Andrew Baker | Matthew 5:1-16; John 3:17 — As we seek to live the ‘Jesus Way’, what does it look like to engage with the cultural influences that surround us? In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructs us to be ‘salt and light’; a preserving and illuminating influence present in the very midst of the world, for its benefit and flourishing. For God…

Adam Ritchard | John 17:13-19; Romans 12:2; Matthew 5:13-16 — Living this earthly life can be painful and disheartening; something that we Christians just ‘grit our teeth’ through while waiting for Heaven. But, Jesus specifically prayed that we would not be taken out of the world. Instead, we are to live remembering who we are and whose we are; set…

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 13:1-25 — While the author concludes his letter by addressing a range of topics, the book of Hebrews makes one central proclamation and defining declaration: Jesus. He is not a precursor or a side-point. He alone is the fulfilment of God’s promises. He alone is the foundation. He alone is the centre, the source, the substance…

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 12:18-29, 10:23-25; Romans 12:1; Mark 14:1-9 — The Book of Hebrews is all about illuminating the majesty and superiority of Christ. But the author’s intent is not simply to provide us with information. Rather, this theological understanding of Christ ought to grab a hold of us both personally and corporately, producing a resp…

Kathryn Hartley | Hebrews 12:11-17, 25; Matthew 22:35-40; Ephesians 4:1-3; Deuteronomy 29:18-19 — While the race of faith is no doubt an endurance event, the writer to the Hebrews exhorts his readers to ‘sprint’ after peace with one another and holiness before God. As we put off our hard-hearted pride and rely on God’s enabling grace, these ‘sprint…

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 12:3-13; Jude 24; Ephesians 1:3-6; 2 Peter 1:3 — As we run the race of faith we can experience dejection and weakness. But this is not how we have been called to run. Instead, through the discipline (training up) of our perfect Heavenly Father who has created and purposed us as His beloved children, we may put off the ‘droopi…

Vision Church | Isaiah 58:6-11; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 9:22; Luke 18:18-30, 19:1; 1 John 4:19 — Last month, Vision Church sent a team to connect with and support long-term missionaries Steve and Ros Lazar serving in Mozambique. Hear stories & testimonies from Kathryn and the team, and a sermon from Kit, all flowing from their time in and around Z…

Adam Ritchard | Hebrews 12:1-3; 1 Corinthians 9:24-26; John 6:68-70; 1 Peter 2:21-23; Philippians 3:8 — Our life of faith is not a ‘fun run’ with no value or no consequence. Rather, it is a race to be run with passion and endurance, in which our sights are fixed firmly on our example and our prize - Jesus Christ himself.…

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 11:1-12:2; 1 Peter 2:9; James 2:19 — Pointing to numerous Old Testament examples, the writer to the Hebrews exhorts his readers to run the race of life ‘by faith’. But this faith is not blind faith. It is the assurance of things hoped for, which is built on the sure foundation of our faithful God, and proven as we lean hard i…

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 10:32-39; 1 Peter 2:1, 4:12; James 1:2; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 — Addressing the hardship and persecution suffered by the Hebrews, the author calls His readers and us to endure through such trials, even with joy! How? Only through the indestructible knowledge that in Christ we have the greatest possession of all, compared to wh…

Adam Ritchard | Hebrews 10:19-39; Matthew 1:23; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 10:12 — Having explored the complete superiority of the New Covenant established by Jesus’ blood, the writer to the Hebrews now turns to its implications. In light of the grace and faithfulness of Christ, let us: draw near to God; hold fast to our confession of hope; stir on…

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 9:1-14; Exodus 25:8, 33; Psalm 139:7-8; John 1:14, 14:23; Revelation 5:9-10, 21:3; Romans 3:10,23; Jeremiah 17:9; Genesis 3:21,22:14 — The Old Testament concept of the Tabernacle simultaneously reveals God’s desire to dwell amongst His people and confronts humanity with the barrier of their sin. As the writer to the Hebrews e…

