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The Father-Son Relationship (Part Four)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod the Father is the supreme Source, the Absolute Deity, who stands above all, including His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the sole Head, greater in function and responsibility, with authority over the Son, who submits to Him completely. The Father sent the Son, giving Him assignments to fulfill His will, such as preaching the gospel, witnessing God's existence, and dying for the sins of the world. Through the Son, the Father reveals Himself, as the Son is the perfect complement, completing and making perfect the revelation of the Father's nature. The Father, as the Source of every good thing, blesses humanity by sending the Son, demonstrating His supreme role. While both the Father and the Son are of the God-kind and worthy of worship, they are distinct in operation and rank, with the Father holding ultimate authority over all, including the Son, who directs worship to Him.
Christ's Revelation of the Father
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughJesus Christ came to reveal the existence of His Father in heaven, a major task during His time on earth. He addressed the question of who was running the universe while He was here as a human, declaring the Father's existence, sovereignty, and power as essential. From a young age, Jesus was acutely aware that He was not Joseph's natural son, knowing His real Father was God in heaven. He understood that His Father had a purpose and a work to be done, and He was sent to accomplish it, showing eagerness and willingness even at twelve years old to engage in His Father's business. Jesus' first recorded words in the gospels highlight His relationship with His Father and the mission He was to fulfill, though even His parents did not comprehend this connection. Throughout His ministry, He faced misunderstanding, especially when speaking of His relationship with His Father, as many had no conception of another divine Being beyond their understanding of Yahweh. His teachings aimed to provide a foundational narrative and description of the Father, not just through words but also through actions authorized by Him, reflecting the Father's character in everything He said and did. The intimate relationship between Jesus and His Father was evident from the beginning, with constant communication and presence, as Jesus stated that He was in the Father and the Father in Him. This closeness allowed Him to say that seeing Him was seeing the Father, as He was a perfect representation of Him. The Father's intimate involvement in Jesus' upbringing was profound, guiding Him directly and ensuring His training from birth, never leaving such a critical task to chance or human limitations. Jesus' declaration of the Father went beyond merely announcing His existence; He explained and expounded upon Him extensively throughout His ministry. This work was vital to salvation, as eternal life depends on knowing both the Father and the Son. By contemplating Jesus seriously—through study, meditation, and participation in worship—one gains insight into the Father, growing in understanding of the divine nature and ultimately striving to live as God does, in intimate fellowship with both the Father and the Son.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part Two)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod the Father is consistently presented as the Source of all things, the origin from which everything flows, and the ultimate object toward which all creation moves. He is described as the only true God, the invisible King of all creation, with supreme authority that none, including Jesus Christ, supersedes. As the Source, He provides Jesus with all that is needed to carry out His mission, including the disciples and the words to share with them. Jesus Himself acknowledges this relationship, stating that all things He has received are from the Father, revealing Him as the Absolute Deity. The Father is the One whom Jesus manifests through His name, reflecting all of His attributes, reputation, and demonstrations through Christ. This Great God, as He is named, stands as the foundation and ultimate reality behind the image portrayed by the Son.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod the Father is the Supreme Deity, the Absolute Deity, and the Source of all things. He is the only Being in the entire universe who knows no God above Him, answering to no one. Unlike the Son, the Father has no God and is totally, absolutely unique. His judgment is perfect, His will invincible, and He does not yield to the will of another, for if He did, His absolute Deity would be destroyed. He is not served by human hands as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives all men life, breath, and everything else. He is the Sender, not the sent, and is subject to no one. The Father is invisible and inaudible to mankind, dwelling in light which no man can approach, as no man has seen or can see Him. He is the Caretaker of His creation, upholding all things by the word of His power daily, constantly enforcing a multitude of laws to ensure they do not disrupt the purpose of His creation. He is the One to whom Jesus Christ deferred, the One with whom we have peace, to whom we have access through Jesus Christ, and before whom we stand. The relationship with the Father is everything in terms of salvation, growth toward salvation, and the strengthening of faith, holiness, and sound-mindedness, for He is the Giver of all.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part One)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod the Father is the Source of all things, the Fountain from which everything originates, and the Object toward which all creation moves. As stated in I Corinthians 8:6, there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him. He is the beginning and the end of all creation, with everything starting from Him and ultimately returning to Him. Revelation 4:11 confirms this, declaring that He is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power, for He created all things, and for His pleasure, they exist and were created. Romans 11:36 further emphasizes that all things are of Him, through Him, and to Him, underscoring His role as the ultimate Source and the reason for all existence. The Father is greater than the Son, as Jesus Himself testifies in John 10:29, stating that His Father, who gave Him all things, is greater than all. This distinction is clear in John 5:26-27, where the Father grants the Son life and authority to execute judgment, showing that the Son's everlasting life and power are gifts from the Father. Jesus consistently acknowledges that He was sent by the Father, as seen in John 8:42, where He declares that He proceeded forth and came from God, not of His own accord, but because the Father sent Him. This relationship highlights the Father's supreme position, with the Son carrying out His commands in perfect agreement. The Father remains invisible and inaudible, a deliberate choice to support His purpose of salvation by grace through faith, as noted in John 1:18 and John 5:37, where it is affirmed that no man has seen God or heard His voice at any time. Colossians 1:15 describes Jesus as the image of the invisible God, emphasizing that the Father cannot be seen directly, and it is through the Son that He is revealed. I Timothy 1:17 reinforces this by honoring the Father as the King eternal, immortal, invisible, and the only wise God, distinguishing Him from the visible presence of the Son. This invisibility prevents idolatry and directs focus to the Son, through whom the Father's mind and character are manifested for our spiritual growth.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part Six)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe Father is the Source. The Son is the Means. The Father issues orders. The Son submits, is sent, and carries them out. The Father is in the background, unseen, inaudible, and vague to human apprehension. The Son declares the Father is greater, that the Father gives Him the words to say, the judgments to make, and is the real Author and Power of His mighty works. The Father commands. The Son responds. The Son submits. The Father is the Giver. The Son is the Receiver. The Absolute Deity, the Supreme Deity, the Father sends. He is not sent. The Son is sent. The Son never sends the Father. The Father commands. The Son submits. These functions are never reversed. The Son has a God whom He serves and worships. The Son is the Means, but He is not the Source. The Father is the Giver. The subjection of the Son to the Father will never end, for He is the Son's God, and is greater.
The Father-Son Relationship (Part Three)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe Father and Son are separate; the Father is the source of all power, while the Son serves as the channel through which we interface with the Father.
Jesus and the Feast (Part One): Alignment With God
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughOnly in John 7 do we find some evidence of Tabernacles and the Eighth Day, providing a gold mine to discover what was on Jesus's mind during this time.
Power Belongs to God (Part 2)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughWe may be going through a period of hopelessness, but must believe that all things work together for those who believe and are called for His purpose.
God's Rest (Part 1)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe Sabbath rest depicts the miracle of conversion, in which the transformation of mankind into God's image brings about a rest in which God takes pleasure.
Appearing Before God (Part Two)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeGod's Word causes things to increase just as rain causes crops to increase, but the increase is not always numeric. Often, it is qualitative.
The Patient Pineapple
Sermonette by Ted E. BowlingThe majority of the growth or maturation of a pineapple plant takes place from within. The same holds true for our calling and conversion.
His Eye Is on the Sparrow (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)As the lives of the major biblical figures were predestined, so are our lives. God chooses, moves, and manages the lives of His servants.
Leadership and the Covenants (Part Three)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)We are being trained to become leaders, but before we can lead, we must be able to carry out responsibilities, conforming to God's leadership and covenants.