Hebrews: Its Background (Part Seven)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe socio-cultural milieu before the writing of Hebrews created difficulties for the Jewish converts to the Gospel, who were deemed to be traitors.
Acts (Part Eleven)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh explores the conversion of Cornelius, a Gentile. This event is nearly as pivotal a benchmark as the original Pentecost because the Gentiles at this point are given the same portal of salvation (repentance, belief in Christ, and receipt of God's Holy Spirit) originally offered to Israel. This portion of Acts …
Acts (Part Thirteen)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh spends some time explaining the phenomena of lying wonders and visions (such as those seen at Lourdes and Fatima) predicted to become more frequent at the end times. This kind of spiritism involves the deceptive work of lying demons rather than disembodied "souls." In chapter 13, the first time Saul is …
Hebrews: Its Background (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughWhen Hebrews was written, the newly converted Jew to the Way encountered persecution from the established religion and culture similar to what we experience.
Acts (Part Ten)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh reiterates that the martyrdom of Stephen, largely instigated by Hellenistic Jews, actually had the paradoxical dramatic effect of spreading the Gospel into Gentile venues, enabling individuals like Cornelius and the Ethiopian Eunuch, upon repentance, belief, and baptism to be added to the fellowship. Even more …
Acts (Part Fifteen)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughAfter explaining the context in which Paul advocated going from house to house, John Ritenbaugh reiterates that Paul, who understands clearly that God alone calls (John 6:44), makes his initial contact with non-believers in public places (synagogue and forum), going later to private dwellings by invitation only. Chapter 15 …
Facing Times of Stress: When God is Silent (Part Four)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsPaul demonstrated inner peace during turmoil, showing consistency in times of instability and faith in God during persecution, fulfilling the role God gave him.
Acts (Part Twelve)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh initially explores the work of Paul and Barnabas developing the church in the cosmopolitan city of Antioch, the location from where the term Christian originated. The twelfth chapter, an apparent flashback, focuses upon the execution of James (at the hands of mad Herod Agrippa), Peter's miraculous escape from …
Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Three)
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughHebrews was written to fulfill several needs of the first-century church. One of the most critical was to explain God's opening of eternal life to the Gentiles.
Remember the Christians
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughUsing an analogy from the movie Remember the Titans, Richard Ritenbaugh focuses upon the difficulties of merging hostile or antagonistic perspectives, such as Jewish/Gentile animosity. Ironically, God made the gospel available to the Gentiles in order to provoke His chosen people to jealousy. The key to breaking down the enmity …
Hebrews: Its Background (Part Six)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe book of Hebrews' audience consisted of converts from Judaism, suffering estrangement from family and community, excommunicated from the temple.
Acts (Part Sixteen)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughThrough Acts 1-15, God (primarily through the work of Peter, Paul and James) has removed His work out of the Judaistic mold, creating the Israel of God (the church) designed to spread to the Gentiles. Though certain ceremonial and civil aspects of the law were (for a time) suspended, the Law of God was never suspended, …
The Covenant of Circumcision
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughCircumcision was the sign God gave Abraham indicating that his descendants would ascend to greatness, acquiring physical and spiritual blessings.
Is America a Christian Nation? (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, focusing on Ephesians 1:13-23, reminds us that as God's Called- out ones, we are recipients of the promised seed made to Adam and Eve, the Holy Line, beginning with Seth leading through Noah, Abraham, Jacob, David, and Jesus Christ, the promises given to Abraham which include being a blessing to all nations. The …
Forms vs. Spirituality (Part 4)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe 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.
Acts (Part Nine)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh continues to reflect on Stephen's incendiary message to fellow Hellenistic Jews (ostensibly given in hopes of their repentance), chastising them for their perennial rejection of prophets and deliverers, including the greatest Deliverer ever sent (namely Jesus Christ), clinging instead superstitiously to the land, …
