Basically in Matthew 14 we read that one of the guys who followed Jesus had been killed. His name was John and he was arguably not just a disciple or follower of Jesus but maybe a good friend too.

Anyway Jesus does what most people would do in this situation – he retreats, he wants to be alone so that he can greave his friends death. So he and the other disciples get into a boat to be alone, only people start to gather on the other side of the lake where Jesus is heading because they want to hear him speak.

These are people in need, many are sick and as the boat gets to the other side it says in verse 14 Jesus had compassion on them.

Now what would I have done? I’m hurting, I need to be alone and I’m faced with a crowd of needy people, all wanting my time and my energy. I would probably have sent them all away and told them to come back another day. But Jesus – seeing their need had compassion on them and healed the sick.

It’s not something that we are used to in this culture is it? Putting aside our own needs for the sake of another. Serving others no matter what the cost to us is. Much of the time this culture would say “get what you can” “what’s in it for me” “if I do this what do I get”. But Jesus is demonstrating a different way – serve each other no matter what it costs you.

Now I don’t think Jesus is saying, be taken advantage of, or even when you are sick get up and serve those who need you – we all need times when we need to rest but it’s about how we approach life, it’s an attitude thing. Are we going to live for ourselves or for the sake of another?

Some studies were done looking at those who help others and they found that those that regularly volunteer their time to help someone in need tended to be healthy and lived longer.

I guess that it shouldn’t be a surprise because, as Jesus was showing us and teaching us that’s just the way we are meant to live. We are all meant to live in a way that helps another person or serves those in need.

A phrase that is sometimes used to disprove God would be “if God is real then how come so many people are suffering, so many people are poor or hurting or sick” “why doesn’t he do something about it”

What if he has done something about it? What if we are what he has done about it? What if God is asking us the same question? How is it that you lived at the same time as so many people are suffering, so many people are in need or hurting and you aren’t doing anything?

It’s very challenging but also I think it’s very exciting and such an opportunity.

In the Old Testament Solomon built a temple. In fact it was his dad David who started the ball rolling on this temple but Solomon actually got to build it.

The purpose of the temple was so that people would get an idea of how great God is, and it was built with worship in mind.

David and Solomon wanted to get across to the people that God alone is worthy of our worship and all that we have should be put into this temple to help show that God is far greater than we could possibly imagine.

The temple was totally lined with gold. Gold was laid on the floor, covered the walls and doors and even the roof beams would have had gold on them. Carvings were covered with gold. Top quality wood was used, it took 7 ½ years to build and if you were to buy something like that today the gold alone would cost you over 100 billion pounds.

That’s an incredible cost, everything was thrown into this temple for one purpose, to help people realise how worthy God is. He wanted people to see the temple and stand in total awe and amazement and realise that God was even bigger, even greater than the temple.

Now God no longer requires us to build such places, I’m sure he would rather us spend £100 billion on the poor than on gold to line a temple. However the danger we run is the risk of rocking up to our place of worship wherever that maybe, and whatever that might look like, and just treat it like another event.

In the temple its extravagance would have left you standing in amazement – standing in awe and ready to worship the living God but now we sometimes come tired, coffee in hand maybe even checking our phone while standing in the presence of God – the same God that the temple was built for.

God wanted to make it possible for us to have access with himself so that we can worship him and it cost him a lot, it cost him his Son Jesus. Because of that we get to draw near to God and He draws near to us. In his presence people are healed, experience forgiveness and freedom.

The very least we can do is give ourselves totally and completely, laying down all distractions, and focus on loving him and worship him. Not because He might give us something but because He alone is worthy of our worship.

At Gateway Vineyard we have almost finished our series on worship. It can be listened to here or feel free to attend on Sunday to hear the final part.

She basically spoke about the importance of community and family and it’s how at times of crisis that family and community come together and she spoke about how we can’t control our circumstances and that’s why need a family we can fall back on, to rely on and do life together.

She spoke about how these family’s aren’t always blood relatives but people who you share a common belief with, or goals or an interest or faith.

