The Vine Christian Community Church

In a world that tells us to build our own brand and fight for the spotlight, how can we find true and lasting contentment? This Sunday, we're diving into the life of John the Baptist to uncover his radical secret to fulfillment, captured in one powerful statement: "He must increase, but I must decrease."Join us as we explore how to get off the treadmill of comparison and find the profound joy that only comes from making Jesus the center of everything.#HeMustIncrease#JoyInChrist#SundaySermon

Listen to our AI Podcasters go through the sermon from Sunday and offer up some helpful analysis and insight into the sermon. We delve into the pivotal encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3, exploring the absolute necessity of spiritual transformation—what Jesus calls being "born again." It challenges the idea that religious status or good works are enough for true spiritual life, proposing instead a radical rebirth initiated by the Holy Spirit.

Unlock the Secrets to Spiritual Rebirth!

Listen to our AI Podcasters go through the sermon from Sunday and offer up some helpful analysis and insight into the sermon.This week's study of John 2 explores the theme of purification and cleansing through two seemingly different events: the wedding at Cana and the clearing of the temple. It argues that while humans understand the need for physical cleanliness, there is also a deep need for spiritual cleansing of the heart and mind. Jesus's actions, such as transforming water into wine and confronting temple corruption, are presented as demonstrating His mission to bring a new, profound kind of spiritual purification that goes beyond mere outward rituals. This cleansing is seen as a process that transforms believers and allows them to serve God more fully, ultimately leading to a deeper relationship with Him and a greater capacity to love others.

We explore a powerful message from John 2:1-25, "The Party and the Purge." Witness the contrasting yet connected acts of Jesus, from miraculous joy at a wedding to righteous cleansing in the temple. Discover the profound meaning of purification and the transformative power He offers.#ThePartyAndThePurge #SpiritualCleansing #SundaySermon

This week's sermon explores the profound significance of Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb, emphasizing that his atonement takes away the sin of the world. It highlights the life-altering invitation Jesus offers, which requires a personal commitment and a willingness to sacrifice a life lived apart from him. The text also examines the calling of Jesus's first disciples, demonstrating how their encounter and decision to follow led to transformation and a deeper understanding of his identity. Finally, the promise of seeing "greater things" is presented as an ongoing revelation for those who follow Jesus, signifying his role as the connection between heaven and earth.Listen to our AI Podcasters go through the sermon from Sunday and offer up some helpful analysis and insight into the sermon.

we explore the profound meaning of Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb, the ultimate sacrifice. The personal invitation He extends to each of us, that leads to transformation and a promise of greater things.

Listen to our AI Podcasters go through the sermon from Sunday and offer up some helpful analysis and insight into the sermon.

We explore the incredible opening of John's Gospel! We'll uncover the truth about Jesus – not just as a historical figure, but as the eternal Word, present with God from the very beginning.   Discover how He was the agent of creation, and how He is the true source of life and light for everyone.   We'll also look at the powerful testimony of John the Baptist, the forerunner who prepared the way and pointed to the One to come.   Encounter the amazing truth of the Incarnation – God becoming flesh and dwelling among us!   This Sunday, find out how to receive this Light and become a child of God!   Don't miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding of Jesus and His incredible love!#EternalWord   #Incarnation   #LightOfTheWorld   #JohnTheBaptist   #DivineNatureOfJesus   #GodBecameFlesh   #GraceAndTruth   #NewBirth

This is a summary version of the recent sermon "From Chaos to Resurrection - The King Who Triumphs | Daniel 11 & 12".It is an AI generated podcast, but based on information directly from the sermon, so we would love your comments to let us know if it was helpful.Thank you

Have you ever felt like you're living in the middle of a story that doesn't make sense yet? Like the world is spinning out of control—politically, morally, even spiritually? That's how Daniel felt. In Daniel 11–12, he receives a detailed and overwhelming vision of future events: war, betrayal, and suffering. But in all the chaos, one truth emerges again and again:God is working—even when we can't see it.From behind the scenes of world history to the quiet darkness of a tomb outside Jerusalem, God is carrying out a plan. And at the centre of it all is Jesus—the Risen King.

This week we explore the theme of divine strength in the face of human weakness. Drawing from Daniel chapter 10, the story of Daniel—overwhelmed by visions, physically drained, and deeply burdened—shows how God's strength meets us precisely when ours fails.Daniel's experience highlights that strength is not found in self-reliance but in surrender. Through divine touch and the spoken word, he is revived—reminding us that God answers the humble heart, even when the answer is delayed. We explore how spiritual battles rage beyond our view, yet God equips His people with strength to persevere, not by removing the battle but by empowering us within it.Ultimately, it is a call to trust God's unseen work, to seek strength through His Word and Spirit, and to recognise that His power is made perfect in our weakness.

