River City Church Hull Sunday Messages

The church is a mystery in so mystery in so many ways. It is amazing that God loves us so much that he wants to put us on display, to demonstrate his incredible wisdom.

We must learn to draw on the Spirit every day if we are to receive life and give it away.

As we celebrate baptisms this morning, Abi reminds us that we can come to Jesus to receive life-giving water that will truly satisfy all our thirsts.

John returns to one of the key Scriptures that gives us the vision for River City, Ezekiel 47, and reminds us that we are now the temple of God from which streams of living water flow. Do you want to be a 'living stone' in your community, bringing life to all around you?

What is the result of Nehemiah and the Israelites hard work and prayer? An influx of people, dedicated to serving God as they establish the worship of God at the centre of all they do.

in the rebuilding Nehemiah becomes aware that there are those around him who are in desperate need. Covid has revealed to us the depth of poverty in our city, and we cannot ignore their plight. We must divert our resources to serving those most in need.

In this new season, with all God has called us to, we know that opposition will come, both internally and externally. We need to encourage and strengthen one another in this season, and fight for one another through prayer and fasting.

Upon first reading this chapter is just a long list of names, but that would be to miss out on some important truths. As a church we cannot be run by the few for the many, we need everyone to play their part.

For the last year church has not looked anything like what we've done before. It would be easy to want to return to the "good old days", but maybe God is asking us to rebuild the church in this season so that it looks different to how it used to.

Today we start a new series in the book of Nehemiah. After years of exile, Nehemiah learns the fate of Jerusalem, and responds in prayer and fasting. Sensing a call from God he makes a bold step of obedience, and sees God provide in miraculous ways.

Jesus is clear, following after him is not easy, because we cannot just hear the words of Jesus and agree with them, we have to do them! Those who respond to the announcement of the Kingdom will receive all the blessings and benefits that it entails, but there is also a warning for those who don't. By the end of Matthew Israel has made it's choice – the wide road – and Jesus returns with a prediction instead of a warning (Matt 24). The same is true for us. We have to choose – narrow or wide path, wise or fo

Again, what Jesus teaches here is both clear and redemptive. Jesus isn't saying we should ignore other's faults or allow them to continue, but rather we must resist evil by doing good. That means being self-aware and dealing with our own blindness before talking to others about the speck's in our brother's/sister's eye. ”Self-correction is the beginning of the redemptive righteousness of Jesus' disciples.” The guiding principle for all the righteousness that Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount is summ

“Anxiety drives the world, driven by the insight that we are limited creatures and the future sets the boundaries of our limitations.” We want to be able to manage our future, to know what is coming, but we can't. Knowing we can't manage the future, and yet trying to, can only have one result: anxiety/worry. Jesus announces that the future of God is coming and it is secure in his hands. Trusting God means we know our future is secure because everything is in the hands of a Loving Father who cares for us.

Obedience to Jesus enables us to “treasure up treasures” in heaven. Like Solomon in Proverbs, Jesus presents us with two masters to live under, and the truth that our heart can only choose one. Whichever you choose, they will dictate how you live, and the treasures you store up. Earthly things are good, but heavenly ones are better, and more secure. To do the righteousness of the Kingdom we need to give money away, not hoard it.

It may seem that Jesus is condemning public prayer, which of course he is not, as he openly prays in front of others. Instead, he is condemning the “hypocrites” who pray meaningless prayers because they do not know who they are praying to. The meaning of the word “hypocrite” here is “ungodly” and their prayers are “ungodly” because they are for the judgement and reward of man rather than our good and loving Heavenly Father. When we know who we come to in prayer we can be short, direct and kingdom focused in

Jesus now moves from public acts of righteousness to private ones. Not all righteous acts are to be performed for the world to see. People should see how we treat our enemies, and our spouses, and how we deal with conflict, and see that we are different. The key question for these ‘private' acts of righteousness us who are we serving? Who is watching?

