The Truth Church

Pastor Hilton opens Matthew 2:1-12, where wise men from the East follow a star to worship the newborn King of the Jews. He explores the identity of these 'wise men'—magi, astrologers, sorcerers—men always seeking new knowledge, practices, and experiences, much like Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8 who offered money for the Holy Ghost's power. Such men wander aimlessly as 'wandering stars,' never finding truth. Yet, for these particular wise men, a clear, bright star appeared, obliterating all other pursuits. It was not a confusing sign but a definitive light from God, like the pillar of fire that led Israel. Pastor Hilton emphasizes that God's light is never taken away; He is not the author of confusion. Jesus declared, 'I am the light of the world,' and the Bible says God is light with no darkness at all. When we walk in darkness, stumbling, we lie about having fellowship with Him. But the blood of Jesus and the entrance of God's Word ('Thy word is a lamp unto my feet') turn on the light, showing the way. Jesus is the 'bright and morning star,' the ultimate conjunction of Jupiter (bright) and Venus (morning star), bringing all guidance together in Himself. He shines in the darkest night and the brightest day, for all who are lost, confused, or dabbling in dark practices. This message is not just for Christmas but for every moment—Jesus offers absolute direction to those who will follow His light.

Bishop Riggen preaches from Matthew 16:13-19, emphasizing the need for divine revelation to truly know Jesus as the Christ. He expounds four foundational principles of the Godhead: there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4-5); God the Father is a Spirit (John 4:23-24); the Son is the flesh (Luke 1:35); and God the Spirit was in Christ the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:19). These principles answer any question about the Godhead by recognizing the dual nature of Christ. He illustrates from Acts 2 and Joel 2 that Pentecost could not occur until Jehovah Elohim Himself walked in Israel, identifying Jesus as the Old Testament Jehovah. Using Exodus 15:2, Psalm 118:14, and Isaiah 12:2, he shows that 'the Lord has become my salvation'—the Hebrew word for salvation being Yeshua, or Jesus. He further cites Zechariah 12:10, where Jehovah says, 'they shall look upon me whom they have pierced,' proving the Creator was pierced. Finally, from Revelation 4:2 and Isaiah 6:1, he notes that both John and Isaiah saw only one throne with one person seated on it—not three. This refutes trinitarianism, which would require multiple thrones or 'musical chairs.' Bishop Riggen closes by urging the congregation to rejoice in knowing that there is one God whose name is Jesus, who filled the universe yet took on human form to bleed and die for humanity.

Bishop Riggen preaches from Ephesians 4:30, urging believers not to grieve the Holy Spirit. He warns against entertaining demonic spirits by giving them 'place' in one's life through sinful attitudes, actions, or media. Using Hebrews 13:2, he explains that just as we can entertain angels unaware, we can also entertain hellish spirits by allowing things that are not conducive to the Spirit's presence. He illustrates this with a story about a pastor who felt a demonic presence until a demon-illustrated magazine was removed. The bishop argues that many worldly entertainments, particularly professional sports, have become a rival religion that draws devotion away from God. He criticizes the modern obsession with sports, contrasting the fanaticism for athletes with apathy toward spiritual matters. He also warns against the misuse of social media, which can become a platform for gossip, slander, and wasting time, and cautions against excessive consumption of online podcasts and preaching that can lead to confusion and dissatisfaction with one's own church. He emphasizes the importance of redeeming time for good and not being brought under the power of any lawful thing. The sermon concludes by comparing grieving the Spirit to smothering a fire—removing what the Spirit needs to burn brightly, such as prayer, holiness, and obedience. The goal is to avoid quenching the Spirit's fire in one's life by surrounding oneself with elements that support the Spirit's work, not hinder it.

Bishop Riggen continues a series on the Godhead, building on four scriptural principles. First, there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). Second, God the Father is a Spirit (John 4:24), not a person. Third, the Son is the flesh born of Mary (Luke 1:35). Fourth, God was in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19), meaning the Spirit dwelt in the flesh. He clarifies that the Trinity doctrine—three separate co-equal persons—is not biblical. The word 'trinity' is absent from Scripture, and the Godhead is clearly seen and understood (Romans 1:20). He emphasizes that the Father is greater than the Son because Spirit is greater than flesh (John 14:28). Jesus identified Himself as the Father (John 14:8-9; Isaiah 9:6) and used the divine name 'I AM' (John 8:24, 58), which the Jews understood as a claim to deity. Colossians 2:9 shows that all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Jesus bodily; He is not a second person. The Bishop illustrates God's love by arguing that in the Trinity view, the Father sends another to die, but the biblical truth is that God Himself came in flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). Revelation 13:8 reveals the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world—the plan was always for God to take on a body with blood to redeem humanity. This makes Calvary a personal sacrifice of love, not a transaction between separate persons.

Bishop Riggen continues his exposition of Ephesians 4:30, exhorting believers not to grieve the Holy Spirit. He emphasizes that grieving God’s Spirit means making God sad, and the believer's primary concern should be pleasing God rather than asking whether a behavior will send them to hell. He stresses that grace is not a license to sin; instead, grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, empowering us to live righteously. He confronts the false teaching that under grace God overlooks sin, citing Romans 6:1-2 and 6:14, where Paul declares that grace frees us from sin’s dominion, not permits it. He references Titus 2:11-12 and Jude 4, showing that turning grace into lasciviousness is ungodly. The bishop illustrates that just as a loving father would not ignore a child’s fatal cancer, God does not ignore sin but provides remedy through the Holy Spirit. He argues that falling in love with Jesus transforms our desires—when we truly love Him, we avoid what grieves Him because we want His smile, not because of rules. He uses the analogy of filling a bottle with water: the more we are filled with the Holy Ghost, the more sin is pushed out. The sermon’s spiritual purpose is to call believers to a deep, loving relationship with God that naturally produces holiness and to reject the antinomian notion that grace excuses ongoing sin.