City on a Hill is a movement of men and women gathered across eight churches, united around one mission – “to know Jesus and makes Jesus known”.


City on a Hill

A sermon from our series in Exodus, on Exodus 5:22 - 7:7 by Zech Sargent. 
Find out more about our church: http://cityonahill.com.au/brisbane

A sermon from our series in Exodus, on Exodus 5:22 - 7:7 by Zech Sargent.
Find out more about our church: http://cityonahill.com.au/brisbane

Moses Faces Pharaoh (Exodus 5:22 - 7:7) - Brisbane

A sermon from our series in Exodus, on Exodus 5:22 - 7:7​ by Neil Castle.

Moses Faces Pharoah (Exodus 5:22-7:7) - Melbourne East

Andrew Grills preaching from Exodus 4:18-5:21 
 
City on a Hill Geelong

Andrew Grills preaching from Exodus 4:18-5:21

City on a Hill Geelong

Things Start Badly (Exodus 4:18 - 5:21) - Geelong

God empowers the weak, hardens the proud, and defeats the strong. Moses had anger issues, pride, and didn’t take God seriously for most of his life. After murdering an Egyptian who was hurting an Israelite, Moses spent 40 years running away from his problems. Still, God made Moses like God to Pharaoh — empowering Moses as his divine representative and authority, putting Pharaoh, known as 'the son of Ra' (the Sun God), in his place. In judgement, God gives people over to their own depraved desires. When he hardens Pharaoh’s heart, he is actively handing Pharaoh, through his already-hardened heart, to the judgement his sin deserves, his pride being his downfall. 
 
All will know that God is sovereign and reigns supreme. When Moses’ serpent swallows up the Egyptian magician’s serpents, God showcases his dominion and hints at the cosmic warfare about to occur through the plagues. The swallowing up of the serpent also prefigures Christ, who swallowed up the grave on the cross, defeating sin, death, and all the powers of hell.

God empowers the weak, hardens the proud, and defeats the strong. Moses had anger issues, pride, and didn’t take God seriously for most of his life. After murdering an Egyptian who was hurting an Israelite, Moses spent 40 years running away from his problems. Still, God made Moses like God to Pharaoh — empowering Moses as his divine representative and authority, putting Pharaoh, known as 'the son of Ra' (the Sun God), in his place. In judgement, God gives people over to their own depraved desires. When he hardens Pharaoh’s heart, he is actively handing Pharaoh, through his already-hardened heart, to the judgement his sin deserves, his pride being his downfall.

All will know that God is sovereign and reigns supreme. When Moses’ serpent swallows up the Egyptian magician’s serpents, God showcases his dominion and hints at the cosmic warfare about to occur through the plagues. The swallowing up of the serpent also prefigures Christ, who swallowed up the grave on the cross, defeating sin, 

Moses Faces Pharaoh (Exodus 6:28-7:13)

A sermon from our series in Exodus, on Exodus 4:18 - 5:21​ by Nick Coombs.

Things Start Badly (Exodus 4:18 - 5:21) - Melbourne East

A sermon from our series in Exodus, on Exodus 4:18-5:21 by Pastor Dave Miers. 
Find out more about our church: http://cityonahill.com.au/brisbane

A sermon from our series in Exodus, on Exodus 4:18-5:21 by Pastor Dave Miers.
Find out more about our church: http://cityonahill.com.au/brisbane

Things Start Badly Exodus 4:18-5:21  -  Brisbane

Pharaoh had many opportunities to do the right thing, but he didn’t so his arrogance had cost him his dynasty. God did not force Pharaoh to harden his heart, but rather used Pharaoh’s pride and already hardened heart to enact his plan of redemption. When Moses and Aaron politely but firmly ask that Pharaoh lets Israel go, he sabotages his own economy by making Israel work harder with less resources just out of spite. This in turn makes Israel turn against their liberator and saviour. 
 
