While Pastor David enjoys a much-needed week of Study Leave, we are thrilled to welcome back to the pulpit, Josh Rutledge. You might know that Josh is the Vice President of Spiritual Development for Liberty University. He and his wife, Meredith, joined Rivermont 10 years ago and they, along with their four children, are pleased to call Rivermont their church home.

In Romans 8:28, Paul famously writes, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those love him.” But most people read that verse out of context and do not realize that Paul wrote it at the end of a discussion about prayer. In fact, Romans 8:18-28 are some of the most practical and helpful discussions on prayer in the entire New Testament. Drawing from the teachings of Jesus, Paul paints a picture of prayer in Romans 8 that demonstrates it to be the central discipline of the Christian life. 

As we gather together for corporate worship, we'll have the joyful privilege of singing praises to our God. We'll sing "Tell Out, My Soul, the Greatness of the Lord" for the Hymn of Praise and Adoration. We'll sing verses 1 and 4 of "O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing" for the Acclamation of Praise and "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" for the Hymn of Reponse. May the truths that we sing not only shape us but reflect the work of the Spirit in us.  

Sermon Information:

Text: Romans 8:18-28

Title: How To Pray

Outline:

1. The Precondition of Christian Prayer
2. The Uniqueness of Christian Prayer
3. The Requirement of Christian Prayer

4. The Goal of Christian Prayer

Sunday's Bulletin
Bulletin Insert

It is always tempting to choose expediency over obedience. When the quarterly numbers fall just short, the thought creeps in: “We can round up, just this once, to satisfy the investors.” But the next quarter brings the same pressure, only greater. The adjustments grow, the shortcuts multiply, and before long they become the system itself. Eventually, there is no clear sense of reality, only a carefully managed illusion. The collapse of Enron stands as a sobering reminder of where that path leads. A company ruined and countless lives harmed.

What begins as a small compromise, an effort to get the job done or avoid an uncomfortable conversation, can lead to far-reaching consequences. We tell ourselves the rules can bend. We justify our actions by assuming they do not quite apply to us, or that they belong to another time. But when expediency overrides obedience, the trajectory is always the same: it leads toward destruction.

In our passage this Sunday, we see three different responses to this very tension. Festus inherits a messy situation from Felix, including Paul’s unresolved case. Eager to clear the docket and secure favor, he shows himself willing to set aside justice for the sake of convenience. The Jewish leaders, for their part, seek Paul’s death and are prepared to violate their own law in order to stop him from allegedly violating it. In both cases, expediency governs their actions.

Paul, however, stands in contrast. He is willing to endure imprisonment or even death, but he will not compromise his obedience to God’s call. His course is not shaped by what is easiest or most advantageous, but by what is right. And that is the lesson before us: if we would follow Christ, we must not allow expediency to override obedience. To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and meditate upon Acts 25:1-12, Psalm 27:14, Proverbs 3:5-6, Daniel 3:16-18, Ephesians 6:6-8, and this article.

This week we will celebrate that sacrament of the Lord’s Supper during our worship service. As we receive the elements of bread and wine look in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ. For as we physically receive the signs of the Lord’s body and blood, spiritually we feed upon him and all his benefits. Our hymns for this week include “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name,” “Before the Throne of God Above,” and “And Can It Be That I Should Gain?”

Sermon Information:

Text: Acts 25:1-12

Title: Obedient or Expedient?

Outline:

1. You Must Trust the Lord with Your Work
2. You Must Trust the Lord with Your Faith
3. You Must Trust the Lord with Your Life

Sunday's Bulletin
Bulletin Insert

We’ve all been there. You’re in the car with your spouse, trying to decide where to go for dinner. It starts simply enough. “Where do you want to eat?” But instead of an answer, you get another question. “I don’t know, what do you want?” So, you begin narrowing it down. Fast food or a sit-down place? Something quick or something slower? Burgers, Mexican, Italian? Back and forth it goes. You suggest one option. But it’s met with hesitation. Another gets a lukewarm response. Nothing quite lands. Meanwhile, you keep driving. You pass one restaurant, then another, circling familiar roads, still undecided. And at some point, the question isn’t really about food anymore. It’s about the reluctance to choose. Will you finally settle on something and move toward it. It’s a small thing, but it exposes something real. We’re often more comfortable hovering between options than committing to one.

