River Church Sermons

This is the place to listen to CCR's weekly Sunday morning sermons. Messages that are based on the Bible, seek to honor Jesus, are Gospel centered and filled with faith and hope.

River Church Sermons is a religion podcast hosted by Lewis Marsh, with 100 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Lewis Marsh hosts River Church Sermons, a religion show with 100 episodes published.

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  River Church Sermons

  40th Anniversary - Remembering God's Faithfulness

  Oct 4, 202615 min

  40 th Anniversary 40 Years of Faithfulness By Louie Marsh, 10-4-2026 1) God was faithful from the very beginning. 3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; Isaiah 42:3 (NIV) 3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, "That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged." Romans 3:3-4 (ESV) 2) God was faithful in getting us up river. 3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness . Psalm 26:3 (ESV) 4 For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. Psalm 33:4 (ESV) 3) God was faithful in helping us become debt free. 6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD , the LORD , a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, Exodus 34:6 (ESV) 4 "The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he . Deuteronomy 32:4 (ESV) 4) God was faithful getting us through the hard times. 22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." Lamentations 3:22-24 (ESV) 11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:11-13 (ESV) 40 th Anniversary 40 Years of Faithfulness By Louie Marsh, 10-4-2026 1) God was faithful from the very beginning. 3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; Isaiah 42:3 (NIV) 3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, "That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged." Romans 3:3-4 (ESV) 2) God was faithful in getting us up river. 3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness . Psalm 26:3 (ESV) 4 For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. Psalm 33:4 (ESV) 3) God was faithful in helping us become debt free. 6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD , the LORD , a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, Exodus 34:6 (ESV) 4 "The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he . Deuteronomy 32:4 (ESV) 4) God was faithful getting us through the hard times. 22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." Lamentations 3:22-24 (ESV) 11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:11-13 (ESV)

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  River Church Sermons

  04 Finishing the Story - Who's on First?

  Sep 27, 202634 min

  Finishing the Story Pt. 4: Who's On First? By Louie Marsh, 9-27-2026 " 44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. " (Matthew 13:44–46, ESV) 1) The Kingdom of God is of SUPREME value. " 44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field…. finding one pearl of great value… (Matthew 13:44a–46a, ESV) " 19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. " (Matthew 6:19–21, ESV) " 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. " (Matthew 6:33, ESV) 2) The Kingdom of God is revealed in DIFFERENT WAYS to different people. …which a man found and covered up… in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value… (Matthew 13:44a, 45a,46a, ESV) " 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions. " (Mark 12:34, ESV) 3) The only real response is a JOYFUL SURRENDER. Then in his joy he goes… went and sold… " 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. " (Matthew 16:24, ESV) 4) The Kingdom of God is free but not CHEAP. sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 and sold all that he had and bought it. " (Matthew 13:44b, 46b, ESV) · It costs me EVERYTHING. " 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. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. " (Romans 12:1–2, ESV) "When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die ." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

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  River Church Sermons

  03 Finishing the Story - Weak When Strong

  Sep 20, 202631 min

  Finishing the Story Pt. 3 – Weak When Strong By Louie Marsh, 9-20-2026 1) The Kingdom of God is wherever Jesus is LORD. " 18 He said therefore, " What is the kingdom of God like? (Luke 13:18a, ESV) The Kingdom of God in the New Testament refers to the sovereign rule, reign, or kingship of God—His active, dynamic authority exercised over creation, human lives, and history—rather than primarily a geographical territory or political state. It is the central theme of Jesus' preaching and teaching. · Different kingdoms – different RULES. 2) The Kingdom of God appears WEAK. " 31 He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds , but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." " (Matthew 13:31–32, ESV) 3) The Kingdom of God is strong through WEAKNESS. " 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. " (2 Corinthians 12:8–10, ESV) · The Kingdom is this way so that only God is GLORIFIED. " 8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. " (2 Corinthians 1:8–9, ESV) 4) The Kingdom of God always PREVAILS in the end. …but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." " (Matthew 13:31–32, ESV) " 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. " (Matthew 16:18, ESV) 5) Where do I go from here? · I must have faith in small BEGINNINGS . " 8 " 'I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. " (Revelation 3:8, ESV) The mustard seed symbolizes how the kingdom of heaven starts small and seemingly insignificant. · I should prepare to be FRUSTRATED. " 1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, "O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live." 4 And the Lord said, "Do you do well to be angry?" " (Jonah 4:1–4, ESV) · Remember in the Kingdom I need faith and PATIENCE :. Just as the mustard seed requires time to grow, believers are encouraged to have faith and patience as they witness the unfolding of God's kingdom in their lives and communities.

