Riverwood Church - Waverly, IA: Sermons

Forty days after Jesus rose from the dead after his brutal crucifixion, he ascended to heaven in front of his followers. Right before he lifted off the ground, he gave one last instruction. This final command of Christ has been feared by Christians throughout history. Many find this command too difficult to obey, or they want to obey it in their own way in their own timing. But as we hear in this next part of the His Story series, this final command of Jesus isn't supposed to be drudgery, rather it is for our good and the good of others. It is supposed to be a command that Jesus-followers gladly obey with joy. What is this command and how can you (if you follow Jesus) fulfill it? Listen in to "The Ascension of Jesus."

Christians all around the world throughout history have remembered the death of Jesus on the cross as payment for sin. But did you know the gospel message doesn't stop with the crucifixion of Jesus? There's more to the story. Listen in to discover why the resurrection of Jesus is crucial to the gospel story. Because if there's no resurrection, there's no Christianity.

The crucifixion of Jesus is the central aspect of the Christian faith. Churches around the world every Sunday sing about it, talk about it, and take communion elements to remember it. But have you really looked at the crucifixion? Do you know what Jesus truly went through? In this next part of the His Story series, we take a deep look at the physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering of Jesus from the Garden of Gethsemane to the spear thrust in his side. And as you listen to this gruesome message, may you realize the immense love God has for you.

Christian churches all around the world celebrate the sacrament of communion (also called the Lord's Supper). But where did this practice come from? Listen in to discover the roots to this ancient ceremony. And as you do, you will discover how the Lord's Supper, like the Bible, points to Jesus.

Have you ever experienced a "wow" moment? You know, a moment that takes your breath away, and all you can say is "wow"? Jesus gave his disciples and the people around him some "wow" moments. We call them miracles. And as we study the reaction of the disciples in Mark 4:35-41 to one of the biggest miracles Jesus, we see how the miracles of Jesus should affect us. So listen in to this next message in the His Story series. You might just have a wow moment while looking at the miracles of Jesus.

Some people become famous in life for having one consistent message. For instance, Martin Luther King Jr. is known for his speeches on civil rights. Jesus also had one consistent message. In this next part to the His Story series, we look at His one repeated message, and discover how it should affect the one message of your life.

The first-century disciples (followers) of Jesus were ordinary men and women like you and me. But some of them did extraordinary things because they allowed their lives to not be about themselves, but to be all about the message and life of Jesus. No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, if you want to follow Jesus (or are simply curious about following Him) listen in as Riverwood's Worship Pastor, Jeff Willis, talks about the call and cost of following Jesus.

Everyone one of us has experienced a disruption in life. Some disruptions are good, like finding out you got the job. But some disruptions seem to wreck our personal stories, like hearing the doctor say "It's cancer." The arrival of Jesus into the pages of history was a disruption. But in this message, we learn how the arrival of Jesus should be a good disruption to our story. So listen in to hear three points that help you see how the birth of Jesus impacts you personally.

In this stand-alone message, guest teacher Steve Erickson shows from the life of Jesus how a Jesus-follower can use the everyday spaces he or she finds themselves in to grow spiritually and be a blessing to others.

We live in a day and age where "fake news" is a regular part of the cultural conversation. But did you know that there has been quite a bit of "fake news" shared about the sacrament of baptism? This week, we look at the baptism of Jesus and the context surrounding it in Matthew chapter 3. Through this passage, we discover 5 "fake news" headlines about baptism that get debunked, helping us see what baptism is truly all about. So listen in to learn more about the beautiful sacrament of baptism.

This week, we look at the biblical story of an incredibly hypocritical Jewish prophet, and see how his hypocritical life points to the non-hypocritical life of Jesus.

Oftentimes when people read the Bible, they engage in a case of "mistaken identity." When they read a story, they unintentionally read it as if they were the main character. And one story we often engage in "mistaken identity" is the story of Daniel and the Lions Den. In this week's message, Pastor Erin Bird helps us see that Daniel's story in the sixth chapter of the book that bears his name isn't first about us, but rather about Jesus. And when we realize that the identity of Daniel points to Jesus, we discover something about ourselves in the process.

In the book of Ezekiel is a famous story about dry bones becoming skeletons which become bodies which become living human beings. But did you know this famous story from Ezekiel 37 can also help you in the moments you are struggling to trust God in your darkest moments? Listen in to be encouraged that your current condition is not your forever condition.

In America, we are addicted to new. New movies, new music, new clothes, new cars, new relationships, new everything. Let's face it: We like new. But oftentimes, we make the mistake of believing that "new" makes us better. Now, don't make the mistake of thinking "new" then is bad. God actually wants you to experience "new" life. But rather than give us external things like clothes or cars, He wants to give us a new heart. If you want a new heart and to experience the life God has for you, listen in.