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 8:1-13; Luke 22:20; Acts 15; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, 11:2; John 14:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 19:7-9; Ephesians 5:32 — Having explained Jesus’ superiority to the Levitical Law, the writer to the Hebrews describes His mediation of the promised ‘new’, ‘better’ covenant between God and His people. Mirroring the traditi…

Hugo van Leemputten | Job 1:21; Psalm 103:1-5; Mark 16:15-18 — When we seek God’s healing touch in our lives, it can be so easy to feel like we are powerless to change our situation. But, while there is no formula to receive God’s healing, we are not to be passive. The Psalmist exhorts us to praise Him; to recall the many blessings given by the One…

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 7:1-28; Genesis 14:17-24; Psalm 110:4 — The writer to the Hebrews repeatedly describes Jesus as a high priest ‘after the order of Melchizedek’ - an Old Testament king established as a priest generations before the Aaronic priesthood. This link points us to Jesus’ eternal superiority to the Levitical Law - through Jesus alone …

Kathryn Hartley | Matthew 4:18-25, 11:28-30, 28:18-20; John 15:5; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:17-24 (MSG) — When Jesus called His first disciples, His invitation was not that they simply follow Him as one of the crowd. His invitation was to ‘apprentice’ under Him: to be in intimate relationship with Him, to be shaped and transformed into His image, an…

Steve & Ros Lazar | John 2:1-11, 11:38-44, 14:12-14; Mark 10:46-56; Matthew 6:28 — Throughout Jesus’ public ministry He performed more than 30 miracles. Through them we see that He is the God who cares about the details of our lives; who restores life from death; and who calls us to put our faith and trust in Him. Will we put disillusionment and pa…

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 6:13-20; Romans 4:18, 15:13; Matthew 24:35 — When God makes a promise He means it: in His unchanging character He cannot lie, and His words endure forever. As the writer to the Hebrews describes, this fact ought to be of great encouragement to us! Even when we falter and fail like Abraham did, this hope - the faithfulness of …

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 5:11-6:12, 4:12-13, 5:8; James 1:2-4; Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 2:11 — With a mixture of tenderness and exhortation, the writer to the Hebrews encourages His readers to move beyond the ‘milk’ of elementary doctrines to the ‘solid food’ of maturity in Christ. As Christians in the modern Western Church, we too must mature; prog…

Andrew Baker | Matthew 27:62-28:10; 1 Corinthians 15:12-22; 2 Peter 1:16; Mark 8:31; Luke 24:13-27; Isaiah 46:10, 53:5-6; John 13:19, 20:24-28 — The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is without doubt the foundation of Christian belief. But did it really happen? The historical trustworthiness of Jesus’ life and death, His fulfilment of over 300 ancient p…

Adam Ritchard | Luke 23:13-49, 2:51; John 19:25-30; Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 13:5, 4:15 — The words spoken by Jesus upon the Cross are only few, but go to the very heart of Christ’s identity and mission. They reveal a Saviour who offers forgiveness and grace; who cares and who knows what it is to be human. They reveal a Saviour who suffered on our be…

Adam Ritchard | Matthew 21:1-17; 20:17-19; Zechariah 9:9; John 18:36 — As we celebrate Palm Sunday we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem as the long awaited Messiah. But Jesus was not who the Jewish people expected Him to be. He came as a different kind of Saviour; to achieve a different kind of triumph; and to establish a different kin…

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 4:11-5:10; Leviticus 16; 2 Corinthians 12:9; John 16:33 — Under Old Testament Law, the High Priest acted as a mediator between man and God by making atoning sacrifices for the sins of Israel. But, as the writer to the Hebrews points out, this was only ever an imperfect and temporary construct, pointing us to the eternal and s…

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 3:1, 4:1-11; Romans 8:14; 1 John 5:3 — In order to enter God’s rest and walk in the fullness of His covenantal promises, we must recognise the priority of obedience. But if we think that God has chosen us just to do His work for Him, we have missed the point. We are called to obedience as our joy and our purpose; we obey not …

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 3:1-19; Psalm 78:13-22 — Knowledge is different from belief. For forty years in the wilderness the nation of Israel saw God’s incredible provision and protection, and yet they did not know and love Him - they did not know His ways. As we consider Christ our faithful apostle and high priest, let us encourage one another: do we…