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  River Church Sermons

  02 Do I Have a Hard Heart?

  Sep 13, 202629 min

  Finishing the Story Pt. 2 – Do I Have a Hard Heart? By Louie Marsh, 9-13-2026 " 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. " (Matthew 13:3–8, ESV) 1) The IGNORANT heart. " 18 "Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. (Matthew 13:18-19, ESV) BELOW ON PPT Jesus doesn't use the word believe – but understand. συνίημι suniēmi; from 4862 and ἵημι hiēmi (to send); to set together, fig. to understand:—gained … insight(1), understand(17), understanding(1), understands(2), understood(5). Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998). Understand, perceive, comprehend; also "bring together" or "combine" (esp. intransitively, "come together, agree"). In the middle, "understand for oneself, consider"; passive is rare and typically "be understood." That's what the Holy Spirit is helping us with: " 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. " (John 16:8–11, ESV) Common misunderstandings: · God is the sovereign JUDGE. · I'm a sinner & deserve to go to HELL. Gallup asks Americans whether various behaviors are "morally acceptable" or "morally wrong." In the May 1–17, 2026 survey of about 1,000 U.S. adults: · 65% said sex between an unmarried man and woman is morally acceptable. · 31% said it is morally wrong. · I cannot save MYSELF. · Jesus is the ONLY WAY to God · Salvation isn't about ME. Satan's most frightening power: · He can take God's Word OUT of my heart. 2) The SHALLOW heart. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. (Matthew 13:20-21, ESV) Superficial rather than deep reception: The person responds quickly and enthusiastically (often with emotional joy), but the message does not penetrate deeply into the heart, mind, conscience, or will. There is no lasting internal foundation, firm conviction, or genuine transformation. · Faith is more than a FEELING or mere INTELLECTUAL assent. " 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'" " (Mark 12:30, ESV) 3) The DISTRACTED heart. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. (Matthew 13:22, ESV) Worries about health, wealth, war, etc. Tech keeping us "connected" so we never really rest & are more stressed. · Worry and greed will KILL you spiritually. " 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. " (Ephesians 5:5, ESV) 4) The WISE heart. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." " (Matthew 13:23, ESV) · The wise heart puts it all TOGETHER . The wise heart has all of the above. Not just intellectual understanding, not just emotional/experiential and not just being focused on Jesus. I need them ALL!

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  River Church Sermons

  01 Finishing the Story - One Firm Foundation

  Sep 6, 202621 min

  ``Finishing the Story - Parables of Jesus Part 1: One Firm Foundation By Louie Marsh, 9-6-2026 Parables (short illustrative stories teaching a moral, ethical, or spiritual lesson, often through comparison or analogy) are extremely old—at least around 4,000–4,500 years, with roots in oral tradition that are almost certainly older. They overlap heavily with fables (especially animal ones with morals) in ancient sources. The Hebrew term mashal (often translated as "parable," "proverb," or "comparison") covered a range of short, memorable didactic forms. Similar short narrative wisdom literature appears independently across cultures, but the earliest written examples come from ancient Mesopotamia. Earliest known examples The oldest attested tradition is Sumerian (southern Mesopotamia). Short fables and parable-like pieces appear in proverb collections on clay tablets, mainly from the Old Babylonian period (roughly 1900–1600 BC), used in scribal schools. These preserve material that scholars trace back into the third millennium BC (and earlier oral tradition). Scholars have identified dozens of Aesopic-style Sumerian fables and parables among the proverb collections (over 100 in some counts), featuring animals like the fox, dog, lion, or elephant acting with human traits to illustrate lessons about greed, folly, ambition, or social order. In the Hebrew Bible, early narrative meshalim include Jotham's story of the trees seeking a king (Judges 9, often called the first biblical parable or fable, and Nathan's parable of the ewe lamb told to King David (2 Samuel 12). Rabbinic use of parables (Hebrew mashal , plural meshalim ) as a formal teaching and exegetical tool developed primarily in the late Second Temple and early post-Temple periods (roughly 1st–2nd centuries AD), becoming highly standardized and widespread from roughly 1st–6th centuries AD). Their use remains popular today, especially in traditional Orthodox, Hasidic, and educational contexts. Q: - Why title this "Finishing the Story?" Because while Jesus finished tell these stories over 2000 years ago they aren't finished in your life and my life until apply them. 1) The most vital step in building a firm foundation – OBEDIENCE. " 46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: (Luke 6:46–47, ESV) " 24 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them… (Matthew 7:24a, ESV) · Jesus was almost always focused on APPLICATION . 2) God calls me to BUILD a life rooted in Jesus. 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. (Luke 6:48, ESV) will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock . (Matthew 7:24b-25, ESV) " 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. " (Matthew 16:18, ESV) Building is…. · HARD WORK. · Takes TIME. · Follows a wise PLAN. · Will inevitably be TESTED by trials & tribulations. 3) Failure to build on Christ has bad CONSEQUENCES. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great." " (Luke 6:49, ESV) 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." " (Matthew 7:26-27, ESV) · If I want to stand strong in life's storms, I a strong GOSPEL foundation. 4) The key to all this is acknowledge the AUTHORITY of Jesus. " 28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. " (Matthew 7:28–29, ESV)

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