This passage is essentially the thesis statement of the whole Sermon. It also brings us face-to-face with one of the most heated theological issues – discerning the relationship between the Old Testament and New Testament. We will take the time to see how Jesus fits into Redemptive History and the part He plays for our good and God’s glory.

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The Sermon on the Mount was the announcement of the in-breaking of the Kingdom of Heaven. Last week, we saw that the Beatitudes show us the characteristics of those who are in Christ’s Kingdom, and the hope that we all have. This week, it continues as Jesus said that all who follow Him are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. 

Sunday, April 27, 2025 | Watch the full ⁠Sunday Gathering here⁠ 

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This Sunday we will begin a new series in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ first major section of teaching in Matthew’s Gospel (Mt. 5-7): The Upside-Down Kingdom. The Sermon on the Mount is the most well-known teaching Jesus did. It is a striking series of ethical teaching that upends the norms and even religious expectations of His time. It is much more than a new ethic or religious approach, though. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus announced the inbreaking of the His Kingdom. This week we will start with the Beatitudes, the beginning and foundation for the realities of the Upside-Down Kingdom that stands outside of and opposed to the values and kingdoms of our world. 

SPOTIFY 

As we bring our Dwell series to a close, we explored Acts 4:23-31 together. In the face of the authorities and nations raging against the early Christians, just as they did against Jesus, the disciples show us how to pray in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Sunday, April 6, 2025 | Watch the full ⁠Sunday Gathering here⁠.

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As we think about our current moment, in DC and the DMV in March 2025, trusting that God’s Word is living and active, it takes careful consideration of how the gospel speaks and what makes it good news. That careful work is the work of contextualization. In the same way that explaining an iPhone to someone in 1945 might be a challenge, we have an extra-terrestrial message. On Sunday we will take time in Acts 17:16-34 to see how the Apostle Paul approached ministry in Athens. It’s a great example for us because, in many ways, DC is our nation’s “Athens” – a place renowned for the exchange of ideology in the marketplace and, as Acts 17:21 says, “Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.”

Sunday, March 30, 2025

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Now that we have established a theology of Place and Vocation, both looking at the practical side of living in the DMV, we get to turn our attention to God’s work in transforming hearts and renewing and restoring people by the work of the Spirit calling people to repentance and belief in Jesus Christ. I hope to explore a brief history of revivals, how that language has been used, and what the characteristics are that we can see across church history. We will turn to God’s Word to try to discern and determine what God’s work is in revival and distinguish it carefully from what we are called to. This is the deepest longing of my heart – to see revival in our city. The vision of RHC is that it will be “In DC as it is in Heaven.” We will work from the foundation of Jeremiah 29:11-14 as we see the good plans God has for us, His people, as sojourners and exiles here. 

Work is a major aspect of our lives. For most of us, more time is spent working than anywhere else, or very nearly. Continuing with a foundation in Jeremiah 29:4-7 and 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, we will survey Scripture to try to grasp an understanding of God’s design for work, what makes it difficult, and what it means to work to the glory of God and the common good. DC is always a vocation-focused city and that has intensified in our current moment. So, we will take a look at why work is important, how we can approach it, and whether it’s all worth it in the end. 

After spending the past two months in Esther, which proved to be timely encouragement for us as we live as sojourners and exiles, we will begin a new series this Sunday. March brings us to the completion of the two-year discipleship initiative, Dwell: An Enduring & Faithful Presence. 
The call to Dwell has had two main components: a call to 100% engagement for those who call RHC home, and a call to help us financially prepare for the future by saving toward a more permanent home for the church. We have seen God move powerfully over the past two years. The intentionality and generosity of our members has been massively encouraging. I believe that God has used this initiative to shape our hearts and to clarify the mission and vision for Redemption Hill. 
The shaping impact of the Dwell initiative is not just going to be discarded once we get to April 2025 and the two years are complete. Instead, the call to Dwell: An Enduring & Faithful Presence will become a Core Value of the church, that will continue to shape us as a people looking forward. I’m excited to preach over the next month on how that value will shape us as a church: 
    Week 1 – Dwell: Theology of Place
    Week 2 – Enduring: Theology of Vocation
    Week 3 – Faithful: Theology of Revival
    Week 4 – Presence: Theology of Contextualization
In the spirit of God’s call to His people in exile to seek the welfare and good of their city in Jeremiah 29, we have been sent by God to DC and the DMV at this time. My faith has been encouraged to see the faith that so many of you are showing right now. We hope to finish our two year commitments strong. We also recognized that some of you are facing job loss and uncertainty right now. While some may not be able to give anything financially, there are other ways to be part of God’s work that are just as valuable. For others who are able to give, or even consider giving more in a time of need, I hope you will prayerfully consider doing so. For all of us, my hope is that the next month will help us clarify what it means that God has put us here “for such a time as this.”

Today we come to the conclusion in our study in the book of Esther. This series was planned months ago and I have to admit that it has been more timely than I could have imagined. God’s Word has a way of doing that – meeting us right where we are, living and active in reaching our hearts. Throughout this series we've seen how God is Sovereignty in the Silence, explored the difference between human justice and God's justice, and been reminded that we can celebrate deliverance even while still in exile.

When we left off the most unlikely of reversals had happened. Haman, who had shamed Mordecai and manipulated the king, using the royal signet ring to issue an edict to kill, to destroy, and to annihilate Mordecai’s people, the Jews throughout the empire; that same Haman had to lead Mordecai through the city proclaiming his honor, and then his plot was exposed and Haman was hanged on the 75-foot-high gallows he had built. 
We will pick it up with Esther 8:1-9:16. In this section the reversal theme becomes even greater as we see a second edict issued using the signet ring of the king. The passage raises some important questions about the nature of justice, the differences between human justice and God’s justice, and the ways that we are part of God’s work of bringing justice to our city and our world. There are some difficult questions as well as we see what might look like retribution. Through it all we will see that even in the darkest of circumstance we can trust that true justice will triumph in the end, God’s justice will be brought to bear in its fullness. 
The overarching theme of God’s Sovereignty in the Silence continues in powerful ways this week. In that, God’s Word meets us in perfect timing for the week we are walking through. God sees. God knows. God hears us. Even when it seems like God is silent, His sovereign hand is moving in powerful ways.