Rivercrest Presbyterian Church - Sermons

The temple, a place of worship to the Lord, had become a hope for profit instead of a promise of hope. Jesus righteously drives out those who were there for selfish reasons, while taught those who held onto His words. Today, our awe and wonder of God leads us to true and better worship of the One who gave us resurrection life.

Jesus enters Jerusalem on a colt; a public display of His lineage to David and of His divine kingship. Jesus comes with peace and sorrow as He weeps for the people He would die for who reject Him. As Christ-followers, we are the exemplify the traits of our Savior, concerned for those who have yet to repent of their sin and turn towards the Prince of Peace.

Jesus teaches about stewardship in a parable of servants entrusted with minas. It's important for Christ followers to invest what God has given them - the good news of the gospel. And Christians are to be faithful in witnessing the gospel because God commands it, He empowers us to do it by His Spirit, and because He promises to come again.

Zaccheus was rich and a chief tax collector; thus he was very unliked by others. Yet Jesus looks up at him, calls him by name, comes to his house, and ultimately transforms Zaccheus the greedy and dishonest man into a new creation. Jesus does this for all who believe in Him, and He always acts first. It's not that Zaccheus or anyone wanted a relationship with Jesus first, but Jesus who initia...

Jesus, looking towards the cross, tells His disciples what is to come, yet they don't understand. A blind beggar hears of Jesus passing by and cries out in desperate faith to recover his sight. The bling beggar couldn't see with his eyes but recognized his need for a Savior, recognized how important it was for him to see Jesus. A followers of Christ, we too are to recognize our need for...

As a rich young ruler approaches Jesus, he asks one of the most important questions anyone can ask, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Instead of rebuke, Jesus tells the man to follow him, just as His disciples have. We're called to treasure Christ, not the fleeting treasures of the world because Jesus exchanged the richness of heaven and became poor so that we may be rich in...

Jesus teaches us through the parable of the persistent widow, that while we should pray without ceasing, we cannot forget Who hears our prayers and acts upon them in His good will. God is the only good and just being, therefore when we pray to Him we have assurance of His receiving them. So we pray in faith to the God who sits on the throne, knowing we need Him and He is listening and answering.

As Jesus heads towards Jerusalem, He is met by ten lepers. Leprosy is a struggle as it removed people from society, made them outcasts and unclean, and separated them from their families. Their hope was in Jesus alone, so they ask Him for healing. Jesus tells them to go show themselves to the priests, a bold act, and they are cleansed as they go. One of the ten turns back, kneels before Jesus, and...

The spiritual entitlement of the rich man in the parable comes from pride, produces indifference, and leads to torment. Yet Jesus teaches this parable with the rich man in contrast to a man named Lazarus, someone polar opposite to the rich man. The entitlement and prideful life has no place in the kingdom of God, and by His grace He reverses our sinful heart to one of humility and gratitude.

In a parable often misunderstood, Jesus teaches about eternal perspective, priority, and purpose. Christians are to be clever stewards of worldly possessions for the glory and kingdom of God, serving Him only. 

To describe God's nature, character, and essence Jesus teaches in parables of lost things. The care of God is so great and so complete towards wandering and lost people, for He will seek them, find them, and rejoice over bringing them back to Himself. God will do this for all of His elect, not letting any fall away. And this is all by grace, therefore, we are to be a rejoicing church in His r...

Jesus is invited to a meal with Pharisees and challenges them as they watch Him closely. He heals on the Sabbath, knowing that it would stir controversy, to show love, care, and humility. Christians are to serve those in need, the poor, the lame, the blind in order to be blessed. As we belong to God, may our lives be a reversal of worldly pursuits and accolades, but of selfless acts of faith.

God takes sin seriously. Because sin is injustice against God, He must uphold justice by punishing those guilty of sin. There is hope for everyone in the generous grace of the Lord, who calls us to repentance and faith while we're still here on earth, though we shouldn't wait to turn from sin and turn towards the saving power of Christ. 

Jesus graciously addresses the issue of covetousness and anxiety by reminding us that we are deeply loved and therefore cared for by our loving Heavenly Father. The Lord Himself is our treasure, He is our provider, our Good Shepherd. What then should we fear?

Jesus teaches on the severity of the gospel. It is true good news for all, yet it will not be received kindly by everyone. Followers of Christ are to stand firm on what is true and everlasting, able to withstand anxiety and fear because of the power of the Holy Spirit. Deeply cared for by God, Christians carry the good news wherever they go, and the Lord is with them always.

As Jesus is walking with His disciples, they ask Him an important lesson, "Lord, teach us to pray." With an example prayer and a parable, Jesus teaches us a fundamental aspect of Christian life. We pray because Jesus prayed, because He made it a primacy, priority, and promise for us - not to do when we feel like it or at our most desperate times only - but in a committed and persistent p...

As Jesus is in Mary and Martha's home, He begins to teach. With Mary at His feet and Martha anxiously hosting, Jesus' focus is on His ultimate priority. He is the Word that speaks, shapes, stirs, and secures. Often we forget God has spoken, and the importance of carving out intentional moments with the Lord. Mary did the best thing, Martha chose to do a good thing but was filled with anx...

Jesus responds to a lawyer trying to test him with a parable. His teaching continues to marvel and astonish the crowds. In the parable, the Good Samaritan helps the hurt man out of compassion. For us, we are certainly called to show mercy to others, but must remember that Jesus showed mercy to us first. He is the true and better Good Samaritan who meets us in our brokenness, and at great cost to H...

Jesus sends, He promises, and He glorifies. To be a disciple is to follow Christ in complete dependence, knowing that He is equipping us to go into the plentiful harvest. Therefore we are to be prayerful and obedient to both being disciples and making them for the kingdom of God.

The day after the Transfiguration, Jesus is met by an unbelieving crowd. Even the other nine disciples were lacking in their dependence upon the Lord. Jesus still heals a demon possessed by and points His disciples towards His death. To be great is the way of God, of the cross, of humility.

The Transfiguration is a powerful moment in the ministry life of Jesus. Peter, James, and John join Jesus on Mount Herman where Jesus' appearance is radiant, they are joined by Moses and Elijah, and they are overshadowed in a cloud with a voice who says, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”. Divine presence, divine authority, and divine glory are on display. Will we listen to Chris...

Jesus gives us a profession, promise, and pathway for discipleship. Everyone must address the question that Jesus poses to His disciples; "Who do you say I am?". Knowing He is the Christ of God, the disciples follow Jesus but don't fully know what He means when talking about His death on the cross. As we pursue the pathway of Jesus, we are to pick up our crosses daily and follow Him...

Jesus sends out his disciples with the priority and task of sharing the gospel. Just like Christ, the disciples are to go and tell of the good news of eternal life. As 5,000 people gather to hear Jesus teach, they are amazed as all are fed from an initial meal of five loaves of bread and two fish. There is always enough room and food at the King's Table, available for everyone who believes an...

A woman is healed and a young girl is raised to life. Jesus is the only one who can do such miracles. There is no physician, no medicine, no cure to death and the pangs of this life except in Christ. He is gracious and willing to heal, intent on having a personal relationship with those He saves. It's by faith these women are made well; the same is true for us today.

Jesus calms a storm. In this miraculous event, Jesus is with His disciples, understands their feelings, and quickly rebukes the storm so it ceases. Then He asks them, "Where is your faith?". The same question is for us today. Who do we trust in? Where is our hope? Where is our faith? May it be in the One who is powerful enough to calm powerful storms, to heal and restore, and to rise aga...