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 2:1-17 — Our human nature is to move from thing to thing, easily allowing our attention to wander. It is unsurprising then that the Hebrews are warned against ‘neglecting such a great salvation’. And great indeed it is: in the greatness of His mercy towards mankind, God himself came and suffered the greatest cost imaginable; …

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 1:1-2:1 — Jesus is the complete picture of God: the eternal divine heir, mighty in power, and superior above all. He is the unshakeable foundation. In the midst of the shifting tides of this world, the writer to the Hebrews exhorts his readers to therefore heed Jesus’ words and life; to be tethered to Him and so not drift awa…

Rev. Dr. Tania Harris | 1 Kings 19:12; John 1:14, 14:23; Acts 2:1-41; Philippians 3:10 — God is mighty and powerful and yet He is incredibly personal. How do we know this? Because He has revealed Himself through speaking to us. Today, the Holy Spirit speaks to us as the continuing voice of Jesus, beckoning us to follow His leading. Hear from renown…

Adam Ritchard | Mark 4:35-41; Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 1:1,5 — Our every day is full of more information, content, and distraction than ever before; a swirl of noise in which fear easily takes hold. What can cut through this noise? Just as it was for the fearful disciples in that storm-rocked boat: it is the words, revelation, and witness of Jesus …

Martyn Ritchard | Exodus 33:13-18 — Just as Moses desired to see God’s glory, so too are we to desire and expect glimpses of God’s kingdom breaking through into our earthly lives. Hear from Martyn and Roslyn Ritchard as they share of the many ‘glimpses of glory’ from their recent mission trip to Cambodia.…

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 1:1-4; Revelation 21:3; John 13:35; Acts 4:32; Ephesians 1:4-5 — Throughout Jesus’ life we see that the central heart of God’s purpose is to be with man. Not just to send a saving message from afar, but to come and live in our midst as the very message of love itself. Not just to redeem us through the Cross, but to gather in …

Andrew Baker | Hebrews 10:19-25; John 13:35 — Upon the foundation of all that Christ has accomplished, the writer to the Hebrews instructs his readers to ‘stir up one another’ to love and good works. In a world desperately lacking real connection, we have a unique opportunity to live differently as we follow Jesus’ example: loving and serving the w…

Adam Ritchard | John 3:7,14,22-31a, 4:4; Psalm 139:23-24; Philippians 2:3-11 — Where is Jesus in the picture of our lives - front and centre, or on the periphery? As Jesus’ following increased, John The Baptist was not threatened by Him as a rival teacher. Rather, knowing Jesus to be the Messiah, John knew his own role was a supporting act which mu…

Kathryn Hartley | Deuteronomy 8:1-6; Exodus 13:11-22, 17 — On the eve of entering the Promised Land, Moses instructs the Israelites to look back; to see the evidence of God’s presence, plan, and desire for relationship through it all. As we reflect on the past year and the year to come, may we look to the example of Moses. May we look with right pe…

Andrew Baker | Luke 2:1-11; Galatians 4:4; Matthew 1:21; John 3:16-17 — The popular themes of hope, joy, and peace are all wonderful, but they are ultimately peripheral to the central theme of Christmas: Christ the Saviour is born. Instead of the condemnation that we rightly deserved, Jesus’ coming embodied a real plan, with a real purpose and prom…

Adam Ritchard | Matthew 1:18-23, 28:20; John 1:14; Hebrews 1:1-3; Colossians 1:19; Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 121; Jude 24 — After 400 years of silence, and in the midst of Roman oppression, the Jews must have asked: God, where are you? In response, the eternal God - the God of relationship, reconciliation and reliability - lowered Himself into humanity. …

Andrew Baker | Matthew 5:43-48; Romans 5:10; Ephesians 4:32 — As humans, our natural response is to show love to those we like, and hate to those we don’t. But Jesus’ striking instruction and the testament of His life and death is precisely the opposite: “Love your enemies”. We, who were His enemies but now stand reconciled through His sacrificial …

