Calvary: the Hill Sermons

Paul uses his own conversion story from devout (and zealous) Jew to devout (and zealous) Christian to teach us that there are many "gospels" that vie for our attention; but for Paul (and for us) we need to keep the right gospel (the one where we "glory" in Jesus alone) front and center.

Paul provides us with a riveting story of Gospel Faithfulness in the person and story of Epaphroditus, who nearly died bringing relief to Paul in prison. In his example and story we find tips for us in how to be faithful to the gospel in the midst of the challenges we face in Seattle.

Paul has been exhorting this small church to think in a Christian way towards one another and towards life in general. Now he gives them a real-life example in one of his closest friends, Timothy. In Timothy we learn how exactly we can live a life of selflessness.

After the resurrection comes a "now what?" Paul delivers the "now what?" in no uncertain terms. If Jesus is Lord, then that means we obey him, and it shows in how we as a community move through the world. The glorious thing is that as we step forward in obedience, it turns out God is present and working in us the entire time.

We arrive at the beating heart, not just of Philippians, but of the gospel itself. We see a mini-biography of the second person of the Trinity - God from eternity past, Lord to eternity future - and right in the middle is Jesus's condescension to humanity - one of humility, obedience, and trust in the Father. It's no wonder he is now the King of kings and Lord of lords forever and ever.

We're diving back into Philippians, where Paul is encouraging his friends to have a singular focus on "the one thing." What is this thing? (The Gospel!) And what does it look like to be singularly focused on it? (Together with Love, Unity, and Humility!)

Our final Psalm of lament is a doozy. How are you supposed to pray when it feels like it's God who is against you? Heman the Ezrahite has a thing or two to teach us about desperate faith in the midst of unthinkable circumstances.

What if your sin should be the cause of your lament? David, after his twin-sins of adultery and murder, illustrates a robust lament over his sin. This can serve as a template for us when we need to lament over our own sin.

How do we lament when it's our mental health that is causing us trouble? Do the Psalms provide any recourse for us when we are depressed or anxious? The Psalmists of Israel blaze a trail that we can follow: going to God even in the midst of mental and emotional turmoil.

How do we lament when our own bodies turn on us? Whether it's disease or aging, eventually mortality catches up to every human being. This is a good reason to lament to God. The Psalmist uses his current affliction to reflect on the eternity of God, and this leads to comfort and peace since we know there is a future Kingdom awaiting us.

In our first installment learning about lament in the Psalms, we encounter enemies. How are we to navigate our lives when others are the cause of our trouble? How do the Psalms teach us to pray? And how does that square with Jesus's command to love our enemies?

Paul begins the exhortation section of his letter to the Philippians with his primary point: we need to live as citizens of the new kingdom. He will unpack this for the rest of letter, but for now he leaves us with three how-tos for being dual citizens of earth and heaven: we act in unity, without fear, and through suffering.

While Paul is giving the Philippians an update on his circumstances, he ponders the very present possibility of execution. We are given a snapshot into the inner thoughts of Paul, for whom both life and death simply means Christ. He is an example of someone who truly possesses a Hope informed by the Gospel.

Paul has chains around his wrists and his ankles, on constant surveillance by Roman soldiers. He has no personal freedom. But for some reason, he is full of joy. Why? Because he sees every personal circumstance through the lens of one question: "How is this impacting the spread of the gospel?" Paul's posture challenges our day-to-day priorities, and how we view even the little trials in our lives.

Partnership in the gospel isn't just about productivity. Partnership in the gospel leads to flourishing relationships in the family of God. Paul's affection for this partner church is tangible, and it should be the heart that we seek for one another as we partner together in the gospel.

We begin our study through Philippians where Paul's primary focus is on the gospel and its effect on the world, and on this small church. Paul loves this church dearly and exhorts it tenderly. We also examine the story behind the origin of the Philippine church in Acts 16. We discover three themes that immediately emerge: Humility in Christ, Unity in Christ, and a Gospel Priority.

Week one we laid out our mission, which is to be about what God is doing in renewing all things in Jesus Christ. Week two we laid out our vision - forming a family of Spirit-filled disciples of Jesus who are committed to Capitol Hill in truth and love. But how do we do that? That's where our values come in. At Calvary: The Hill our values are to be 1) Grounded in God's Word, 2) Attuned to God's Sp...

Last week we saw what God is doing, which is to renew all things in Jesus Christ. Now we look at what we are doing. Following the Great Commission that Jesus gave to his first followers, we are forming a family of Spirit-filled disciples of Jesus Christ who are committed to Capitol Hill in truth and love. This is our vision for our church; this is what we want to see God do in us this year and bey...

In our first installment looking at Calvary: The Hill's Mission, Vision, and Values, we align our mission with God's mission. In asking, "What is our mission?" we are also asking "What is God's mission?" God is renewing all things through his Son Jesus Christ, and we are seeking to be a church that engages in that mission with him.

Our final Installment of Advent focuses on the Love that came on Christmas. It came, and it never left. Readings brought to you by members of the Calvary: The Hill community. Merry Christmas!

We all want joy, especially around Christmas time. But do we realize that it is God who shares His joy with us? Joy is not a self-conjured reality, it is a gift that is shared with our Creator. And there is no circumstance that can steal our joy when it is founded upon Jesus.

The Advent (or coming) of Jesus provides us with many things, including an opportunity for peace with God and with neighbors. We examine the truly wonderful reality of peace that Jesus unlocks for us.

We all need hope. The season of Advent is the perfect time to fine tune our dependence on God for hope. We walk through our longing for hope, God's promise of hope, Jesus's fulfillment of hope, and our worship in response to being given this hope.

God has given us a spiritual family to fight the battles of the Christian life. It's not our chosen family, It's the family he has forged. The key to any healthy family relationship is communication, and Paul sets an incredible example of how to communicate with one another, about one another, and also how to pray God's blessings over one another.

Paul has already laid out the armor that God provides for the battles we fight. Now he exhorts us to invite God into the battle and provides the Who, What, When, and Where, and How to do that: PRAYER.