Sermons
Watch and explore our sermon messages
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Don't Miss Jesus
Dr. Joel Muddamalle, theologian from Proverbs 31 Ministries, delivers a powerful message urging believers not to miss Jesus on His terms. He warns that the greatest issue facing this generation isn't the denial of Jesus, but something far more subversive—the attempt to make Jesus in our image rather than being conformed to His image. The message centers on Luke 24, resurrection morning, where two disciples walk to Emmaus in confusion after Jesus' crucifixion. As they walk, Jesus Himself joins them but they don't recognize Him. He spends the two-hour walk giving them a masterclass through the Hebrew Bible, showing how all Scripture points to Him. When they arrive at Emmaus, Jesus reclines at table, blesses the bread, breaks it, and gives it to them—their eyes are opened and they recognize Him. They realize their hearts were burning not when He broke bread, but when He opened the Scriptures. The message powerfully concludes that the central message of all Scripture is Jesus Himself, and dead hearts come alive when the Scriptures are opened. The economy of the kingdom: blessed, broken, and blessed again—experiencing God's blessing in the midst of brokenness through Christ.
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Why Jesus Wept - Love Your Neighbor
In this powerful message concluding the 'Love Your Neighbor' series, Pastor Logan Ketterling explores the significance of Jesus weeping and what it teaches us about empathy, compassion, and loving others. Drawing from John 11 where Jesus wept at Lazarus's death, Luke 19 where he wept over Jerusalem, and his anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane, Logan challenges the congregation to develop a burden for the lost and hurting around them. He shares personal stories of loss and suffering, including his wife Mac's fourth miscarriage, to illustrate how God's love exceeds our anguish. The message emphasizes that we must feel something for those who are lost—not treating it like a sports game where some win and some lose, but understanding the eternal weight of souls. Logan calls believers to align with God's heart for all people to be saved, reminding us that Jesus wept not just for his friends but for those who reject him.
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Broken Hearts Change the World
Aaron Pierce, leader of Steiger International, delivers a passionate message about how broken hearts compel us to action and change the world. Speaking during a turbulent time in American history, Aaron shares how God is not indifferent to our suffering—He sent Jesus into our mess to show us the way out. Drawing from the book of Nehemiah, Aaron illustrates how Nehemiah responded to the problems of his day with a broken heart, weeping, mourning, fasting, and praying for months before taking action. Aaron explains that we're living in a post-Christian culture shaped by a global youth culture that embraces secular humanism—the belief that there's no outside authority and individuals define their own identity, purpose, and morality. The devastating consequences include confusion, sexual brokenness, loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Aaron challenges believers to ask God to break their hearts for the lost because a broken heart is what compels sacrifice and action. He emphasizes that we cannot manufacture a broken heart, but we can repent of our coldness and ask God to change us, because broken hearts birthed in repentance and driven to desperate prayer is the foundation for eternal impact.
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The Good Samaritan - Love Your Neighbor
Pastor Rob Ketterling kicks off a three-part series called "Love Your Neighbor" with the parable of the Good Samaritan from Luke 10. The message celebrates River Valley Church's 30th anniversary and introduces a new core group called "The Commission" focused on discipleship and reaching neighbors with a biblical worldview. The sermon emphasizes that the Good Samaritan story is not merely about random acts of kindness but about showing mercy across enemy lines—loving those who are culturally, religiously, or socially opposed to you. The historical context reveals the deep-seated hatred between Jews and Samaritans, dating back centuries to when the northern kingdom intermarried with Assyrians and was considered polluted by the southern kingdom. Pastor Rob draws parallels to modern conflicts like the Rwanda genocide and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to help congregants understand the magnitude of what Jesus was teaching. The story shows that a Jewish man in need was passed by a priest and Levite (religious leaders) but was helped by a Samaritan—his enemy—who showed extraordinary compassion and generosity. The message challenges believers to examine their excuses for not showing mercy and to practice love without limits. Jesus calls His followers to love not just the "nice and near" but also the "naughty"—those who are difficult, different, or even hostile. Pastor Rob shares personal testimony about forgiving neighbors who opposed his property plans and choosing to love them anyway. The sermon concludes with a call to live out the gospel in our own neighborhoods before attempting to share it globally, demonstrating God's love to all people regardless of their relationship to us.
