When Jesus gave His disciples the great commission it was not a polite request - rather it was a command of great urgency. Does that still apply for His disciples today? If so what does that mean in regards our approach to sharing the good news of Christ Jesus locally, nationally and globally.

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few”. These well-known words of Jesus were originally given to seventy people before He sent them to be messengers of peace, who receive generous hospitality, bring healing and then share the words, ‘the Kingdom of God has come near to you’. Which of these four inspires or challenges you most?

As we start to explore what it means to be Together in Mission, we have to ask ourselves what our Mission is and what we have to offer the world by proclaiming King Jesus. The good news is that the coming of his kingdom is a powerful antidote to the power struggles and back-biting we often see around us. He is all powerful and yet gentle in spirit. His rule is defined by grace and forgiveness. Come let us worship the King of Kings.

What does it mean to join God in his mission throughout the world? Mission is about crossing cultures, sharing life with people around us and having a heart to offer the good news of Jesus who is the hope of the world.

'Peace be with you'. These were the words the resurrected Jesus shared with his disciples when he suddenly appeared amongst them in Luke 24. Peace be with you!!??? What did he mean? How could the disciples possibly feel peace when he who had died was suddenly alive. They were terrified and yet, just fifteen verses later, as they witnessed Jesus ascending to the heavens, they are described as having great joy. How did this happen? How did they go from fear, doubt and uncertainty to peace, faith and joy in fifteen verses? It was through three keys to peace which Jesus offered to the disciples two thousand years ago and which, thankfully, He still offers to us today.

After the excitement and thrill of the Easter message it would be easy to view some of the subsequent events as an anti-climax, like the doubting and fearful disciples and the appearances of Jesus where He wasn’t recognised. An example of both of these is the story of the two companions as they journey to Emmaus. As usual, Luke gives intriguing details that have much to teach us.

Many of us feel empty. The wonderful news is that, because of something else that was empty - Jesus's tomb - our lives do not have to be like this. Rather, by following Jesus, the risen Christ, we can have the hope of resurrection life and the victory over death, and lives lived to the full, just as they were meant to be.

Palm Sunday is an exciting time of worship and celebration as our entry into Holy Week reflects Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. In Luke’s gospel we hear that cloaks instead of palm branches were used as symbols of hope, recognising that Jesus is King over all. May we too be hopeful, and also dedicated in our worship and celebration of Jesus, giving thanks as we approach the cross and the empty grave!

As Baptists we love a good baptism! There is such joy and celebration when someone says they want to be baptised. Baptism is about a person who believes they need to publicly share their personal faith in Jesus’ love, forgiveness and salvation. It is about being baptised into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is wonderful, because it’s an invitation to belong to God and catch a glimpse of perfect community. Baptism is the start of a journey, learning more and more about God’s character and trusting God for this life and the life to come. Jesus too was baptised - listen to the reason why this is so important for each and every one of us.

Let's be honest, we are all tempted sometimes. Some might say it's only human. Jesus was tempted in the desert, but unlike us He's both fully human and fully divine. Satan obviously knew this, so tried tempting Him from both angles. But Jesus did not give in. How did He do this? And how can this help us when we are tempted?