Fasting isn't just about giving up food—it's about drawing closer to God. In Daniel 9, we see how Daniel fasted with purpose, humility, and expectation, seeking God's mercy and guidance. His prayer wasn't just for himself but for his people, showing that fasting aligns our hearts with God's will. When we fast with sincerity, God moves in powerful ways.Daniel 9 challenges us to ask ourselves, are we fasting for the right reasons? We'll learn from Daniel and understand how to approach fasting with the right heart.

This week we explore the prophetic vision in Daniel 8. We look at God's sovereignty over history and His ability to reveal the future with absolute precision. We learn the biblical test for true prophecy and the role it plays in building faith, exposing evil, encouraging spiritual discernment and preparing believers for the return of Christ.

We explore the prophetic vision of Daniel 7, revealing the rise and fall of world empires and the ultimate triumph of God's eternal kingdom. It contrasts the terrifying chaos of earthly powers with the sovereignty of God, emphasizing His unshakable rule and justice. We learn how this vivid and reflective chapter encourages believers to adopt an eternal perspective, finding hope amid suffering and reassurance that Christ's reign will prevail. The saints may face trials and persecution, but their future is secure in God's everlasting kingdom, where righteousness and peace will ultimately reign.

The message explores the contrast between divine justice and human justice, revealing how flawed systems and self-interest can distort fairness. It examines how pride, manipulation, and legalism often undermine truth and righteousness, yet God's justice remains perfect, consistent, and redemptive. It highlights the courage to remain faithful to God even when external pressures demand compromise, showing that integrity and obedience are ultimately vindicated by God. It also draws parallels between ancient events and the work of Christ, emphasizing the enduring relevance of trusting in God's ways over man's.

We understand that sometimes people can become so hardened to the reality of God's existence that for some they will go beyond the point of redemption.We explore the dangers of ignorance to the truth of God and the real world we live in, including how our actions have consequences, even if we like to act like they do not.

We look at the role of pride and how it can cause a stumbling block to our relationship with God. We also explore how pride can cause us to be consumed with fear, worry and stress. The only answer is to find peace in God and not in ourselves or in the world. Putting our trust in God for our future can give us a confidence the world cannot take away.

This week we look to understand how it is possible to be sure of your salvation and how we develop a character and mindset that is other-worldly.In the face of this pressure to conform to the world, how do we confidently stand on God's promise of salvation, despite the consequences of being a follower of Jesus, and the cost that comes with it.Through submitting our lives to Jesus through the assurance that he promises live ever-lasting and being restored in the sight of God – we can live this new life, in real life, for the life after this.

This week we explore what it means to not follow the crowd, even if it appears to be the best thing to do. We will see that only the Christian faith can offer something worth giving up the world for.

This week we learn how, as Christians, we can find comfort in God in a turbulent world. Our world can be an unpredictable place, but rather than allow ourselves to be driven by uncertainty, we have a God who knows the beginning and the end - who is the alpha and omega. In a world seemingly out of control, whatever happens, we can find confidence and assurance through Jesus Christ of which all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him.

We explore part 1 of chapter 2, where King Nebuchadnezzar has had this very vivid and disturbing dream. We are going to look at why the King responded in this way to this particular dream, and then how Daniels response can show us how God can guide us toward wisdom, with just a simple act of praying and requesting that God can and does meet our needs. But in order to seek this wisdom, we must also prepare a place for it to flourish. Wisdom will only be received into a heart and mind that desires to be wise and seek understanding from God, for His glory and His purpose.

This week we explore Daniel 1. Daniel 1:1–21 shows us how a sovereign God accomplishes his purposes and achieves his victory by sending Daniel and his three friends into exile in Babylon. The challenge we will look at is how Christians today should engage with the culture, whilst remaining true to the challenge of not being of the culture.

Join us for our Christmas day service from 11am as we explore how to find contentment in Christ. In a season that promises so much again and again, only to feel deflated again and again afterwards, God provides a way out of the empty promises of this world and satisfies the true wants that we have. A people that need to be rescued from themselves. (Image: iStock)

Join us this week as we we learn how rejoicing in Christ, has the effect of dealing with our own unhealthy desire of trying to gain power over others, recognition for ourselves and trying to get our own way. In doing so we can understand how believers should seek to be of the same mind in Christ, in order to understand how we can be united with each other.

