City on a Hill Ballarat

The Psalms. This summer we dive into the songbook of the Bible to explore what it means to rejoice and lament, with God, to give thanks to him, to draw wisdom from him. Sermon by Gerald Liew Find out more at cityonahill.com.au/ballarat

The Psalms. This summer we dive into the songbook of the Bible to explore what it means to rejoice and lament, with God, to give thanks to him, to draw wisdom from him. Sermon by Ben Hewitt Find out more at cityonahill.com.au/ballarat

We are all searching. Searching for peace in the pressure of life, purpose in the chaos, love that truly lasts, and hope that endures beyond the moment. We try to find it in many places — in the approval of friends, the success of our careers, the excitement of new experiences, or the comfort of possessions. Yet, no matter how much we accumulate or achieve, something still feels incomplete. The st...

Luke 2:1-20. Sermon by Ben Hewitt

We are all searching. Searching for peace in the pressure of life, purpose in the chaos, love that truly lasts, and hope that endures beyond the moment. We try to find it in many places — in the approval of friends, the success of our careers, the excitement of new experiences, or the comfort of possessions. Yet, no matter how much we accumulate or achieve, something still feels incomplete. The st...

We are all searching. Searching for peace in the pressure of life, purpose in the chaos, love that truly lasts, and hope that endures beyond the moment. We try to find it in many places — in the approval of friends, the success of our careers, the excitement of new experiences, or the comfort of possessions. Yet, no matter how much we accumulate or achieve, something still feels incomplete. The st...

Three days in the tomb. When all hope was seemingly lost, Jesus rose from the grave. The crown of death has now achieved a crown of life for all who believe. Jesus leaves us with one mission – to preach the good news of Him to all the earth.

Mocked, betrayed and wrongly accused. Judas feels the weight of his guilt and betrayal of Jesus. Peter denies following Jesus. Ultimately, Jesus is delivered over to Pilate to face the punishment we all deserved.

At The Last Supper Jesus instituted the covenant meal with his disciples, prayed in deep anguish at Gethsemane at what he was about to suffer on the cross, and was ultimately betrayed, arrested, and abandoned by his disciples.

A sermon in the The Passion series.

Jesus leaves the temple and tells of the destruction that is to come and warns his disciples of coming trials, false messiahs, persecution, and great tribulation, urging them to stay alert and endure to the end until his glorious return.

Jesus condemned the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy, and burdening others with empty religion while neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness. He lamented over Jerusalem’s hardness of heart, expressing God’s love for his people.

The religious leaders challenged Jesus’ authority as he was teaching in the temple. A parable of true obedience to God and a parable of Israel’s leaders that had rejected God’s messengers, and would ultimately reject His Son.

A triumphant entry and the turning of tables. Jesus returns to Jerusalem riding on a donkey, before entering the temple and driving out the sellers who had turned a place of worship into a marketplace.

‘Woke’ is a term we hear a lot and yet its definition is hard to pin down. Where does it come from – and how should the church respond to it? Do we celebrate it or resist it? It’s worth asking – what would Jesus affirm and would he confront? And what is the way forward from here?

As wars rage in the Middle East and opinions divide, we are confronted with the question of how we should respond. What does God have to say about war in general, and what might he have to say about this one in particular?

Many people around us are going pretty well in life; they’re kind, they help others, they are successful and have purpose – so why (and how) do you share the good news of Jesus with people when they seem to be doing fine without it?

In a culture where LGBTQ+ people are affirmed and celebrated, the church often seems critical and judgmental. What does the Bible say on these issues and to people wrestling with their identity? How should Christians live out these truths in their communities today?

Jesus claimed to be ‘the way, the truth and the life’ – but isn’t that arrogant? Aren’t all religions basically the same – a different path to the same destination, shaped by the perspectives of the particular time and culture we live in? Or is it possible that we’re wrong? How do we assess all of these truth claims?

How should we read the ancient text of the Bible in light of our ever-expanding scientific knowledge? Does evolution contradict the Bible, or just help us understand it better?

The roles and responsibilities of women and men in the church have been the source of much debate and controversy since the early church – so what does the Bible really say about it all? What do we know about God’s design for men and women in ministry, and how do we live that out here at City on a Hill?

In a noisy and distracted age, how do we recognise the word of God – and how do I know if what I’m ‘hearing’ is the word of God, or just the voice of my own heart?

Jesus calls those who follow Him to sacrifice, lay their lives down, and loosen their grip on the treasures in this world. We cannot enter the kingdom with our earthly riches, but instead trust in the eternal riches gifted to us in Jesus.

Jesus declares, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant… even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve”. Jesus is the greatest — not in the way the world recognises, but in the way heaven does.

Jesus compares the greatest in the kingdom to the children who come to Him with curiosity and faith. Those who seem powerless, weak and unimportant and deemed great and worthy of the kingdom of heaven because of Jesus’ power made perfect in their weakness.