Spanish Booklets
Scandinavian Booklets
Index of Sermons
1978 to 1985
by Herbert W. Armstrong
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Pre 1978
- May 1974 in Bricket Wood - "Bricket Wood Message 74" - (10.4 Mb)
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This Sermon was given shortly after some senior ministers left the Church in 1974 in England. Mr Armstrong deals with the vital role of God's Government and how a major part of our job today is to be sure we remain firmly beneath it. If we do, then - and only then - will we also qualify to administer that identical, loving Government in the coming Kingdom of God.
1978
- 13 May 1978 - "Creation and The Gospel" (12.8Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3Begins: "Well, greetings everybody once again this afternoon; and to all of you people up in Canada listening at Vancouver...." This sermon was given after the bible study Creation and Prehistory which starts from the very beginning, and goes through the entire story of the Scriptures.
- 1978 - "Warning to the Church" - (10.5 Mb)
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This sermon was given after Mr Armstrong had recovered from total heart failure. He warns that the Church was in mortal danger of falling into a Laodicean attitude and calls for fasting and heartfelt prayer. He tells all of us to wake up, and put some life back into the Church and speaks directly to many ministers sitting in the audience at Pasadena who he said disagreed with him and were instead promoting their own false ideas -- particularly intellectualism. The parallels with the state of the Church today is spine-chilling.
1979
- 13 Oct 1979 - LGD - "Why the Holy Days?" - (13.3 Mb)
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"... God has CUT THE WORLD OFF, except those that the Father calls. But there is this judgment coming; and they're going to have it easier than we do, when their time comes..."
1980
- 15 Mar 1980 - "Times and Seasons" - (10.6 Mb)
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This sermon was given from Tucson, and deals with an overview of prophecy - particularly Matt 24 and Rev 4. Mr Armstrong also comments extensively on how he brings the gospel message to the leaders in communist countries, using the two broad ways of life: Give, and Get.
- FOT 25 Sept 1980 - "The Plan Of God" (14.0Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This sermon was the first transmission to link multiple Feast sites in the USA, Canada and UK. When you consider how today we do something similar with nothing more than a telephone line and a laptop via the internet, it indicates how much some things in the world have changed. However, the basic message - why we are here on this earth, and the very purpose of human life - remains just as relevant today as it has ever been.
1981
- 1981 - "The Church in Prophecy" (12.0Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This sermon is preceded by a snippet of Mr Armstrong's comments concerning Zerubbabel building the Temple together with a small amount of music. It was sent to the Church for general distribution sometime during 1981. The sermon contains an overview of the Church in prophecy - though the prophesied shattering we have recently experienced was not understood at the time.
- in Melbourne Australia 1981 - "How You and I Came to Be Here" - (11.9 Mb)
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This sermon deals with the way God has always placed His Truth within His Church through apostles. This Way - this Government - flows down from God - through Christ - through the apostle sent with that Truth - to a people specifically drawn and selected to be part of His Church at this time.
- Seattle USA 14 Feb 1981 - "Building The Temple" (21.0Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This sermon does not just examine the fact that God is now building His Temple spiritually, prior to the return of Christ, but that Mr Armstrong personally was the one that God was (and is still today) using to do so. The sermon is particularly long (2h 15m). Although the audio quality is good throughout most of the file, our apologies for the fact that in two sections it is poor: the first 3 mins, and the last 20 mins.
- 18th April 1981 - Night To Be Observed - "Revelation 12" - (10.7 Mb)
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This sermon was the first message Mr Armstrong gave to the Church after he had returned from Tucson to again live full time in Pasadena. In this message, he shows the condition of the True Church through the ages in relation to Satan as found within Revelation 12 and other prophecies. He also voices his own firm belief that Satan had just been cast down to the earth -- and it was this unseen event that gave rise to the receivership takeover in the late 70's. The use of the state by Satan to persecute the True Church is shown to be something that has continued throughout history. It is clear that with Satan cast down, we should not be surprised if such persecution happen in our time.
