The River Worship - Sermons

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.

Faithful over Famous

Faithful Over Famous: Cultivating a Life of Steadfast Devotion Pastor Brendan Witton delivers a powerful message challenging believers to prioritize faithfulness over fame in a culture obsessed with going viral and being noticed. He emphasizes that while the world celebrates quick success and instant gratification, God is looking for people who will be faithful in the small things, through difficult seasons, and over the long haul. This sermon explores faithfulness as a fruit of the Holy Spirit that must be cultivated through connection to God, rooted in His inherent faithfulness toward us. Pastor Witton calls the congregation to examine their faithfulness in multiple areas: to the Lord Himself, to His Word, to their calling, to the church, to their marriages, with little things, and especially when circumstances are hard. The message concludes with an encouragement that faithfulness may not be flashy or trending, but it is one of the most powerful qualities believers can build in their lives. Key Points: * Faithfulness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that comes from being connected to the vine and allowing God to work in our lives * God's faithfulness is the foundation for our faithfulness—we can be faithful because He is faithful to us * We are called to be faithful to the Lord above all else, maintaining Him as our first love * Faithfulness to God's Word means staying committed to Scripture whether it's popular or not, in season and out of season * Every believer has a calling from God, and we must stay faithful to that unique call without comparing ourselves to others * Being faithful to the church means serving, connecting, and interceding rather than criticizing * Faithfulness in marriage requires commitment to the covenant even through challenging seasons * We must learn to be faithful with little things before God can entrust us with greater things * The greatest test of faithfulness comes when circumstances are difficult and things aren't going as planned * Faithfulness isn't flashy and doesn't go viral, but it's what God values most Scripture Reference: * Galatians 5:22-23 (Fruit of the Spirit, including faithfulness) * Psalm 36:5 (God's faithfulness reaches to the clouds) * Lamentations 3:22-23 (God's mercies are new every morning; great is His faithfulness) * 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it) * 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (The Lord is faithful; He will establish and guard you) * Revelation 19:11 (Jesus called Faithful and True) * 1 Samuel 12:24 (Serve Him faithfully with all your heart) * Matthew 25:20-21 (Parable of the talents—"Well done, good and faithful servant") * 1 Corinthians 4:2 (It is required of stewards that they be found faithful) * Matthew 22 (The Great Commandment—love God with all your heart) * Matthew 4:4 (Man does not live by bread alone) * Matthew 25:23 (Faithful over little, set over much) * Psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd) * 2 Chronicles 7:14 (If my people humble themselves and pray)

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.