Standing on Business | Withered Away - Nick Miller

·50 min·4 clips

Nick Miller reveals that 80% of Hillsong graduates never enter ministry, questioning who can minister.

The episode is a sermon by Nick Miller at CORE Church, part of a series called 'Standing on Business'. Miller begins by discussing repentance and the kingdom of God, setting a tone for spiritual reflection. He reads from Matthew 21, detailing Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on a donkey to fulfill prophecy. Miller emphasizes that Jesus' arrival from the east through the gate of mercy symbolizes his mission. He describes the crowd's use of palm fronds, noting it was an act of treason punishable by crucifixion. The sermon shifts to Jesus cleansing the temple, where he flips tables and condemns money changers for turning God's house into a den of robbers. Miller connects this to Isaiah 56, highlighting the temple as a house of prayer for all people. He critiques modern church practices, such as pastors prioritizing success over prayer. Miller then discusses the reaction of chief priests and scribes, who become indignant as Jesus heals and children praise him. Jesus quotes Psalm 8, implying the priests are enemies silenced by children's praise. The sermon moves to Jesus cursing a fig tree in Bethphage, the house of early figs, which Miller interprets as a prophetic act against Israel's leaders. He references Jeremiah 8 to support this symbolism. Miller explains that this miracle signifies the withering of the old priesthood and the establishment of a new one. He concludes by citing 1 Peter 2, urging believers to see themselves as a royal priesthood called to minister. The episode ends with an invitation to engage with CORE Church's community.

As heard by us

A charged sermon on repentance, misplaced expectation, and the different kind of victory Jesus brings.

Repentance is framed as a change of mind, with Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem opening a study of what happens when a crowd looks for earthly liberation from a king whose mission is heavenly.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want a high-energy message about Jesus entering Jerusalem, disappointing a crowd's expectations, and doing the deeper kingdom work they could not yet comprehend?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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