Leaving Egypt is hard. Leaving our sin is hard. Jesus knows how bad this slavery is not only for us but for our relationship with God. We need the son to save us and to set us free. It’s never easy and freedom is not easily won. There is opposition and difficulty. Yet, through adoption in Jesus, we are as God’s firstborn son Israel, and so receive the same promises and loyalty that that entails. Christ is faithful and he will surely free us. Don’t give up to turn back to Egypt, but cling to Jesus to the end.

Pharaoh had many opportunities to do the right thing, but he didn’t so his arrogance had cost him his dynasty. God did not force Pharaoh to harden his heart, but rather used Pharaoh’s pride and already hardened heart to enact his plan of redemption. When Moses and Aaron politely but firmly ask that Pharaoh lets Israel go, he sabotages his own economy by making Israel work harder with less resources just out of spite. This in turn makes Israel turn against their liberator and saviour.

Leaving Egypt is hard. Leaving our sin is hard. Jesus knows how bad this slavery is not only for us but for our relationship with God. We need the son to save us and to set us free. It’s never easy and freedom is not easily won. There is opposition and difficulty. Yet, through adoption in Jesus, we are as God’s firstborn son Israel, and so receive the same promises and loyalty that that entails. Christ is faithful and he will surely free us. Don’t give up to turn back to Egypt, but cling to Jesus to the e

Things Start Badly (Exodus 4:18-5:21)

After years in the Midian desert, decades from failed attempts at delivering his Hebrew brethren from injustice, Moses is being called by God to become an instrument of deliverance. Moses rightly notes his own inadequacy for the mission, his concerns mounting up to doubting the very Lord commissioning him. 
 
Here we are reminded afresh of God’s exceedingly holy and uncreated nature, independent from any need for sustenance or help. Wonderfully, this lofty and un-coercible God set loving promises on his people, and continues to be faithful to keep these promises throughout the generations. 
 
This chapter leads us to consider our own identity. While the world tells us we can find our identity through our associations, achievements, or in what we assert ourselves to be, God’s word reminds us our identity is one received: we are creation, redeemed and adopted children. We are also given a destiny; like Israel, we are freed to serve and worship God. We are delivered from our former evil master of sin, and are instead blood-bought servants of the true and righteous I AM. 
 
Our identity as worshippers is perhaps our most crucial, and comes with a promise: God is with us. It is God being with Moses and Israel that brings any success to their deliverance. It is God being with us in Jesus, through his Holy Spirit, that we have hope to truly serve and worship him until the very end.

After years in the Midian desert, decades from failed attempts at delivering his Hebrew brethren from injustice, Moses is being called by God to become an instrument of deliverance. Moses rightly notes his own inadequacy for the mission, his concerns mounting up to doubting the very Lord commissioning him.

Here we are reminded afresh of God’s exceedingly holy and uncreated nature, independent from any need for sustenance or help. Wonderfully, this lofty and un-coercible God set loving promises on his people, and continues to be faithful to keep these promises throughout the generations.

This chapter leads us to consider our own identity. While the world tells us we can find our identity through our associations, achievements, or in what we assert ourselves to be, God’s word reminds us our identity is one received: we are creation, redeemed and adopted children. We are also given a destiny; like Israel, we are freed to serve and worship God. We are delivered from our former evil maste

Moses Encounters God (Exodus 3:1-4:17)

Luke Nelson preaching from Matthew 5:2-12 
 
City on a Hill Geelong

Luke Nelson preaching from Matthew 5:2-12

City on a Hill Geelong

Blessed are the Peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) – Geelong

What do you see when you imagine a City on a Hill? 
 
The lost found? The sinner forgiven? Men and women rising up in faith? 
 
Jesus is transforming lives in every moment, meeting us in his goodness and grace. There is so much more to come and more to see of his great work in his church. 
﻿ 
﻿﻿Reimagine is a unique opportunity for City on a Hill Melbourne to seek after God’s heart and vision for the city of Melbourne. It's a season of prayer and humble dependence upon God by seeking his heart for our church and our city.

What do you see when you imagine a City on a Hill?

The lost found? The sinner forgiven? Men and women rising up in faith?