Then she spoke about Jesus and how that He had come into the world with the power to forgive and its forgiveness that heals families, friendships and communities.

It was a speech written off the back of a very uncertain year.

Headlines in 2011 have been about war, finical uncertainty, lack of job security, and a raise in the amount of people with stress and depression, political unrest, stress on the family, failing banks, failing governments and spending cuts, job losses and redundancies and natural disasters.

For 1000’s of people 2011 was a year that was very uncertain and it was one which for some people left them in crisis.

In Matthew 6:25 Jesus tells us not to worry about our life. That’s not easy is it? You may be reading this and you know Jesus well, maybe you have followed Him all your life, maybe you don’t really know too much about Jesus but for many of us worry is a part of our life.

Yet Jesus tells us not to – He says you don’t need to because there is a father in heaven who loves you more than anything and only wants what is best for you.

But do we know that?

We only get to know that when we hang out with Jesus. When we spend time with Jesus we get to know how He thinks, He shows us what’s important and more and more He reveals His love for us.

Do people still worry when they know Jesus? Well yes, often they do but those that really really really know Him choose give those worries to Him and worry becomes controllable.

I don’t think 2012 will be very different than 2011 for many people. The issues that we faced last year are still the issues we will face this year.

When I heard the Queen talk about the importance of these communities that we can fall back on when life throws us something tough or unexpected I thought about the church. The church is one of those communities, Gateway Vineyard is a group of people sharing life together and learning to put Jesus first, learning what it means not to be controlled by worry and getting to know Jesus.

You are welcome to come and visit this community that we call Gateway Vineyard, or if we are geographically inconvenient for you check out the churches near you and find a community of people that you can do life with and learn what it means to follow Jesus and how much Jesus loves you

What if each day we just take a few moments out, just to remember again why we do all this.

At Christmas we remember Jesus  coming as a baby. No grand entrance, just a humble small beginning with enormous life changing connsequences. He does not stay as baby but grows into a man and eventually gives up His life. Why? To show us what God is like and how much he loves us.

Sending Jesus was Gods plan for bringing hope into the world. Through Him we can know hope, love, forgiveness and joy despite our circumstances.

In those few quiet moments each day lets invite this Jesus into our Christmas and by doing so hold on to what its all about. After all, who couldn’t do with  more love, peace and hope this Christmas?

Why not join us for our Christmas Service on Sunday 11th, 330pm at the Vineyard Centre? You’d be so welcome

Mention Jesus and words which often come to mind will be Christian and church. This in its self isn’t bad but because the word Christian is confusing and because church is so different it makes understanding Jesus hard because we confuse church and Christianity/religion with Jesus.

Take the word Christian for instance, what is a Christian? We are still viewed as a Christian country. I’ve heard the saying “that’s the Christian thing to do”. The “Christians” historically have done some awful things, so is Christian good or bad? Was Jesus a Christian?

Ask a random person walking down the street – do you want to be a Christian, they will most likely say no and they will most likely not know why – they just know they don’t want to be one.

A survey done a while ago in the States asked random people to give the first thought that entered their heads when they heard the word Christian.

Out of the 50 people asked not one person had something good to say.

They did the same thing with 50 different people yet the word they used was Jesus and out of those 50 people all said something good or positive.

So it seems that on the whole people don’t mind Jesus but the thought of Christians or church puts them off getting to know him.

I think we have muddled the word Christian. I know what the word Christain means to me, to me it means I’ve chosen to follow Jesus and I’m going to try my best to be like him. To someone else it could mean someone who goes to church on Sunday, to another person it will mean someone who lives in the west, to another it could mean a hypocrite or do gooder. The word is different depending on who you ask.

I’ll be honest, I can see a lot that I don’t like about the word Christian, its confusing. People have done some awful things in the name of Christianity and I’m not sure our country is that Christian.There are some people who would call themselves Christian who truly love and follow Jesus, yet others only call themselves Christian when it comes to ticking a box on a medical form.

