Calvary: the Hill Sermons

Christianity provides us with a unique hope that fuels pursuing justice in our world. Unlike other utopian visions it leads neither to passivity nor to a pressure to make the world perfect. Instead we live out our lives as models of the world to come, walking in the ways of the Lord our God.

Power is a big component in injustice, but it's also a vital component in Justice. Micah shows us how to stand against those who abuse their power and rely on the power of God for change in the image of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.

Injustice always stems from an underlying ideology about life. The good life often fuels bad behavior. If we are to uproot injustice in our lives and world then we must reject the culture of more and better for a life of contentment in the Good Shepherd.

In the introduction to the book of Micah we see impending judgment on Israel for their Idolatry. Why is the focus on idolatry when the primary sin in the rest of the book is injustice? It's because idolatry always underlies injustice. The theological underpinning of injustice is an essential component of a Christian response.

Jesus has sent us out as sheep among wolves. This vulnerability is not coincidental but central to the mission and message of Jesus. We need to follow Jesus, the lamb that was slain, in doing good to our enemies and proclaiming the Kingdom of Peace and Reconciliation in Jesus Christ.

Jesus doesn't limit the great commission to mere evangelism, nor does he rely on cults of personality. The great commission is about Jesus alone, and everything He teaches.

All prior limitations in the lesser commissions have been removed upon Jessus' resurrection, and He sends His followers out to the ends of the earth.

Jesus Christ has been given, and deserves, all authority in heaven and on earth. Here’s the question as we emerge from this pandemic: Does Jesus have authority over our daily lives? If we give him that authority afresh, we won’t regret it. As we seek to make disciples of him, we’ll have renewed purpose, methods, and Jesus himself with us.

Maybe no gift is more misunderstood or debated than the gift of prophecy. Nonetheless Paul makes it clear that this is a great and necessary gift for the body of Christ, one that we should pray for and use for the edification of all.

The gift of tongues can be both confusing and controversial. However Paul gives the church guidance on what the gift is, what it's for, and how its best used. As always, we should desire all God has for us but also use it responsibly for its intended purpose: to build up the church in love.

How is God's Spirit made manifest in the church? Through the gifts God has given the body. For the sake of the whole church we should seek to discover and utilize our gifts, and earnestly desire the best gifts so that each part of the body does its part and the whole body grows in love.

What resources do we have available to fight against the spiritual forces at work in our lives and world? God has given us everything we need in Jesus Christ to stand against the schemes of the devil. Learning to employ them in our lives and others will lead to victory and peace.

What is spiritual warfare? How should we think about the devil and demons? What are Satan's primary tactics? We need to embrace the biblical worldview of the spiritual realm and understand the ordinary forms of spiritual warfare through temptation, deception and accusation.

One of the ways that the Christian life is supernatural is through prayer. Prayer maintains our relationship with God and puts us in touch with the God of the universe. Growing in prayer means growing in relationship with God and growing in his power an presence in our life.

Jesus identifies himself to Martha, in the midst of her mourning, as the resurrection and the life. Understanding the resurrection as present and personal changes our own difficulties, transforming them through the very life of God.

Paul makes his final push to stick with Christ and not fall for the foolishness of self-salvation. The cross of Christ has changed his perspective on the worth of all things, and when it becomes our boast it will change ours as well.

Christians are called to respond to the goodness of the gift of Christ with a life of goodness and giving. When we do so we can be confident that all that we sow to the Spirit will be productive, bearing eternal fruit.

The Christian life isn't made better with people; it's made possible. Paul here calls us to live as a new family that is filled with the spirit, committed to restoration and humble. When we do this we become the community that Jesus promised to use to bring others to his kingdom.

So Christian's are called to freedom from sin but how does that work? Paul here reminds the Galatians (and us!) that God has given us his Holy Spirit and that gives us new desires and ability to obey God and overcome the flesh. The gospel doesn't end with forgiveness, but continues on to the practical making of righteous disciples.

Jesus Christ has set us free from the law. But here in Galatians Paul calls us to the proper use of that freedom: to love and serve one another. In doing this we reflect Jesus' own love for us and the world and live as the community God desires us to be.

What does it look like to grow in Christ? Paul is adamant that it doesn't come through circumcision and the law. It is not anything in addition to Christ at all that we need for growth. Instead, we grow through faith in Christ, by the Spirit as we produce more and more love in our lives.

Why is our world simultaneously defined by deception, lies and falsehoods and at the same time a world full of people who claim that they are committed to the truth? Underlying all the deception is our human ability of self deception. If we are going to be a people of the truth, we have to confront our own hearts.

We all know the story of Jonah, but reading it closely can give us a fresh appreciation for the deep literary features that make the story compelling and even moving. Reading it rightly helps us to see ourselves in Jonah (or see Jonah in ourselves) and rediscover the God of abundant Grace.

In an age of continuous outrage and animosity. Jesus' words to his followers are convicting and fresh. We like Jesus, must leave behind hate and love even our enemies. In this way we reflect God's character, and proclaim our own salvation as the forgiven enemies of God.

Both Obadiah and Nahum focus on impending judgment for foreign nations. Although the idea of God's judgment can be unpalatable to us today, both books are presented as good news and comfort to those who have been mistreated and oppressed by those nations. The truth is, we need a just God and should rejoice in the fact that one day there will be no more injustice, Jesus has brought about his kingdo...