Calvary: the Hill Sermons

The Bible seems to suggest that God has created us with a nature inclined toward musical expression. The Bible directly commands us to worship God through song. In today's sermons we explore how singing to God ministers to our bodies, minds, and hearts (Psalms 47:6-7).

Today we explore the discipline of prayer. We see from Paul's letter to the Philippians that we should pray over our concerns, our vocations, and our passions (Philippians 4:5-7).

We have begun our study through the Spiritual disciplines. In this first installment, we learn tools for Bible Meditation. Pastor Justin shares on how we can study the Bible with the Microscope, Telescope, Telephone method (Joshua 1:8).

Mark's Gospel telling ends in a bleak cliff hanger, but the advent of the Gospel itself has only just begun (Mark 16:1-8).

When Jesus hangs on the Cross, His critics wait to see if He will be rescued by the God who claimed to be His Father. Ironically, however, it's because He's God's obedient Son that He went to the cross and died for the salvation of many (Mark 15:34-47).

When Jesus is condemned to the Cross, He may seem like the Messiah that no one asked for and no one wanted, but His character proves Him to be the Messiah that everyone needs (Mark 15:23-33).

In full Irony we see the reality of Jesus kingship as stands subject to the authority of others and endures injustices at their hand, even to the point of being mocked as a king. However because he is in full submission to God, he's not only truly free but worthy to be crowned King of all kings (Mark 15:1-22).

Jesus' trial has begun and the whole of the way, every party involved is behaving ironically. It is only Jesus who acts in a way consistent to His word. Furthermore, the enemies and disenfranchised devotees of His are still somehow living in fulfillment of His prophecies concerning them (Mark 14:53-72).

Faithfulness is most tested by difficulty. In this passage we see three examples, each unfaithful for different reasons. In contrast we see the ever-faithful one: Jesus. Mark desires not just to teach us to trust in Jesus' faithfulness instead of ours, but that we can be faithful because Jesus is.

Jesus' real power is displayed despite the circumstances of His arrest. Juxtaposed against the weakness of His disciples who can't even stay awake to the best of their abilities, Jesus is shown to have absolute power with kindness and without any trace of corruption (Mark 14:25-42).

This week in Ezekiel, God has tasked His prophet to bring a word regarding Egypt. God assures that His judgment will lead the people of Egypt to know that He is the true God. Despite this, God sends a written lament for Egypt, its fallen allies, and for Pharaoh himself.

When Jesus and His disciples celebrate the Passover, Jesus proves to be the ultimate fulfillment of the feast the Jewish people have celebrated for generations. His coming death on the Cross will seal Him as the true Passover Lamb (Mark 14:12-25).

Ezekiel's ministry of prophecy continues as God tells him a parable surrounding two women, Oholah and Oholibah, figures representing Judah and Israel respectively. Prophecies surrounding the siege of Jerusalem, and the nations of Ammon and Tyre are given to Ezekiel and in the midst of his prophetic career, his wife passes away.

When the chief priests and scribes are looking for a way to stealthily arrest and execute Jesus, they will find an ally in Jesus' apostle Judas. But before Mark tells that story, he first wants to pause and tell of the anointing at Bethany so we can see what's really going on (Mark 14:1-11).

Israel's continued rebellion has warranted judgment from God. Ezekiel is dispatched to tell God's people how God has temporarily replaced their promise of Holy dominion with divine judgment. But, as always, God promises to restore Israel to their place of grace.

In this final installment of our Politics by Design series, we learn that there is no simple cookie cutter paradigm for politics in the life of a disciple, but rather that the formation of laws and the applications therein must be based on deep consideration.

God describes His people as a faithless bride. The nation's idolatry is likened to adultery and prostitution. Even so, God promises to take back His people and restore them from their shame. God also speaks a parable of two eagles and the planting of a vine, this represents Jerusalem's betrayal of their arrangement with Babylon and the consequential backlash she received for it.

Love is God's brand. If we are to live in our society as image-bearers of God, all things, including our politics, must be done on brand. We learn in 1 John that our acts of love to people act as the very materialization of God's invisible love in the here and now (1 John 4:7-12).

Ezekiels ministry of performance art prophecy continues as he crawls through the wall of Jerusalem blindfolded and trembles as he eats. Through this, God means to show the people of Israel how their exile correlates with their blindness in idolatry. God also promises swift judgement upon the false prophets and names Jerusalem a fruitless vine.

We look to Job who is upheld in his community as an elder and public servant. In seeing his standard for justice, we learn how the people of God can't turn blind eyes from the needy (Job 29:11-17; 31:13-23).

God shows Ezekiel that there are idols and abominations in His temple and that His people had put them there. God promises judgment upon His workers who are given to idolatry. God's glory leaves the temple not to return. God also promises judgement upon the wicked counsellors in Israel who advise falsely.

Even though our exile is temporary, God calls us to care about our countries and be exemplary citizens. Our callings in this world are to be worshippers, watchdogs, witnesses, and waiters (Jeremiah 29:4-7).

Ezekiel is restrained as a prophet, he may only speak what God has commanded him to speak. What he has been told to prophesy is the coming judgment and seizure of Israel. In so doing, Ezekiel has spoken contrarily against the other prophets who claim that no such seizure should come. Through Ezekiel, God tells His people that His judgment is coming swiftly.

Governments are a limited good, but what about when government goes bad? Jesus disarmed the powers on His Cross so we need not fear government even at its worst and most demonic; when it claims to be divine (Colossians 2:15).

Ezekiel has a vision of God's throne roaming over the world and God calls him to be a prophet to the people of Judah who remain in the land after the destruction of the city.