When we come to Acts 24:1–27, we find a man in that very place. Felix listens carefully as accusations are brought against Paul, and then as Paul offers his defense. On one side, Paul is portrayed as a pest, a dangerous agitator, the leader of a suspect sect, and one who profanes what is holy. On the other, Paul presents himself as a preacher of the gospel, a follower of the Way, and one who stands purified before God with a clear conscience.

Felix hears both sides. He has access to the truth. And yet, he refuses to render a verdict.

That is where this passage presses on us. Because many have heard the gospel. Many have listened, considered, even felt its weight. But they remain in a place of indecision—putting off what demands a response.

This Sunday, we will consider what it means to sit in that place, and why the gospel does not leave room for it. The question is not simply what we think about Jesus, but whether we will finally come to a decision. To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Acts 24:1-27, Joshua 24:15, 1 Kings 18:21, Luke 12:16-21, Hebrews 3:7-12, and this article on Choosing Whom we will Serve.

As we gather to worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit this Lord’s Day, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “Holy, Holy, Holy,” the Acclamation of Praise, “Jesus!  What a Friend for Sinners!” and the Hymn of Response “By Faith.” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!

Sermon Information

Text: Acts 24:1-27

Title: Indecision

Outline:

1. A Pest or a Preacher?
2. A Sect or the Way?
3. Profane or Purified?

Sunday's Bulletin
Bulletin Insert

How are we to understand the relationship between God’s purposes and our actions? If God has purposed to accomplish something, what role do we have to play?

In Joshua 6, the Lord brings the people of Israel to the city of Jericho. This is the first major battle as they begin to take possession of the Promised Land. In verse 2 we read:

“And the LORD said to Joshua, ‘See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor’” (Joshua 6:2, ESV).

Now, how do Joshua and the people respond? Do they lapse into inaction? Do they breathe a sigh of relief and say, “I’m glad God is going to fight this battle—I certainly didn’t want to face Jericho”? Not at all. Instead, they trust the purposes of God by obeying His command to take the city. God’s purposes enliven our actions. The soldiers of Israel do not rest from obedience because of God’s promises; rather, they rest on God’s promises as they obey His command.

In our passage for this coming Sunday, God reveals His purposes for Paul. In Acts 23:11 we read:

“The following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome’” (ESV).

The Lord promises that Paul will testify in Rome, but this does not make Paul passive. Instead, Paul acts with purpose precisely because he knows that God has a purpose for his life. He will be imprisoned, questioned, and even targeted for assassination. Yet in each circumstance, he does not sit back and wait for deliverance. Rather, he trusts in the Lord’s promise and therefore acts with courage and intentionality. And what we will see is that each of us are called to trust in God’s promises not to replace our obedience but to empower it.

To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Acts 22:22-23:22, Genesis 50:20, Matthew 10:16, Romans 13:1-4, Philippians 2:12-13 and this article on God’s Sovereignty.

As we gather to worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit this Lord’s day, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “Our God, Our Help,” the Acclamation of Praise, “When I Survey,” and the Hymn of Response “Be Thou My Vision.” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!

Sermon Information

Text: Acts 22:22-23:22

Title: Trusting God’s Purposes

Outline:

1. Trusting God’s Purposes Means Seeking Justice (22:22-29)
2. Trusting God’s Purposes Means Applying Wisdom (22:29-23:11)
3. Trusting God’s Purposes Means Acting Courageously (23:12-22)

Sunday's Bulletin
Bulletin Insert

Once in tenth grade, my English teacher asked me and a friend to stay after class. After everyone else had left the room, he showed us our most recent quiz. We had the same score. We missed the same questions and answered the same questions correctly. We were friends, and we sat next to each other. It looked like a very clear case of cheating.

