River Church Sermons

The Incomparable Christ Pt. 1: Our Standing In Christ By Louie Marsh, 1-11-2026 1) Who & what I AM. " 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus  by the will of God, To the saints  who are IN EPHESUS , and are faithful IN CHRIST JESUS : 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1 1-2, ESV)   Intro.  Verses 3 - 14 have been called a Hymn of Grace.  They are a statem...

New Year's Sermon Coming Into Focus By Louie Marsh, 1-4-2026   Intro.  5 Cartoons, last one about being perfect just as I am.   36  He also told them a parable: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.   37   And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will...

Past, Present & Future Louie Marsh, 12-28-2025 Verse: 17   O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. 18  So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.  Psalm 71:17-18 (ESV)   THE PAST – A Great Place to Visit but don't  LIVE THERE!   16  Thus says the LORD : "...

Christmas Songs Pt. 3: Simeon's Song By Louie Marsh, 12/21-2025   Intro – last cartoon, lights out together   1)  Worth  WAITING  for.   " 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before...

Christmas Songs Pt. 2: Zechariah's Song By Louie Marsh, 12-14-2025 67  And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,  Luke 1:67 (ESV)   Zachariah praises God for the birth of his son, John the Baptist, and the Messiah to come.   1) God VISITING us.   " 68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited… " (Luke 1:68a, ESV)   " 14 Therefore the Lord himself...

Christmas Songs Pt. 1: Mary's Song By Louie Marsh, 12-7-2025 In response to the situation at hand Mary recited a song which praised God's favor on her and her people. "The Magnificat," as the song is called, consists almost entirely of Old Testament allusions and quotations. The same is true of the songs of Zechariah and Simeon. Mary's song has similarities to Hannah's song. 1 Sam. 2:1-10 – First...

Wise Up! Pt. 7: The Foolishness of God by Louie Marsh, 11-30-2025 Today we want to talk about a kind of foolishness everyone needs to have in their life - the foolishness of God!! 1.  Christianity appears to be   FOOLISH " 18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. " (1 Corinthians 1:18, ESV) 2. God DESIGNED  it that way....

Wise Up! Part 6: Wise In the End by Louie Marsh, 11-23-2025   Intro.  chocolate   1) If I'm Wise I'll Consider My   DEATH   " 12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. " (Psalm 90:12, ESV)   I know that right now I've lost some of you - we run and hide from death - it's not a fun topic - yet we must face and deal with it sooner or later. There are good reasons for doing...

Wise Up! Part 5: Acting Wise in Relationships by Louie Marsh, 11-16-2025   Intro.   " 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. " (James 3:18, ESV) ·  Wisdom is a LIFESTYLE .   " 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. " (James 3:13, ESV) ·  Lack of wisdom causes CONFLICT .   " 14 But if you...

Wise Up! #4 Part 4: Wisdom in Action by Louie Marsh, 11-9-2025   Intro.  Continuing our series on Wisdom. Need for wisdom shown this week by couple who were drinking and driving with some dynamite in car. Thought it would be funny to light it and throw it, drank more - if became funnier. Finally they lit and threw it - just one problem - they had forgotten to roll down the car window! They are exp...

Wise Up! Part 3: "Sharp Wisdom" by Louie Marsh, 10-2-2025 blical wisdom shown in a little know story about a wise woman in a difficult situation.   S - SEIZE the Initiative   " 16 Then a wise woman called from the city, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, 'Come here, that I may speak to you.' " " (2 Samuel 20:16, ESV)   " 7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; "...

Wise Up! Part 2: The Blessings of Wisdom by Louie Marsh, 10-12-2025   Intro.  Donald Duck last slide - Anyone remember Mr. T, a guy who made an entire career based on this phrase - "I pity the fool!"   Only in America!!  But he was right - foolishness is to be pitied and avoided! Which is why we're talking about wisdom. The Bible teaches us that wisdom is the key to happiness. So why should we be...

Wise Up! Part One: Be A Wise Guy By Louie Marsh, 10-5-2025   1) Biblical wisdom is  PRACTICAL   not THEORETICAL.   20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. 21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. " (Proverbs 19:20–21, ESV)   " 5 Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will...

THE FIVE FACETS OF THE GOSPEL Part Five, The Gospel Demands By Louie Marsh, 9-28-2025   · The Gospel Events - The Death and Resurrection of Jesus   ·  The Gospel Witnesses – Scripture, Apostles Eye-Witness Testimony   ·  The Gospel Affirmations - Jesus is Lord - Jesus is Savior   ·  The Gospel Promises - Forgiveness of sins – the gift of the Holy Spirit 1) The First Gospel Demand   ·  Repent!   "...

The Five Facets of the Gospel Pt. 4, The Gospel Promises By Louie Marsh, 9-21-2025   Intro. The last two weeks of this series.     What is the Good News?  Well it's more than just what Jesus once did, and what He now is, it's also about what He now offers.  Today the promises of the Gospel is what we'll look at.   REMEMBER!   The Gospel Events ·  The Death and Resurrection of Jesus. ·  These two h...

  The Five Facets of The Gospel Part Three: The Gospel Affirmations By Louie Marsh, 9-14-2025   Preached Parker, October 25, 1992   Intro.  We continue with this series, defining what the Gospel was in the preaching of the Apostles, and what it should be to us!  This may seem like old hat to some of you, but I believe that we all need to learn this, or be reminded of this - and to seriously consid...

THE 5 FACETS OF THE GOSPEL Part Two: "The Gospel Witnesses" By Louie Marsh, 9-7-2025     1) The first Gospel witness – SCRIPTURE.   ·  Jesus APPEALED  to them all the time.   " 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. " (Luke 24:27, ESV)   " 44 Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I...

The Five Facets of The Gospel Part One, The Gospel Events By Louie Marsh, 8-31-2025   1) Is This Sermon Really Necessary?   ·  YES!! Many Christians don't know what they believe. Inviting people to church is good - but it's not sharing the Gospel. Besides that there are two major problem areas that make this series something YOU should pay attention to.   ·  The world continually DISTORTS  what th...

The Jesus Way Pt. 7: Forgiveness By Louie Marsh, 8-24-2025   Last Intro slide – Stupid!   Disciples of Jesus Forgive…   ·  As Jesus COMMANDED   12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors . Matthew 6:12 (ESV)   Why Do We Forgive?   ·  Today we are told we forgive for  OURSELVES.   Remember, you don't   forgive   someone for his or her sake - you forgive them for your sake.  ...

The Jesus Way Pt. 6: Relationships By Louie Marsh, 8-17-2025 1) Jesus has a deep & abiding  LOVE  for people. " 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"—so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, "Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much mo...

The Jesus Way Pt. 5: Ministry By Louie Marsh, 8-10-2025   If I'm going to follow the Jesus Way, I need to understand how He ministered to everyone.     1) Jesus deeply LOVED  people and they knew it.   " 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground....

The Jesus Way Pt. 4: Prayer By Louie Marsh, 8-3-2025 Last slide hand illustration of prayer.   1) Prayer was one of Jesus' TOP  priorities.   " 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. " (Luke 5:16, ESV)   As far as Jesus himself ( αὐτός ) was concerned, two more imperfects (these periphrastic) describe what he kept doing (iterative). At every opportunity he would slip quietly and sec...

The Jesus Way Pt. 3: Staying On Mission By Louie Marsh, 7-27-2025   Last week we looked at choices, this week we look at what happens after you make the choice.     1) Jesus SET HIS FACE  to go to Jerusalem.   " 51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem . 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make pr...