Riverbluff Church Sermons

"Forgive AS Forgiven" In our phrase-by-phrase study of “THE LORD’S PRAYER”, what we’ve begun to see is really “THE DISCIPLE’S PRAYER”, JESUS sends a warning with a two-letter word in Matthew 6:12. That two-letter word is “AS”. The warning that JESUS gives on this matter, should stop everyone who follows Him, in our tracks. JESUS teaches that growing a life in the toxic soil of unforgiveness, not o...

In this message, we’ll continue our look into the greatest prayer every taught, found in the greatest sermon ever proclaimed, by the greatest teacher the world has ever known. His name is JESUS! We will also celebrate the two ordinances that our LORD JESUS told us to engage, Baptism and Communion. It is going to be a great time of celebrating the Goodness of GOD together! (If you are participating...

"The Prayer that Brings Heaven to Earth" Some of you know that I have long loved J. R. R. Tolkien’s great work, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, both the books and movies. The last of that trilogy is entitled, THE RETURN OF THE KING. Near its conclusion, when it almost looks as if all hope is lost, the true King returns, vanquishing all of the evil forces. A great coronation and celebration follows, with a...

This Sunday marks 50 years since the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion in the United States. It will also be the first observance of NATIONAL SANCTITY OF LIFE DAY, since the Supreme Court overturned that ruling on June 24, 2022. Declaring in that decision, that the Constitution of the United States does not guarantee the right to an abortion! It was a decision for which I giv...

"Overcoming Our 3 Big Problems in Prayer" “PRAYER” has been center stage in our nation, since the January 2nd, Monday night football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals. In that game, Damar Hamlin nearly died, immediately prompting prayers, and appeals to the world to pray for his recovery. Which, as you may know, has been quite miraculous! This event has once again stirred p...

The Oppression of Approval In this message, we continue our verse-by-verse study of the greatest sermon ever delivered. It contained JESUS’ greatest invitation to come and live in HIS Kingdom, as well as HIS most comprehensive single teaching on how to live in the Kingdom of GOD in the here and now! Pastor Joe Still turns our attention to Matthew 6:1-6. Here JESUS uncovers the tyranny that seeking...

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Pastor Joe Still leads the gathering of the River-family on the first day of the new year, worshipping GOD together. What a great way to get 2023 started! In this message, he shares his prayer for us for 2023. It centers around 3 Big Truths about our GOD!

Merry Christmas! This family-oriented, Carol, Communion, & Candlelight Service is always one of my favorite gatherings of our River-family. It is very special and truly prepares our hearts to celebrate the first coming, “Incarnation” of our LORD JESUS! I promise that, in a clear and relevant way, we will present the Good News, that JESUS has come to rescue, each and every person, from their own pe...

A Full Christmas – Part 3: Christmas is Fullness of Freedom Depending on who you read, and how they interpret scripture, there are some theologians who point to over 500 verses in the old Testament that point to or describe or reference the coming Messiah of GOD. J. Barton Payne, pointed to as many as 574 verses and Alfred Edersheim found 456 Old Testament verses referring to the Messiah or His ti...

A Full Christmas – Part 2: Christmas is Fullness of the Spirit In his book entitled “JESUS, CONTINUED…”, J.D. Greear, teaching on JESUS’ incredible statement in John 16:7, does a masterful job of asking and answering the question, “How is the HOLY SPIRIT inside you, better than JESUS beside you?” Grasping the fullness of what JESUS taught about the HOLY SPIRIT is essential to having the fullest Ch...

A Full Christmas - Part 1: Christmas is the Fullness of Time Why, in this season filled to the brim with presents and parties, do we so often end the Christmas season feeling empty? It turns out, the frantic pace, unreachable expectations, and overwhelming amounts of eggnog and sugar cookies don’t leave us feeling fulfilled. Does GOD have a better outcome for you this Christmas? How would you like...

Jesus’ Hope: We’d Get Even Better! I am filled with hope and anticipation about the new, month-long celebration we begin on this Sunday called ADVENT. It is a great season of HOPE entered into by Christians all around the world. It is a season where we reflect on the HOPE JESUS brought into the world that first Christmas day. It is also a season where we rekindle, and renew, the HOPE we have in JE...