However when I look at the person of Jesus what’s not to like? Loving, forgiving, caring, life changing, powerful, gracious, real, relevant, the list goes on.

For 4 weeks starting October 18^th at 7.30pm we are running something called Engage. It’s going to be held in Olives a little café in Norwich where you can have a beer, glass of wine or a coffee and we will be discussing the person of Jesus.

If you’d be interested in finding out more about the person of Jesus then come along. Contact the office if you need more details.

Whilst looking for his hammer he stumbled upon buried treasure, and not just a little bit, what he found was the largest haul of Roman treasure ever to be found. Coins, jewelry, crafts, gold and silver.

Imagine you go for a walk one day and you stumble upon some treasure, something of real worth, incredible value – so much so it would radically transform your life – what would you do to obtain it? To what length would you go to to make sure what you found you were able to keep?

Wouldn’t you sell everything in order to obtain the treasure?

Jesus tells a story to explain what the Kingdom of Heaven is like in Matthew 13:44 He says this: The Kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Its rare that in order to get something it costs us nothing. Jesus is trying to help us understand that if we want to feel the full value of the Kingdom then its going to cost us – everything!

Does it mean that to fully experience the Kingdom and all its wealth which comes by the way of healing, forgiveness, freedom, etc we are going to have to sell our homes etc? No I don’t think it means that at all but its about a shift of priorities.

Paul, another guy who writes in the bible says: but whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him.

Compared to knowing Jesus – the King and his Kingdom – I consider everything else to be total rubbish, of no value.

I wonder if sometimes our relationship with Jesus is compromised because we hold onto so much other stuff, making money, our dreams and goals, our gadgets etc We never really know the life changing kingdom because we hold on to other things. Those things become more important than the relationship which I believe has the potential of being so life changing and of such worth.  If we really begin to grasp the value of it I think we would start to let go of everything else. Its then we’d start to see the value and the worth of the Kingdom.

I spoke on this at the weekand the talk can be found here if interested.

I don’t really understand what plant should go where or what time should I prune them etc. I’m never sure when to plant or where to put the plant. A lot of guess work goes into my garden.

One thing that does seem to grow is the weeds. Even when I’ve totally forgotten to water the plants the weeds just keep coming.

As a result our garden is a mixture of plants that we have tried to grow but don’t look very good, or plants that start off ok but then die. Some need more sun so they have grown but don’t flower. Every now and again we seem to put the right plant in the right place and when we do they can look fantastic. But then even they need watering and weeding.

Jesus talks a lot about the Kingdom of Heaven and in Matthew 13 He tells a story. It’s called the parable of the sower. A parable is just a short story that is told in such a way it often uses everyday life to help us understand an important lesson or instruction.

It’s a story about how the Kingdom of Heaven (which is basically the place where Jesus rules and reigns) is sown everywhere but different people respond to it differently. Some just don’t want to know, others like the idea of it but find the reality of it too much so give up on Jesus, but others love it and want more of it. More than that they see it as a relationship – one that they invest in and nurture.

It ends with an image of ripe corn which produces fruit.

Because of the way we have been created I don’t think we can ever live life to the full unless we allow Jesus to rule and reign in our lives. Yes we can seem happy and successful etc but it’s only Jesus that can help us live life to the full and even then it’s a relationship that we need to maintain, removing the things that would threaten our relationship with Jesus (like the weeds in this story).

It’s then we too can grow to be people who produce fruit.

On Sundays we are looking at Matthew 13 and the effect and impact of the Kingdom of Heaven over the next 3 weeks.

We’d love to see you there

But the group of people who loved Jesus raised money to care for the sick, they didn’t ask the sick are you a believer or not, they just risked all to care for all – the result was that many living in that city were saved – they met Jesus.

They were called the gamblers not because they were really good at poker but because they risked their lives for the sake of others. Caring for someone who was dying with the plague meant they were very likely to catch it themselves.

But they had totally grasped what it means to to follow Jesus – that you love others no matter what it costs you, Jesus laid down his life for others and calls us to do the same.

