River's Edge Bible Ministries

06/07/2026

The Calling of Matthew
Message by: Ed Kessler

📖 Matthew 9:9-13
[9] As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. [10] Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. [11] But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” [12] When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” [13] Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

How often do you hear a sermon on Matthew's calling? It's easy to overlook it.

In the Gospels, James and John were fishermen, but you don't here them called James the Fisherman or John the Fisherman. But Matthew (and later Levi) are called Matthew the Tax collector and Levi the Tax collector.

When Matthew turns and follows Jesus, he is then called a disciple…. And later an apostle. He became an ambassador with James and John and others. Eventually, Matthew is known as Matthew the evangelist.

📖 Mark 2:13-17 and 📖 Luke 5:27-28 also tell the story of Matthew coming to Jesus. Mark and Luke (but not Matthew) mention that Matthew left everything. Matthew wanted his version to highlight Jesus… not him.

To become a tax collector, Matthew had to be recruited by the Romans. His area (where he was charged to collect) was very rich with agriculture and trade. He was charged with telling on those who weren't paying taxes. Very much like tariffs, Matthew had to oversee and impose these fees. Most tax collectors were rich… and corrupt. The Romans would have hated Matthew because he was Jewish, and the Jews hated him because he was a Tax collector. As a tax collector, though, Matthew had to be smart and a good learner.

The Herod that hired Matthew was the brother of the Herod that wanted the Christ child killed (when Mary and Joseph fled with Jesus from Bethlehem as a baby)... the same Herod who beheaded John the Baptist. THAT was Matthew's boss.

When Matthew left everything, he could not go back. The fishermen eventually go back to fishing, but Matthew couldn't go back to tax collecting.

Matthew's story is a real message of trust. He trusted Jesus to the point of no return.

So, when Jesus calls Matthew, he uses some of his riches to throw a party to share Jesus with his fellow tax collectors. Jesus used this to show that illness is not just one of the body…

In this text in Matthew, Jesus quoted the Old Testament.

📖 Hosea 6:6
I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

Key takeaways of this story…

~ Matthew had a BC world - Before Christ. He was a sinful tax collector. Jesus used it to help use it for good. He was transformed and redeemed.
We all have a BC time. Before Ed was a Christian, God gave him a drive to learn Greek. He didn't know it would become so important. When he became a Christian, he realized the New Testament was written in Greek….. where God revealed how He was using this knowledge in Ed's life.

~ Matthew had a new life of Learning. Matthew was an avid learner .
Matthew used his drive to learn in order to thoroughly write his Gospel. God wants us to be learners. He wants us to do our work and research and understand Him and His Word more and more each day.

~ Matthew had a new Life of Evangelizing. He was charged with bringing others to Christ.
He was an Apostle, but there are also apostles (little “a”). We will never be one of the original 12 disciples, but we all called to be apostles… following Jesus and bringing others to Him.

Matthew’s life is the story of - the tax collector becomes someone who writes the Bible. This was a crazy notion, but here we are today… still enjoying Matthew’s words!

Ultimately, Matthew died for his faith. Matthew died to make God known.

How does God make himself known? He wants to be known. If He didn't want to be known, no one would know Him.

When Jesus came back (after His crucifixion), Jesus asked the disciples to write down what they had seen… He wants to be known.

That hasn't changed today. God wants to use us to make Him known.

You've been blessed to be a blessing.

We all have unique personalities, backgrounds, training, experiences, etc. God wants to use each one to show Him to others… Just like Matthew did.

06/05/2026

Get ready to dig into God's Word with Ed Kessler this week! Ed always brings an awesome message and teaches us with his wealth of knowledge.

ALL ARE WELCOME! ✝️💙🌊💚

📖 Sunday School @ 9am
🗣 Fellowship @ 9:45am
🙌 Worship @ 10:00am

📍 @ the Beacon (231 Walnut Street, Millersburg, PA

06/01/2026

Jesus Still Heals
Message by: Mike Leitzel

Mike was paralyzed from stage four prostate cancer. One day he was singing with the choir in church, the next day, he was paralyzed from the chest down.

God called Mike to give his story, but he had to overcome his fears in order to do it. We are so glad he did. Mike started off with some scripture…

📖 1 Peter 4:12-13
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

📖 Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Mike's story really begins in the 70's. Mike grew up near Pillow, PA. It was a different time. No one needed to lock doors, keys were left in the ignition, and the world looked different. Mike went to Line Mountain, and he played baseball. He spent a lot of time with his buddies at his coach's (Glenn) house - working on cars. After they were done working on cars, they'd all play cards around the kitchen table.

One evening, a guy named Joe pulled into Glenn's garage with a new motorcycle. Joe asked if Mike wanted to take a ride, and he did. Before he knew it, they were driving 120 mph and were looking at both lanes with cars - nowhere to go. Miraculously, they made it by passing through the cars by inches. At that time, Mike was not a born again Christian, but he knew God spared him that night. A short time later, Joe was driving his motorcycle (too fast) not far from that same spot, but this time he didn't make it out with the same fate. Joe crashed his bike and was paralyzed. Mike remembered how terrible that would have been. Being paralyzed was one of the worst things he could think of.

