Category Archives: Sermons Preached

Sermons I Have Preached at Riverview Baptist

In Christ A New Creature

Posted on February 20, 2022 by bibleteacherorg

I loved being in the Air Force, and working around the bombers and fighters that brave men and women fly to protect our great nation. I started out as a “Food Service Technician”, but after 7 years I was cross trained to actually work on these aircraft.

I never worked on propeller type aircraft, but on jets. Jet engines produce more thrust, and can cause the aircraft to fly much faster than the older “props” could. One concern we always had when working on and around jets was “foreign object damage”. We signed out our tool kits, and counted every piece before and after a job. If a tool was left where it could be “sucked up” by the jet turbines, it could literally destroy the whole aircraft. Before launching the aircraft we walked the length and breadth of the flight line, insuring there were no loose objects that could be “sucked up” into the jet engine. If the engine breaks, the whole aircraft is broke!

Just as a piece of “foreign object” can “ground” a jet aircraft …

A Poor Understanding Of Salvation
“Grounds” The Gospel

2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us …

Word Study: Some of the old English of the King James often obscures the meaning of the verse. The word “constraineth” is the Greek συνέχω synéchō, {pronounced soon-ekh’-o}, which means “to hold together lest we fall to pieces, to control, to press on every side”. It is the love of God that holds God’s people together. Love is the driving force. The fact that God loves us with an unconditional love, and as we have been loved, we are to love others.

I hear people today say “Why do we need the Church? Why can’t we just gather online, or in a meta-verse, and worship God in virtual reality?” It is because those saved by the Gospel MUST manifest LOVE toward God and others. You cannot do that with a computer or telephone screen…. Continue reading →

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Witnesses Unto Me

Posted on February 17, 2022 by bibleteacherorg

Is it just to tell others how to be saved, to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Certainly, we must tell others about Jesus. But being a “witness” for Jesus means to stand out and stand up for what our Lord taught. Jesus Himself is known as:

Revelation 1:5 … the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood

Word Study: Our Lord Jesus is “the faithful witness”. The word translated “witness” in Revelation 1:5 and in our opening text in Acts “witnesses” is the Greek μάρτυς mártys, {pronounced mar’-toos}. Mártys originally meant “a witness, one who can bear record to a truth”. When the word was first used, mártys is not yet associated with anything dark.

When Jesus came to this earth, our Lord “the faithful witness” was hounded, hated, and ultimately HUNG on a Cross for our sins.

Being a faithful witness means that, like Jesus, there is a degree of suffering and shame that goes with it. Jesus is the “Light of the world” (John 8:12; 9:5), and His followers are to be the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). And yet, the world walks in darkness. The testimony of Christ is that:

John 3:19 … Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil…. Continue reading →

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Message From A Basket

Posted on February 14, 2022 by bibleteacherorg

Turn with me in your Bibles to Acts 9:15.

Last week we saw a man named Saul knocked down on the Damascus Road by Jesus Christ our Lord. The man was arrogant. The man was self righteous. The man was murderous. The man was calloused, with a hardened heart. But Jesus had a plan for this man’s life. Knocked down and blinded, this now repentant man was led to Damascus, where he waited three days without sight, food, or water (Acts 9:9).

Saul waited on the Lord … and on the Lord’s servant Ananias. On the third day Jesus spoke to Ananias and told him to “put your hand on him, that he might receive his sight”. Jesus was talking about more than just physical sight. When Ananias touched Saul, he would gain both physical and spiritual sight.

Saul Is A Chosen Vessel

Ananias was scared to go to Saul, but the Lord assured him. Read with me:

Acts 9:15-18 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake. 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy {Spirit}. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized … Continue reading →

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The Communion of Christ

Posted on February 13, 2022 by bibleteacherorg

1 Corinthians 10:14-17 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

When we gather to partake of the Lord’s Table, we do so in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. The Lord’s Table is a time for us to examine ourselves, to recommit our lives to walking with our Lord.

We Belong To Jesus And Are Dearly Beloved

The Apostle starts out by calling the Church “dearly beloved”. The Lord’s Table is given to the “dearly beloved” of Jesus Christ. The Scripture tells us how deep the love of Jesus is. We read:… Continue reading →

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A Difficult Text For Wednesday Night

Posted on February 9, 2022 by bibleteacherorg

Turn with me in your Bibles to Galatians Chapter Six. Galatians is a book written by the Apostle Paul to the Church at Galatia. The Church was largely composed of Gentile Believers, but had recently been visited by Christians with a Jewish background. These Jewish believers told the Galatians that they were not fully saved because they did not keep the festivals and the rituals (like circumcision) that they themselves did. The Apostle – himself a Jew – wrote to correct the error that the Christ following Jews were introducing.