- 13 June 1981 - "What If Adam Had Not Sinned?" (13.8Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3Begins: Brethren: after speaking here on last Sabbath, I spoke to a group of virtually 3,000 - or 2,800 - of our people up at Stockton, on the Day of Pentecost...." Mr Armstrong then mentions an incident in the Philippines, where unity in the Church needed to improve. He shows how the only way true unity can be achieved is to focus on Jesus Christ, the True Head of God's Church, and do things God's Way. This Way is also The Way the entire world would have gone - had Adam taken instead the Tree of Life!
- July 1981 - "Jesus Christ Our High Priest" - (10.9 Mb)
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This sermon covers many topics, eventually going into the first chapter of Hebrews. It talks about how God reveals truth to us - through our High Priest - Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God.
- 4 July 1981 - "HWA Speaks to the Brethren" - (13.6 Mb)
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Greetings everybody. Nice to be back here again. Last week I was up at Orr Minnesota speaking to many of our young juniors up there ...(37min 12sec) I would like to just be able to talk to you a little bit today ... All my life I have had to try to avoid getting sidetracked and jumping off onto some other thought that would flash through my mind as I go along, but to stay right on the subject. Well, I have been doing that lately, but today I just wanted to say what comes to my mind. That's what I am doing. And I just want to talk to you, as one of you, and we need a time to talk like that and be together, because we are all one in Christ..
- 21 Aug 1981 - "Forum: Why Ambassador College?" - (14.1 Mb)
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Good Morning everybody. Welcome to the second beginning of Ambassador College at Big Sandy Texas. Well you know it reminds me of starting in Pasadena in 1947. We had four students ... now it had to be a different kind of college than any other. why did it need to be a liberal arts college? Why not just a bible college to educate people for the ministry? ... "recapture the true values" You know I grabbed at that. That has become the slogan of Ambassador College - "recapture the true values". People do not have a sense of value in the world anymore. They have a false sense of values. And I had a chance to start a college that would recapture the TRUE values...
- 26 Sept 1981 - "Endure to the End" - (11.2 Mb)
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Given just a few days before the day of Trumpets, this sermon first goes right back to the beginning, putting what Mr Armstrong has to say into the context of the big picture. And what he has to say is that statistically, 33% of those listening to him would not be in the Church in 10 years. (how true that was - except it was nearer 90%). But the antidote is to take our calling seriously, to overcome Satan's world, to grow in grace and knowledge - doing it all through the power of God, received through prayer - and to endure, to the end.
- FOT 13 Oct 1981 - "The Meaning of Tabernacles" (14.0Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This sermon was given on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles in 1981 - exactly one week to the day after Anwar Sadat was murdered in Egypt. Mr Armstrong comments on the assassination and goes on to describe the Plan of God - as this world's only source of true peace.
- 17 October 1981 - "Why The Church?" - (9.6 Mb)
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I would like to ask this afternoon, and also to answer - "why the Church?" Why should there be "the Church?" There are churches all over the western world they are attended every Sunday - by a good section of the population - do most people realise why there should be a church? Or do they just take it for granted......
- 23 Oct 1981 - "The Sabbath Question" - (10.4 Mb)
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This Sermon deals with how we should be keeping the Sabbath holy. It examines a number of aspects including: The need to assemble on the Sabbath; Proper dress for services; Is it OK to go to a restaurant on the Sabbath? Driving long distances on the Sabbath; Making the Sabbath a delight; The need to have a balanced approach.
- Nov 1981 -"The Holy Spirit" - (4.2 Mb)
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Mr Armstrong stresses the vast difference between the natural and Spirit led mind. Without a mind that is Spirit led we will not make it and unless that new mind continually grows through prayer throughout life, our Spirit Life will miscarry.
