice), imitating the behavior of Christ, striving to attain reconciliation and atonement with their wives.


No Longer Brain Dead

Sermon by Mark Schindler

As God teaches us spiritual things, He expects us to act less like blockheads and more like adults, making the truth of God the bedrock of our lives.


Do Unto Others and Reap What We Sow

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Reaping good fruit does not happen immediately. If we feel we are not reaping, we must consider that we might be reaping some negative things we have sown.


I Pledge Allegiance

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The words 'under God' were added to the Pledge in 1954. As our country drifts toward socialism, we need to determine where our true allegiance lies.


The Ship Is Yours

Sermon by Mark Schindler

Just as the captain of a ship wants decision-makers, not just order takers, God expects us to make decisions in accordance with His will.


Magic Doesn't Work (Part Three)

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Magic is always used as some kind of weapon, but not to build or develop moral strength or character. God chooses a life-long process of sanctification.


Rain

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Weather disasters expose the moral weaknesses of a nation. We need to patiently and obediently wait for the early and latter rains that God will provide.


Sin and Overcoming (Part 3): The Battle For Eternal Life

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

The Laodicean temperament falls far short in promoting the processes of overcoming and repentance. Spiritual growth and godly behavior take tremendous work.


Paul's Letter to Titus (Part 1)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Paul encourages Titus to seek out teachers who have an ardent love of the truth, and warns him about false teachers who deceive the congregation.


Testing the Spirits (Part 2)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

I John, addresses a congregation grounded in the truth but vexed from within by a number of anti-Christian teachings, including Docetism and Gnosticism.


Principled Living (Part Six): Becoming Holy

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Pentecost forces us to stand out from the crowd, separated as firstfruits for sanctification and holiness. God has called us to be different.


Listening

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Biblical listening is not just hearing, but active understanding and responding, leading to changed behavior. Not hearing is tantamount to rebellion.


Words Versus Images

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Spiritually, relying on images leads to shallowness of thought at best and idolatry at its worst. Virtually everything we know about God comes through words.


Carelessness

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Carelessness, indicative of not thinking, when reinforced or carried on into life, can be lethal or irreparable. Undervaluing our way leads to a careless lifestyle.


The Christian Medal of Honor

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

God rewards patient and continual perseverance in good works, reflecting an inner nobility and character.


Deuteronomy (Part 7)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Sanctification is an incremental process in which we systematically destroy the sin within us as our forebears were asked to destroy the inhabitants of Canaan.


Examining God's Judgments

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The fall holy days picture various judgments by God, bringing about liberty, reconciliation, regathering, and restoration.


Sanctification and Holiness (Part 1)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

As God's priesthood, we must draw near to God, keep His commandments, and witness to the world that God is God. God is shaping and fashioning His new creation.


Importance of the True Gospel

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The way back to unity is to embrace the vision that once kept us focused on the same goal, giving us active, kinetic, dynamic and explosive power.


The Kingdom of God

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The Kingdom of God includes a King, territory, citizenry, and laws. The term kingdom (Greek basileia), has a past, present and future application.


Self-Government and Responsibility (Part Three)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Jacob's Trouble, or the Great Tribulation, comes about because people are not meeting their God-given responsibilities: keeping His Commandments.


Self-Government and Responsibility (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Our experiences prepare us to be a better judge or king. Though we may exercise righteous judgment, we dare not pass judgment nor justify sin in ourselves.


John (Part Twenty-Three)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

In Christ's vine and branch analogy, Jesus presents Himself as the true or genuine Vine, as contrasted to the unfaithful vine (ancient Israel).


John (Part Twenty)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Just as a seed must die to itself in order to bear fruit, we also must sacrifice our lives, submitting unconditionally to God's to bear abundant fruit.


Offerings (Part Four)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

The peace offering symbolizes the abundant life that results from complete devotion to God (the burnt offering) and service to others (the meal offering).


Matthew (Part Twenty-Five)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Jesus contrasts the enormity of what we are forgiven to what we forgive others. Our forgiveness is directly connected with our forgiveness of our brother.