Spiritual Generations: Apostolic Israel
/Pastor JT looks at several Old Testament passages, outlining God's apostolic plans for Israel to be a light to the nations, and also shows how this plan continues for us today.
recent Sermons from The River
Spiritual Generations Challenges to Mission
/Jack McDonald, one of our deacons, continues our series on Spiritual Generations by sharing some of his own experience in the mission field in Bolivia.
We Want to See Jesus
/Claire Andrews, one of our Directors of Discipleship, preaches on John 12. Have you ever thought about who in your life wants to see Jesus (whether they know it or not)? She points out that God can and will use even us to glorify and point others to himself.
Spiritual Generations: The Missionary Heart of God
/Pastor JT continues our series on Spiritual Generations by looking at three infamous stories in Genesis. He shows us how God has the grace to meet with a runaway couple, a jealous brother, a wayward, drunken patriarch, and with us.
Spiritual Generations
/Pastor JT kicks off a new series, "Spiritual Generations," by talking about what spiritual generations are and by showing what our responsibilities are as individuals and as the Church in growing these generations.
Joy, Suffering, and the Holy Spirit
/Mary McDonald, one of our deacons, preaches a sermon on Joy, Suffering, and the Holy Spirit, looking especially at her own experiences with the Virginia Tech massacre 10 years ago.
Good Friday: Don't Flinch
/On Good Friday, Chris Andrews preaches about the temptation to bypass the pain of Good Friday to get to the celebration of Easter, a temptation that Jesus himself faced in the garden. But the Cross and the suffering that it brought was and is necessary to our Christian life.
(This sermon was not recorded, but you can find a manuscript HERE)
Palm Sunday 2017
/Pastor JT preaches on Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem days before his crucifixion.
True Resurrection
/Dr. Peter Walker (Trinity School for Ministry) joins us and preaches on the resurrection of Lazarus and what it means for us to be resurrected to new life in Christ.
God's Sacrificial Love for Us
/Jack McDonald preaches on the story of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness and shows us that, although we can learn from Jesus' example in this passage, even more this story should lead us to marvel at the extent and power of God's sacrificial love for us.
Ash Wednesday
/Pastor JT preaches on Ash Wednesday, Lent, and repentance during our joint Ash Wednesday service with New Life.
The Shape of the Church
/JT preaches about how we are to be as the Church. The church should be a family, a field, and a temple, with the goals of maturity, productivity, and quality.
How to (and how NOT to) Resolve Conflict
/JT talks about how to resolve conflict and how NOT to resolve conflict according to the Bible, looking especially at passages from Matthew 5 and Matthew 18.
True Worship
/JT preaches through Isaiah 58 and looks at the importance of true worship as opposed to empty religiosity.
Aligning Ourselves with the Kingdom of God
/JT unpacks the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, found in Matthew 5:1-12. How does who you are align with the Kingdom of God as displayed in this passage?
God Will Use Anything
/JT preaches on Isaiah 42:1-10 and justice for the nations, the work of the Messiah, and how God will use anything for his Glory.
Parables: Attending the Great Banquet
/Continuing in the Parables of Jesus, JT preaches on Luke 14:15-24 and the Parable of the Great Banquet. What things do we put before God and his Great Banquet? And what is our job when it comes to bringing people to the banquet?
Parables: Through the Narrow Gate
/Continuing in our series on Parables of Preparation, JT preaches on Luke 13:22-30, The Parable of the Narrow Gate, and what it means to "make every effort to enter through the narrow door."
Parables: Wheat and Weeds
/JT preaches on the enigmatic Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43). Why does God allow evil to exist in the world and how are we, his followers, supposed to live faithfully in the face of that evil?
Parables: Don't Forget Your Oil
/Chris Meckley (Director of Student Ministries) preaches on Matthew 25:1-13 (the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins) and what Jesus is telling us about being prepared for the return of the Bridegroom.