The “lex talonis” or “law of retribution” limited violence and retribution to like for like. The problem is, Jesus says, this often leads to a cycle of vengeance and tragedy. Jesus wants us to resist evil not by evil means, but by doing good. Jesus reverses “lex talonis” so that we take upon ourselves “double restitution”, bearing the punishment for the one who assaults us. Not just about gritting our teeth and enduring it, but through redemption arresting and reversing oppression. Ultimately we are to emul

Jesus is observing a cultural practice here that meant that people would regularly swear oaths on all sorts of things that in effect made them worthless. And so he is not saying do not make oaths at all, but rather consider seriously what you say you will or won't do and ensure that you tell the truth. To be a truth telling people is hard, it swims against the tide. But Jesus is the truth incarnate, and we are to follow him and speak truth.

Jesus is not saying that lust or desire are wrong, and the phrasing is better put “if anyone looks at a woman in order to lust”, which shows us that Jesus is challenging those who look just for the purpose of arousing lust/desire. In the ancient world lust was seen as a woman's fault – that her beauty sent out powerful rays that a man was unable to resist. But Jesus is firmly placing the responsibility on the one who is doing the looking. And his solution is a radical one. He's not literally advocating for

Anger is not wrong, we can be angry at injustice or sin, but here Jesus is linking anger with strife and murder. Anger must be expressed and if we're not careful it will lead us down the same path as Cain with Abel (Jesus is referencing that story here with 4 uses of the word brother and the journey to the altar to make a sacrifice). Jesus is encouraging us that a greater righteousness is to be a peacemaker, to go and be reconciled, to seek the forgiveness of those we have wronged, and in so doing restore t

It is important that we understand this short section in Jesus sermon in order that the next 3 chapters make sense. What does it mean that Jesus fulfilled the law? And what does Jesus mean when he says that our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law? I thought Christianity was all about grace and love, not having to be even better than those who work really hard at doing everything right?! Well, we need to understand the meaning of the words for Matthew. For him, Jesus “ful

The Kingdom is to be salt and light to the earth. Salt was to season all offerings given to God to make them palatable to him so that he didn't spit them out, and was a mark of the covenant between God and his people. We are the light on a hill that all peoples are drawn to. We are the heir to the Abrahamic covenant, but this time not sand and stars but salt and light, one on the earth and one above it. What makes us salt and light? Our good deeds, which flavour the whole earth and bring it light. Without u

Matthew's story is one of mountaintop experiences (7 mountains in total). Biblically mountains are the places that Heaven and earth meet. Jesus is taking his throne, (note he sits in verse 1) as the only one who has the right to join heaven and earth. And as we gather to him we receive healing, deliverance, renewal, restoration and resurrection life.

The call to discipleship is a radical one. “Every subject of Jesus' Kingdom, of the kingdom of heaven is called to restructure their time, their spending of money, their desires and hopes, their actions, their plans, their marriages, their work, their leisure, in radical ways. From the roots up, everything is to be redirected towards Jesus.” – Peter Leithart. Why? In order that we might bring others into the Kingdom. In the OT fishing for men represented invading a land and leading it's people into exile,

Whenever we make a clear declaration that we are citizens of God's Kingdom, we will experience testing. Jesus shows us this in his wilderness experience. So, why is Jesus tempted? The Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness, so does God “lead us into temptation”? Surely not! But he will use temptation to reveal our hearts. So, what will he find, and what can we learn from Jesus about how to overcome such temptation? Jesus shows us the importance of not just knowing Scripture, but living it out

In the story of Jesus' baptism we see the reuniting of Heaven with Earth; that through Jesus the two that were estranged since Adam are now reunited (the dove hovering over Jesus is reminiscent of the Spirit hovering over the new creation). In “fulfilling all righteousness” Jesus is not obeying a command (there is no law that says you must be baptised) but rather becoming the fulfilment of prophecy – Jesus is becoming God's instrument of righteousness on the earth – just as we do when we are baptized.

In the story of Herod's reaction to Jesus' birth Matthew shows us that a new King has arrived, ushering in a new Kingdom for all peoples, every race, tribe and tongue, and we all have a choice – to submit to him or not. Herod refuses to use his authority wisely but in Hezekiah we have an example of authority under submission that we should all follow.

As we approach Christmas Day, John helps us to reflect on how we feel once the waiting is over. Often the arrival of much anticipated gifts can result in disappointment, often due to our unrealistic expectations. But if we truly understand our need for a Saviour, then Jesus should never disappoint.