- 7 Nov 1981 - "What God Expects of Us" (14.0Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3Begins: "Greetings everybody, nice to be with you again. And as was announced it's going to be the last chance for about 3 weeks...." This sermon was given during the time when the Church was getting back on track, and makeup had just been recognised as not part of "The Way" God wants for us. Mr Armstrong deals extensively with this topic and several similar areas in this sermon. (Quoting from )
- Dec 1981 - "Getting Back on Track" - (10.7 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3It is particularly illuminating to hear what Mr Armstrong says in this sermon. It shows how "off Track" the corporate Churches of God have drifted today. Mr Armstrong explains how so many want their own way - instead of God's revealed Way; He covers the fact we live in a unique time in world history; how he is the apostle sent by God; why makeup takes women away from God's Way; how so many want to be like the world; and how Christ - through him - led the Church. (Note: And should be today - but is prophesied to be on the outside knocking - Rev 3:20)
- 5 December 1981 - "What is Sin?" - (11.2 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3Mr Armstrong deals specifically with the makeup issue - and why makeup simply cannot be accepted within the True Church. The reason this is so, revolves around a correct understanding of just what sin is. The principle and attitude we are to have as God's people is the all important aspect.
1982
- 4th March 1982 - "Passover Examination" - (10.9 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3Mr Armstrong encourages us all to correctly examine ourselves prior to Passover. He talks about the bread for our healing, and the wine for forgiveness of spiritual sin, and then goes on to show how the area we all need to examine prior to taking the Passover, is our level of true repentance. He points out that even some evangelists had not at that time truly repented -- but merely accepted the truth as part of their own righteousness.
- 24 April 1982 - "What Is Christ Doing" - (10.5 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This Sermon deals with how Christ precedes us into the Kingdom of God - as our High Priest. It is one of the "Back on Track" sermons given by Mr Armstrong and covers the requirement of all of us to live "The Way" of God if we are also to rule with Christ in the future. The beginning of Hebrews and Romans 8 are covered in some detail. At the end of the sermon, Mr Armstrong brings out that being "on Track" implies we keep moving, driving ourselves, as the Track is something on which we travel.
- May 1982 - "Inter Racial Marriage" - (8.6 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This sermon is particularly applicable today where there is a good deal of controversy within society about race and "multi-culturalism". God's view of segregation is explained, and Mr Armstrong shows how the world's current approach of ethnic integration is utterly off-Track to God's true perspective on the subject.
- 5 June 1982 - "Why Only a Few Chosen Now?" - (13.8 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3Mr Armstrong speaks for longer than normal (1hr 52mins). He deals specifically with the purpose of our calling - that we are to be the teachers of tomorrow - and places the whole subject into its rightful context of the entire Plan and Purpose of God.
- 19 June 1982 - "The Unthinkable Will Happen" - (9.4 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This sermon re-emphasises the inevitable direction the world is prophesied to go just before Christ returns. Only when man has reached the end of his rope, will he finally be ready to listen to his God.
- 9 Oct 1982 - LGD - "The Purpose Here Below" - (12.1 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3"...That purpose is in two phases you might say. First was the physical stage, beginning with Adam. That is still going on. That is this world. The second is the spiritual stage, beginning with Jesus Christ and the Church. That too is still going on. And that is God's REAL creation, the spiritual creation: "the world tomorrow" - another civilization, another world that will follow this world..."
- 16 October 1982 - "Aversion Therapy" - (11.5 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3"...And we've got to become so sick, so fed up with this world, we never want any more of it again! That's God's purpose.... But once we have gone through this experience (once we have learned from our experience and we've gone through this aversion therapy and we get fed up enough with this world and we don't want anymore of it), God will make us in a condition of spirit where we can't sin. God speed that day!..."
- 27 Nov 1982 - "US of Europe is Coming!" - (11.3 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This sermon examines the imminent rise of a United States of Europe, not the EEC as it was then, leading to the Mark of the Beast, and the destruction of the English-speaking Peoples.
- 11th Dec 1982 - "The Mark of the Beast" - (11.9 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This sermon examines the subject of the mark of the beast. Though given in 1982, the subject is even more valuable today, as the urgency Mr Armstrong had at that time - shortly before his death - applies even more to us today. Mr Armstrong goes step by step through the subject, towards the conclusion - that imposition of Sunday observance over the Sabbath is once again to be imposed by the Holy Roman Empire - under the direction of the Pope.
1983
- April 1983 - "Spiritual Health Checkup" (12.0Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3We are told to examine ourselves this time of year - prior to the Passover - and this sermon from Mr Armstrong puts the entire subject into its true perspective. The background is the very Plan of God and the true reason for the existence of both the Church of God and of those within it.
