The River Worship - Sermons

The River Worship - Sermons

di Pastor Ryan McVety
Stagione 15
When Green Means Stop
When Green Means Stop: Discernment in Life's Defining Moments Bishop Andrew Beresford delivers a powerful message about the importance of spiritual discernment and obedience to God's timing, even when circumstances seem to demand immediate action. Using the account of Paul and Silas in prison as the foundation, he challenges believers to respond to life's darkest moments with prayer and praise rather than complaint. This sermon emphasizes that our perspective during challenging times determines whether we fulfill Christ's commission or succumb to a victim mentality. Beresford illustrates how operating with wisdom and discernment; sometimes stopping when logic says go, can lead to breakthrough not only in our own lives but in the salvation of entire households. The ultimate example is Christ on the cross, who chose to stay when He had the power to leave, demonstrating selfless love for our salvation and the generations to come. Key Points: We must respond to life's darkest moments with prayer and praise, not complaints or victim mentality Your praise in pain makes people pay attention and can be transformative in others' lives God uses our religion (consistent spiritual practices) to bring redemption to ourselves and others Evangelistic effectiveness depends on wisdom and discernment, not just logical decision-making Sometimes what appears to be an open door or green light is actually God's call to wait Knowledge is knowing what to do; wisdom is knowing how and when to do it Don't settle for surface appearances—seek discernment to see beyond what seems obvious Operating with God's revelation leads to household salvation and generational impact Your obedience in difficult moments can shift the trajectory of lives beyond your own The church's commission is threefold: evangelize, baptize, and catechize (teach) Scripture Reference: Acts 16:25-34 (Primary passage: Paul and Silas in prison) Matthew 28:19-20 (The Great Commission) James 1:26-27 (Pure and undefiled religion) James 1:5 (Asking God for wisdom) Acts 16:16-18 (The slave girl with a spirit of divination) Luke 4:18 (Jesus' messianic agenda) • • 1 Corinthians 12:10 (Gift of distinguishing spirits)
The Fear That Sets You Free
🔥 THE FEAR THAT SETS YOU FREE | The River Worship S15 E02 🔥 Most people spend their lives trying to overcome fear. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of what people think. Fear of not being enough. Fear of losing control. But what if there was one fear that could actually set you free? In Episode 2 of Season 15, we explore one of the most misunderstood and life-changing truths in Scripture: The Fear of the Lord. Far from being terror or punishment, the fear of the Lord is a holy reverence, awe, and awareness of who God is. It's the foundation of wisdom, freedom, confidence, and trust. Through personal stories, biblical teaching, and practical application, this message will challenge you to ask one important question: Whose opinion matters most in your life? 📖 Key Scriptures: • Deuteronomy 10:12, 20-21 • Proverbs 9:10 • Isaiah 55:8-9 • Philippians 4:19 💡 In this message you'll discover: ✅ Why the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom ✅ How fearing God frees you from fearing people ✅ Why God's "No" can be one of His greatest gifts ✅ How to trust God's will when His answer isn't what you wanted ✅ The difference between living FOR approval and living FROM approval ✨ Key Takeaway: "The fear of man puts chains on you, but the fear of the Lord sets you free." No matter what you're facing today, God is not against you. He is a loving Father who knows what you need, protects what He loves, and leads His children into freedom. If this message encouraged you, be sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE it with someone who needs to hear it.
WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?
Who Do You Say I Am? Jesus asked His disciples a question nearly 2,000 years ago that still demands an answer today: "Who do you say I am?" (Matthew 16:15) In this message, we dive into the most important question in human history and discover why our answer changes everything. Many people are comfortable with Jesus as Savior, but struggle to embrace Him as Lord. Yet Scripture reveals that Jesus cannot be received in pieces. He is both the Lamb who was slain and the King who reigns. Through the story of Peter's confession, the temptation of self-rule in the Garden, and the testimony of the Roman centurion at the cross, we discover that true peace is found not in ruling our own lives, but in surrendering to the One who gave His life for us. Key Topics: • The identity of Jesus • Savior vs. Lord • Self-lordship and surrender • Peter's confession and restoration • The power of the cross • Trusting God's leadership • Finding peace through surrender Key Scripture: Matthew 16:13-19 A Lord with nail-scarred hands is a Lord worthy of your trust. Who do you say He is?
