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Approaching God Through Christ (Part Seven)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughOur Savior Jesus Christ is the way and the means to our relationship with God the Father. If you wish to reach the treasure at the top of the mountain, the only way to get there is to follow the Trailblazer Himself. Jesus Christ declares that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him. This truth underscores that He is the sole and complete means of approach to God, embodying the method and path we must walk. His way emphasizes behavior and the direction of life, guiding us to live as He did to reach the same destination, the Kingdom of God. As the truth, He reflects God's reality, revealing timeless and eternal teachings necessary for growing into God's character image. As the life, He is the Life-giver, the One who imparts eternal life through His resurrection, forging the path for us to follow. Jesus Christ stands as the Mediator, central to all elements of approaching the Father, providing the behavior, knowledge, and spiritual life needed for fellowship with God. Through Him, we gain access, protection, separation from the world, and the freedom to live abundantly within His boundaries. He is with us from the beginning, showing the way through His sacrifice, cleansing us, providing the covenant, lighting our path, and advocating for us in prayer, ensuring we can have a relationship with the Father. Without Him, we would have nothing and could achieve nothing in our journey to God.
Back to Basics
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughIn the midst of a chaotic and turbulent world, where crises loom and the foundations seem to crumble, we find a vital connection through Jesus Christ as the bridge between us and God. Through His sacrifice, resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of God as our High Priest and Mediator, He has opened a new and living way for us to have direct access to the Father. This intimate access allows us to approach the Father boldly and purely, covered by the blood of Christ, to ask for our needs, discuss our concerns, praise Him, and worship Him. Christ, as our Intercessor, enhances the effectiveness of our prayers, especially in turbulent times when we may not know what to ask. He understands our true needs, having lived as a human and faced trials, and He intercedes on our behalf before the Father to ensure that matters work out for our good. This divine mediation provides a profound peace that surpasses understanding, guarding our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, even as society crumbles around us. By committing ourselves to God through prayer, we can remain in a bubble of calm, confident that He is in control and will do what is best, protecting us from the adversary's attacks in the direst of circumstances.
Hebrews (Part Eight)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJesus Christ's priesthood is superior to the Aaronic priesthood because Christ tenure is eternal rather than temporal, guaranteeing both continuity and quality.
Hebrews (Part Six)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJesus experienced the same temptations and suffering we do, qualifying Him for the role of High Priest, the bridge-builder between man and God.
Hebrews (Part Three)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJesus blazed a trail, giving a pattern for qualifying (through suffering and resisting sin) for our responsibility as priests, reconnecting man and God.
What We Can Learn From This Day of Atonement
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod's purpose since the foundation of the world has been to restore all that He intended for mankind, a plan disrupted by sin and separation. This separation, evident from the events in the Garden of Eden, has created a chasm between humanity and God, intensifying through rebellion and disbelief. Sin builds barriers, producing the opposite of reconciliation, and drives people apart through fear and distrust. Yet, God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, has provided a means to bridge this gap through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ serves as the vital link between God and mankind, facilitating reconciliation where human effort alone fails. Through His sinless life and sacrificial death, as foreordained before the foundation of the world, He offers the precious blood that redeems us from vain conduct. His death is more than sufficient to cover the sins of all mankind, providing a legal basis for justification and reconciliation by grace through faith. As stated in Romans 5:10-11, we are reconciled to God by the death of His Son, and much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. This act of grace vastly exceeds the effect of Adam's wrongdoing, ensuring that through the obedience of one Man, many will be made righteous. This reconciliation is not automatic; it requires a response from humanity. God makes the first move, sacrificing that which is nearest and dearest to Him, and we must respond with belief and submission. As Jesus instructed in John 6:29, the work of God is to believe on Him whom He has sent. True belief implies submission and obedience, changing one's perspective from self-centered to God-centered, thus fostering a living relationship with Him. Through Christ, as expressed in II Corinthians 5:18-21, God reconciles the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses, and commits to us the ministry of reconciliation. Christ, who knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Ultimately, Christ's role as the bridge enables not just a removal of hostility, but the creation of a new order, a new race of children beginning with Him. This process, starting with reconciliation and continuing through sanctification, aims for us to become practically righteous, like God, and to be everlastingly part of His Family.