When the Apostle Peter wrote of Paul’s writings, he said:

2 Peter 3:15-16 (ESV) And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures…. Continue reading →

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How To Avoid A Catastrophe

Posted on February 8, 2022 by bibleteacherorg

Every time there is the threat of a winter storm, or some form of bad weather, people rush to the supermarkets and buy all the milk, bread, and eggs they can get. When the Coronavirus hit America we went through what many called “Charmageddon”, or what I called “The Great Toilet Paper Rapture”. One day the markets all had toilet paper, the next day, “poof!”, it magically disappeared.

As Americans, we love to panic, lest a trial become a catastrophe! Our message tonight is “How To Avoid A Catastrophe”. We’ll be in 1 Corinthians Chapter 10.

1 Corinthians 10:1-6 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things were our examples …

Word Study: Though we today are under the New Covenant of Grace, and not the Old Covenant of the Law, what happened to Israel is just as applicable to us. What happened to Israel is called “our examples”. The word translated “examples” is the Greek τύπος týpos, {pronounced too’-pos}, which means “a pattern, formed by strokes or blows, a type, a teaching, an imprint”. The same word was used by Thomas when he doubted to resurrection of Christ, saying:… Continue reading →

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Loving Hands, Loving Lord

Posted on February 6, 2022 by bibleteacherorg

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit had not come on the Church at Samaria as of yet. You who are Bible Scholars know that the Holy Spirit comes on every believer at the moment of salvation. Jesus told Nicodemus:

John 3:3-7 … Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The Holy Spirit gives life to the believer. The Holy Spirit also indwells the believer. The Apostle told Timothy:

2 Timothy 1:13-14 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy {Spirit} which dwelleth in us.

And told the Church at Rome:

Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

The Holy Spirit baptizes every believer at the moment of new birth. The Apostle wrote in:… Continue reading →

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Run That You May Obtain

Posted on February 2, 2022 by bibleteacherorg

We who follow Jesus are saved by faith in Christ, not by our works. Salvation is a gift from God given to whosoever will receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. What does the Scripture say?

Romans 10:8-13 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the LORD Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same LORD over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.

When God the Holy Spirit convicts a person of sin, and of righteousness, and of certain judgment (John 16:8), opening the eyes of the convert, that convert “calls upon the name of the LORD” and is saved. The necessary part of saving faith is that you confess Jesus is Lord, and that Jesus resurrected from the dead, being the full payment for our sins.

“The Gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD”
(Romans 6:23)

“For by Grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the Gift of God, NOT of works, lest any man should boast”
(Ephesians 2:8-9)

“Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what Law? Of works? Nay: but by the Law of Faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified {made right with God} by faith without the deeds of the Law.”
(Romans 3:27-28)… Continue reading →

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God Is In The Relocation Business

Posted on January 31, 2022 by bibleteacherorg

If you study the Scripture you will find that MAN is not the focal point in human history. GOD is. God made everything. The Scripture opens with:

In the beginning GOD created … (Genesis 1:1)

and ends with:

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (Revelation 22:21)

God made us. God loves us. God knows what is best for us. God will be glorified. God will ultimately triumph. God said:

Isaiah 45:5-10 I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. 7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things. 8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it. 9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? 10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

God is the first cause of all things. God is the Creator of all life. God is. Not us, but God. God is the Source of all life. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15). God’s Will will come to pass. The story of Scripture is that God made us, we rebelled against God, but God pursues us still. He wants to bring us into union with Himself.

John 3:17 God sent His Son into the world not to condemn it, but that the world through Jesus might be saved (my paraphrase)

God is not glorified in a lost world.
God is not glorified when racism abounds.
God is not glorified when people hate – and hurt – people.
God is not glorified when humans try and be God.

We need to relocate our hearts and minds to God…. Continue reading →

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Sermon From A Chariot

Posted on January 30, 2022 by bibleteacherorg

When we read through the Book of Acts, we see how the early Church – even in the midst of great persecution in pagan Rome – was caused to grow by God. The Holy Spirit was given on the Day of Pentecost, just as Jesus promised (Acts 1:8; John 14:26). God’s people were willing to obey the voice of the Lord.

The Kingdom of God grows when members of that Kingdom – Christians who are “children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26) walk in partnership with God, following His direction.

The Bible commands Christians to “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16). We are to “yield ourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead” (Romans 6:13). We are to “bring forth fruit unto God” (Romans 7:4). We do this by telling others about Jesus and the great Grace we enjoy.

In every instance where the Kingdom of God grew in the Book of Acts, it grew because believers shared what Jesus Christ did for us. God saves us by faith in Jesus. Once a person is saved, they are changed to live their lives for Jesus. An old song we often sing, Amazing Grace, says:

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but NOW am FOUND,
Was blind but NOW I SEE.

Those who experience the Amazing Grace of God become workers together for God’s Kingdom (2 Corinthians 6:1). The stepbrother… Continue reading →

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