The fourth Thursday in November houses our national day; designated by the U.S. Congress and signed by the President of these United States, as the day every American should give thanks. If we’d be vulnerably transparent, most of us would have to admit that we will not spend much time on “Thanksgiving Day” actually expressing gratitude. In fact, we’d have to go further and confess that we may actu...

How to Live Without All the Lies In this message, Pastor Joe Still continues our journey through JESUS’ Sermon on the Mount.  We pick up in Matthew 5:33-37 and learn from JESUS how to “LIVE WITHOUT ALL THE LIES”!

"Jesus on Divorce" In this message, Pastor Curt Bradford continues in our teaching series based on The Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7. This passage is direct teaching from Jesus to His disciples about life as one of His disciples. Christians have the wonderful gift of forgiveness and a relationship with God that lasts forever; but we also have been given a new and grace filled way to liv...

When a Lingering Look Brings Hell on Earth In this message from Pastor Joe Still, our verse-by-verse journey through the Sermon on the Mount brings us to Matthew 5:27-30. Here JESUS addresses how a lingering look leads to lust and unleashes a kind of “hell on earth” for everyone it touches. And, like JESUS always does, HE brings hope and healing into the devastation of desires gone wrong. **ATTENT...

"I Must See the Murder in Me" As we continue in our series “ETERNITY IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS”, in this message from Pastor Joe Still we’ll see the incredible value JESUS assigns to relationships and their critical role in the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN! Additionally, JESUS will confront us with the seed of murder we all have in our hearts. HE then shows us how Kingdom living can keep that seed from germinatin...

" How to Follow Jesus into the Bible" In this message on Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” (A.K.A.-The Greatest Sermon ever delivered).  We will turn our attention to Matthew 5:17-20. In these verses, we will see Jesus addressing a divisive issue among those following Him in His day that, remarkably, is still a divisive issue in our day.  Believe it or not, the source of this controversy is the BIBLE!...

Storms like Hurricane Ian have a way of increasing our anxiety and fear. For those of us who are “In Christ”, GOD our FATHER has given us many promises for our lives as we face storms. HE has also given us a very relevant demonstration through a “storm event” the first disciples faced. There is much we can learn from their “storm encounter”. We can clearly identify the sources of our own anxiety....

"Handling Hostility to Your Faith" There is no one kinder or more loving or more compassionate or more filled with grace, than JESUS.  I love that about HIM!  I also love that HE always speaks the truth, even when that truth may be hard to hear. Last week as we took our first steps into the GREATEST SERMON ever, we saw on full display HIS infinite, marvelous grace, made available to anyone and eve...

This week we take our first big step into the Greatest Sermon ever preached.  (And no, I’m not talking about the one I’m going to preach this week!) I’m talking about a single message that JESUS taught, often called THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT! We’ll look at the part of His Sermon that many consider to be “the introduction”.  This part is often called “THE BEATITUDES”. Looking back over the course of...

THE KINGDOM OF GOD'S GRACE In this message Pastor Dave Hardin continues teaching in our series focused on the Sermon on the Mount. He’ll compare the “old covenant” God had with the Jews of Jesus’ day and the “new covenant” relationship we have now, based upon God’s grace. Listen now to discover the new identity we have been given in Christ, as disciples of Jesus.

The King and His Kingdom are at Hand The beginning chapters of the book of Matthew help set the context for the Sermon on the Mount that we will be looking at through this sermon series. Last week pastor Joe talked about the gospel of the kingdom, and a close look at Matthew chapters 1-4 shows Matthew begins to establish the truth that Jesus is the promised King who has come to redeem and renew Hi...

As citizens of these Unites States it is difficult, if not impossible, for us to fully grasp the relationship between a King and his subjects. True Kings ruled and reigned with absolute authority. An invitation into a King’s presence, and his inner court, to have a glimpse into his personal life, was a rare and deeply treasured gift. To have a personal relationship with JESUS means to know HIM and...

In our day, many will say that “Truth” is a relative term, stating, “you have your truth and I have mine”. They instruct us to find “truth within ourselves”. Statements like these actually defy the very definition of truth, demonstrating that there is a vast difference between truth, and the perception of truth. This “truth confusion” is not something that has just arisen in our day. Jesus faced i...