River Church Sermons

The Jesus Way Pt. 2: Choices By Louie Marsh, 7-20-2025 1)  Jesus gave up His right to act APART from his father.   " 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by tak...

The Jesus Way Pt. 1: Life By Louie Marsh, 7-13-2025     To Live Like Jesus Means My Life…     1) Has MEANING  & PURPOSE . " 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. " (John 12:46, ESV)   " 39 Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." 40 Some of the Pharisees nea...

The Gospel Manifesto in the Book of Romans Pt. 10 How God Cares for Me By Louie Marsh, 7-6-2025 One night I had a wondrous dream, One set of footprints there was seen, The footprints of my precious Lord, But mine were not along the shore. But then some stranger prints appeared, And I asked the Lord, "What have we here?" Those prints are large and round and neat, "But Lord they are too big for feet...

The Gospel Manifesto in the Book of Romans Pt. 8: Engaging My Culture By Louie Marsh, 6-15-2025   Intro: 50 Years & Counting then 5 pictures about changing culture.   1) I engage my culture by overcoming evil by DOING GOOD.   14  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15  Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be...

50 th  Anniversary Part 2: What I've Learned Along the Way By Louie Marsh, 6-22-2025   Intro – Last slide me preaching at ordination.   1) People will surprise you…   ·  In GOOD WAYS.   " 5 and said to Moses, "The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do." 6 So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, "Let no man or woman do...

The Gospel Manifesto in the Book of Romans Pt. 8: Engaging My Culture By Louie Marsh, 6-15-2025 1) I engage my culture by overcoming evil by  DOING GOOD.   14  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15  Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight...

The Gospel Manifesto in the Book of Romans Pt. 7: More of Jesus By Louie Marsh, 6-8-2025   Intro – 5 church sign pics – Holy Spirit entrance last one.   1) My response to the Gospel – MAKE  a spiritual sacrifice.   1  I appeal  to you therefore , brothers, by the mercies of God , to present  your bodies  as a living sacrifice , holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship . Romans 1...

The Gospel Manifesto in the Book of Romans Pt. 6: God's Plan By Louie Marsh, 6-1-2025   Opening Graphics on Planning – ends with the 3 circles   1) I'm NOT in charge – God is!   19  You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" 20  But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" 21  Has...

The Gospel Manifesto in the Book of Romans Pt. 5: Winning the War Against Sin, Romans 7: 7-8:39 By Louie Marsh, 5-25-2025   3 Funny Church Signs   The Transformational Arc – To the bottom and then up, to the end of myself, forsaking myself, realizing I'm in Christ, trusting in Jesus to take me up!   1) The Law SHOWS  me what sin is.   7  What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Ye...

The Gospel Manifesto in the Book of Romans, Pt. 4 How the Gospel Deals with Sin, Romans 6:1-7:5 By Louie Marsh, 5-18-2025   1) I'm  UNITED  with Jesus' death & resurrection in baptism.   2  By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3  Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4  We were buried therefore with him by baptism...

The Gospel Manifesto in the Book of Romans, Pt. 3 The Grace of God in the Gospel, Romans 3:21-5:21 By Louie Marsh, 5-11-2025   Intro: 9 slides about silly laws – last one cactus.   1) I'm made right with God BY FAITH not the law.     21  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22  the righteousness of God throug...

The Gospel Manifesto in the Book of Romans Pt. 2: The Bad News, Romans 1:18-3:20 By Louie Marsh, 5-4-2025 3 Cartoons,   And Finally…   Doctor: "I have good news and bad news."   Patient: "Go with the good news first."   Doctor: "You have 24 hours to live."   Patient: "What?! How about the bad news?"   Doctor: Um... I forgot to tell you yesterday."   1) God wrath (anger) is stirred when I REPRESS t...

Unashamed, Undeserved, Unstoppable Part 1: The Good News By Louie Marsh, 4-27-2025   Four quotes about the book of Romans,   10 Little Known Facts About Ancient Rome   1.  Gladiator blood was recommended by Roman physicians to aid various ailments, including epilepsy and infertility. 2.  Purple clothing was a status symbol and reserved only for emperors or senators. To achieve the color, a dye was...

Easter 2025 UNSTOPPABLE, 1 Cor. 15, Rom 8 By Louie Marsh, 4-20-2025   Intro – 5 pics – Jesus on road to Emmaus last one.   Easter – the HEART  of the Christian faith.   And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that...

Suffering & God's Response Pt. 6: God Chooses to Suffer By Louie Marsh, 4-13-2025   1) God's Response to Suffering   ·  He suffered WITH  us.   " 21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. " (Matthew 16:21, ESV)   This includes the incarnation,...

Suffering & God's Response Pt. 5 Choosing to Suffer By Louie Marsh, 4-6-2025   Intro – X quotes, video of man who quit believing.   1) When I accepted Christ I accepted SUFFERING  in His Name.   " 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for...

04 Suffering & God's Response Pt. 4 Called to Suffer By Louie Marsh, 3-30-2025   Last slide – good must suffer with them.   1) Suffering is an INTEGRAL  part of following Jesus.   " 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for i...

Suffering & God's Response Pt. 3 Why Am I Suffering? By Louie Marsh, 3-23-2025   Last slide – Don't know what he died of.   1) God ALLOWS  us to experience the consequences of Free Will.   " 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwel...

Suffering & God's Response Pt. 2 Why Does God Allow Suffering By Louie Marsh, 3-16-2025   Big vs. Small Picture:   Today I'll be talking about the big picture of suffering not the smaller more personal one. The Bible gives us a framework to understand how a good and loving God can allow suffering in this world. It does not explain why certain things happen to certain people. No one can answer that...

Suffering & God's Response Pt, 1: Who Causes Suffering? By Louie Marsh, 3-9-2025 Last slide –  Buddah  quote   1) We always blame  GOD .   " 13 And Gideon said to him, "Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has forsaken...

My First Half Century in the Ministry, Pt. 1 50 Years & Counting By Louie Marsh, 3-2-2025 Announce 50 years since my ordination!   What have I learned?   22 Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." " (Matthew 20:22, ESV)   1) If you want to serve God, you will have your heart BROKEN  over and over agai...

Habitual Pt. 4: Solitude By Louie Marsh, 2- 9-2025   Intro. Last slide T-Shirt.   1) The difference between solitude & loneliness is CHOICE.   " 18 Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." " (Genesis 2:18, ESV)   ·  All spiritual disciplines are personal DECISIONS.   " 15 But now even more the report about him went abroad, and gre...