Riverwood Church - Waverly, IA: Sermons

Watch & Learn More: https://weareriverwood.org/ctc-sermons/psalm-8-summer-of-psalms-5/

There is an insurmountable gap between how glorious God is and how sinful we are. If we perfectly apply the law, God will cover the gap. Yet, we cannot perfectly apply the law on our own. This is why we need Jesus. Watch and Learn more: https://weareriverwood.org/ctc-sermons/psalm-19-summer-of-psalms-4/

Fret Not: fear/anger-based worry • The wicked (verses 1 and 2) - do not be envious of wrongdoers (of what they have - ie money, fame, power, etc.) • The success of others (verse 7) • Life in general (verse 8) - don't get angry; don't lose your cool Watch & Learn More: https://weareriverwood.org/ctc-sermons/psalm-371-9-summer-of-psalms-3/

When we follow Christ and we feel let down, what do we do? There are many many stories of people that felt like God wasn’t good after going through tough circumstances in life. So if we can “taste and see the that Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8), how do we explain the suffering and issues in life? Watch and Learn More: https://weareriverwood.org/ctc-sermons/psalm-34-summer-of-psalms-2/

What is the greatest fear you are facing right now? • Financial? • Grades? • Safety? — Where do I go for help? Watch and Learn More: https://weareriverwood.org/ctc-sermons/psalm-121-summer-of-psalms-1/

Sanballat and Tobiah are giving their last-ditch effort to stop Nehemiah from completing the wall. Watch and Learn More: https://weareriverwood.org/ctc-sermons/the-finish-building-lives-6/

The inside distractions in our lives are even more insidious than violent external threats. External threats can actually motivate you. Internal distractions, however, tend to demotivate you completely and fracture and/or break you from the inside. Watch and Learn More: https://weareriverwood.org/ctc-sermons/distractions-inside-building-lives-5/

Many people have a dream and goal in life that they are working towards but have to deal with constant distraction and derailment. Similarly, Nehemiah had to deal with distraction while sticking to the mission God gave him. Watch and Learn More: https://weareriverwood.org/the-distractions-outside-building-lives-4/

Nehemiah 3, shows how it took everyone generously giving their time and energy to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. Some would build, and some would repair - but they all had a specific job to ensure the completion of the effort. Watch and Learn More: https://weareriverwood.org/ctc-sermons/the-implementation-building-lives-3/

Waiting can be difficult, awkward, painful, and slow. As humans, we tend to do anything we can to distract ourselves from waiting. Waiting can often bring rich rewards. God uses these moments of waiting to do deep work in His children. Watch and Learn More: https://weareriverwood.org/ctc-sermons/the-plan-building-lives-2/

Even though he had never been to Jerusalem, Nehemiah was Jewish and cared deeply about his people. He mourned and fasted for days when he heard that the gates had been burned down. Nehemiah needed God to move the king’s heart to allow him to begin rebuilding the walls and gate. Watch and Learn More: https://weareriverwood.org/ctc-sermons/the-call-building-lives-1/

In movies, happy endings can often feel cheesy. Life rarely works out with a “happy ending.” J.R.R. Tolkien says that he thinks Happy Endings give us a glimpse of something deeper that we long for. Happy endings can point us toward the Easter story, however.

The disciples must have felt pretty special that Jesus would ask them to follow Him so closely. But, just a while before this part of Mark, they learned that He would die soon and that one of them would be the betrayer. At this stage, Jesus started to show worry for the first time. Watch and Learn More: https://weareriverwood.org/ctc-sermons/pain-before-cross-mark-48

Since we are all betrayers, are we going to be blind, unrepentant, or repentant betrayers? While we were still enemies of God, Christ died for us. He is not hurt and wounded by our betrayal. When we sin/betrayal, where do we turn? To beating ourselves up or ignoring the shame and filling the void with substances, food, entertainment? Or, do we turn to Jesus and jump out of the boat and swim to Him...

Guest speaker, Patrick Ray, teaches about how Churches worldwide have different problems, but we all have the same hope. Through Jesus, we can be unified despite our differences. Democrat or Republican, Russian or Ukrainian, Racial differences, etc. Galatians 3:27 explains how those baptized into Christ are not different, but we are clothed with Christ. We are also Abraham's descendants and heirs...

Throughout the centuries, the Jewish people would celebrate Passover. It was also customary to go to Jerusalem to celebrate. In Mark 14:12-26, Jesus sends some of his disciples ahead to get a room for Jesus and his disciples. In this room, Jesus breaks bread and gives it to the disciples. He instructs them to eat it as it is His body. He then takes a cup of wine and He tells them that it is His bl...

Just as we want to give all of our time/attention/money/etc. to that special person in our life or the hobbies we love, we should feel even more the same way about God. In Mark 14, verse 3, a woman (probably Mary Magdalene) poured a jar of expensive oil on Jesus' head. This perfume was made with pure nard and was worth a year's wages. Imagine using a full year's wages in a quick moment to honor so...

What is the purpose of school? It’s not to make friends, to get good grades, or to be able to regurgitate facts. The purpose of school is to learn. It’s essential to know the purpose of what you’re involved in. This is also true of scripture. Many people seem not to understand the purpose of the Bible. Why did God give us the Scriptures? The Bible is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, a...

How do we know we can trust the Bible and what’s included and intentionally not included? Watch the sermon or learn more on our website at https://weareriverwood.org/ctc-sermons/recognized-bible-in-its-place-3

the Bible claims in and of itself to be the word of God. On its own, this can be a weak piece of evidence. Combined with the following points, however...

In 2 Timothy 3:16 and 17, Paul instructs Timothy on teaching sound doctrine. He explains how every detail in scripture is breathed out by God.