In this unique Worship Gathering, we weaved together passages from the Old Testament book of Isaiah with contemporary songs that point to the birth, life, death, & resurrection of Jesus. As you listen, may you worship God and be blown away at the revealing of Jesus over 700 years before He ever was set in a manger in swaddling cloths.

If you've ever been ridiculed, or betrayed, or lost a dear loved one, or battled depression, you have felt alone. You have felt unloved, unwanted, disconnected, and isolated. Some people, when they feel this way, try to medicate the pain through sleep or drink or thrills. But some people try to medicate the pain spiritually. And for thousands of years, many people have used the Book of Psalms to try to spiritually heal the emotional aloneness they feel. In this twenty-second part in the His Story series, we take a look at the comfort and encouragement the Psalms can bring. But we also see Jesus inside these ancient song lyrics, and as we do so we realize that we do not suffer alone and we will not suffer forever. So listen in to be encouraged.

Have you ever considered what it is that makes people like Mother Theresa or Martin Luther King Jr. so inspiring? It's humility. Humility is the ability to put the needs of others before your own. It's hard, but it can be powerful. Listen in to the story of Naaman and the power of humility, even when shown reluctantly.

Most people know a temple as a sacred building that some religion believes contains the presence of their deity. They gather at the temple to engage in various religious practices to worship their god and fulfill spiritual requirements. The ancient Jews weren't much different. In the book of 1 Kings, the wise King Solomon had the first Jewish temple built to house the Ark of the Covenant so that the presence of God could be with the nation and the people could worship the One True God. As Solomon dedicates the temple to God before the assembled nation, he reveals in a prayer four things about temples that actually help Jesus-followers understand God's design for how to live out their faith. So no matter where you are in your spiritual journey, listen in to see how knowledge about temples can help you positively impact the people around you.

When making small talk with a young person, we often ask, "What do you want to do when you grow up?" And when they respond, we might follow up with something like, "That's great! How are you going to make that dream become a reality?" But rather than ask WHAT they want to do and HOW they are going to do it, perhaps we should be asking "Who are you?" When we ask this of ourselves, this critical question of WHO helps us know who we are, which then affects what we do. But did you know this question also helps us understand the Christian faith? For when we ask "Who is God?" it helps us discover the character and nature of God, which explains what He does and how He chooses to do it. So listen in as guest teacher Steve Erickson teaches us "Three Core Beliefs."

Ancient nations longed to have a king rule over them because they believed that a good king would make them safe, strong, victorious, and fulfilled as a nation. We aren't much different in our day and age. While we do not want political kings, we do find personal kings. We long for things, people, or experiences that make us feel safe, strong, victorious, and fulfilled. The problem is, none of these kings can ever come through 100% of the time. Each and every one of them will fail. But this is actually a good thing. Listen in to this 19th message in the His Story series and discover how Jesus is the one true King you have been looking for and actually need. This week's passages are from 2 Samuel 11-12, Psalm 51, and Psalm 145.

Ever felt like a failure when your Plan A didn't go as envisioned? This week, in "The King 2.0" (Part 17 in the "His Story" sermon series from Riverwood Church in Waverly, IA), Pastor Erin Bird shows us the biblical pattern that Plan B might actually be God's Plan A, and you aren't a failure at all - rather you are exactly where God wants you to be.

"Jesus Loves Ruth" is Part 16 in the His Story series from Riverwood Church in Waverly, IA. This week, Pastor Erin Bird walks us through the Old Testament book of Ruth.

Launch Sermon PlayerTo surrender is incredibly difficult (just ask a kid who doesn’t want to obey their parent!). But to have the type of relationship with God that we want, it means we have to surrender. In the story of the battle of Jericho, there are four types of surrender that can help someone become […]

Launch Sermon PlayerOn April 30, Riverwood member Nate Luck shared his story about his spiritual journey of finding Jesus.

Launch Sermon PlayerIn Deuteronomy 18, Moses told the Israelites that God would raise up a prophet, a leader, like him. Listen in to learn how Jesus fulfills this prophecy completely.

Launch Sermon PlayerHave you ever looked at a decision and said in your head “I can’t do that!” or “That’s not possible”? In the book of Numbers chapter 13, we see the Israelites, upon hearing some hard news, adopt a mentality of “impossible!” But in the midst of the people saying, “we can’t!” there were two men who looked toward God […]

Launch Sermon PlayerWhat is your definition of a GOAT? Is it an animal or is it more? In this next message in the His Story series, we take a closer look at (the very boring book of) Leviticus and see how 2 goats show us that Jesus is the GOAT.

Launch Sermon PlayerA few years ago, the Ten Commandments were in modern-day news. Should they still be observed? Should they be ignored? Or do these ancient Jewish laws fulfill some other purpose for Jesus-followers in light of the Gospel? Listen in as Pastor Erin explains from Exodus 20:1-17 how the Ten Commandments should or should not affect your life today.

