Calvary: the Hill Sermons

Jesus' use and view of scripture shows us how we should uphold the Bible. We see in this passage how Jesus not only trusts the word of God but refers to it as a standard of Truth (Matthew 4:1-11).

Can the Bible really be understood? Can God truly be known through Scripture? The doctrine of the Clarity of Scripture means that because God has made himself known through human language and culture that we can understand what he said. This doctrine doesn't remove the need for study, it invites it (Deuteronomy 30:11-14).

When we say that Scripture is sufficient, we don't mean that the Bible tells us everything exhaustive detail about every individual topic. What we mean is that no prerequisite for wisdom or holiness is missing from the works of the Bible. From the wealth of Scripture, we can glean entirely what we need for a life of meaning and salvation (2 Timothy 3:14-4:4).

According to Paul, even the greatest minds and the most creative imaginations can never come to the conclusions of who God is. Instead, like any personal introduction, this requires God's own words to tell us Who He is (2 Corinthians 2:6-13).

The nature of our Bible is tied up in the nature of the God who sent it. This Bible is not the well-intentioned words of men and their best hypothesis of a god and things they cannot understand; this is God Himself speaking to reveal Himself in His own words. We find this verifiable by accomplished prophecy and internal consistency (Isaiah 45:18-25).

Jesus is able to heal us of all our infirmities, even the deeply physical ones, but is He willing? (Mark 1:29-45)

In the last stretch of the book, we see this epilogue which includes David's recompense to Gibeah, David's last words, and David's national sin. We find that no hero is without failure, but a lover of God is made blameless by the mercies and graces of God.

Jesus enters into the synagogue in Capernaum. When there, His teaching leaves the hearers dumbfounded, not because of His eloquence or insight, but because of His authority. This apparent authority is exemplified when Jesus commands a demon to leave a male synagogue attendee (Mark 1:21-28).

The loose end comes back to whip in this continuation of the Tamar story. Absalom revolts against the king by winning over the hearts of the people and by force takes his father's throne and concubines. This collection of chapters reads like a spy thriller, with intrigue, betrayal, and deceit. In the end, several thousands are left dead including some of David's irreplaceable.

Jesus begins His ministry by calling obscure fishermen to walk with Him. We see in this passage how Jesus' divinity gives Him a significant authority in placing a destiny upon His people (Mark 1:16-20).

In the book of Mark, we find the origin story of the Church. Mark uses a cocktail of allusion to the Old Testament to make the case of Jesus being the Christ and the beloved Son of God (Mark 1:1-15).

In the season when kings go out to battle, David stays home and so begins the degradation of this great man. David's sin with Bathsheba seems to set in motion a series of death, violence, and sexual perversion. Still, David is met with the grace and mercy of God.

The great commission can seem like such a daunting task. But what does Jesus really expect of His church? Is it really as extraordinary as we let on? (Matthew 28:16-20)

One of the first orders of David's reign is to bring the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, the new national capitol. The book carries on to outline the various military conquests of David and the spread of his fame throughout the nations. We also see how David reaches out to the sons of his fallen allies to extend his kindness to them.

Even though some believers are radically changed by radio/television broadcasts of the gospel, every believer needs other more mature believers to pour in to them and advise them on their journey of sanctification. This is how God intended His body to function (Ephesians 4:11-14).

These early chapters in 2 Samuel, we see the dynamics of the transition of power from the dynasty of Saul to David's. We see over a slew of intrigue, double-crossing, and assassination, that David remains meek and blameless. Despite a long history of people telling David that God has given him some sort of treacherous opportunity, it is only when when David has received unsolicited grace, that Dav...

Why should we make disciples? According to Paul in Titus we should make disciples because of what God did in revealing grace in Christ, because of what God will do in revealing glory in Christ and because of what God is doing in purifying a people for himself. This is why we as a church seek to embrace our calling to make mature disciples of Jesus.

The final chapter of Saul's life is a sad one. It is also full of tension, as David is working for the Philistines. Will Saul die at his hand after all? Once again we encounter God's sovereign plan as He leads David to the throne.

Jesus, the eternal King, bears many titles that human government bears. He is Ruler, Judge, and Enforcer. The one unique quality Jesus gives His people is that He is the Giver of Life. We see in this passage the great hope that awaits for those who've given their life into Jesus' hands (Daniel 12).

David's life on the lam continues. His path crosses with several colorful characters along the way. He saves the people of Keilah, but they give him over to Saul. David spares Saul's once, meets and marries Abigail the wife of Nabal, and spares Saul's life a second time. At the end of this passage, Saul goes back to his throne and David leaves the borders of Israel.

Jonathan and David consort to determine whether or not Saul is actually trying to kill David. When certainty is assured, David flees Saul's house. On his way, David cross paths with the priests in Nob, acquires Goliath's sword, and builds up an army.

When Daniel fasts in mourning, God sends him an angel to reveal to him that which is to come. An intense vision of God's glory lays Daniel out, from which he gradually recovers over the course of the chapter (Daniel 10).

God directs Samuel to the household of Jesse, the Ephrathite. There, God selects everyone's last choice as His next king. David is anointed in secret, but fame begins gathering around him from his defeat of the Philistine Champion, Goliath, through David's continued military prowess. Meanwhile, an intense jealousy brews within Saul against his new right hand man.

When Daniel reads Jeremiah's prophecy, he sees that the captivity is almost over. He turns to prayer and surveys Israel's history for times when they've received undeserved mercy from their God. We see in this passage our undeniable guilt in contrast to God's ever-available mercy (Daniel 9).

Saul's reign continues and his character begins to show patterns of self-centeredness and the fear of man. Meanwhile, Saul's son Jonathan fears no man and even risks his life in the hands of God. By the end of this passage, God will decree the ending of Saul's dynasty much to the sorrow of Samuel.