Library
16mSantosh Poonen · Jul 23
1h 10mZac Poonen · Jul 23
52mSantosh Poonen · Jun 18
1h 3mZac Poonen · May 31
1h 1mZac Poonen · May 31
1h 4mZac Poonen · May 30
1h 1mZac Poonen · May 30
1h 3mZac Poonen · May 29
1h 5mZac Poonen · May 29
44mZac Poonen · May 29
1h 2mZac Poonen · May 26
44mSantosh Poonen · May 14
43mSantosh Poonen · Apr 30
8mSanjay Poonen · Apr 20
49mSantosh Poonen · Apr 17
35mSantosh Poonen · Apr 2
47mSantosh Poonen · Mar 19
43mSantosh Poonen · Mar 5
11mDavid Lane · Feb 27
44mSantosh Poonen · Feb 19
47mSantosh Poonen · Feb 5
46mSantosh Poonen · Jan 22
57mSantosh Poonen · Jan 16
45mSantosh Poonen · Jan 1
16mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Santosh Poonen · Jul 23, 2018 · 16m
The central message is that in the Christian life, the focus must be on finishing the race with endurance, rather than on how one started. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 9 and Hebrews 12, the speaker emphasizes that the goal is to win the prize by keeping eyes fixed on the finish line. Believers must actively lay aside all hindrances, or 'encumbrances,' to run with perseverance until the end.
1h 10mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · Jul 23, 2018 · 1h 10m
The speaker compares the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, using the analogy of Moses failing to lead Israel into Canaan, while Jesus, like Joshua, leads believers into the promised life. He defines sin not just as breaking a law, but as anything contrary to the perfect life lived by Jesus Christ. The central message is that believers must press on toward Christlikeness, understanding that the goal is to become like Jesus, which is possible through the grace of the New Covenant.
52mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Santosh Poonen · Jun 18, 2018 · 52m
The central message emphasizes that the Father's pleasure is to give the kingdom to the 'little flock,' which is characterized by a pure heart. True spiritual insight and connection with God do not come from academic study or overcoming sin alone, but from having a pure heart that offers one's life to the Lord with all its brokenness. The sermon contrasts the disciples' desire for earthly status and authority with Jesus' teaching that greatness in the Kingdom is found in serving and sacrificing one's life for others.
1h 3mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · May 31, 2018 · 1h 3m
The sermon emphasizes the need for believers to maintain diligence and zeal in their Christian walk, warning against spiritual sluggishness. The speaker draws a parallel between the Old Covenant, where work was concentrated among a few leaders, and the New Covenant, where every member is called to function actively as a body. True contribution is defined not merely by practical or financial service, but by a spiritual offering—a manifestation of the Holy Spirit for the common good.
1h 1mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · May 31, 2018 · 1h 1m
The sermon contrasts the old covenant, which involved adherence to the law and the threat of generational curses, with the new covenant found in Christ. The speaker emphasizes that Christ redeemed believers from the curse of the law, not just by paying a price, but by becoming the curse Himself. This redemption cleanses the believer, allowing the Holy Spirit to fill them with the blessing of Abraham: being blessed and becoming a blessing to others.
1h 4mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · May 30, 2018 · 1h 4m
The central message is the difference between merely hearing spiritual truths intellectually versus having them deeply rooted in the heart. The speaker uses the contrast between Saul, who lived by his head, and David, who was a man of the heart, to illustrate this. True commitment to building the church requires dying to self-welfare and submitting to the authority of Christ, much like bricks forming a strong building.
1h 1mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · May 30, 2018 · 1h 1m
The speaker addresses various theological questions, including the necessity of marriage for the new covenant life and the understanding of roles within marriage, emphasizing co-heirship. He cautions against viewing God as a punitive policeman, urging instead that people recognize God as a loving Father. The central message is to approach evangelism and discipleship by first acting as a friend to sinners, rather than immediately presenting judgment.
1h 3mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · May 29, 2018 · 1h 3m
The speaker contrasts the Old Covenant understanding of blessings (material prosperity) with the New Covenant understanding, where spiritual blessings are found in adversity and suffering. He emphasizes that ministry in the New Covenant comes not through isolated study or prophecy, but through enduring suffering, drawing heavily on Paul's experience. True discipleship involves understanding that believers are called to share in Christ's sufferings to attain the resurrection life.
1h 5mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · May 29, 2018 · 1h 5m
The speaker argues that family life is given significantly more importance in the New Covenant compared to the Old Testament, where detailed laws regarding marital and family conduct are scarce. He points to the qualifications for an elder in 1 Timothy and Titus, noting the high standards required for a man to manage his own family well. Ultimately, the message is that the high value God places on family life—a theme absent in the Old Covenant—should guide believers' pursuit, regardless of whether they become elders themselves.
44mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · May 29, 2018 · 44m
The speaker contrasts the limited access to God in the Old Covenant with the direct access available in the New Covenant. He warns that believers are often cheated by the devil, allowing worldly things like money to become more important than their spiritual relationship with God. True understanding of the New Covenant means living out the reality of God's work in one's life, rather than just knowing the verses intellectually.
1h 2mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Zac Poonen · May 26, 2018 · 1h 2m
The speaker argues that many believers are living under the standards of the Old Covenant rather than the New Covenant established by Christ. He emphasizes that the New Covenant requires a deeper, ongoing transformation involving principles like rejoicing always and giving thanks in everything, which were not explicit commandments in the Old Testament. True Christian life requires continuous progression toward God's eternal purpose, which is to be conformed to the image of Christ through intimate fellowship with God.
44mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Santosh Poonen · May 14, 2018 · 44m
The sermon encourages the congregation to remember that being the light of the world means enduring trials and hardships, as God intends for His light to shine through our difficulties. Furthermore, the speaker strongly cautions against the sin of gossip, noting that speaking about others in their absence is almost always gossip. True spirituality, according to James 1:26, requires not only religious acts but also the discipline of bridling one's tongue.
43mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Santosh Poonen · Apr 30, 2018 · 43m
The speaker emphasizes that the church should function as a family, not an organization focused on performance or impressing people. The core goal must always be to exalt Jesus Christ, ensuring that all activities, including music and service, are offered purely to God without seeking personal glory. True service involves offering what is pure and untouched by self-promotion, allowing the Lord to be glorified through the collective body.
8mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Sanjay Poonen · Apr 20, 2018 · 8m
The sermon emphasizes that true Christian success is defined not by worldly achievement, but by being 'good and faithful' in all things. Drawing from the parable of the talents, the speaker urges the congregation to focus on faithfulness over mere success. He encourages believers to run the Christian life with endurance, picking themselves up after falls, and pressing on daily toward spiritual perfection until Christ returns.
49mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Santosh Poonen · Apr 17, 2018 · 49m
The speaker emphasizes that believers must submit to God and resist the devil, as this action causes the devil to flee. He shares personal anecdotes of spiritual confrontations in his youth to illustrate the reality of spiritual warfare. The core message is that the power of the Word of God and genuine faith in Jesus Christ can overcome the enemy's attempts to cause panic or distraction.
35mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Santosh Poonen · Apr 2, 2018 · 35m
The central message emphasizes that true Christianity is defined by one's actions—walking in the manner of Christ—rather than mere profession or identity. The speaker stresses the profound responsibility adults have to set a positive example for the younger generation, warning that children are highly susceptible to absorbing the behavior they observe. He encourages the congregation to live out their faith visibly through their daily walk.
47mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Santosh Poonen · Mar 19, 2018 · 47m
The speaker discusses the balance between faith and works, using the analogy of a closed faucet to illustrate that the righteousness of Christ is already complete and available. Human effort, like opening the faucet, only allows the pre-existing water (Christ's righteousness) to flow through us; it does not create it. True Christian living involves surrendering to Christ's finished work, allowing His righteousness to flow through us, rather than trying to manufacture spiritual power through personal works.
43mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Santosh Poonen · Mar 5, 2018 · 43m
The speaker urges listeners to live each moment with the urgency of knowing life is fleeting, drawing parallels to the fool who builds big plans for tomorrow. He emphasizes that true devotion means prioritizing pleasing God alone, much like Jesus was guided only by the Father's command rather than the demands of people. Ultimately, the goal of life and ministry should be to focus on pleasing God and preparing for heaven.
11mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
David Lane · Feb 27, 2018 · 11m
The speaker emphasizes that loving God with heart, soul, and mind begins by meditating on God's immense love for us. He draws from scripture, particularly Jeremiah 32, to highlight God's unwavering commitment (
44mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Santosh Poonen · Feb 19, 2018 · 44m
The sermon emphasizes that when confronting sin in a brother or sister, one must first judge oneself, pray with a deep burden, and forgive. The initial step is always to address the fault privately and gently, aiming not to win an argument or prove one's own righteousness, but solely to win the person's soul. This approach requires a spirit of gentleness, mirroring the goal of Christ's love.
47mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Santosh Poonen · Feb 5, 2018 · 47m
The speaker strongly encourages the congregation to bring and actively use their Bibles during services, emphasizing that physically turning to scripture references aids in 'scriptural absorption' or osmosis. He warns that relying solely on the speaker's reading can be a weakness exploited by the enemy. Furthermore, he uses the analogy of a burning heart to illustrate that the Word of God should ignite passion, contrasting this with the distraction that comes from a lukewarm heart.
46mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Santosh Poonen · Jan 22, 2018 · 46m
The central message is that true obedience and love for God must originate from God Himself, not merely from human effort or sincerity. The speaker emphasizes that while we strive to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, the New Covenant requires God to direct our hearts into that love. He urges the congregation to pray for the Word of God to be glorified and for the church to maintain a high standard of spiritual seriousness.
57mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Santosh Poonen · Jan 16, 2018 · 57m
The speaker urges the congregation to adopt 'today resolutions' rather than traditional New Year's resolutions, arguing that resolutions set for an entire year are set up for failure. Drawing from scripture, he emphasizes that 'today is the day of salvation' and that believers should make commitments they can practice in the present moment. He suggests that by living day-by-day, mirroring God's creation process, believers can experience God's work continuously throughout the year.
45mRiver of Life Christian Fellowship
Santosh Poonen · Jan 1, 2018 · 45m
The sermon emphasizes that the church's purpose is to save the lost, echoing Jesus' declaration that he came to save what was lost. It stresses that true Christian love, as described in 1 Corinthians 13, is the essential characteristic, and this love must guide how believers confront sin in their community. Ultimately, the church must maintain a burden for the lost world around them, recognizing that God's joy is greatest over the one who returns.