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Don't Leave the House!
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughIn the context of the powerful lessons drawn from ancient events, a profound instruction emerges concerning the house and the command not to leave it. As recorded in Exodus 12:22, none shall go out of the door of their house until morning. This directive carries a weighty significance, emphasizing the necessity of remaining within the protective boundaries of the house during a time of divine judgment. The house, marked by blood on the doorposts and lintel, stands as a sanctuary, a place of safety from the death angel who cannot pass through the bloodstained door. The symbolism here is vivid and urgent. To stay within the house is to remain under the protection of God's provision. Venturing outside before morning, before the appointed time of deliverance, exposes one to grave danger. The lesson is clear: once you have passed through the bloodstained door, you must remain inside until the Daystar arises, until the Light of the world dawns. Regardless of the darkness, turmoil, or wailing heard outside, the command is to hold fast within the house. This enduring principle urges a steadfast commitment to remain behind the door, to resist every pull that might draw one out of the house. It is a call to reinforce faith, to remember one's identity and past, to appreciate the immense cost of salvation, and to stay secure until morning comes. To leave is to risk encountering the death angel; to stay is to trust in the promise of ultimate deliverance when the appointed time arrives.
Don't Go Out of the House!
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe command "Go not out of the house," found in Exodus 12:22, carries profound significance for us today, just as it did when God gave it through Moses. This instruction is a powerful lesson, urging us not to leave the spiritual house, which represents the church. Once the blood is on the door, we must not dare to depart until morning, no matter the fears or pressures that assail us from outside. Our God warns us sternly, "Don't you even think of it!" The house, as a type and symbol, embodies the church, a living organism where we are integrated as living stones, built into a spiritual house with Christ as the Chief Cornerstone. To leave this house is to become useless, to die a lingering death, disconnected from the source of life. The metaphors of house, temple, sheepfold, and body all reinforce this message, showing the church as a place of refuge, community, and vital connection to Christ. There is no more exalted place on earth than to be within this house, and God commands us to remain, to hold fast until the Light of the world arises or until our time comes.
Go Not Out of the House
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe command "Go Not Out of the House," drawn from Exodus 12:22, carries a profound and enduring significance. This instruction, given during the Passover, saved the lives of the Israelites who obeyed by remaining within their homes, protected from the death angel. For us today, thousands of years later, the lesson remains vital, though not in a literal sense of staying inside a physical house. Spiritually, we must not depart from the enclosure that safeguards us, for to leave is to risk grave danger. The concept of "house" extends far beyond a mere structure. It represents a container, an enclosure that holds and protects what is within—often a family, but also a broader spiritual reality. In biblical usage, "house" evolves into a metonymy for household, family, dynasty, and even the Kingdom of God. God's house is His Family, a dynamic, living organism that includes us as living stones, built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone. We are not merely within this house; we are integral parts of its structure, called to remain connected to Him and to each other. To leave this spiritual house is to sever oneself from the source of life. As living stones, we have purpose and function within God's building, offering spiritual sacrifices and showing forth His praises. If disconnected, we become useless, like a stone wrenched from a building, facing a lingering spiritual death. The urgency of staying within the house is clear: we must not step outside the enclosure of God's Family, for it is a living, eternal structure that we are part of and must not abandon. This house, also depicted as a temple where God dwells, underscores our role as living sacrifices within His sanctuary. We are being built and fitted into this temple, a process ongoing for millennia, where we are both part of the structure and laborers alongside God. Our citizenship in this divine community further binds us to remain within, as fellow citizens with the saints, under the headship of Christ. Whether the metaphor shifts to a sheepfold with Christ as the door, a body with Him as the head, or a family dynasty, the principle holds—do not go out of the house. To remain within is to stay in vital connection with Him, sharing in His fullness and power, ensuring we do not forfeit our place in this eternal, living enclosure.
John (Part Fifteen)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughAs long as we are slaves of sin and following the dictates of our lusts, we have no free moral agency. God liberates us from sin so we are free to obey Him.
James and Unleavened Bread (Part Three)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughJames had to be written as a counterbalance to antinomian elements that twisted Paul's writings to proclaim that that grace nullifies the need for works.