Calvary: the Hill Sermons

This final passage of Numbers tackles issues of property, vengeance, and inheritance. As the penultimate installment of the Torah, this passage closes the revelatory chapter and makes way to Moses' farewell address--the book of Deuteronomy.

According to Scripture, prior to our Salvation, we were at enmity with God. According to Scripture, our sins offend and even grieve God. Yet, according to Scripture, it is that same offended God who makes sacrifice to restore our broken relationship (2 Corinthians 5:18-6:2).

Amidst the variety of changes Paul explains to the Corinthians, The Change stands as the root from which all fruit is born (2 Corinthians 5:17).

This passage opens with the legislation of vow-making; particularly that of female worshippers of God. Then, we see God directing the Israelites to execute His vengeance upon the Midianites for their trickery at Baal Peor in chapter 25. Lastly, as the cursed generation trickles away, two and a half tribes decide to settle east of the Jordan, outside of the promised land.

Our relationship with Jesus unequivocally involves a transformation of our characters. In this passage we see that Paul expects that Jesus will sanctify how we relate to other people (2 Corinthians 5:11-15).

As Moses approaches the end of his life/ministry, God names his successor and tells him how to orchestrate his exit. Also in this passage, we see the daily, monthly, and yearly rhythms of Israel's sacrificial system.

As we look ahead for a new year, it benefits us to dedicate to Christ one focus for the season to come. Philippians 3:10-14.

John the Apostle refers to himself as the elder and to the Church as the beloved. He proceeds to tell the church that God exhibits His love by sending Jesus to the earth (1 John 4:7-10).

The Joy which the Messiah has brought to the world and endowed to His people exceeds circumstantial comfort, it is a poignant satisfaction that cuts through even the severest desperation.

In this passage we see how God's sovereign use of people has very little to do with the qualification of the people whom He uses. God uses an animal, and a Babylonian to prophesy in favor of an adulterous and stubborn Israel.

As foretold by the prophet Micah, the Messiah would come from the obscure corners of Judah where King David once tended a flock of sheep. The Messiah too would be a Shepherd of sorts. Ultimately, the Messiah would usher in a peace that exceeds armistice and protection; one that is eternally permanent (Micah 5:1-15).

As the nation of Israel presses closer to entering into the land, the cracks and weaknesses continue to show. When Miriam dies, and Moses fails, it becomes more and more clear that Israel suffers from a unilateral character flaw and only God can save them in His mercy.

With the nation of Israel sentenced to wander the wilderness until the generation dies out, the people are found hopeless and disgruntled. This passage hosts a series of complaints and rebellions that are ultimately stopped by God's clear declaration of His choice of leadership.

The coming of the Messiah was foretold by prophets and anticipated by the world. God made this promise to a broken world to give it hope for the coming salvation. Wayne Taylor has been the senior Pastor at Calvary Fellowship in Mountlake Terrace, Washington for 40 years.

The Israelites finally set out, but soon after complain against the Lord. From nationwide bickering to a power struggle within Moses' own family, God is frustrated with a stubborn and grumbling people. The culmination of such character flaws leads to the nation's first great delay in reaching the promised land.

Knowing that there is a coming judgment for Christians, how should we live today? Furthermore, what do non-believers have to gain by coming to believe in Jesus? (2 Cor 5:6-10)

The departure from Sinai is even closer, but God takes further time to organize and clarify His law for His people. In this span of chapters, we learn about the Nazarite Vow, Israel's communication trumpets, and the mode of God's leading.

Death has reigned from Adam to now blazing paths for exploitation, oppression and despair. Paul is seen running headway toward death without a single hint of dread. Can it be that Paul has found something that frees him from the tyranny of mortality? (2 Cor 5:1-5)

Now that the Israelites are ready to enter into the land of Canaan, God shows them how the law He's established functions. In this passage, God numbers the able-bodied men for Israelites military and God divides the responsibilities of the tabernacle amongst the sons of Levi.

Understanding the eternal destination of a believer inherently changes one's present outlook. Paul uses the promise of eternity to awaken hope despite his daily persecution (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

Through this sermon series, we have explored God's model of wholeness. But what do we, the broken, do? Tonight, we look at the stories surrounding the man blind from birth (John 9:1-7), the woman at the well (John 4:7-18), the woman caught in adultery (John 8:2-11), and the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-30). In all of these cases, though different in each, we see that Christ is the missing compo...

When discussing the matter of submission and subjection, one can easily assume abuse is a part of the equation. How can it be that God would have designed marriage with an order of authority? We see in this study that subjection doesn't have to imply merit or value (Ephesians 5:22-33).

Although we often insert our own pre-conceived notions into the boundaries of femininity and masculinity, we find very little of such notions in Scripture. What we do find is that there are aspects of manhood as well as womanhood that are wholly inseparable from one's humanity. We also see that God has intentionally inserted these aspects into His creation in order to display His character (Genesi...

The beginning of God's work on earth is in the area of developing society. Uniquely, the sexual relationship begets the integral components of society. In Christ, we see an extension of of that same heart of society-building, only in a greater form (Malachi 2:14-15).

There's a very crucial component in our sexuality, and that's intimate relationship. We find in the original design for marriage that God's intention for man is relationship. Paul takes this paradigm to another level when he says that the purpose for the closeness of the marital relationship is to testify to the relationship between the church and Christ (Genesis 2:1-25).