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Abraham (Part Three)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Abraham did not come from a primitive, but a highly advanced civilization, having huge multi-storied dwellings with running water and indoor bathrooms.

Abraham (Part Ten)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Lot equivocated with God's instructions, looking for escape clauses, showing him to be self-centered and worldly wise, compromised by the values of the world.

Abraham (Part Five)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

We learn from Abraham's experience to trust God even when we have incomplete information. When we attempt to take the expedient way out, we will run into trouble.

Abraham (Part Eleven)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

If we hold fast to principles, though it may seem initially uncomfortable and fearful, we will eventually receive respect and even admiration.

Deceived by His Eyes

Sermonette by John W. Ritenbaugh

Abram learned that God gives material prosperity to those who are not seeking it. Those who seek riches are destined to fall into a snare.

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.

The Handwriting Is On the Wall (Part Two) (2007)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The sheep do not belong to any man or group, but to Christ. It is Christ's responsibility to get the sheep into the Kingdom, not the ministry's.

Seeing the Invisible

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Imagination, coupled by the power of the Holy Spirit, helps us to understand the power and reality of the invisible. Faith as a concept is immaterial.

What You Feel vs. What You Believe

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Feelings and emotions may throw our faith off course. Our moods are mercurial and we must control them with daily prayer and Bible study.

Divorce and Remarriage

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Any given doctrine must be built layer by layer, combining and comparing scriptures rather than allowing a single scripture to determine the doctrine. When we understand that porneia includes all the hideous perverted sexual sins that go beyond ordinary adultery- including bestiality, pedophilia, homosexuality, incest, and every other imaginable sexual perversion, we understand that Jesus gave a greater latitude and flexibility in these divorce decisions than we had earlier assumed (based exclusively upon adulterous 'fraud'). Any violence against the marriage contract (stemming from unconversion) would constitute grounds for divorce, and would permit the converted partner to remarry. Mutual access to the tree of life (God's Holy Spirit) gives marriage the best (actually the only) chance to succeed.

Elements of Judgment (Part Three)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

We must emulate the ways of God, demonstrating justice in our lives, thoughts, words, and deeds, preparing to judge in God's Kingdom. Not all sins are equal.

Forbearance

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

God 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.

How to Offend Someone

Sermon by Ryan McClure

We all have unintentionally offended others by ignoring cultural or situational awareness and forgetting that different gestures, actions, and words may carry diverse meanings across other cultures and contexts. Cultural differences include hand signals (such as a thumbs up or crossing fingers) which are innocuous in one culture but highly offensive in another. Biblical teachings on offense include Abraham misleading Pharoah and Abimelech about his "sister" and Jesus's rebuking Peter for attempting to deter Him from God's purpose. We must observe the following principles to avoid offense: 1.) maintain situational awareness, understanding the contexts and needs of those around us, 2.) maintain humility, prioritizing the well-being of others over our own, and 3.) maintaining action-oriented love-taking deliberate steps to care for relationships, even if it requires self-denial. Even though offense is inevitable, we must emulate Christ's love by avoiding unnecessary harm while prioritizing the spiritual growth of others. In our daily interactions, we must continually reflect on our own behaviors, striving to build up rather than tear down relationships.

The Two Shall Become One

Sermon by Bill Onisick

The fact that Abraham, Jacob, David, and Solomon multiplied wives does not imply that the Bible endorses polygamy, which produces bad fruit.

Forms vs. Spirituality (Part 2)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Sins committed presumptuously by people of high responsibility (leaders) are judged more rigorously than those sins committed by people in ignorance.