Separation and At-One-Ment
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughSince the beginning, God's purpose has been to bring all things into harmony with Him, giving mankind a respite from the heaviness of a sin-laden world.
Sin: The Wall That Separates
Sermonette by Ted E. BowlingOur sins separate us from God; if we want to walk with God, it must be without sin. It is for our benefit that God holds such a high standard.
A Warning from Jude (Part One)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeThe stories of Cain, Balaam, and Korah help us to understand Jude's urgent warning to the church for all time. These men's ways are continually repeated.
Reconciliation and Unity
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh stresses that unless the splinters of the greater church of God repair their mangled relationships with the Almighty, recoupling will be impossible. A major contributory factor in the scattering is the deceitful heart of man (Jeremiah 17:9) and carnal nature (Romans 8:7) which attempts to substitute charm and …
Reconciliation and the Day of Atonement
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughRepentance is something we must do with our God-given free moral agency. Reconciliation is an ongoing process that enables us to draw closer to what God is.
Addicted
Sermonette by Joseph B. BaityJoe Baity continues his exposition of the epidemic of loneliness and the addictive behavior (drug abuse and other compulsive activities) to which individuals turn to for relief. Addictive behavior provides a short-term reward of pleasure while systematically destroying the nervous system and body. Recently, research has posited …
Satan, Division, and Humility
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughCompetition is the root cause of war, business takeovers, and marital discord. Solomon describes man's rivalry with one another as a striving after wind.
Pride, Humility, and the Day of Atonement
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughAtonement, when we are commanded to afflict our souls, is a time of self-evaluation and repentance. This is the only way to have real unity with God.
Purpose-Driven Acts of Conciliation
Sermon by Mark SchindlerConciliation involves placating others with the intent to bring harmony and peace. By esteeming others better than ourselves, we become a force for peace.
Understanding Unity
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, focusing on the alarming fragmentation and disunity taking place throughout society and within God's church, assures us that God will ultimately answer Jesus' five-fold prayer for unity in John 17:11. We have a vital part to play in bringing about this unity, beginning with the marriage institution and families. …
The Beatitudes, Part One: The Sermon on the Mount
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughThe Sermon on the Mount is as vitally important today as when Christ preached it. It contains the way we are to live as God's representatives on this earth.
A Time To Scatter
Sermonette by David C. GrabbeDavid Grabbe, cuing in on Ecclesiastes 3:1-3, reminds us that God has designed sequential seasons in which various events occur as a part of a long-term plan. God plans the season; we only get to choose whether and how to respond. There is a time to gather and a time to throw away; there is a time to embrace and a time to …
Unity
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJesus, in His prayer recorded in John 17, fervently asks for unity among His Disciples (and by extension-all of us). Almost 20% of this prayer is devoted to the subject of unity, that His disciples would be unified with God the Father and with each other, as Jesus is unified with the Father. If we aren't unified with our …
The Cost of Reconciliation
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughReconciliation is the product of a sacrifice to pacify the wrath of an offended person. We must imitate Christ in His approach toward hostility from others.
In the Grip of Distrust
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughAs our culture deteriorates, there is a deep-seated distrust, not just of government but of all kinds of institutions that people once had confidence in.
Forbearance
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughGod put up with the foibles of Abraham, Samson, David, Job, and others, allowing them time to repent and build character. We need to develop this godly trait.
Removing Bars of Contention Between Brethren
Sermon by David F. MaasDavid Maas cautions that in a dangerous and troubled world in which everyone is being manipulated and conned into squaring off in hatred for one another, being enticed to take the spiritual mark of the Beast (seething anger and hatred toward one another), we must find common ground, not only with our fellow citizens, but …
