Urban Vineyard

What would Jesus want to say to us in 2026? Following Matthew 4:17-5:11, we see that he would firstly want to remind us that in him, the kingdom of heaven has drawn near. Second, he would want to stroll into our lives to call us by name and interrupt everything we thought we knew about how this world works. Finally, he would want to speak a blessing over us; not in the hollow terms of the kingdoms of this world, but in the terms of his kingdom where the poor, the hungry, the empty are honoured above all others. Of course, this is not a call to privation and suffering for its own sake; God doesn't desire the worst for us. He doesn't delight in poverty and pain. No, but his favour rests on those who recognise that they already belong in these categories. The good news is that as we are brought to the end of ourselves we discover our need for God, and as we tumble into his arms and give up building our own kingdoms, we discover our place within his and what it means to be truly blessed.

Following on from Jim's sermon last week on Mark's account of Jesus calming the storm, Pete takes us through Luke and Matthew's account of the same event showing how Jesus is present to us whether the storm is raging or whether the storm has been stilled and that he wants to bring his blessing not just to us as individuals but to all the other 'boats' in the same sea.

Jim shares an encouraging message from Mark 4:35-41 to remind us of three things: 1) Jesus Loves taking us into the unknown, 2) we might think Jesus doesn't care 3) but Jesus wants to see what we are made of.

In this second sermon of the year, the magnificent John Peachy offers us a heartfelt, insightful, and grace-filled reminder that the God we serve is one who loves us 'without flaw' (perfectly, completely, utterly) even within our flaws. Sharing from his own story, John reminds us that while our awareness of flaws lead us into the lie that we are abandoned, rejected, forgotten, and unloved (like the so-called "bummer lambs") the truth of the gospel is that God is a shepherd who comes to gather us in his arms, to bring us close enough to hear his heartbeat, and to seat us at his table to eat with him in true and perfect peace. That is what it means to feel completeness/shalom, to know God's goodness, and experience his loving kindness. That is what it means to be saved.

"Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Lloyd opens our first gathering of the year by reflecting on the wisdom and challenge found in psalm 90 and inviting us to examine and adjust our lives, habits and practices in light of God's grace.