The Christian life is neither one of perfection nor of passivity, but a progressive pursuit of Christ and his likeness as we await his return and the consummation of all things. This week we look at what it means to be transformed in Christ. We will understand what transformation looks like so that we can recognise that we are being changed and allowing God to change us. Because of Jesus' forgiveness through salvation, rather than our past holding us back, it can serve to remind us where God has brought us. When we finally embrace Jesus as our saviour, and that even as bad as our past might be, God can use it for good and transform us.

This week we explore how far our righteousness goes in respect to the righteousness of Christ, and how we can avoid treating God as if He is in our debt. Instead understand that Jesus is all sufficient, given us far more than we deserve.

This week we explore the meaning of obedience as a Christian. The world understands the word obedience to be something less, to be controlled. But the Bible reveals a different, more powerful definition. For those who believe in Salvation through Jesus, our obedience is not a way to earn our salvation. “Religion says, ‘I obey, therefore I'm accepted.' Christianity says, ‘I'm accepted, therefore I obey.'” Join us from 11am on Sunday to find out how obedience in Christ is something we desire when we truly understand what Jesus did for us.

We look at unity in Jesus. We learn that true unity in the church only works when you have something to anchor that unity to. When we love the brothers and sisters in our local church, it shows that we really are followers of Jesus. It also shows the world that the gospel is true and powerful. We will see that there are threats to unity within the church if Christians allow pride to drive their relationships in the church. Then there is the external threat, that this unity is under, from opposition outside the Church. If we can truly grasp the very real sacrifice of Christ for our sin, then it should serve to humble us when pride starts to creep its way in. In acknowledging that Christ's suffering is the greatest sacrifice, we can find comfort in our suffering that also emboldens our unity in the Church.

This week we look at what it means to live in Christ. We explore Paul's current circumstances under house arrest and his ability to turn opposition to the Gospel into opportunities for the Gospel. We learn that the Christian faith is not like any other religion that can simply be picked or put down like some modern lifestyle choice. Living for Christ has massive repercussions, not only on the lives of those who believe, but also on those who are yet to embrace the truth of the Gospel. We will understand that far from being tolerated, the world is so diametrically opposed to the Gospel, that it will go to great lengths to suppress it. But in doing so, what the world intended for evil, God will use for good. Come and learn how having the joy of Christ in your life, can rescue you from chains of this world.

We start our new series in Philippians looking at the theme of Discipleship. What does it look like to be a follower of Jesus? This week we look at how our assurance in Christ comes from the belief that God is in control. We learn that in the good times and the bad times, God is doing a work in us during those times, so to finish the work He started. We will come to understand that if we allow God to work in us through every season of our lives, and desire more insight and knowledge of God through the Word, we will learn that Christ will never let us down.

Join us as we look at what it really means to be truly thankful for what God has created and provided for the whole world. We explore the purpose of the Harvest, and how we can come back to a true thanksgiving to God in a world where everything and anything is available at our fingertips.

Join us as we explore the prayer of faith. We learn that prayers for healing of physical health and spiritual health (including for the forgiveness of sin), must come from an acceptance of who God says He is according to the Bible. Not only for head knowledge, but also a conviction that we want to live to the glory of God in all circumstance, and under submission to His will and authority. Only then will our prayers and requests be aligned to His will and allow God to work in us through His Holy Spirit.

Join us as we explore what it means to be patient as a Christian. We sometimes think this is just enduring suffering. But what if it was something more? This week we learn that being patient as a Christian is actually about self-control in the face of suffering. Its purpose is for us to learn to not retaliate and refrain from seeking revenge. For what reason? Because God's patience with us is why Jesus's return is yet to come. Giving us time to repent before its too late. We look at how standing firm in the faith is the antidote to prevent us from spiralling into vindictiveness and despair.

This week we explore the abuse of wealth and its ends. We look at how the storing up our trust in wealth, not only is it a short term solution, but it provokes in us something that is unhealthy, to the point that it eats our very soul alive. What we can learn from these verses is how we must steer clear of the trap of desiring to become rich, because in that comes a clear and present danger of trusting in those riches entirely, allowing it to change and compromise our faith to the extent that we reject trust in God, for the trust in wealth.

