Doorway to the Kingdom

Sermonette by Bill Onisick

Any time we feel prompted to exalt ourselves, we demonstrate Satan's spirit of pride, thereby jeopardizing our entry into God's family.

Grace, Mercy, and Favor (Part Four): Favor to Live as God Lives

Sermon by Mark Schindler

We earn God's favor by obedience; there is a direct tie between submission to His will and His favor. The more one submits, the more favor and grace accrues.

Responding to God's Pruning Is Not Passive (Part Two)

Sermon by David F. Maas

Briars, thistles, thorns, and weeds are visible emblems of sin or its consequences, which we must pull up by the roots for the balance of our physical life.

Give God Something to Bless

Sermonette by Hunter D. Swanson

We are not puppets whom God and Satan are fighting to take control over. We are fighting carnal nature and must always take action to give our hearts to God.

The Case Against Pride

Sermonette by James Beaubelle

Three symptoms of pride include (1) lying to protect our self-image; (2) competitiveness; (3) believing our personal ideas are more valuable than God's Truth.

Grace, Mercy, and Favor (Part One): To the Beaten

Sermon by Mark Schindler

God's people may fall into the trap of forgetting the sinful past from which God rescued them and come to look disdainfully on those not yet called.

Delusions of Perfection

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

We need to exercise humility and forbearance when we deal with the weaknesses of our brethren, restoring them in love as we would expect them to do for us.

The Problem with Pride

Sermon by Ryan McClure

Unlovable

Sermonette by Joseph B. Baity

If God's people do not believe they are lovable, they may deprive others of a blessing by refusing to accept charitable help from a spiritual sibling.

More Righteous Than the Pharisees?

Sermon by John O. Reid

The Pharisees were in the office or seat of Moses. Jesus taught His followers to follow their words (pertaining to the Law of God), but not their personal examples.

New Covenant Priesthood (Part Six)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

We must have both perseverance and humility in prayer to keep our vision sharp and clear. Without humility, the doorway to acceptance by God is closed.

Human Will

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

God's children should never emulate the self-willed attitude Frank Sinatra's song "My Way" glorifies. Human nature and godly character are polar opposites.

Faith (Part Six)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The hallmark of Christian character is humility, which comes about only when one sees himself in comparison to God. Pride makes distorted comparisons.

Pride, Humility, and Fasting

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The intent of fasting is to deflate our pride—the major taproot of sin—the biggest deterrent to a positive relationship with God. Humility heals the breach.

New Covenant Priesthood (Part Nine)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Pride elevates one above God, denigrating any dependence upon God, replacing it with self-idolatry. We ought to boast or glory in the Lord instead of ourselves.

Infected?

Sermonette by Bill Onisick

Jesus warned His disciples to cease pretending to be better than they are, focusing on the faults of others while whitewashing and justifying one's own.

Faith (Part Seven)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Pride is a perverted comparison that elevates one above another. Because of its arrogant self-sufficiency, it hinders our faith. Faith depends on humility.

Are We Ever Good Enough?

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

It is necessary to begin with a conviction of sin in order to experience a need for Jesus Christ and to receive the joy in the forgiveness of sin.

The Secret Sin Everyone Commits

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Self-righteous people tend to trust in their own heart, be wise in their own eyes, justify themselves, despise or disregard others, and judge or condemn others.

Miriam: Prophetess and Leader

Sermonette by Ted E. Bowling

Miriam resembles every one of us as potential leaders. When she learned her lesson about pride, Miriam achieved the same exalted stature as Moses and Aaron.

Habakkuk: A Prophet of Faith (Part Four)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

We may find God's means of correction discouraging, but when we place His actions in context with His overall plan, we can find peace in God's sovereignty.

Jude and the Glorious Power of God

Sermon by Mark Schindler

Attributing the messages of God's spokesmen as coming from Satan constitutes speaking evil of dignitaries. Jude emphasizes submission to divine authority.

New Covenant Priesthood (Part Eight)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Pride leads to destruction, tricking us into thinking we deserve better than we have. Paradoxically, pride is a mark of inferiority, causing overcompensation.

Essential Characteristics of Our Calling

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Doctrine and practice be evenly balanced. If the behaviors are detached from principle and doctrine, the weightier matters of the law will be neglected.

The Same Mind, Judgment, and Speech

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

With the mind of Christ, we can agree with our spiritual siblings. We do not receive the fullness of Christ's mind at baptism; we must continue to seek it.

Spiritual Fine Tuning

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by David F. Maas

As maturing Christians, we are called to lay aside the childlike tendency to over-correct, violently and impulsively moving from one ditch to the other.

Christ Our Standard

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Knowledge 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.

Whose Side Are We On?

Sermon by Bill Onisick

When we step into the role of the accuser, especially when we dare to accuse our spiritual siblings, we are acting on behalf of Satan the devil.