Sometime ago I was researching a talk and came across a forum where a thread had started about church. Some people – I’m guessing people who attend church – made some comments about how great church is and all that churches do but then I came across a comment which said this:

“How is it that so many Christians spend so many resources on things like anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage (with some even living lavish lifestyles) while in their own backyards there are orphans with little care, crushing poverty, abused elders, failing schools, etc.?

They claim to be motivated by their love of God, who is invisible, but do not show love towards their neighbour who is right at hand and could benefit from their help”

I don’t know this persons back ground or motivation for writing this but sadly I fear there some some truth in this statement.

The painful thing is that clearly he sees the church has the experience, the wealth, the manpower, the knowledge and the skills to help in all these areas but lacks the compassion or the love we read about that these people who loved Jesus had in AD 253 in Carthage.

Its a challenge to every church and everyone who follows Jesus. Its claimed that worldwide there are 2.1 billion people who love and follow Jesus – wouldn’t it be amazing if we all lived life like those gamblers who risked all for the sake of others?

We have been going through the book of Philippians as a church. Paul (who wrote the book) talks about a guy called Epaphroditus, he is someone who totally grasped what it means to risk all for the sake of another – it says in Ch 2 that he risked his life for Jesus.

History is full of examples of those who risked all for Jesus, who risk their lives for the sake of others.

I guess my prayer for our church is that we would be a church full of people who take risk for others and for Jesus.

Got me thinking about what Paul writes in Phillipians 1:20. He says:

“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death”

He is saying that when I get to sit back and review my life I dont want to be ashamed of my life. For Paul that was living for Jesus – that was all that mattered – for Paul that was living life to the full.

So many poeple seem to settle for a life that is half full. If I went to a pub and ordered a pint and when it came it came in a pint glass but was only half full I’d complain.

Yet so many people go through life and seem to live it half full.

There is a film called All Aboard the Crazy Train about surfing really big waves. These waves are 30-40 even 50 feet. The trailer for the film has the lines “do not be afraid of death, be afraid of the half lived life” Paul couldn’t have wrote it better himself.

Do not be afraid of death be afraid of the half lived life.

I don’t want to live my life afraid of death, planning for something that may never happen but I want to live for Jesus, living life to the full, I don’t want to sit back one day and review my life and be ashamed or it be full of regret or a bit like the recordings of my talks sit there and wish I did things a bit differently.

So who are you living for? Are you living life to the full or living in fear?

We are staying in Philippians for a few weeks so look out for the talks on the website or why not come along one Sunday.

NCFC Team huddle

The photo above is what every Norwich City fan saw before each game last season. The team got into their huddle for just a few moments before kick off. I have no idea what is said in a team huddle, maybe its a reminder of the game plan, maybe the captain uses this moment for one last bit of motivation or maybe they are working out where to go for a meal and a glass of wine after the game.

But what if they were in that huddle, the fans are waiting for them to come out of the huddle to play the game and in the huddle the conversation is something a long the lines of, “this is the best huddle we’ve ever had” “I just love being so close to you guys” “wouldn’t it be great if we just huddled for the next 90 minutes”

Now we know that would never happen but what about the church? Do we just huddle or do we get out and play the game?

On Sundays we have just started a series on Philippians. Last week we looked at the first few versus of ch1.

Paul writes to the church in Philippi – its a church that he planted – and he gives thanks for their partnership in the gospel. What is this partnership? Its very simply this – that they received Jesus and then gave Jesus away.

Its the message that we can meet Jesus, have our lives transformed, that we get to experience all the joy, the grace, the forgiveness the love but then we go – we play the game, we give it all away and tell others that they can meet Jesus, experience the joy, the grace and the forgiveness too.

That’s the partnership with the gospel that the church should have, that we get to give, we huddle and play. Jesus loves us – and so we love others.

The church was never meant to be a nice cosy huddle but a team that gets out and plays the game, that goes out and advances the gospel.

The whole of this talk and others will soon be online for you to listen to.