Do you know what will happen tomorrow? Do you think that just because you've made all these plans, they will happen? This week we look at the subject of boasting about tomorrow. When seen in the context of the universe and everything else, how much control do we really have over our lives? We learn that to have faith in God, means there is no need to worry about tomorrow if we submit our plans to Him - for whether we live or die, through putting faith in Christ Jesus, we can be assured that we belong to the Lord.

This week we explore how we cannot both be a friend of Jesus and a friend of the world. While Christians must desire to want to see people saved and genuinely want to relate and connect with people in the world, we must not allow ourselves to become part of the world and its ways. We will learn that in order to not be lost to the world, we must remain anchored to God through submission to Him alone. Having God as our anchor will enable us to be in the world, without being lost to it, as we live our lives in Godly submission to our Lord and saviour.

This week we learn that there are two kinds of Wisdom. One that leads to disorder and the other that is pure, leading to mercy. One that harbours selfish ambition and the other that puts God first. We explore how a life dedicated to walking the way of Christ is life done in quiet humility. Seeking to bring peace in order to reap a harvest, learning that God is sufficient for every need.

This week we learn about the power of words. As we have our day to day interactions, how do our words have power to build up and also destroy? For Christians, we are called to understand the basic principle of how we should speak graciously to all people who are made in the image of God. We will see that James is not asking for perfection, but we will learn that the goal is still a good goal to work toward now, because in challenging ourselves to be careful with our tongue has a bigger benefit – that of the health of the whole body, our character and attitude in our Christian life - To show the world how Jesus has and continues to change us, and so glorify the one who died for our sins and rose again.

We look at faith and deeds. James will tell us that it is not enough to simply have belief in God and to simply agree with God. Faith is something that leads to action that shows we are not just agreeing but obeying God. We will learn that rather than being just a witness to others of what we believe, it is just as important for the believer themselves as a faith health check – that we are living to that which we believe.

No favouritism - Mercy over judgement | James 2:1-13 We explore how those who trust in Christ should trust God to provide for and protect them, and not look towards gaining the favour of those who are wealthy and in positions of influence. Just as Christ did, we will learn that all people should be treated with mercy, irrespective of position or status in society.

Stop, Look, Listen and Live - James 1:19-27 We learn what obedience looks like for a Christian. How self-control should be our aim as Christians, in order as to not pollute the gospel. We explore the risk of how religious law keeping can make us whitewashed tombs - looking good on the outside, while remaining unrepentant and unchanged on the inside.

We will learn this week that there is a choice to make when it comes to the sort of life we live – will we be people taken by temptation by indulging in whatever desires we have or will we be people who face the trial in order that our faith maybe matured and sharpened.

We look at the reason for trials in our life. We explore how we can ask God to speak into our circumstances, and help us understand how God can give us the strength we need through-out all trials.

This week we ask the fundamental question - since the false teachers have been proven wrong through scripture, how then shall we live? Since Jesus is coming back and judgement will come to all mankind, how should Christians live right now? We will learn that, while a new heaven and a new earth is coming, as Christians this should encourage us more to live as Christ has commanded us to live. Leading holy and godly lives, in order that we are not lead away from the truth. We explore what that means for us today as we live in the last days before Christ's return.

Many false teachers have two particular things they would base their false teaching on. The denial of the Second Coming and that sins would not be judged. In this sermon, we explore the flimsy basis for their unbelief and how Peter blows apart their false claims. Not only is this done through historical events, but comes back to God's ultimate power. God is not bound by our actions or demands, rather He is God who does anything He desires, at anytime He desires.

Today we learn that Peter explains why we should trust the apostolic teaching over and against false teachers: What we will come to understand is that it will give us greater conviction to live in a Christlike way and will establish a basis for debunking false teachings.

We will learn that for people who believe in Jesus, through the revelation of God's Word and the Holy Spirit, Peter will show us that faith is not simply some random belief in a sky genie, as many atheist would have people believe – but instead is actually grounded in evidence of eyewitness accounts of Jesus himself, and then verified by what the Bible calls prophecy found in the old testament.

we explore how those who know God, believers in Jesus Christ, are called to lead a life that puts that knowledge into practice. Rather than being about how we should do good works, this in fact is in regard to how our own lives are changed when our lives actively participate in the knowledge we now have of God as believers.

Join us this week as we explore the importance of the relationship between elders and the church. We look at the crucial role that humility plays in creating an interdependent Church community, and how that becomes the chief witness to the world.

Join us this week as we learn that, while there is suffering that is brought upon Christians by others opposed to our faith, God also uses suffering to refine the faith of His people. We will discover that God can use suffering, caused by sinfulness in the world, to bring people closer to Himself.