Jesus is transforming lives in every moment, meeting us in his goodness and grace. There is so much more to come and more to see of his great work in his church.
﻿
﻿﻿Reimagine is a unique opportunity for City on a Hill Melbourne to seek after God’s heart and vision for the city of Melbourne. It's a season of prayer and humble dependence upon God by seeking his heart for our church and our city.

Reimagine (Matthew 5:14-16)

Death by crucifixion was excruciating. After six minutes, the victim can barely breathe and for the next few hours their limbs dislocate and their lungs suffer through plural effusion. Not only that, but crucifixion was so despised that when a hgh ranking Roman actor mimed the action of the cross in a play, he received threats of death by crucifixion for even portraying such an embarrassment and despicable thing. Yet, Jesus, knowing the law and prophets, saw that his crucifixion was necessary to save the world. 
 
Today, you can choose how you view the crucifixion of Christ: you can be repulsed by it like the Pharisees and Romans, indifferent to it like Pilate who also used the crucifixion as a means to execute a power play, you can cast lots and sell Jesus for profit, or you can choose to surrender your sins at the cross and rejoice in that true love was displayed by Jesus on the cross as the propitiation for our sins.

Death by crucifixion was excruciating. After six minutes, the victim can barely breathe and for the next few hours their limbs dislocate and their lungs suffer through plural effusion. Not only that, but crucifixion was so despised that when a hgh ranking Roman actor mimed the action of the cross in a play, he received threats of death by crucifixion for even portraying such an embarrassment and despicable thing. Yet, Jesus, knowing the law and prophets, saw that his crucifixion was necessary to save the world.

Today, you can choose how you view the crucifixion of Christ: you can be repulsed by it like the Pharisees and Romans, indifferent to it like Pilate who also used the crucifixion as a means to execute a power play, you can cast lots and sell Jesus for profit, or you can choose to surrender your sins at the cross and rejoice in that true love was displayed by Jesus on the cross as the propitiation for our sins.

His Story Our Story: Good Friday (John 19:16-30)

John 19:16-30 (ESV) 
 
The Crucifixion 
16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” 
 
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, 
 
“They divided my garments among them, 
and for my clothing they cast lots.” 
 
So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. 
 
The Death of Jesus 
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

John 19:16-30 (ESV)

The Crucifixion
16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top

John 19:16-30 – Bible Reading

The Narrow Gate (Matthew 7:13-29)

Matthew 7:1-12 (ESV) 
 
Judging Others 
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. 
 
6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. 
 
Ask, and It Will Be Given 
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 
 
The Golden Rule 
12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:1-12 (ESV)

Judging Others
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Ask, and It Will Be Given
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or 

Matthew 7:1-12 – Bible Reading

When Jesus spoke the word, he spoke it as one who breathed it into existence as one with greater authority than the pinnacle of righteousness and biblical knowledge: the Pharisees and scribes. Jesus rebukes falsehood, deceit, all anger (not just without cause), and lust as a poor opposing force to love which takes instead of giving, separate from attraction. Jesus gives us laws surrounding relationships because he wants us to live a life of truth. 
 
Instead of embracing sin, we put sin to death. Instead of harbouring bitterness, we walk the road of forgiveness. Instead of cloaking your speech to get people to like you, we stand secure in the acceptance of God and speak truth. Instead of running the religious treadmill, we stand firm in the righteousness of God. Instead of building a life around yourself, we build our home in Jesus.

When Jesus spoke the word, he spoke it as one who breathed it into existence as one with greater authority than the pinnacle of righteousness and biblical knowledge: the Pharisees and scribes. Jesus rebukes falsehood, deceit, all anger (not just without cause), and lust as a poor opposing force to love which takes instead of giving, separate from attraction. Jesus gives us laws surrounding relationships because he wants us to live a life of truth.

Instead of embracing sin, we put sin to death. Instead of harbouring bitterness, we walk the road of forgiveness. Instead of cloaking your speech to get people to like you, we stand secure in the acceptance of God and speak truth. Instead of running the religious treadmill, we stand firm in the righteousness of God. Instead of building a life around yourself, we build our home in Jesus.

