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Is this the Messiah?
Isaiah 36-39
Sometimes there is a gaping chasm between expectation and reality, and this has been especially true for this year. When we face disappointment, where do we turn? Even when everything goes well, where does God fit in the picture?
The Rabshakeh of Assyria sought to undermine everything the Israelites put their trust in. Judah had no hope but in the Lord. King Hezekiah turned to the Lord as his sole hope, and saw 150,000 Assyrians die the next day by the hand of God. However, Hezekiah did not stay loyal to the Lord. By the end of his reign, he boasted in his own accomplishments and showed the Babylonians all the riches of Jerusalem to woo them as an ally. Alliances are a sign of unbelief to God’s people, because it shows they do not trust God enough to deliver them. This became Hezekiah's undoing, and his people ended up in exile in Babylon. Hezekiah was thought to be the promised messiah who would rescue his people, but he failed them.
There is no end to the depth of disappointment if we don’t turn to Christ, the true and faithful Messiah, who truly rescues his people from their greatest enemies: sin and death. Let us entrust our hopes and fears into the hands of Jesus, aligning ourselves with his will and knowing that he will never fail us. In the chaos and confusion, Jesus is the only king we can trust as faithful.
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13 Dec 2020
Dave Chiswell
Dave serves as the Youth Minister at City on a Hill Geelong. Married to Alexi, father of Eden and Freya, and a golf tragic, Dave loves nothing more than helping people take Jesus seriously – because he’s totally convinced that Christianity makes more sense and offers more hope than any other worldview.
13 Dec 2020
Dave Chiswell
Dave serves as the Youth Minister at City on a Hill Geelong. Married to Alexi, father of Eden and Freya, and a golf tragic, Dave loves nothing more than helping people take Jesus seriously – because he’s totally convinced that Christianity makes more sense and offers more hope than any other worldview.
13 Dec 2020
Patrick Houghton
Patrick serves on the Pastor Pathway at City on a Hill Geelong while studying at Ridley College. He has previously worked in University ministry as part of AFES’ ministry at Deakin University and is passionate about seeing the word of God transform lives. He is married to Colleen and enjoys reading and swimming.
13 Dec 2020
Grant McMurray
13 Dec 2020
Louis Glazebrook
Married to Esther and father of three girls (Evelyn, Audrey and Winifred) Louis is the Lead Pastor of City on a Hill Surf Coast. The story that God has written for his life has thus far seen him enjoy a country upbringing, service in the army, working as physiotherapist and now most recently completing an MDiv at Ridley College. A few of his many weaknesses include caramel slice, boys toys, and not putting away his shoes.
13 Dec 2020
Luke Nelson
Luke is the Lead Pastor of City on a Hill Melbourne West. He joined City on a Hill in its early days, serving as the Community Pastor in Melbourne, before being asked to lead a new church plant. Having grown up in Melbourne’s western suburbs, he has a deep knowledge of and passion for the area, and a great desire to see the gospel bring transformation. A gifted communicator, he loves the work of pastoring a church, opening God’s word each week and seeing the Spirit work. Luke graduated with a BA (Hons) from Melbourne University, has a Grad Dip in Divinity and a Masters of Ministry from Ridley College. He is an ordained Anglican minister in the Diocese of Melbourne.
13 Dec 2020
Nick Coombs
Nick is the Lead Pastor of City on a Hill Melbourne East. He loves Jesus, is passionate about connecting deep theology with everyday life, and eager to make a difference in the time he has by helping plant as many churches as possible. After Jesus, Nick loves his wife Jules, and his two kids, Axel and Aria. He holds an MDiv from Ridley College, is an ordained Anglican minister and gives too much of his time to fantasy sports.