Launch Sermon PlayerEvery human alive has had at least one significant day that changed their lives. Whether it’s the birth of a child, a wedding, graduation day, or their own birth, everyone has gone through a day that changed everything. The ancient Israelites went through a day that changed them as a nation and changed their religion. […]

Launch Sermon PlayerRunning a marathon requires a lot of work and training to get up to the point of running 26.2 miles. But what if you did all the prep work in the last week instead of taking months to train? Or what if you had to give a book report, but all you used in your […]

Launch Sermon PlayerThe story of Jesus goes through some very questionable characters. For instance, this week in Genesis chapters 37-50, we meet a cocky 17-year-old who gets sold into slavery by his half-brothers and thrown in prison by his master, while his older brother sleeps with a cult prostitute – who turned out to be his daughter-in-law. Pretty […]

Launch Sermon PlayerEver felt unloved or even unlovable? The story of Leah and her dysfunctional relationship with her husband, Jacob, and sister, Rachel, from Genesis 29 shows that you are seen, heard, and attached to God, who is worthy to be praised. So listen in to hear just how much you are loved.

Launch Sermon PlayerAbraham is the father of the Jewish faith. The covenant God established with Abraham in Genesis 15 promised a nation would come from Abraham and his descendants. But did you know that same covenant ceremony also pointed to Jesus and the Gospel? Listen to to hear how God revealed the Gospel thousands of […]

Launch Sermon PlayerWe use language everyday. When we communicate well, things go very smoothly. But when there is a breakdown in communication, there is a breakdown in unity. So why would God confuse the language of humans in Genesis 11? And how does the story of the Tower of Babel point to Jesus? Listen in to […]

Launch Sermon PlayerThe story of Noah and the Ark is one of the most horrific stories in all of Scripture. The mass killing of every human on earth except 8 people? Really?!? Come on! And yet, hidden inside this Rated-R story is evidence of Jesus and His gospel message of love and grace.

Launch Sermon PlayerWhy do we do the things we don’t want to do? We eat too much, we drink too much, we buy too much. We know we shouldn’t do them, but we do them anyway. In this fourth message in our His Story series, we see through the sad story of Cain & Abel […]

Launch Sermon PlayerFor some people, the subject of sin is a very uncomfortable topic. For others, it is a ridiculous topic. And yet for others, it’s simply no big deal. But the Bible treats the topic of sin as a very important one that MUST be addressed. And the topic is first discussed very early in […]

Launch Sermon PlayerThere is a mistake that many Christians make with their theology. They start at the wrong place in the Bible. If you follow Jesus and don’t want to make the same mistake, listen in. And while you are at, you’ll also hear about the crazy love God has for humans.

Launch Sermon PlayerWe all love stories. We love reading about a character who overcomes great odds on some kind of adventure. Well, guess what? God wants to author an amazing story in your life. But we’ll warn you – that epic story begins when you understand what the Bible is.

Launch Sermon PlayerSometimes we mistakenly treat intangibles (like love) as if they were tangible objects (like cookies). We act as if giving away the intangible will leave us with less. But things like love and grace and respect aren’t like cookies or gum. Rather, the more you give it away, the more you actually have. […]

Launch Sermon PlayerTruth is incredibly important. In this second part to the Values series, we look at the topic of truth, seeing how there is a negative affect of truth, but a powerful positive aspect to it as well. So listen in to learn why Riverwood as a church values truth, and what it can do for you as […]

Launch Sermon PlayerIf your relationship with God seems a little stale, or you are investigating the Christian faith, or you just want to start your new year off right, we invite you to listen in to this first message from the Values series about the amazingness of Grace.

Part 4 of 4 in the Do Christmas Different series from Riverwood Church in Waverly, Iowa. This week's passage is John 3:16-17 (along with Luke 2:10).

Part 3 in the Do Christmas Different series (an Advent Conspiracy message series) from Riverwood Church in Waverly, IA. This week's topic was Give More. The passage was Matthew 2:9-12.

Part 2 in the Do Christmas Different series from Riverwood Church in Waverly, Iowa. This Advent Conspiracy message is from Matthew 2:1-8.

Part 1 in the Do Christmas Different Advent Series at Riverwood Church in Waverly, IA. This week's theme is Worship Fully and the passage is Luke 1:26-56.

The ninth and final message in the Uphill message series, a study of 1 Peter from Riverwood Church in Waverly, Iowa. This week's passage is the entire chapter of 1 Peter 5.

Part 8 of the Uphill sermon series at Riverwood Church in Waverly, Iowa, a message series from 1 Peter. This week's passage is 1 Peter 3:18-4:11.

Part 7 in the Uphill series from 1 Peter at Riverwood Church in Waverly, IA. This week's passage is 1 Peter 3:13-17, 4:12-19, which is all about suffering.

Part 6 in the Uphill series, a study of 1 Peter from Riverwood Church in Waverly, Iowa. This week's passage is 1 Peter 3:8-12, all about how to be a blessing to others through honor.