Examine Yourself

Sermon by James Beaubelle

Jesus kept the two great commandments flawlessly, providing us an example. These two great commandments are where most of our self-examination should revolve.

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

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

We should not expect brethren to be perfect; we all sin. God has not given His People the prerogative to judge another member as a tare.

The Sovereignty of God (Part Ten)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Like Job, we must surrender to God's will and purpose for our lives, realizing that both pleasant and horrendous times work for our spiritual development.

John (Part Ten)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

When God removes an infirmity or gives a blessing, He also gives a responsibility to follow through, using the blessing to overcome and glorify God.

Wrong Will Eventually Be Set Right

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

God frequently turns things around with an element of surprise, defeating human will, replacing it with understanding of the benefits of His will.

Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part Twenty-Five)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Gossip about us from someone we may have trusted can be painful, yet our tongue has likely been just as detrimental against someone who may have trusted us.

Strategies for Interfacing with Babylon Without Becoming Assimilated (Part Three)

Sermon by David F. Maas

The current stormy cultural headwinds consist of noise, hurry, and party spirit. We must replace the gentile style of leadership and elevating leaders.

Habakkuk: A Prophet of Faith (Part Two)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

All of God's people should be watchmen like Habakkuk, living continually by faith, discerning, listening to, and responding to God's instructions.

Faith and the Christian Fight (Part Ten)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Like with the heroes of faith, our testing will be commensurate with the job God has prepared for us. We must make our relationship with God our top priority.

Christ Our Passover

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The focus of our self-examination should not be self-centered or comparing ourselves with others, but on the awesome significance of His sacrifice.

Psalm 55

Sermon/Bible Study by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Psalm 55 shows how a righteous man deals with treachery and betrayal. When we are faced with horrendous problems such as betrayal, escape is not an option.

Amos (Part Eleven)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Ancient Israel had at the core of its religion an obsession to please the self at the expense of justice and the best interests of the disadvantaged.

Strategies for Interfacing with Babylon Without Becoming Assimilated (Part One)

Sermon by David F. Maas

In a culture which glorifies war heroes and winning at all costs, becoming an ambassador to peace is perhaps the most elusive goal we could ever accomplish.

The Last Adam

Sermonette by Ryan McClure

The first Adam yielded to sin and brought death upon humanity; the last Adam beat sin and is on course to permanently destroy death.

Making Good Use of God's Talent

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

Biblically, a talent has nothing to do with ability, skill, or aptitude. The Parable of the Talents goes far beyond making use of skills and abilities.

Agape: Does Not Envy

Sermon by Bill Onisick

The source of envy and covetousness is Satan the devil who coveted God's throne and proved himself as a murderer and liar from the very beginning.

God Expects a Return on His Investment (Part Three)

Sermon by David F. Maas

The natural gift, talent, or ability we receive at our birth provides the raw material God's Spirit uses to transform physical gifts into spiritual gifts.

Without Me, Nothing! (Part Two)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

The first and last words of Jesus Christ in the book of John are to 'follow Me,' directed at His disciples then and now.

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

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

The Parable of the Talents teaches the need for diligence in using the gifts of God. God expects us to use our talents to His glory and in the service of others.

Removing Bars of Contention Between Brethren

Sermon by David F. Maas

In a dangerous and troubled world in which everyone is being manipulated and conned into squaring off in hatred for one another, we must find common ground.

Re-Embracing the Berean Model

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by David F. Maas

We must use Berean self-reflexiveness to become teachable, to search for hidden sins, to detect spiritual blindspots, and to admit when we are wrong.

Rejoice in What We Are (2011)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Because we have been given revelation, we should have peace and a sense of well-being about life that would make the high-achievers of this world envious.

Faith Overcomes the World

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

As we attempt to overcome the world, we soon realize that we battle against invisible principalities, requiring us to form a close relationship with Christ.

Are You Missing Out On Blessings?

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Often physical prosperity works against godly character and spiritual well-being. To be rich toward God means to seek His Kingdom first, live His way, and trust Him.

God's Sense of Justice

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God is absolutely justified in what He decides regarding the judgment and punishment of us all. However, He is merciful and always rewards righteousness.

Maintaining Good Health (Part 6)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

We can do nothing to gain the favor of God before our calling, but we are empowered by God to carry out a particular part of His plan to edify the body.

What Does God Really Want? (Part 6)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God provides the gift before it is actually needed so that when it is needed, everything is prepared for the person to do as he has been commissioned to do.

Unity (Part 3): Ephesians 4 (A)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God alone chooses the servants through whom He works His will. Sometimes the rationale God uses for selecting His vessels defies worldly wisdom.

Make Sure of Your Focus (1998)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Our focus should be to seek God's kingdom, reciprocating God's love, committing ourselves to a life of service, fulfilling His purpose without complaining.