River Church Sermons

Life Lessons from Jeremiah Pt. 10: Playing the Long Game By Louie Marsh, 7-5-2026   The Setting…   " 1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2 At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard that was in the palace...

Life Lessons from Jeremiah Pt. 9: Living God's Plan By Louie Marsh, 6-28-2026     1) The historical setting:   " 1 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 This was after King Jeconiah and the queen...

Life Lessons from Jeremiah Pt. 8: I Am the Clay By Louie Marsh, 6-21-2026     1) Following Jesus can get STRANGE.   " 1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 "Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words."   (Jeremiah 18:1, ESV)   " 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 the...

Life Lessons from Jeremiah Pt. 7: Real Spiritual Warfare By Louie Marsh, 6-14-2026   1) Ever felt like God has TRICKED  you?   " 7 O Lord, you have deceived me, and I was deceived; you are stronger than I, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me.   8 For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, "Violence and destruction!" For the word of the Lord has becom...

Life Lessons from Jeremiah Pt. 6: My Deceitful Heart By Louie Marsh, 6-7-2026   1) I must LEARN  to trust in God alone.   " 5 Thus says the Lord: " Cursed  is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. 6 He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt...

Life Lessons from Jeremiah Pt. 5: The Precious from the Worthless By Louie Marsh, 5-31-2026   When Life Doesn't Make Sense:   Backstory of this passage – Malawi – and why this translation,   1) Be completely HONEST  with God.   " 15 You who know, O Lord, Remember me, take notice of me, And take vengeance for me on my persecutors. Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away; Know that for Your s...

Life Lessons from Jeremiah Pt. 4: Honest to God By Louie Marsh, 5-24-2026   Jeremiah complains to God about the evil in Israel   1) I must be both honest and RESPCTFUL  towards God.   " 1 Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. (Jeremiah 12:1a ESV)   " 2 "Today also my complaint is bitter; my hand is heavy on account of my groaning. 3 Oh, that I kne...

Life Lessons from Jeremiah Pt. 3: Faith of the Heart By Louie Marsh, 5-17-2026     1) The truth HURTS.   " 4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the Lord: "What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? 6 They did not say, 'Where is the Lord who brought us up from...

Life Lessons From Jeremiah Pt. 2: Be On Mission By Louie Marsh, 5-10-2026   IF I'M GOING TO SERVE GOD…   1) It helps to know WHAT I'm supposed to do!   See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down , to d estroy and to overthrow , to build and to plant ."  Jeremiah 1:10 (ESV)   The three pairs of verbs-pull up/tear down, take apart/demolish, build/plant...

Life Lessons From Jeremiah Pt. 1: Called & Qualified By Louie Marsh, 5-3-2026   Introduction: Excuses   The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king o...

Living in the Last Days Pt. 9: Being Responsible By Louie Marsh, 4-26-2026         TO BE A RESPONSIBLE BELIEVER I NEED TO…   1) Live & pray according to GOD'S PRIORITIES.   " 1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. H...

Living in the Last Days Pt. 8: Building Up By Louie Marsh, 4-19-2026   1) My speech should be FREE & OPEN   " 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessn...

Living In The Last Days Pt. 7: Hanging Tough By Louie Marsh, 3-12-2026 You know you're in trouble when....   • Your accountant's letter of resignation is postmarked from Zurich.   • You're taking a bus to the bank to make your car payment.   • You take assertiveness training, but you're afraid to tell your wife.   • You tell a barber what you think of his prices before he cuts your hair.   • You s...

Because Jesus is alive…   1) I need to be KINGDOM focused.   3  He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God . Acts 1:3 (ESV)   ·  God is calling me to live in a ACCOUNTABLE community .   It's not just all about me!   24  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25  not...

Living in the Last Days Pt. 6: Staying With It, 1 Thess. 5:12-28 By Louie Marsh, 3-29-2026   For those who appreciate the intricacies of the English language, the Washington Post publishes a yearly contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for various words. The following are some winning entries from a few years ago. Coffee (n.), a person who is coughed upon. Flabbergasted (...

Living in the Last Days Pt. 5: Looking Forward By Louie Marsh, 3-22-2026 LOOKING FORWARD IN CHRIST MEANS I …   1) Temper my grief with HOPE.   " 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. " (1 Thessalonians 4:13, ESV)   Gordon Lightfoot – wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald   Does anyone know where the love of...

Living in the Last Days Pt. 4: Living Right By Louie Marsh, 3-15-2026 TWO HALLMARKS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE   ·  SELFLESSNESS     ·  CONTINUED GROWTH   " 1 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. "…" 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all th...

Living in the Last Days Pt. 3: Praying Passionately By Louie Marsh, 2-8-2026   1)  FIND  the springs of passion within me.   ·   Love &  SEPARATION   " 17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, " (1 Thessalonians 2:17, ESV)   " 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no...

Living in the Last Days Pt. 2: Building Up By Louie Marsh, 3-1-2026     1) My speech should be FREE & OPEN   " 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive ," (1 Thessalonians 2:...

Living in the Last Days Pt. 1: Life In Three Dimensions 1 Thess. 1:1-10 By Louie Marsh, 2-22-2026   " 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 " 'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh… (Acts 2:16a, ESV)   TO LIVE IN THE LAST DAYS I NEED…   Three Graces to  MOTIVATE me.   1 ) FAITH   " 3 remembering before our God and Father...

The Incomparable Christ Pt. 6: Stand & Fight! By Louie Marsh, 2-15-2026   Introduction – 3 slides   1) PREPARE  myself.   For the rest, brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the might of his strength. Put on the panoply of God, that ye may be able to stand against the artifices of the devil:  Ephesians 6:10-11 (Darby)   ·  STRENGTHEN myself.   " 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his p...

The Incomparable Christ Pt. 5: Be Filled with the Holy Spirit By Louie Marsh, 2-8-2026     1) I must be CONTINUALLY FILLED  with the Holy Spirit.   " 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit," (Ephesians 5:18, ESV)   What does that mean? To be filled with the Spirit – or anything else – is to be controlled. So being Spirit filled isn't about emotions...

The Incomparable Christ Pt. 2: From Death to Life By Louie Marsh, 1-18-2026   Top 10 Preaching Rules   10: Any illustration can be massaged to fit any sermon. 9: If a story is funny enough, it doesn't have to fit the sermon. 8: A sermon that is "too short" is rarer than Bigfoot at a photographer's convention. 7: The kid who screams and throws a fit every week will wait until the quietest, most foc...