Almost immediately, I went into self-defense mode. Even though the evidence was stacked against me, I tried to clear my name. I pointed out that neither of us had done very well on the quiz. I asked why I would cheat off a friend I knew hadn’t studied the material. I mentioned that I had never been accused of cheating before. I didn’t want to throw my friend under the bus, but I knew I hadn’t cheated. And I wanted my name cleared.

We know that instinct well. We all feel the pull to defend ourselves. To justify our choices. To present a version of ourselves that will be accepted, respected, or approved. And often, that defense leans heavily on outward righteousness…what we have done, how we have lived, the standards we have kept. We build a case for ourselves, hoping it will be enough.

When we come to Acts 21:27–22:22, we find the Apostle Paul in a moment where a defense is required. He stands before a hostile crowd, accused and misunderstood, and he begins to speak. But what unfolds is not a careful argument built on his own merit. Paul does not rest his case on his moral record or his former zeal for the law. In fact, he does the opposite. He brings it up only to set it aside, to show its insufficiency. Like he later writes in Philippians 3, all that once seemed like gain is now counted as loss.

And that changes everything. To receive Christ’s righteousness is not merely to adopt a new argument; it is to undergo a deep transformation. Paul’s life is redirected, his loyalties are reshaped, and his future is marked by obedience. He is willing to bear the cost of rejecting the world’s standards of righteousness because he has received a better one.

This passage invites us to consider the foundation of our own defense. When we are pressed what do we point to? Our record, or Christ? The gospel does not call us to improve our case, but to relinquish it, and to rest in the righteousness of another. And from that place, to be transformed. To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Acts 21:27-22:22, Psalm 24:3-6, Luke 21:5-6, Romans 3:20–24, Philippians 3:2-11, and this article on Alien Righteousness.

As we gather to worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit this Lord’s day, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,” the Acclamation of Praise, “Rock of Ages,” and the Hymn of Response “My Hope is in the Lord.” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!

Sermon Information

Text: Acts 21:27-22:22

Title: Righteousness Defended

Outline:

1. Renounce Self-Righteousness (vv. 1-5)
2. Receive Christ’s Righteousness (vv. 6-16)
3. Be Transformed by Christ’s Righteousness (vv. 17-22)

Sunday's Bulletin
Bulletin Insert

When Jesus was in the wilderness being tested, the Devil said to Him,

“All these [kingdoms] I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” (Matthew 4:9–10)

 The testimony of Scripture is clear and unwavering: the one true God alone is the proper object of our worship. We are not to bow before idols (Isaiah 42:8), or angels (Revelation 22:8–9), or any mere man (Daniel 3:18).

And yet, after the resurrection, something remarkable takes place. Jesus receives the worship of His followers (Matthew 28:9, 17). The very One who insisted that worship belongs to God alone does not refuse their praise.

Why?

Because the resurrection declares who He truly is. Jesus is not merely a teacher, a prophet, or a righteous man. The resurrection vindicates His identity as the Son of God. He is the one true God Himself. Therefore, when He receives worship, it is not a contradiction of Scripture, but its very fulfillment.

And because this is true, Jesus is not only permitted to be worshiped, rather He must be worshiped.

“Therefore God has highly exalted him… so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9–11)

The glory, the fear, and the grace revealed in the resurrection call us to this: to bow the knee and worship Jesus Christ as the risen Lord.

To come prepared for our Resurrection Day sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Matthew 28:1-10, Deuteronomy 5:7-10, Psalm 22:23, Acts 2:32-36, Romans 1:3-4, Philippians 2:7-11, and this article on the Resurrection.