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The Truth That Transforms
Pastor Kirk Graham concludes the series on the books of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John by teaching through the entire book of 3rd John, the shortest book in the New Testament. This letter from the apostle John (called 'the elder') addresses hospitality and the advancement of the gospel through four people: John himself, Gaius (a good church leader), Diotrephes (a bad church leader), and Demetrius (an itinerant minister). The central message emphasizes that disciples of Jesus are called not only to follow Christ but also to make disciples, investing spiritually into others. Using the metaphor of 'clearing the runways,' Pastor Kirk explains that the gospel is constantly taking off and landing—prayers are sent up, missionaries are deployed, and the message of Jesus spreads. Gaius exemplified hospitality by providing a 'clear runway' for itinerant ministers to land safely and take off again, supporting them even though they were strangers. John calls Gaius a 'fellow worker' in the gospel, showing that those who support gospel workers share equally in the spiritual rewards. True hospitality is not trivial—it's the practical outworking of the command to love one another, requiring energy, time, resources, and intentionality. In contrast, Diotrephes represents the opposite—he loved to put himself first, refused to welcome traveling ministers, and even expelled people from the church who wanted to help. His sin was pride, the same sin that led to Satan's fall. Pastor Kirk challenges believers to examine their own lives and remove any roadblocks in their personal 'runway' that hinder the advancement of the gospel. This might mean reprioritizing schedules, resources, and commitments to live hospitably and serve others. The sermon concludes with a powerful call to live 'for the sake of the Name' of Jesus Christ, believing that clearing the runway in our personal lives can change family trees for generations to come.
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Truth & Love Work Together
Pastor Rob Ketterling delivers a timely message on Second John, a short but powerful book that addresses how Christians should navigate relationships with those who hold different beliefs. In one of the most polarizing moments in recent history, especially regarding politics and religion, this message provides practical guardrails for living out faith authentically. Rob emphasizes that truth without love becomes legalism, while love without truth becomes license (or 'sloppy agape'). The early church demonstrated both—caring for the sick and taking in widows and orphans (love), while also refusing to participate in gladiator games, Caesar's army, abortion, and sexual immorality (truth). The message challenges believers to avoid both isolation (truth without love) and assimilation (love without truth), instead walking in both truth and love as instructed in Ephesians 4:15. Rob provides practical strategies for navigating difficult conversations, setting boundaries, and standing firm in biblical convictions while remaining loving and hospitable to those with different beliefs.
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We Have the Victory
Pastor Rob Ketterling concludes the study of 1 John with chapter 5, focusing on the theme of victory. Throughout the epistle, John has emphasized three recurring themes: faith, love, and obedience. In this final chapter, John brings everything to a climax by declaring that believers have victory over sin, the world, and the devil through Jesus Christ. The message addresses the spiritual battle that Christians face in a world system that opposes God and constantly tries to conform believers to its patterns. The sermon emphasizes that God's commandments are not burdensome because Jesus is present with believers, giving them the strength to obey. Pastor Rob challenges the notion—promoted by both the world and some preachers—that God's commands are restrictive or joy-killing. He shares personal stories, including visiting a high-profile church where the pastor apologized for God's purity standards, and meeting a rabbi in Jerusalem who delighted in following 613 laws. These experiences reinforced his determination to love obeying God's Word even more passionately than those under the Old Covenant. The victory believers possess is not something they must fight to achieve but something they fight from—it's already won through Christ. Christians are not victims but victors who overcome the world through faith in Jesus as the Son of God. Pastor Rob encourages the congregation to stop letting the world squeeze the life out of them and to start living as overcomers. The message concludes with a call to realize that even when circumstances look like 'Friday,' Sunday is coming—believers are on the winning side and need to live in that victory now.
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Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself
Pastor Davey Collins continues the series on the Epistles of John by diving into 1 John chapter 4. The message emphasizes the importance of spiritual discernment in a world filled with false teachings and spiritual confusion. John, writing as a spiritual grandfather, repeatedly emphasizes that believers must test every spirit and teaching against the truth of who Jesus Christ is—fully God and fully man who came in the flesh. The sermon focuses on three key areas believers must examine: their feed (what spiritual content they consume), their heart (their capacity to love others), and their confession (whether their words align with their character). Pastor Davey warns against spiritual influencers who sound good but twist the truth, including self-help salesmen, progressive mystics, moralistic therapeutic deists, and social gospel activists who preach justice without Jesus. True spiritual health is measured not by knowledge alone, but by love—the most concentrated use of the word "love" in Scripture appears in 1 John 4, with 27 mentions in one chapter. The message concludes with a powerful reminder that God demonstrated His love first by sending Jesus as the payment for our sins. Our love for others is not optional but a vital spiritual sign that proves our relationship with God. The incarnation of Jesus Christ is the litmus test for all spiritual teaching, and our confession must be backed up by our character and actions.
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After the Prodigal's Party
In this powerful message from 1 John chapter 3, Pastor Kirk Graham addresses the critical importance of understanding our identity as children of God and the incompatibility of sin in a believer's life. Using the metaphor of the prodigal son's return, he explores what happens after the celebration—when the father sits down with his son to establish ground rules for living in the father's house. The message challenges believers to not treat sin casually just because they are covered by grace, but to actively pursue holiness and Christlikeness. Pastor Kirk draws a striking parallel between cancer and sin, emphasizing that just as no one would ignore a cancer diagnosis and say 'I'll be healed in heaven,' believers shouldn't ignore sin in their lives. The message is not about legalism or perfection, but about perspective, character, and integrity. It's about recognizing that what our lives produce reveals whose children we are. The core challenge is to purify ourselves as Jesus is pure, to eradicate sin from our lives with the same urgency we would fight a deadly disease, and to walk daily in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit toward becoming more like Christ.