When Mike was found to have stage four prostate cancer, they were traveling to Mexico for treatments.

One November Sunday, Mike was practicing for a musical in church, and noticed weird sensations in his back. The next day, Mike had an appointment for tests. On his way to get an MRI, they had to give him morphine for the extreme pain. He became sick from the morphine. This was the time he became paralyzed. Things could have been worse if this happened while he was at home.

The next day, they found where the cancer was pressing against his spine. He was given two options: 1) let things go or 2) undergo a surgery to try to remove cancer spots with an unknown result of whether he would ever be able to walk again. He opted for the surgery.

Waiting for the surgery, he suffered everything one with paralysis suffers.

While the pastor and his wife were there to pray with Mike, they had an opening in the OR, and they were able to get him into surgery four hours earlier - which was important because every minute mattered and the sooner they had surgery, the better his chances were.

They told Mike he would not be able to move anything for at least the first day after his surgery, but he did. He could move his feet when he woke up.

Next came physical therapy.

He could not make it into the wheelchair on the first day of PT - he got sick just sitting up. He became sick and they didn't get any PT done. He knew it would be a long recovery.

Mike asked, “Why did this happen? Why me?”

Day two of PT was slightly better…. Then he had some kind of episode where his whole body became shaky and felt hot. Mike prayed to God, letting God know he was ready to go if He was calling Mike home.

He was transported to Hershey. It looked like he had sepsis. Mike again prayed that he was ready to go if God was ready to take him.

More PT. It wasn't going well. He went home in a wheelchair.

Getting in and out of their SUV with a wheelchair was hard, but God helped them buy a Honda Accord - located between home and PT. When Mike was well enough to be able to climb into the SUV again, a man up and offered to buy their Honda Accord because it was the exact car he was looking for for his daughter.

One day, Mike was trying to read, but couldn't make out any of the words… he had had a stroke. Thankfully, it was not major.

Mike kept putting work in, and God put him into a PT where encouraging faces (from his own church), so he knew he was where God wanted him.

Mike is walking perfect today!! God was not ready to call Mike home.

This was Mike's hardest trial. His biggest fear was being paralyzed.

God showed Mike and his wife, Karen, His hand during this season. He took care of them and continued to show his provision.

Because of their treatments in Mexico, they knew of people from around the world who were praying for him. They also received many cards and letters from people associated with Samaritan Ministries (their healthcare organization). Churches from around our valley were all praying for Mike. The prayers worked!

Now, every night, Mike prays, “Thank you, Jesus, for letting me walk again.”

Because of what Mike went through, people around him witnessed a miracle.

Jesus still performs miracles today.

Two months ago, the scan showed ALL cancer in Mike's vertebrae was gone!

Prayer is powerful. Never give up praying.

05/29/2026

We have a special service planned for this week. Mike Leitzel will be bringing us his Testimony.

📖 Mark 5:19
Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you."

ALL ARE WELCOME! ✝️💙🌊💚

📖 Sunday School @ 9am
🗣 Fellowship @ 9:45am
🙌 Worship @ 10:00am

📍 @ the Beacon (231 Walnut Street, Millersburg, PA

05/25/2026

05/24/2026

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
Message by: Don Chubb II

Don led us through a new way of reading and reflecting on John 3 (and 4).

📖 John 3:1-2
[1] There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. [2] This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

“Ruler of the Jews,” implies that he was a part of the Sanhedrin… someone of a powerful position - most likely a Pharisee.

The Pharisees are interesting in that they believe that they can usher in the Messiah by being Holy.

There are two strings of Jesus in the old testament
~ Suffering Servant
~ Messiah King

The Pharisees were expecting a king. But Nicodemus could not deny that no one can do the signs and miracles that Jesus is doing. Nicodemus recognized that Jesus had to be from God…..

📖 John 3:3-8
[3] Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” [4] Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” [5] Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ [8] The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Being “born of water” has been used to reference baptism, but that really does not work here. They would have known that a baby being born involves a water breaking, so this is talking about a birth of the flesh. Knowing this, baptism is not a prerequisite to entering Heaven.

The word for “wind” is “pneuma,” which, in Greek, means: Spirit, wind, breath - πνεῦμα
Definition(s):
~ a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze
~ (by analogy or figuratively) a spirit
~ (humanly) the rational soul
~ (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc.
~ (superhumanly) an angel, demon
~ (divinely) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit
Origin: pneó (πνέω)

The Old Testament (Hewbew) form of this word is, “ruach,” which means spirit, wind, breath - רוּחַ
Definitions:
~ wind
~ by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation
~ (figuratively) life, anger, unsubstantiality
~ by extension, a region of the sky
~ by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being

📖 John 19:38-42
[38] After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. [39] And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. [40] Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. [41] Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. [42] So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

Nicodemus participated in the burial of Jesus… spent a LOT of money on it.

When Nicodemus went to Jesus by night, it was because he was inquisitive, but didn't want others to know just then.