- 11 June 1983 - "Hungering for God's Righteousness" - (10.2 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This sermon was given when the Church was being put back on Track - and deals extensively with the makeup issue and how some would only agree to change if they were backed into a corner by scripture. Mr. Armstrong points out that sin involves much more than breaking the letter of the law. It involves an attitude that flows contrary to God's Life Style. We must instead hunger and thirst for that Life Style - That Way - the very righteousness of God.
- 24 June 1983 - "Transition From Sardis to Laodicea" - (11.4 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3"...What I want to give you is the history of the transition of the Church between the Sardis era and the Philadelphia era. ... Brethren I want you to know, there was no just sudden ending of the one and beginning of the other. There was a transition, when one gradually - over a period of some few years - merged from the one into the other....."
- 9th July 1983 - "Are you really a Christian?" - (11.2 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3Mr Armstrong makes plain, that baptism in water - though required - does not make someone a Christian. It is the baptism (immersion) by one Spirit that places someone into the body of God's One True Church (1Cor 12:13), giving us a totally different purpose, attitude and direction in life. This Spirit is the essential ingredient to create within us God's mind and attitude - as children of God. Increasing this character of God must continue throughout our human lives.
- 30 July 1983 - "Success Based on God's Law (Origins)" - (9.3 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This sermon shows how Satan's world is based on a series of wrong premises, and to understand correctly, we must first understand origins. He particularly looks at the seven laws of success, showing how they need to be applied within the context of God's Law - and with God's Holy Spirit - to produce true success.
- 27 Aug 1983 - "What Is a Christian?" (12.0Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3Although this tape is dated 27 Aug 85, this was not a Sabbath. So it is probably from 27 Aug 1983 which was. In it Mr Armstrong launches straight into the subject, and shows how a Christian is defined as someone who is led by the Spirit of God (Rom 8:14) - and all that that simple phrase really entails.
- FOT 24 Sep 1983 - "50th Anniversary of the Eugene Church" (18.0Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This sermon was given on the Sabbath during the Feast of Tabernacles in 1983 - at the Eugene Church in Oregon which was celebrating its 50th anniversary. Several former teens were there, then well into their 60s. In addition to talking about those early years, Mr Armstrong talks extensively on Why the Church of God exists, and how the Truth of God was revealed. This is an exceedingly long message with much useful information, but unfortunately the very end of the sermon is missing, and the recording ends abruptly after just under 2 hours.
- Oct 1983 - "The Trunk of the Tree" (17.0Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3In this sermon, Mr Armstrong gives a complete overview - having just returned from the Feast - and lays out the Plan of God, revealed by Jesus Christ, that we all must hold onto as our foundation - the very Trunk of the Tree. He also states, God says, "Mark those that are causing division, and offenses, contrary to the doctrine that we've been taught through Christ, and avoid them." There are just two ways we can avoid them, one is that if we all get out, we leave the Church and leave them in. The other is if we put them out..... If only God's people had listened - and acted on this instruction - when Worldwide first began departing from the foundation Christ laid!
- Oct 1983 - "The Value of Human Life" - (9.4 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This Sermon examines both the way the human frame is worth less than people in the world imagine, yet at the same time illustrates how it's potential is infinitely more valuable than they imagine. Towards the end of the tape Mr Armstrong deals with the subject of abortion and also at what moment the spirit in man enters into a human being.
- 17 Dec 1983 - "Mission of the Philadelphia Church Era" - (10.7 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3In this sermon Mr. Armstrong spoke about the mission of the the Church in 1983, and stresses how the Bible has been primarily written for the Philadelphia era today. He also shows how a number of vital truths have been restored to the Church during our time. In this context he examines how one was prophesied to come in the power and spirit of Elijah during the end-time in which we currently find ourselves, and makes very clear that such scriptures were being fulfilled by what God accomplished through him.
