04 Preparing God's People for Service
River Church Sermons
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03 Grasping God's Greatness
River Church Sermons
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02 The Incomparable Christ - From Death to Life
River Church Sermons
The Incomparable Christ Pt. 2: From Death to Life By Louie Marsh, 1-18-2026 Top 10 Preaching Rules 10: Any illustration can be massaged to fit any sermon. 9: If a story is funny enough, it doesn't have to fit the sermon. 8: A sermon that is "too short" is rarer than Bigfoot at a photographer's convention. 7: The kid who screams and throws a fit every week will wait until the quietest, most focused and serious moment of your sermon to let 'er rip. 6: The member who always gripes that you don't preach enough on (pick one) baptism/faith/giving/witnessing will be out of town the week...
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01 The Incomparable Christ - My Standing in Christ
River Church Sermons
The Incomparable Christ Pt. 1: Our Standing In Christ By Louie Marsh, 1-11-2026 1) Who & what I AM. “1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are IN EPHESUS, and are faithful IN CHRIST JESUS: 2Grace 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 statement of our spiritual blessings in Christ. These verses are one long, complex sentence in the Greek. According to Purdue University: Run-ons, comma splices, and fused...
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01 Coming Into Focus
River Church Sermons
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 burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after...
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01 The past, Present & Future
River Church Sermons
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: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We...
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03 Christmas Songs - Simeons Song
River Church Sermons
Christmas Songs Pt. 3: Simeon’s Song By Louie Marsh, 12/21-2025 Intro – last cartoon, lights out together 1) Worth WAITING for. “25Now 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. 26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” (Luke 2:25–26, ESV) “12It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now...
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02 Christmas Songs - Zachariah's Song
River Church Sermons
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) “14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14, ESV) 2) God REDEEMING us. ...
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01 Christmas Songs - Mary's Song
River Church Sermons
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 four verses on the PPT 1) Gratitude – for a PERSONAL relationship with God. “46And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47and my spirit rejoices in God my...
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07 Wise Up - The Foolishness of God
River Church Sermons
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 “18For 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. “27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is low and despised in the world,...
info_outlineNew 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 burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’” Luke 5:36-39 (ESV)
1) Change is INEVITABLE
2 When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. Mark 12:2 (ESV)
· That doesn’t mean it’s always GOOD
18 Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks. Ecclesiastes 10:18 (ESV)
2) Becoming more like Christ doesn’t “JUST HAPPEN.”
3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3 (ESV)
39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matthew 5:39 (ESV)
· It takes FOCUS,
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)
· COMMITMENT (DISCIPLINE)
24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. Hebrews 11:24-26 (ESV)
· PERSEVERANCE
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
3) Jesus wants you to make your choice CAREFULLY.
27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Luke 14:27-31 (ESV)