The ways of God, the way the Spirit moves, is like trying to predict the wind. You can see the effects of the Spirit, but can't predict how God will move.

📖 John 3:9-13
[9] Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” [10] Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? [11] Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. [12] If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? [13] No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

This brings in an Old Testament reference. Nicodemus knows the passage from Daniel 7…

📖 Daniel 7:1, 9-14
[1] In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.
[9] “I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire; [10] A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened. [11] “I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. [12] As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. [13] “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. [14] Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.

This passage is about the Messiah King.

📖 John 3:14-16
[14] And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. [16] For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Everyone remembers verse 16, but 15, 16, and 17 really flow and belong together.

📖 Numbers 21:4-9
[4] Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. [5] And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” [6] So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. [7] Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. [8] Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” [9] So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

Jesus is again using Old Testament references to be able to explain things to Nicodemus. These things will resonate with him because his wheelhouse, as a Pharisee, is Scripture. Jesus is showing that these scriptures point to Him.

God's reason is love.

📖 John 3:17
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Admitting you're a sinner and you need rescue, is as simple as looking at a snake on a stick.

You can't be the Holy Spirit in someone else's life. We can only worry about ourselves.

God gave His only Son because He loved us so much. It is hard to attain the same level of loving others, but we should work towards it.

This is Memorial Day weekend. Look at how many laid their lives down for us, our Nation, our God.

When John 4 was written, there were no verses to break things out, so you'd read right through the whole story of the woman at the well without breaking out pieces of the story. It was meant to be one, whole story.

John 3 and John 4 are back to back on purpose. John 3 is about a man who thinks he is living right and John 4 is about a woman who thinks she is beyond living right.

An allegory is a symbolic narrative that conveys deeper meanings beyond the literal interpretation. Many movies bring examples of surrendering one's life for another. A few examples are:
~ Gran Torino
~ Chronicles of Narnia
~ Quiet Place

These movies, stories, and many more make the story line more compelling, but pale to Jesus and what he gave for us.

Memorial Day is a day that most closely reflects the sacrifice of Christ. This is a day that we honor those who never grew old, never got to meet their grandchildren - to let us also remember that it is a reflection of God's sacrifice.

📖 Romans 4:1-8
[1] What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? [2] For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. [3] For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” [4] Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. [5] But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, [6] just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: [7] “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; [8] Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

Do you trust that His sacrifice paid your cost on the cross? This is the opposite of a fear-threat motive. THIS motive comes from a place of thankfulness.

📖 John 3:18-21
[18] “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [19] And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. [20] For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. [21] But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

05/22/2026

We LOVE Don Chubb II... AND he will be bringing the message on Sunday! Yey! Come out to hear what he will present.

ALL ARE WELCOME! ✝️💙🌊💚

📖 Sunday School @ 9am
🗣 Fellowship @ 9:45am
🙌 Worship @ 10:00am

📍 @ the Beacon (231 Walnut Street, Millersburg, PA

05/18/2026

We are pumped to be able to host a livestream of the 1613 Men's Conference at the Beacon (231 Walnut Street, Millersburg) - this July (17th-18th).
Learn more, here: https://riversedgebible.com/events/1613-2026

05/17/2026

Fear (Don’t Let it Hold You Back)
Message by: Eladio Peña

Fear
noun ~ an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat
verb ~ be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or threatening

Fear is like having faith in the devil.

Getting up and preaching (in front of friends and family) has been a fear of Eladio, but God is calling him to do this - to stand in front of people and declare Jesus’ name.

Fear can really hold you captive if you don't take action against it

God doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called.

Throughout the Bible, God uses people who aren't qualified.

Before we dive into 1 Kings 19, it is important to look at what happened in 1 Kings 18….

There were 450 prophets representing Baal vs. Elijah representing God (the one, true God). During this battle (of sorts), we see that Elijah was really the first trash talker (1 Kings 18:27). He was on the right side too, and he ultimately wins this battle because he is representing God. He slaughtered all 450 prophets.

So, he won this great victory…. What comes next is the lowest part of his life.

📖 I Kings 19:1-4
[1] And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. [2] Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” [3] And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. [4] But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”

After everything great that had just happened in chapter 18, Elijah is now in a great depression…the queen was tracking him down to kill him… He isn’t just fleeing, but he is fleeing from a queen. That is added pressure.

📖 I Kings 19:5-16
[5] Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” [6] Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. [7] And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” [8] So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. [9] And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” [10] So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” [11] Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; [12] and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. [13] So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” [14] And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” [15] Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. [16] Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

An angel is waking Elijah up and providing for him… then God shows him things and then sends him on a journey and gives him a purpose.

Even though Elijah had a great fear, God never left him and used him.

What are we afraid of? What is holding us back from God's calling?

Fear is a big thing in our lives until we realize how big our God is.

If you're afraid today, know that you're not alone. The Bible tells us that God is always with us, and He is.

📖 Deuteronomy 31:8
It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

If you're struggling with fear, seek other Christians to come along side you and empower and pray for you.

We are so glad that Eladio overcame his fear and shared this message. We are all called to step out in faith like Eladio did today - to preach the Good News to everyone!