Stagione 14
The One Thing
THE ONE THING | Pastor Ryan McVety In a world filled with pressure, responsibility, and endless priorities, it’s easy to treat Jesus like just another part of our lives. But in this message, Pastor Ryan McVety makes it clear: Jesus was never meant to be added… He is meant to be everything. Looking at the stories of Martha and Mary and the rich young ruler, this sermon reveals the tension between living for the “many things” versus surrendering to the ONE THING that truly matters. This episode will challenge you to stop fitting God into your life and start building your life in Him. If you’ve been feeling stretched, distracted, or spiritually dry, this message will call you back to the center. Scriptures: Mark 10:17–22, Luke 10:38–42, Matthew 16:26, John 6:35 Listen, share, and subscribe for more faith-building messages.
The Cup or The Cure
The Cup or the Cure? | Acts 3:1–10 | The River Worship Podcast What if the thing you’re asking God for is actually beneath what He wants to give you? In this message, “The Cup or the Cure?”, we unpack Acts 3:1–10 and the story of a man who sat daily at the temple gate called Beautiful… yet lived in limitation. Expecting a small act of mercy, he encountered a life-changing miracle through the power of Jesus. This conversation challenges us to examine our expectations, renew our thinking, and recognize that God often wants to do more than we’re asking for. Scripture Focus: Acts 3:1–10 (NIV) Romans 12:2 (NIV) In This Episode: • The tension of being in an ugly state at a beautiful gate • Why low expectations can limit what we receive from God • How exposure shapes desire and direction • The connection between what you see and what you seek • The shift from asking for mercy to receiving a miracle If you’ve been believing for more, feeling stuck, or sensing that God has something deeper for your life, this episode will meet you right where you are. Are you reaching for the cup… when God is offering the cure? Make sure to follow the podcast, share this episode, and stay connected for weekly messages from The River Worship.
It's Crazy Until It Isn't
This week at The River, Pastor Ryan McVety brought a faith-stretching message titled “It’s Crazy, Until It Isn’t.” It met us right where real life lives. Those moments when God asks you to do something that does not make sense, does not add up, and honestly feels a little crazy. Through the story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho, we were reminded that faith often looks foolish before it looks powerful. What God asks of us will not always align with human logic, but it will always lead to His purpose. Because what seems crazy in the moment can become undeniable in the outcome. This message stirred something deep. A reminder that obedience is not about understanding everything. It is about trusting the One who does. Scripture Focus: Joshua 6:3–5 – God gives Joshua an unexpected strategy for Jericho, showing that victory comes through obedience, not human logic. Isaiah 55:8–9 – A reminder that God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours, even when we do not understand His instructions. Joshua 6:15–16, 20 – After consistent obedience, the walls finally fall, proving that breakthrough often comes after perseverance. Acts 16:25–26 – Paul and Silas worship in the middle of suffering, and God responds with power, showing that worship is a weapon, not just a reaction. Key Points: 1️⃣ GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS OFTEN DEFY HUMAN LOGIC God does not need our understanding to move, He is looking for our obedience. Again and again in Scripture, His instructions seem unexpected, even unreasonable, but His ways are higher. What feels confusing to us is often the very path to breakthrough. 2️⃣ OBEDIENCE WILL MAKE YOU LOOK CRAZY, BEFORE IT MAKES YOU LOOK RIGHT Following God will not always make sense to people around you. There will be moments where your choices look strange, extreme, or even foolish. But obedience is not about approval, it is about alignment. What looks crazy now will speak for itself later. 3️⃣ JUST BECAUSE IT HASN’T WORKED YET… DOESN’T MEAN IT ISN’T WORKING For six days, nothing changed. No cracks. No signs. But heaven was counting every step of obedience. Just because you cannot see it does not mean God is not building it. Do not quit on day six. You might be one step away from breakthrough. Live It Out: This week, let this message move from a moment into your everyday life: 🔥 Obey even when it does not make sense Do not wait for clarity before you move. Trust God enough to take the next step. 👀 Stop worrying about how it looks to others Obedience is not about perception. It is about trusting God more than people. ⏳ Stay faithful when you see no results God is working beneath the surface. Keep going. 🎶 Choose worship as your strategy Worship is not just a response. It is how we fight, trust, and move forward.
