River Church Sermons

About 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.

Publisher

Lewis Marsh

Category

religion & spirituality · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 Apr 2022

Latest episode

1 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

239 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Nov 2026

   08 Finishing the Story - Saying Goodbye to It All

   Finishing the Story Pt. 8: Saying Goodbye to It All By Louie Marsh, 11-1-2026 1) Jesus wants one place in my life – FIRST! "25Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:25–26, ESV) Everyone today wants crowds (followers). Yet look what Jesus does, the exact opposite of what we do. Don't crowd the crowd, don't' confront the crowd, don't confuse the crowd don't contradict the crowd. 2) When calls me, He calls me to DIE. 27Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:27, ESV) In the New Testament death means "separation." 3) Don't start something until you're sure you can FINISH IT. 28For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' (Luke 14:28–30, ESV) 4) Don't fight a war unless you're sure you can WIN. 31Or 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? 32And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. (Luke 14:31–32, ESV) 5) To really follow Jesus I must relinquish any claim to my LIFE. 33So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:33, ESV) The English verb "renounce" translates the Greek **ἀποτάσσω** (*apotassō*), specifically the aorist middle infinitive **ἀποτάξασθαι** (*apotaxasthai*). Lexical Meaning In classical and Koine Greek, *apotassō* primarily means: - to arrange or assign separately - to take leave of / say farewell to - to renounce / give up / forsake / relinquish claim to "1I 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. 2Do 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)

2. 

   25 Oct 2026

   07 Finishing the Story - Be the Spiritual S1ueaky Wheel

   Finishing the Story Pt. 8: Be the Spiritual Squeaky Wheel By Louie Marsh, 10-25-2026 1) Admit it – prayer is HARD. "1And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. (Luke 18:1, ESV) "12Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." (Romans 12:12, ESV) 2) We often wonder, does God even CARE? 2He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.  (Luke 18:2, ESV) There were three courts that existed in First Century Israel: first, a court called the Beth Din, presided over by three judges. It dealt with minor cases involving less serious crimes or a small fine. Beth Din means House of Judgement or house of Law in Hebrew. There was a second court called the lesser Sanhedrin, consisting of twenty-three men. The third court, the Supreme Court of ancient Israel, was known as the Great Sanhedrin, with a membership of seventy-one judges. This number was derived from the assembly of seventy elders that Moses had gathered about him. In order to be eligible to preside over the Beth Din, a man had to be at least twenty-five years old. From twenty-five to the age of forty they served on the lesser Sanhedrin; and a man had to be at least forty to be eligible for membership in the great Sanhedrin. All judges had to be men of irreproachable character, men of intelligence, learning, and fine discrimination and balanced judgment. They were not compensated as judges. They were reimbursed, however, for any expenses in attending the court and for the time away from their work. The minor court, the Beth Din, held its sessions at the gates of the little towns. Every town, every city, every center of population in ancient Palestine and the countries in which Jews resided had to at least have a Beth Din. The Romans kept out of things as long as their subjects maintained order and paid their taxes. They also demanded final say over any executions. So in all likelihood it was a Beth Din judge that Jesus is referring to here. "8but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, ESV) 3) If you don't see God's answer – don't QUIT PRAYING. 3And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' (Luke 18:3, ESV) Widows in Jesus day were far from helpless. About one-third of all property was owned by women, two-thirds by men. This fact shows that women were not social equals of men. Yet the proportion of property owned by women is also large enough to suggest women's ownership was by no means unusual. Under Roman law, both women and men technically owned no property until their father died. At that time, they inherited property from him. The social convention was to give children roughly equal shares of the estate. Adult children whose fathers had died became legally independent, whether they were male or female. So this woman probably owned property and her adversary was more than likely trying to take it from her or not give her the amount agreed upon to purchase it. Whatever the problem was the widow was, as all people are who go to court are, at the mercy of the judge. Her motto – No Justice No Peace! "16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19Do not quench the Spirit." (1 Thessalonians 5:16–19, ESV) 4) If I'm praying for the right thing, EVENTUALLY God will answer. 4For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'"  (Luke 18:4-5, ESV) As things got more heated the judge became concerned. He thought to himself, "Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!" The expression "beat me down" (other translations say, "wear me out.") literally means "to strike under the eye." That's right, the judge was worried this woman was going to punch him out and give him a black eye! Can you believe that? So he caved in and granted her the justice she sought, not because he cared but so she'd finally go away and leave him in peace. "14And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." (1 John 5:14, ESV) 5) Don't FEAR – God is far better than this horrible judge. 6And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily…  (Luke 18:6–8a, ESV) "8But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:8–9, ESV) 6) When Jesus returns will we still FOLLOW the widow's example? Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"" (Luke 18:8b, ESV) "20He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20, ESV)

3. 

   18 Oct 2026

   06 Finishing the Story - No Limits!

   Finishing the Story Pt. 6: No Limits! By Louie Marsh, 10-18-2026 1) Disciples shouldn't look for LOOPHOLES. "21Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" 22Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times." (Matthew 18:21–22, ESV) The Babylonian Talmud (Yoma 86b) records a teaching in the name of Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda (a Tanna, roughly 2nd century CE, reflecting earlier traditions): "When a person commits a transgression the first time, he is forgiven; a second time, he is forgiven; a third time, he is forgiven; but the fourth time, he is not forgiven," 2) I need to EMBRACE Kingdom values, "23"Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to… (Matthew 18:23a, ESV) 3) Our debt of sin to God is UNBELIEVABLE, a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.  (Matthew 18:23b-27, ESV) 1. Plea and extravagant forgiveness (vv. 26–27): The king is moved by "pity/compassion" (σπλαγχνισθείς—the same verb used of Jesus' compassion in the Gospels) and cancels the entire debt rather than merely granting more time. 2. Ten thousand talents: An astronomical sum. A talent was roughly 6,000 denarii (a denarius being a day's wage for a laborer). Ten thousand talents equaled roughly 60 million denarii—far beyond any realistic personal debt in the ancient world. It functions hyperbolically to represent an unpayable obligation (often understood theologically as the debt of human sin before God). 3. Selling the debtor and family: Reflects ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman debt practices; debt-slavery was a known consequence of insolvency. 4) Wanting grace for me but not for thee is HYPOCRITICAL. 28But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' 29So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt." (Matthew 18:23–34, ESV) 1. Hundred denarii: Approximately 100 days' wages—significant but manageable by comparison. The contrast is deliberate and extreme (roughly 600,000 to 1). 5) God demands we do everything from the HEART. "35So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."" (Matthew 18:35, ESV) · What is FORGIVENESS? "25And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."" (Mark 11:25, ESV) · As a Christian I'm OBLIGATED to forgive. The obligation that follows forgiveness: Having received mercy, the servant is expected to extend it. The rhetorical question in v. 33 ("Should not you have had mercy… as I had mercy on you?") is the ethical heart of the parable. Forgiveness received creates a moral imperative to forgive others. · Forgiveness is a PROCESS.

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