Calvary: the Hill Sermons

When Jesus' enemies turn Him over to the leader of the Gentiles, we see that it is actually Pontius Pilate on trial; not Jesus. Jesus' kingdom is not from this world and His kingdom turns this one on its head. As representatives of Jesus' kingdom, we must operate in accordance to it (John 18:18-19:16).

At the landing of the Ark, God institutes the first letter of human government -the death penalty. We see in our study today that all human law, beginning with this first instance originates with the protective heart and nature of God (Genesis 9:1-17; Romans 13:1-7).

The book of Jeremiah concludes with God's people being exiled to Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar. The temple is destroyed and the city of Jerusalem is in ruins. Yet, hope glimmers when Jehoiachin, the last survivor of the Davidic line is released from prison.

In order to best understand how a disciple of Jesus is to view politics, we must start at the beginning (Genesis 1:26-28).

Jeremiah's prophecies continue as God speaks words unto the nations of the world. God rebukes the nations for their false security in the world and its systems. In response, God Himself will show his supremacy over them, yet still He provides the hope of redemption.

At the close of 2019, we look to the book of Jeremiah, not for 'the' vision, but 'a' vision for the coming year. In accordance to Jeremiah's prophecy, we're challenged to build all security upon our relationship with God rather than any other worldly glory (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

Though every Christmas since has been awaited and anticipated, the first Christmas was anything but expected. In Jesus, God gave the world a Gift no one knew we needed.

Now that Jerusalem has fallen, many are tempted to abandon the holy land and flee to Egypt. Despite Jeremiah's warnings to not go there, he himself is carried away to Egypt. Next, Jeremiah continues to prophesy against God's people's idolatry.

In regard to the end times, Jesus creates a tension between certain signs of the end and the uncertain arrival of those signs. Within that tension, how shall we live knowing what we know and not knowing what we don't? Jesus gives one charge --to stay awake (Mark 13:28-37).

Jeremiah warns king Zedekiah of the coming judgment and is soon imprisoned for his troubles. Cast to the bottom of a cistern, Jeremiah sank down waiting to die before he's rescued only to warn Zedekiah once more. Prophecy turns to reality when Jerusalem is destroyed, but Jeremiah stays in the city to continue his ministry.

The end times promise hardship, persecution, and pain. Jesus advises His disciples that when comes the Abomination of Desolation comes, it's go time and although all preceding trials of the Tribulation may be just signs toward the end, this Sign will be time to act and the time to run (Mark 13:14-27).

God tells Jeremiah to buy a field in Israel even though the city is under siege. This is God's way of promising a future restoration of the nation. Yet God further promises judgment upon king Zedekiah, that he will die in Babylon. In utter rejection of Jeremiah's words, King Jehoiakim orders the burning of Jeremiah's scroll, but Jeremiah has another drafted.

The disciples see the temple in awe, but Jesus tells them that the temple is going to be destroyed. In shock, the disciples ask Jesus when these things will be and Jesus instead tells them what signs will precede His return (Mark 13:1-13).

Jesus criticizes the scribes' money practices and points out a widow's donation to the temple in contrast. We see in this passage how Jesus would have us approach finances under His discipleship (Mark 12:38-44).

After a gauntlet of questioning, Jesus has taken the floor and takes this as the opportunity to better instruct His listeners on the identity of the Messiah. Much like the scribes of Jesus' day, we too often underestimate the supremacy of the Christ and in so doing deprive ourselves of the full gift offered to us in Jesus (Mark 12:35-37).

Are all of God's commandments equal or is there one supreme one? Jesus answers this question to the agreement of a sincere scribe and although this agreement brings this scribe near to God's kingdom, it does not admit him in entirely. Jesus shows how He calls us to an arrangement deeper than religion (Mark 28-34).

Jeremiah, by the Lord's direction, sends out a letter to those in exile in Babylon. This letter tells these people to build lives in Babylon and lead reputable lives that would bear witness to the goodness of God. In response, the prophet Shemaiah authors a false prophetic letter calling for the ceasing of Jeremiah's ministry. God tells His people that this exile will not last forever, but there w...

When the Sadducees propose to Jesus a cleverly-smithed question to illustrate the supposed inconsistency of the after life. Jesus not only corrects their misunderstanding of the afterlife, but also displays His experiential authority over heavenly matters (Mark 12:18-27).

Jeremiah's ministry and Jeremiah himself continue to inconvenience the rulers in Judah. As he continues to prophesy judgment by Babylon, Jeremiah is sentenced to death but spared in the last minute. To symbolize the surrender to Babylon, God has Jeremiah dawn a yoke. During this spectacle, the prophet Hananiah challenges Jeremiah with a conflicting prophecy.

In another attempt to entrap Jesus, the Pharisees and Herodians ask Jesus whether the Jews should pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus turns this seemingly unanswerable conundrum into a dissertation of eternal and heavenly truth (Mark 12:13-17).

God assures Judah that they will be sacked by Babylon. He also expresses a complete rejection of the line of Coniah, yet still promises a coming faithful branch. Lastly, Jeremiah has a vision of two baskets of figs. God surprisingly explains that the those that remain in Jerusalem are, in fact, the bad figs.

On the day following Jesus' cleansing of the temple, the chief priests, scribes, and elders band together to accuse Jesus of undue usurpation of authority that they may deem Him a blasphemer. Jesus, unshaken by their weight-throwing jettisons the conversation taking the discussion of authority to His own conclusions (Mark 11:27-12:12).

God's indictment on His people continues, including their disregard for His holy Sabbath day. Jeremiah still perseveres in his ministry, but when he's arrested, he curses even the day he was born.

Jesus, having already seen the state of the temple, returns with a plan. Before entering, he curses a fig tree for its fruitlessness, then drives out the money changers. We too must not be found fruitless upon His visitation (Mark 11:12-26).

God sends Jeremiah to dawn, bury, then recover an unsightly loin cloth to display the ruin of Israel. God tells His people that famine and exile are to come, but the lying prophets continue to contradict God's word through Jeremiah. In this context, God becomes weary of constantly enduring and relenting for His people, yet He will continue nonetheless. God gives comfort to a complaining Jeremiah,...