- 31 Dec 1983 - "Foundation of a New World" - (10.2 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3"The doomsday clock has just been set up by the atomic scientists from 4 to 3 minutes before midnight..." This is how Mr Armstrong begins his sermon, and goes on to show how the foundations of this world actually guarantee its destruction. And yet the churches believe they have to save the world now - in the present chaos. But this is not God's Way. The Way of God is to allow the entire structure of today's society to come crashing down, and be replaced by The World Tomorrow - a totally new structure - resting firmly on correct, entirely new foundations.
1984
- 4 Feb 1984 - "Spiritual Law vs Rituals" - (15.1 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3"...the Law of Moses. That was the law of physical rituals, a physical law that was given to ancient Israel. It was only a substitute for the Holy Spirit. Today it's the spiritual. We live according to the spirit. It's altogether different..."
- 4 Feb 1984 - "Unity" - (15.1 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3In this sermon, Mr Armstrong talks of God's Way to unity via His Spirit - both in the World Tomorrow, and within the Church. He also makes the profound statement (that had we listened - and acted on it swiftly when the leaders within Worldwide apostasized - we may not have had to go through much of the trauma we did!) "...Turn back to Romans, the last chapter of Romans, sixteenth chapter and verse 17 ... God says mark them and avoid them! Now there are two ways we can avoid them and only two that I know: One is if we leave them in the church and we all go out and we are no longer in the church, the other is that we put them out and we stay in. Now brethren I think we prefer to stay in, and so our choice is going to be to put them out!..." (play this section...at 78min 52sec)
- 7 July 1984 - "Prophecy Part 1" - (15.2 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This sermon is a very basic, but complete, sermon on prophecy. In it, Mr Armstrong takes us from pre-history right up to the Kingdom of God - giving a complete overview of the subject. This overview includes the prophesies of the gentile kingdoms. Much other useful information is also contained. This is the first of two sermons on prophecy given about a month apart.
- 10 Aug 1984 - "Prophecy Part 2" - (10.3 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3Like the previous sermon, that was given a month before, this sermon is also a very basic, but complete, sermon on prophecy. But in this case Mr Armstrong divides the subject into: The World; Ephraim and Manasseh; And the Church. However, he runs out of time before being able to adequately deal with prophecies that relate to the Church.
1985
- 6 April 1985- Pasadena UB1 - "Rely On God" - (9.4 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This Sermon examines the history of why the Church of God keeps these days. It shows how we must continually grow out of sin by putting on God's righteousness.
- 12th April 1985 - Last Day UB2 - "Coming Out of Sin" - (10.5 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This Sermon begins with Mr Armstrong talking of his brother's music, and how more Psalms still wait to be learned by the Church - than appear in the purple hymnal at present. In the sermon itself, Mr Armstrong talks of how within the modern world there is more opportunity to sin than ever before - because of the inventions of the TV, movies, printing press and the like.
- 26 May 1985 - Pentecost - "Why the Firstfruits?" - (9.7 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This was the last sermon given by Mr Armstrong on the Day of Pentecost. He sounds exasperated at times, insisting that many there - including ministers - simply were not "getting it". Sermons were being given that indicated the minister believed that we are called now purely because God loves us and wants us to be in the kingdom - for personal salvation. But Mr Armstrong emphasises, we are called now to be teachers - prepared for the World Tomorrow. If it were not for this vital role ahead of us, there would be no reason to call us separately as the firstfruits.
- 16 Sept 1985 - "Trumpets 85 - HWAs Final Sermon" - (10.8 Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This sermon was the last live message preached by Mr Armstrong before his death a few months later. Although given on the Day of Trumpets, the subject matter is timeless - and places our existence into the framework of God's overall Plan and the soon coming return of Jesus Christ to this earth. As always, the importance of correctly understanding the two trees figures just as strongly as ever within it..
- FOT 29 Sept 1985 - "How Good And How Pleasant" (13.0Mb)
stream rm download rm download mp3This is one of the last messages Mr Armstrong gave. Recorded shortly before the Feast in 1985, he talks of how God opened his mind to the truth of the Holy Days, and their importance to us today - particularly Tabernacles. This is then followed by the opening message originally given in 1984, but also played in 1985 to give a full 1 1/2 hour opening night service.