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Bonus Message: Walk Differently, Walk Anointed
Pastor Rob Ketterling delivers a powerful message about the priestly walk of every believer, building on the summer series through 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John. He reviews the foundational truth from 1 John 1:7 about walking in the light, explaining that it means living in alignment with God's nature while rejecting darkness. Drawing from the Hebrew concept of 'Halakha' (the walk), he emphasizes that ancient Jewish disciples would follow their rabbis closely, wanting to imitate everything about them—this is what it means for Christians to walk in the light and keep in step with the Spirit. The core of the message centers on Leviticus 8, where Aaron and his sons were anointed as priests with blood placed on their right ear, right thumb, and right big toe. This anointing symbolized: hearing God's voice (ear), using gifts for God's glory (hand), and walking differently in the world (toe). Pastor Rob powerfully declares that all believers—not just pastors or ministry staff—have 'anointed toes' and are called to a priestly walk. Every Christian is an ambassador of Christ who should walk differently than the world, representing God in every aspect of life. The message systematically explores multiple New Testament passages about how believers must walk: in newness of life (Romans 6:4), honestly (Romans 13:13), in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16), worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1), in love (Ephesians 5:2), as children of light (Ephesians 5:8), circumspectly with caution (Ephesians 5:15), worthy of the Lord (Colossians 1:10), in wisdom toward outsiders (Colossians 4:5), pleasing to God (1 Thessalonians 4:1), and as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6). Pastor Rob challenges the church to recognize that social media is part of our walk and witness, cautioning believers to walk circumspectly—like walking through a minefield or on ice—being careful where their feet take them. He concludes with William Barclay's insight that Christianity requires intellectual knowledge, emotional experience, and moral action combined, emphasizing that if we truly know God and experience His presence, we have an obligation to live differently than the world.
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What Are You Living For?
Pastor Rob Ketterling continues the series on 1 John, building on the previous week's message about confession and forgiveness. He begins by reminding the congregation that believers have an advocate in Jesus Christ and that He is the propitiation for our sins - satisfying God's righteous wrath through His sacrificial death. The focus of this message is 1 John 2:15-17, which warns believers not to love the world or the things in the world, explaining that "world" refers to the spiritual system that exalts self, rejects God, and resists His kingdom. Pastor Rob explains that the "world" is not God's creation or people, but rather a pattern of life organized around wrong principles and values that oppose God. He emphasizes that believers cannot walk with God and run with the world simultaneously - these systems are incompatible. The danger is particularly acute when Christians are not being persecuted, as there's a temptation to want to fit in and be accepted by the world's system. He encourages believers to stand firm in their convictions rather than compromise to gain acceptance from a system that fundamentally opposes Christ. The sermon identifies three specific areas of worldly temptation from 1 John 2:16: the desires of the flesh (worldly ambitions, selfish aims, gluttony, luxury, lust), the desires of the eyes (the coveting gaze that makes us think we need what we see), and the pride of life (bragging and lying about possessions and accomplishments). Pastor Rob traces these same three temptations back to Genesis 3 with Eve's temptation. He concludes by pointing to the solution: abiding in Jesus daily through God's word, prayer, and awareness of His presence. The world is passing away, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
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Walk in the Light
Pastor Rob Ketterling begins a multi-week journey through the epistles of 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John. He introduces John the Elder, believed to be John the beloved, who is writing to house churches in Ephesus. John is calling a timeout on the early church, bringing them back to the basics of faith in response to Gnostic teachings that were attacking the church. The Gnostics claimed spiritual enlightenment without submission to Jesus, saying they were above sin, which was destroying fellowship in the church. The message focuses primarily on 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Pastor Rob explains that this verse should make believers run to God, not away from Him. He emphasizes the importance of walking in the light, which means living in alignment with God's nature and rejecting darkness that represents sin, falsehood, and moral distortion. Walking with God is not just following rules but building a relationship, similar to how disciples would mimic their rabbi in ancient Jewish culture. The sermon addresses three false teachings: that you can have fellowship with God while walking in darkness, that you have no sin, and that you have not sinned. Pastor Rob breaks down 1 John 1:9 word by word, explaining that confession means acknowledging and agreeing with God about our sin, not just admitting guilt. God is faithful to His word and will forgive, and He is just because Jesus paid the price for our sins. Most importantly, God not only forgives but cleanses us from all unrighteousness, removing the guilt, stain, influence, and power of sin, and putting us on a new path with power to live righteously.