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God's Powerful Gospel
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughGod sent Jesus Christ with a clear purpose to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God. His mission, as He declared, was not only to announce the coming Kingdom but also to heal the brokenhearted, deliver the captives, set people free, remove blindness, and open salvation. He came to save the world, to witness and testify of the truth, to produce belief, and to give eternal life by opening the way for resurrection, raising people up at the last day. His message, beginning with the call to repent and believe in the gospel, remains His sole focus, continuously proclaimed through His servants. The gospel of the Kingdom of God, as He preached, encompasses far more than a future announcement; it includes all preparatory teachings and elements necessary to guide individuals toward salvation and becoming God's children in His Kingdom. During His ministry, He taught various principles like the Beatitudes, the law, loyalty, and devotion to God, all pointing to and preparing for the Kingdom. His approach to proclaiming the gospel was straightforward, without argument or debate, simply stating the message and allowing hearers to accept or reject it.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part Four)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJesus Christ, sent by God, stands as the unique Mediator between the Absolute Deity, the Father, and mankind. He emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, despite being of the God-kind. The Father, greater in function and authority, sent Him to fulfill a divine purpose. Jesus submitted completely to the Father's will, carrying out His assignments which included preaching the gospel, being a witness of God's existence, serving as an example to His disciples and apostles, and dying for the sins of the world. The glory of the Son is revealed in His perfect obedience to the Father, demonstrating unity not in substance but in loving submission. The Father prepared a body for Him, and as Jesus of Nazareth, He came into the world to do God's will. His role as the perfect Complement of the Father means He fills up, completes, and makes perfect the revelation of the Absolute Deity, whom mankind cannot see or hear directly. Jesus, sent by the Father, clearly distinguished Himself from the Absolute Deity by stating that the Father is greater than He and by affirming that He was dispatched on His assignment by an entirely different Being. Through His words and actions, He perfectly expressed the divine nature, acting for the Father and revealing Him to humanity.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJesus Christ, sent by God, is named as the image of the One God, the sole representation permitted by God to portray Him. As the Image, He truly reflects the character, attitude, purpose, and virtues such as wisdom, mercy, and kindness of the Father, the only true God. The Father is consistently shown as the Source of all things, while the Son, as the image of God, is the Channel through whom all is being worked out, implying a greater/lesser relationship. Jesus Himself states that the Father sent Him, further suggesting this distinction in authority. As the Revelator of Absolute Deity, He is the One to whom we must look to know the Father, and knowing Him is eternal life. Jesus reveals the Father by fulfilling His role as the Channel, giving to the disciples the words the Father provided, and continuing to act as our High Priest. John identifies Jesus as the Word, or Expression, indicating that He is the means by which the Father has always manifested or revealed Himself, not just during His lifetime but as a continuation of prior revelation. From the beginning, Jesus of Nazareth has been the express Image of God's revelation, directing others toward the Father through word and example. He is the comprehensive manifestation of the God of the Old Testament, bridging previous revelations familiar to the Jews with the unfolding purpose and plan of God. Throughout history, Jesus manifested Himself to mankind in various forms, always pointing toward the invisible and inaudible Father. As the Mediator between God and mankind, He appeared to figures like Abraham, Joshua, and others in forms suited to the purpose of the Absolute Deity, whether as a wayfarer, the Captain of the Lord's host, or in radiant glory. Despite these outward changes, intrinsically He remained God, carrying out each representation perfectly in submission to the Father's will. In His lowest manifestation, taking the form of a slave, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death on the cross, yet internally He was the most free of all, never in bondage to anyone. His service was always voluntary and intelligent, reflecting the serving, sacrificing, merciful heart of God, and thus He remains the unvarying true manifestation of the Father in every form He assumed.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughAlthough Christ is not the Absolute Deity, He is nevertheless the complement of the Father. He had a pre-existence as the God of the Old Testament.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part One)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe Father is the source of everything and the Son is the channel through which He carries out His purpose. Jesus declared that the Father is superior to Him.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part Six)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe Father and the Son are two distinct beings, not co-equal as the trinity doctrine proclaims, but with the Son deferring to the Father in all things.
The Last Words of Jesus Christ
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsDuring the final hours of His life, Jesus made seven last statements to mankind, illustrating His nature and what He considered to be important for us.
Elements of Motivation (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughWe can become energized and motivated by our high calling and summons to do the will of God, seeing how vitally important we are to God's purpose.