Calvary: the Hill Sermons

God rebukes His people for their alliance with Egypt. He reminds them that they can't depend on people, but they can always trust in His provision and protection.

Jesus was an authority in rebuke. Both He and his forerunner, John the Baptist, preached messages that required repentance; rebukes that challenged the lives of their listeners. At times, we as believers have to bear the same challenging posture (Mark 6:14-30).

Chapters 24 to 27 of the book of Isaiah are sometimes called 'the little apocalypse'. These chapters look toward the ultimate resolution and redemption of this fallen world.

Jesus sends out His disciples to cast out demons. We too have been endowed with the power of the Holy Spirit and are sent out into this world to display Jesus' power (Mark 6:7-13).

One of the first commandments God made to mankind was to be fruitful and multiply. A life of singleness seems to forsake this commandment and deprive one of the opportunity to invest in a family, or does it? (Mark 10:28-30)

Jesus tells the Sadducees that there will be no marriage in Eternity. If this is the case, singles in relationship with Jesus is the future for every believer (Matthew 22:29-32).

The book of the nations continues. Isaiah experiences personal physical anguish over the promised judgement of these pagan nations, as well as Judah. But God has plans of redemption for even the worst of these peoples groups.

If Jesus lived a celibate life, then romantic relationships cannot mark the height of human flourishing. How is it that we have under-valued singleness in the church and how should we correct this misunderstanding (Matthew 19:10-12)?

God promises judgment upon many of the nations surrounding His faithful people. Whilst telling His plans for judgment, He also expresses his wielding of said nations. Ultimately, we come to see that God also will judge Judah for many of these same atrocities, however, a special dispensation of grace is available for Judah because of the existing covenants that God will not break.

In this second session, James shares his experiences and recommendations toward how we can begin to listen to God's direction in prayer. Rev. Dr. James Kearny works with Presbyterian Reformed Ministries International teaching Christians how to properly treat the Holy Spirit and His power.

The final session of our retreat explored what manner of behaviors, thoughts, and/or forces might inhibit our ability to hear God's word to us. Rev. Dr. James Kearny works with Presbyterian Reformed Ministries International teaching Christians how to properly treat the Holy Spirit and His power.

In this first session of our retreat, James introduces himself and shares with us his journey finding Christ and his challenge to reconcile his learnedness with the spiritual experiences he'd had serving in ministry. Rev. Dr. James Kearny works with Presbyterian Reformed Ministries International teaching Christians how to properly treat the Holy Spirit and His power.

At the end of this section chalked full of Jesus' miraculous works, Jesus rolls back into His hometown along with an entourage of disciples. Though impressed by Jesus' accomplishments, the people from Nazareth are far too familiar with Jesus to believe that He's God's Messiah (Mark 6:1-6).

Isaiah's book of Immanuel concludes with a promise for a divine Son who will take over the Davidic dynasty for all eternity. Also promised is a global restoration of not just humanity, but also the animal kingdom.

When a man desperately asks Jesus to help his dying daughter, Jesus makes His way through a crowd and is touched by a woman suffering from an ailment for twelve years. Jesus helps them both and extends the faith of the onlookers (Mark 5:21-43).

Isaiah has a vision of God seated on His throne and God calls him to a ministry of prophecy. Through Isaiah, God tells Israel of their coming judgment by Assyria and their coming Savior --God with us.

When Jesus sets free a man terribly tormented by demons. Jesus' miraculous deliverance is met with fear and rejection. If we too have been delivered from anything by Jesus, we have the commendation to share our story to those who will listen to us, but may never listen to Jesus Himself (Mark 5:1-20)

God looks upon His people and has judged them unfaithful. The people of Israel and Judah have given themselves to idolatry. In losing sight of the one true God, not only have they lost their worshipfulness, but they've also stopped caring about one another. Replacing charity for overindulgence, God's people have earned judgment. Even so, God has for-ordained their redemption.

When Jesus' disciples and a fleet of followers cross the treacherous Galilee at night, a perilous storm strikes. The disciples rouse Jesus awake and He rebukes the contrary winds. This miracle leaves Jesus' closest friends wondering who he is (Mark 4:35-41).

The decline still continues toward the inevitable collapse of Judah. Along the way, Josiah is crowned and restores holy worship to Israel. But when he dies, judgment does come and Judah is carried away to Babylon. Still, God's promise to David endures when a remnant of the Davidic Dynasty is spared and provided for by Nebuchadnezzar's successor.

Jesus became dead, but now He's alive forevermore. If Jesus has overcome the grave, it changes everything we know; it changes every aspect of our otherwise temporal lives! (Revelation 1:18)

Jesus continues to speak in parables concerning His message. In these two parables, Jesus likens His kingdom to a seed that grows to miraculous proportion. We see in these teachings that the growth of the Gospel is a supernatural and miraculous work (Mark 4:26-34).

While Israel's legacy of idolatrous kings continues, a similar king ascends in Judah. Israel is finally given over to their adversaries in Assyria. Then, Hezekiah comes to power in Judah destroying the high places and refusing to fall before Assyria. Though Sennacherib tries to also sack Judah, Isaiah foretells his failure and the protection of Judah. When Hezekiah becomes unexpectedly ill, he pra...

Jesus' parable presents a strange event --the arrival of a lamp. In this passage we explore the dynamic of Jesus' words being given to mankind as a discoverable gift challenging us to listen in for the eternal words of God (Mark 4:21-25).

The pace quickens as the narrative speeds past king after king. Aside from a repair of the temple, most developments in Israel's and Judah's follow a steady decline toward their eventual captivity.