In Mary we see an incredible example of someone who submits themselves to God's plans and purposes even at great personal cost. Mary knows that carrying, birthing, raising and witnessing the suffering of her son will not be easy, but she knows that in the waiting and the trusting there will also be great blessing. We must remain grateful that God might consider us worthy to be part of his glorious plan for all of humanity.

John's testimony was a clear message that there was one greater than he who was coming. Nicky encourages us that as we wait for Jesus to come we can be actively telling as many people as possible about him, but from a place of grace and not works.

Anna helps us look at the stories of two people, Simeon and Anna, who have waited a long time for the promised Messiah. It can be hard to wait sometimes, we can doubt that we've heard God or that he is still there. These two stories give us some clues as to how to wait well – with devotion, worship, prayer and fasting.

In the 2nd part of our mini-series on Leadership, John and Abi speak about the changes that will be taking place over the coming months to the Leadership structure of River City as we transition from a church plant to a church.

In this first of a two-part mini-series John speaks about what biblical leadership should look like, in preparation for River City transitioning from a church plant led by John and Abi to a church with a Senior Leadership Team.

We reach the end of Proverbs, and are given a wonderful summary, a literal A-Z of wisdom (in Hebrew each line begins with the next letter of the alphabet). If you want to know what wisdom looks like, and by extension if you are living wisely, then this is her. Have you fallen in love with wisdom?

It is foolish to place our trust in anything other than God, but it is easy to do so. We often believe in the strength or reliability of other things – finances, health, relationships, power, even our own cleverness. But that is folly. We must place our trust in the One who knows all things and controls all things.

Folly tries to teach us that our lives will be complete, happy and fulfilled by the things outside of ourselves that come into our lives – possessions, people, status etc. But Proverbs teaches us that the wisdom know that things work from the inside out, not the outside in. If we ensure that our hearts are submitted fully to God and seeking after life in him then we will experience true fulfilment and fruitfulness.

In the last of his 3 part mini-series looking at the Gospel of John, Ian encourages us that through the work of the Spirit we can experience God 'alongside us' in all 3 persons - Father, Son and Spirit.

In the 2nd part of this mini-series, Ian looks at how Jesus and the Father are one.

Ian introduces us to the Gospel of John by speaking about the wonder of being Friends with God.

Certain events in life teach us that we are not as strong as might think. An awareness of our own weakness should make us more caring and compassionate for those who are experiencing periods of struggle or difficulty. Wonderfully, Proverbs teaches us that if we are wise every time we fall we will rise again.

There are few greater joys than that of friendship. True friends bring both comfort, challenge and change in our lives. The wisdom of a good friend is priceless. And as a church we are part of a larger family built on friendship. How good it is to be friends with those we are on a mission with!

If we are to be wise, we need to give thought to our lives; the steps we take, the paths we follow and the choices we make. So, as we survey our own lives, what foundations have we put in place, and how might they help us submit the plans we have to Jesus?

Proverbs shoews us that becoming wise is based on the choices we make. The first choice we can make is whether or not we want to pursue wisdom for ourselves. If we do, then we will find Jesus.

Revelation ends as it began: by revealing Jesus Christ. Hopefully after reading all of this book we join with John in crying “Maranatha!” – Come Lord Jesus!!

After a sequence of judgment chapters, we finally step out into the sunshine of new creation. But John's focus is not so much on the new world God has made, but on the glorious bride of Christ: the Church – a glorious new Jerusalem prepared for Christ to dwell in with his people forever!

John looks at the different views of the millennium and the return of Jesus, focusing on an invitation from Revelation 19:9 – ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'

These chapters describe the judgement of the whole of creation – it's a fearful picture but woven through these chapters are reminders of God's desire to deliver people, His true and just character, and that judgement finally brings justice on all that is evil in our world. The call comes to respond by staying awake, and we do this through worship, through witness because the times are urgent, and by waiting in faith, knowing that as believers we are saved because of Jesus.

Luke helps us to see that those who can stand through the troubles of this world are those who are sealed by the Holy Spirit through salvation.

This week we look at the Throne Room of God and the one who is worthy to sit there, both the Lion of Judah and the Lamb who was slain.

What does the victorious Christian life look like? Abi takes a look at Jesus' words concerning his church in Revelation 2-3 and shows us it may not be the things we think it is.