Silence Is Not Absence
Why does God sometimes feel silent in the middle of our storms? In this message from Mark 4, we revisit the moment when Jesus calmed the storm while the disciples panicked around Him. They believed the storm meant they were alone. But Jesus had been in the boat the entire time. This episode explores a powerful truth for every believer: God’s silence is not His absence. When storms hit our lives, our instinct is to focus on the waves. But Jesus invites us to focus on Him instead. In this episode we discuss: • Why storms reveal what we truly believe • Why silence does not mean God is inactive • How to shift your focus from the storm to the Savior • How worship realigns your heart in difficult seasons Scriptures referenced Mark 4:35–41 Matthew 14:23–30 Psalm 22:3 If Jesus is in your boat, the storm cannot sink you.
Don’t Get Used to God
In this message from Season 14 Episode 8, Pastor Ryan McVety delivers a powerful reminder about spiritual hunger. In Psalm 63, David cries out: “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you.” Yet many believers today have stopped thirsting for God, not because He isn’t present, but because He has always been present. What is always available is easy to take for granted. Using the story of the woman at the well in John 4, this message exposes the empty wells our culture teaches us to drink from: success relationships money platform pleasure Each one promises fulfillment, yet leaves us thirsty again. But Jesus offers something different. He offers living water that satisfies the deepest thirst of the human soul. And when someone truly encounters that living water, everything changes. The woman left her jar behind and became a witness that led an entire town to Christ. This sermon challenges listeners to return to their first love for Jesus, rediscover spiritual desperation, and move from getting used to God to being used by God. Key Scriptures Psalm 63:1 John 4:6–18 John 4:28–30 John 4:39 Matthew 5:6 Revelation 2:4–5
Feeling or Father
Feeling or Father | Season 14 Episode 7 | Pastor Ryan McVety Your feelings are real. But they were never meant to rule you. In this episode of The River Worship Podcast, Pastor Ryan McVety delivers a bold and timely message confronting one of the greatest idols of modern culture: the idol of feelings. From Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane to Paul’s teaching in Galatians, this sermon explores the daily spiritual tension between flesh and Spirit, feeling and Father. Main Movements: • There Are Only Two Directions You are either walking toward the flesh or toward the Spirit. • What You Feed Grows Your emotional rehearsals become your spiritual realities. • Jesus Felt Deeply but Trusted Fully The issue is not what you feel. It is what you enthrone. Scriptures Referenced: Matthew 26:36–39 Galatians 5:16–17 Galatians 6:8 Romans 8:6 Proverbs 4:23 Jeremiah 17:9 If you have been exhausted by anxiety, insecurity, fear, or emotional swings, this episode will re-anchor you in truth. Choosing your feelings feels natural. Choosing your Father unlocks the supernatural. Subscribe and share with someone who needs peace today.
You've Got the Wrong Guy
Title: You’ve Got the Wrong Guy Have you ever sensed God nudging you toward something and immediately thought, “This cannot be for me”? In this episode, we unpack the story of Moses in Book of Exodus 3–4 and explore what really happens when insecurity collides with calling. Moses asked, “Who am I?” God responded, “I AM.” In This Message: Why insecurity often shows up at the door of destiny Why the pressure you feel is rooted in thinking it depends on you How God’s presence, not your ability, carries the assignment This message will help you: • Stop disqualifying yourself • Take obedient steps without waiting to feel confident • Rest in the sufficiency of the Great I AM You may feel like the wrong person. But with God, you are never standing alone. Listen, share, and take your next step.
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