A Different Way | Two Paths

The Invitation

What does it mean to be invited into the Kingdom of God? In this guest message, Steve Aldrich unpacks Jesus' parable of the Great Feast from Luke 14, revealing the incredible invitation God extends to all who will come. Through this powerful story, we're reminded that the Kingdom of God is not reserved for the deserving, but is a gracious invitation offered to the overlooked, the broken, and anyone willing to respond in faith. Whether you've followed Jesus for years or are simply curious about His invitation, this message points us to the heart of the gospel: God has prepared a place at His table, and He invites us to come. ✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH "Practicing the Way of Jesus Together." 📲 FOLLOW US Website: http://www.rivervalleychurch.com [http://www.rivervalleychurch.com] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rivervalleynh/ [https://www.instagram.com/rivervalleynh/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rivervalleynh/ [https://www.facebook.com/rivervalleynh/] 🎁 GIVE Help to support our mission financially. https://rivervalleynh.churchcenter.com/giving [https://elmcitychurch.churchcenter.com/giving] 1. Enter a donation amount. 2. Click the fund dropdown and select "General." 3. Click the frequency dropdown and select "One Time" or "Regularly." 4. Enter other contact and payment information and submit. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to our YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@rivervalleychurchNH

A Different Way | Which Will You Choose?

After twenty weeks in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus leaves us with one final question: What will you do with His words? In the closing message of A Different Way, we explore Jesus' powerful illustration of the wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7:24–29). While two houses may look identical from the outside, only one survives the storm because of what lies beneath the surface. This message is a call to move beyond simply hearing Jesus and begin building our lives on Him. Storms don't create our foundation—they reveal it. Will Christ be your authority, your centerline, and your Rock? As we conclude this journey through the Sermon on the Mount, we're reminded that the mountain of Jesus' teaching ultimately points us to the mountain of Calvary, where our only true foundation was secured through His life, death, and resurrection.  ✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH "Practicing the Way of Jesus Together." 📲 FOLLOW US Website: http://www.rivervalleychurch.com [http://www.rivervalleychurch.com] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rivervalleynh/ [https://www.instagram.com/rivervalleynh/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rivervalleynh/ [https://www.facebook.com/rivervalleynh/] 🎁 GIVE Help to support our mission financially. https://rivervalleynh.churchcenter.com/giving [https://elmcitychurch.churchcenter.com/giving] 1. Enter a donation amount. 2. Click the fund dropdown and select "General." 3. Click the frequency dropdown and select "One Time" or "Regularly." 4. Enter other contact and payment information and submit. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to our YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@rivervalleychurchNH

A Different Way | Unsaved Christians

This week in A Different Way, we come to one of the most unsettling passages in the entire Sermon on the Mount. Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven..." These are people who know the right words, have strong emotions, and are active in religious activity—yet Jesus says, "I never knew you." What does authentic faith actually look like? How can someone be close to Jesus and still miss Him? And where does grace fit into all of this? In this message from Matthew 7:21-23, we examine the difference between empty religion and genuine surrender, expose the danger of trusting in our spiritual résumé, and discover the invitation Jesus still offers today: not to work harder, but to know Him—and be known by Him. This is a warning passage. But it's also a gracious invitation. ✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH "Practicing the Way of Jesus Together." 📲 FOLLOW US Website: http://www.rivervalleychurch.com [http://www.rivervalleychurch.com] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rivervalleynh/ [https://www.instagram.com/rivervalleynh/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rivervalleynh/ [https://www.facebook.com/rivervalleynh/] 🎁 GIVE Help to support our mission financially. https://rivervalleynh.churchcenter.com/giving [https://elmcitychurch.churchcenter.com/giving] 1. Enter a donation amount. 2. Click the fund dropdown and select "General." 3. Click the frequency dropdown and select "One Time" or "Regularly." 4. Enter other contact and payment information and submit. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to our YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@rivervalleychurchNH

A Different Way | Two Paths

Not every road leads to the same destination. As Jesus brings the Sermon on the Mount toward its conclusion, He presents a series of stark contrasts: two gates, two roads, two kinds of prophets, two kinds of trees, and two kinds of fruit. Behind each image is the same question: Which way will you choose? In this message from Matthew 7:13–20, we explore Jesus' invitation to enter through the narrow gate—the path that is often difficult, countercultural, and marked by surrender, yet leads to true life. Along the way, we'll consider why following Jesus requires intentionality, how His exclusive claims offer the only path to reconciliation with God, and what it means to bear the kind of fruit that reflects a life transformed by Him. The Sermon on the Mount was never meant to be admired from a distance. It demands a response. The question isn't whether you're on a road—it's where that road is leading. ✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH "Practicing the Way of Jesus Together." 📲 FOLLOW US Website: http://www.rivervalleychurch.com [http://www.rivervalleychurch.com] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rivervalleynh/ [https://www.instagram.com/rivervalleynh/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rivervalleynh/ [https://www.facebook.com/rivervalleynh/] 🎁 GIVE Help to support our mission financially. https://rivervalleynh.churchcenter.com/giving [https://elmcitychurch.churchcenter.com/giving] 1. Enter a donation amount. 2. Click the fund dropdown and select "General." 3. Click the frequency dropdown and select "One Time" or "Regularly." 4. Enter other contact and payment information and submit. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to our YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@rivervalleychurchNH

A Different Way | The Golden Rule

In this message from our A Different Way series, we explore the meaning of the Golden Rule and discover how Jesus takes an ancient principle and turns it into a radical call to active love. Rather than simply avoiding harm, followers of Jesus are called to intentionally pursue the good of others. Through biblical teaching, practical examples, and gospel-centered application, we’ll see how the Golden Rule exposes both our need for one another and our need for a Savior. Ultimately, Jesus is the only One who perfectly lived what He taught—and through Him, we can learn to do the same. ✝️ RIVER VALLEY CHURCH "Practicing the Way of Jesus Together." 📲 FOLLOW US Website: http://www.rivervalleychurch.com [http://www.rivervalleychurch.com] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rivervalleynh/ [https://www.instagram.com/rivervalleynh/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rivervalleynh/ [https://www.facebook.com/rivervalleynh/] 🎁 GIVE Help to support our mission financially. https://rivervalleynh.churchcenter.com/giving [https://elmcitychurch.churchcenter.com/giving] 1. Enter a donation amount. 2. Click the fund dropdown and select "General." 3. Click the frequency dropdown and select "One Time" or "Regularly." 4. Enter other contact and payment information and submit. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to our YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@rivervalleychurchNH