Be Perfect (Matthew 5:21-48)

Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfil every letter. The Old Testament shows us we cannot live up to the law and God’s standard, but Jesus having fulfilled the law transforms us to live like him. 
 
Righteousness means being made right with God, and this is required to enter heaven. The Pharisees thought their self-righteousness made them right with God, which Jesus rebuked them of as having false righteousness. To gain true righteousness, we must be willing to look above and not within. We must come with empty hands knowing we don’t deserve grace or forgiveness, finding righteousness in Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross. 
 
Let’s embrace the life that we were made for: loving God and resting in Christ’s fulfilment of the law. Stop ignoring God’s commands: not because you need to be justified, but because you are a child of God. Resist the degradation of sin. Be stewards of the earth.

Jesus didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfil every letter. The Old Testament shows us we cannot live up to the law and God’s standard, but Jesus having fulfilled the law transforms us to live like him. 

Righteousness means being made right with God, and this is required to enter heaven. The Pharisees thought their self-righteousness made them right with God, which Jesus rebuked them of as having false righteousness. To gain true righteousness, we must be willing to look above and not within. We must come with empty hands knowing we don’t deserve grace or forgiveness, finding righteousness in Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross. 

Let’s embrace the life that we were made for: loving God and resting in Christ’s fulfilment of the law. Stop ignoring God’s commands: not because you need to be justified, but because you are a child of God. Resist the degradation of sin. Be stewards of the earth.

Exceeding Righteousness (Matthew 5:17-20)

A stand alone sermon on Zechariah 4:1-7 by Pastor Nick Coombs. 
31 January 2021 
City on a Hill: Melbourne East

A stand alone sermon on Zechariah 4:1-7 by Pastor Nick Coombs. 31 January 2021 City on a Hill: Melbourne East.

Not By Might, Nor by Power (Zechariah 4:1-7) ~ Melbourne East

Sometimes it feels as though God wants to put a cap on our fun and joy. The truth is, God has blessed us all with things we take for granted. 
 
The successful life is often said to be net worth and social status, but there’s much more to be grateful for than our finances or fame. We in the West have much to be grateful for in comparison to others. We ought to be content with the seemingly ‘little’ blessings God has given us. 
 
Godliness with contentment is great gain. The pursuit of money and possessions puts us on a treadmill of 'want' that never ends. This is the reason we cannot serve both God and Mammon (wealth). Jesus is the only one able to satisfy our hunger, and able to change our desires to find true joy in him. Material things and fun are not in themselves bad, but they are temporary and fleeting. We ought to set our eyes on things above, not be haughty in the uncertainty of riches but to be rich in good works. 
 
Let us enjoy God’s gifts, and give thanks to God for his blessings to us. Use God’s gifts to do good, and share God’s gifts with those around you.

Sometimes it feels as though God wants to put a cap on our fun and joy. The truth is, God has blessed us all with things we take for granted.

The successful life is often said to be net worth and social status, but there’s much more to be grateful for than our finances or fame. We in the West have much to be grateful for in comparison to others. We ought to be content with the seemingly ‘little’ blessings God has given us.

Godliness with contentment is great gain. The pursuit of money and possessions puts us on a treadmill of 'want' that never ends. This is the reason we cannot serve both God and Mammon (wealth). Jesus is the only one able to satisfy our hunger, and able to change our desires to find true joy in him. Material things and fun are not in themselves bad, but they are temporary and fleeting. We ought to set our eyes on things above, not be haughty in the uncertainty of riches but to be rich in good works.

Let us enjoy God’s gifts, and give thanks to God for his blessings

Enjoying God in Plenty (1 Timothy 6:6-10)

Isaiah 4:2-6 (ESV) 
2 In that day the branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. 3 And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, 4 when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. 5 Then the LORD will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. 6 There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.

Isaiah 4:2-6 (ESV)
2 In that day the branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. 3 And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, 4 when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. 5 Then the LORD will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. 6 There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.

Isaiah 4:2-6 – Bible Reading

Pastor Dave May preaching on Isaiah 4:2-6 
 
City on a Hill Geelong

Pastor Dave May preaching on Isaiah 4:2-6

City on a Hill Geelong

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