Kathryn Hartley | Luke 1:46-56 — Mary was an ordinary young woman who found herself in extraordinarily unexpected circumstances: virgin-mother of the promised Messiah. And yet, in spite of all the unknowns and implications, Mary responded with a deep, humble dependence on God. As we face the unexpected happenings of life, may we too humbly depend o…

Trevor Galpin | Ephesians 1:4-5; Genesis 3:1-10; Luke 1:26-45; Matthew 1:18-25 — Even before the creation of the universe, God was already ‘Father’. And it was out of the overflow of His Triune love that He created and redeemed us to be His own. We were, are, and always will be His precious sons and daughters, chosen before time and set apart for r…

Andrew Baker | Matthew 5:1-9; Ephesians 6:10-18; Luke 2:14; Colossians 1:20; John 14:27; Mark 4:35-41 — At times it is easy to feel too small to make a difference in our world. But as we see conflict around us, we are reminded that Jesus’ peace was not defined by the absence of turmoil; it was the powerful assurance He declared into the very midst …

Adam Ritchard | Psalm 95:1-11; Exodus 17:1-7 — God is always speaking, but through life’s trials and disappointments it is so easy to harden our hearts toward Him. How do we guard against grumbling, discouragement, and unbelief, that we might hear and yield to His voice instead?By Adam Ritchard

Alison Baker | Colossians 4:2 — When the Lord is moving we may not see the whole picture. But, our role is to take the next step; positioning ourselves to ride His wave when it comes. Hear from Alison Baker as she shares the Lord’s invitation for our church in this next season: to pray.By Alison Baker

Andrew Baker | Romans 16:25-27 — As the Apostle Paul concludes his letter to the Romans, his final call is not to a theological concept or a set of principles, but to Jesus. He is the one that strengthens us. He is the truth that has been unveiled for our salvation. He is the one whose worth has been revealed. May all roads lead us to wonder at our…

Adam Ritchard | Genesis 32:22-21; Luke 10:38-42; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Zechariah 4:6 — After Jacob wrestled with God he was left with a limp; a weakening of his self-reliance and pride. Like Jacob, we as God’s children are called to surrender - to depend on His grace, not on our own ability to perform. In our need His power is made perfect, and in…

Andrew Baker | Romans 15:30-16:16; Luke 1:1-4 — In an easily-missed portion of scripture, we are reminded of the vital truth that Paul’s ministry was not a lone wolf mission: the extraordinary riches of the Gospel were (and are) outworked through a community of ordinary people, doing ordinary things for the kingdom of God.…

Andrew Baker | Romans 15:14-21 — Paul’s life spent preaching the Gospel throughout the world was motivated by two simple but profound realities: the un-matched beauty of Jesus’ grace and the incredible transformative power of His Spirit. May these same realities lead us to boast only in Christ; passionately pursuing Him with reawakened faith for al…

Kathryn Hartley | Romans 15:8-13; John 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 — As we are confronted with the implications of the Gospel on our lives (and how much work there is to do!), Paul reminds us that our God is faithful: For Jew and Gentile alike, He is the initiator and finisher of our redemption story. As we abide in and behold Him, may we put off…

Adam Ritchard | Romans 15:1-7; 1 Cor 10:24; Phil 2:3-8; Hebrews 10:24-25 — Having instructed the Roman Church to ‘put off’ division and seek unity under Christ, Paul now exhorts his readers to ‘put on’ Christ’s example: We are to bear with each others’ weaknesses and build each other up, in order that our lives would be suitable dwelling places for…

Andrew Baker | Romans 13:13-15:7; Ephesians 4:3 — From the 1st Century to the present day, the church has been characterised by differences of opinion and belief. In the midst of this diversity, Paul calls the church to unity; to welcome one another and live out these differences to the glory of God. Ultimately, we are united by that which is infin…

Andrew Baker | Romans 13:8-14; John 13:34-35; Ephesians 1:5 — Love is the basis of our creation, the foundation of the Gospel, and the most fundamental need of every human heart. It is little wonder then that Paul describes love as a ‘debt’; a gift from the Father which we continually owe to the world around us.…