This Easter Sunday we will celebrate that sacrament of the Lord’s Supper during our worship service. As we receive the elements of bread and wine, we look in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ. For as we physically receive the signs of the Lord’s body and blood, spiritually we feed upon him and all his benefits to us. Our hymns for this week include “Jesus Christ is Risen Today,” “I Am the Bread of Life,” and “Crown Him with Many Crowns”

Sermon Information:

Text: Matthew 28:1-10

Title: Resurrection Worship

Outline:

1. The Glory of the Resurrection Demands our Worship (vv. 1-3)
2. The Fear of the Resurrection Demands our Worship (vv. 4-6)
3. The Grace of the Resurrection Demands our Worship (vv. 7-10)

Sunday's Bulletin
Bulletin Insert

As we gather this Palm Sunday, we once again hear the cries of “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” The crowds line the road, welcoming Jesus as the long-awaited King. Yet within a matter of days, those same hopes seem to crumble. The King they longed for would be rejected, crucified, and laid in a tomb. What began with celebration quickly gave way to confusion, grief, and the quiet loss of hope. For many, it seemed that death had the final word.

This is not a struggle unique to those first followers. We, too, know what it is to hope, only to have that hope shaken. We live in a world where death, disappointment, and suffering press in on us from every side. We have all felt, in one way or another, the weight of expectations undone. And so, Palm Sunday invites us not only to celebrate a King, but to wrestle with a deeper question: What happens to our hope in the face of death?

In our text for this Sunday, we turn to 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18. Here, the Apostle Paul writes to a church whose hope has been shaken by death. They grieve the loss of loved ones and wonder what will become of them. Has death robbed them of the promises of Christ? Have they missed out on his coming kingdom? Into this uncertainty, Paul speaks with clarity and compassion, reminding them that we do not grieve as those who have no hope. For the hope of the Christian does not rest in circumstances, but in a Savior who has entered into death and overcome it.

As we prepare our hearts for worship, let us consider what it means to hope in the face of death. Let us look beyond what is seen to what is unseen, beyond the present sorrow to the coming glory. For this King who entered Jerusalem in humility will come again in power. And when he does, death itself will give way to victory.

To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and meditate upon 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Luke 24:19–21, John 12:12-15, Acts 1:1, 1Romans 8:37–39, 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, Revelation 1:7, and this article on Palm Sunday.

As we gather to worship our Humble King this Palm Sunday, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Processional Hymn “All Glory, Laud, and Honor,” the Acclamation of Praise “O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus!” and the Hymn of Response “Lift High the Cross.” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!

Sermon Information:

Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Title: The King Who Conquered Death

Outline:

1. Death Was Conquered in the Death of Christ (v. 14a)
2. Death Was Transformed in the Death of Christ (vv. 14b-16)
3. Death Will Be Destroyed at the Return of Christ (vv. 17-18)

Sunday's Bulletin
Bulletin Insert

We continue our series in Acts and move into chapter 21 this Sunday. Much of the Christian life is about pressing on, counting the cost, and making sacrifices. In our text, we see these themes play out yet again. Paul is on his way to Jerusalem, being obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading in Acts 20:22. His brothers and sisters in Christ are torn and sad to see Paul leave, and others become even more distraught after a prophet named Agabus says what will happen to Paul in Jerusalem. Yet Paul is determined, and when he arrives in Jerusalem, after talking with James, he has another chance to show the uniting power of the gospel. Paul, in his willingness to continue, die, and yield, points us to Christ, our Savior. As you prepare for worship, meditate on Acts 21:1-26, 2 Timothy 4:7, Hebrews 12:1-2, Philippians 1:21, Romans 14:8, Matthew 16:24, Luke 9:51, and 1 Corinthians 9:19-23.

Come rejoicing in our Savior and look forward to singing, “O Worship the King,” “How Deep the Father’s Love For Us,” and a new song, “Christ is Mine Forevermore.” Here is a link with piano music and lyrics that are similar to how we will sing on Sunday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2v8QAE7S_k

Sermon Information

Text: Acts 21:1-26

Title: Whatever It Takes

Outline:

1. Willing to Continue (vv. 1-7)
2. We to Die (vv. 8-16)
3. We to Yield (vv. 17-26)

Sunday's Bulletin
Bulletin Insert

Last weekend, our visiting missionaries recounted for us the real "costs" they've gladly counted for the sake of missions. Had the Apostle Paul been sitting in the congregation, he would have said "Amen" to all those costs and more. As we come to our text this Sunday, which is Acts 20:13-38, Paul is on the final leg of his third missionary journey...a journey that has spanned almost three years. He is understandably anxious to return home to Jerusalem, and is trying to make it back before Pentecost. Even so, it is important for him to stop off and encourage the spiritual leaders in Ephesus one last time. 

Paul speaks autobiographically throughout the text about the cost he's gladly and faithfully paid as a shepherd of God's flock, and he challenges these leaders to follow his example. He does that by reminding them of the cost that God paid to redeem the church...to set her free from the bondage of sin and death and to clothe her with Christ's righteousness. And then he lays out, by example, the call for them to faithfully shepherd the Ephesian church, but also us to faithfully shepherd the church at 2424 Rivermont Avenue. What does that faithful shepherding look like? It looks like shepherding the whole church of God with the whole counsel of God from the whole gospel of God. To prepare for this Sunday's sermon, I would encourage you to read Acts 20:13-38, Ephesians 2:14-15, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Titus 2:11-12.

As we gather together for worship this Lord's Day, we do so because God is seeking us, not the other way around. He is seeking worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. Let's be that people as we join our voices to sing the Hymn of Praise “Christ Our Hope in Life and Death,” the Acclamation of Praise, “Before the Throne of God Above,” and the Hymn of Response “Whate’er My God Ordains Is Right.” And above all, let's come prepared to meet with God through his prescribed means of grace, namely the preaching and reading of God's Word. 

Sermon Information

Text: Acts 20:13-38

Title: Following A Faithful Shepherd

Outline:

1. We must shepherd the whole church of God.
2. We Must shepherd with the whole counsel of God.
3. We Must shepherd from the whole Gospel of God.

Sunday's Bulletin
Bulletin Insert

In 2007, filmmakers Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington embedded with Second Platoon of the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley to produce the documentary Restrepo. Their aim was simple: no narration from a distance, no polished commentary…just life as it was. 

The cameras lived with the soldiers. They slept where the soldiers slept. They walked the same mountain patrols. They endured the long stretches of boredom, the weight of waiting, and then the sudden crack of gunfire. What emerged was raw and unfiltered, an unvarnished look at courage, fatigue, fear, and deep camaraderie. Viewers don’t just hear about the war; they feel what it was like to be there.

When we come to Acts 20, we find something similar. Luke is not writing as a detached historian. He is there. He is traveling with Paul. He is in the room. He sees the lamps flickering in the upper chamber. He watches the apostle preach long into the night. He witnesses the young man fall. He follows Paul down the stairs.

Luke is, in a sense, our embedded reporter.

What we receive is not a highlight reel of miracles and triumphs, but a glimpse of ordinary missionary life. We see travel, fellowship, preaching, fatigue, crisis, and comfort. We see that apostolic ministry was not a constant spectacle. It was steady faithfulness. It was long obedience. It was ordinary means through which God worked extraordinary grace. And that should steady us. The Christian life is not lived on a stage. It is lived in upper rooms, in long nights, in patient endurance. Like Paul, we will know both strain and encouragement. And through what seem like ordinary means, God will accomplish the extraordinary. To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Acts 20:1-12, John 16:33, Acts 2:42-47, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 1 Peter 4:12, and this article on the Means of Grace.

As we gather to worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit this Lord’s day, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “Holy, Holy, Holy,” the Acclamation of Praise, “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” and the Hymn of Response “For the Cause.” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!

Sermon Information

Text: Acts 20:1-12

Title: An Ordinary Christian Life

Outline:

1. We Must Expect Ordinary Troubles (vv. 1-6)
2. We Must Pursue Ordinary Means (vv. 7-8)
3. We Must Trust Extraordinary Results (vv. 9-12)

Sunday's Bulletin
Bulletin Insert