This podcast was recorded at an event Matt Stackhouse spoke at in North America as an alternative due to his original podcast at The Grainery Church was corrupted during recording in January 2019.

A kiss is powerful. It is risky. It is usually an outward expression of an inward emotion. But it is also a metaphor of how God relates to us and how we relate to the world. Matt brings an unusual message – kisses found in the Bible and their lesson for us today. Idolatry. Betrayal. Fellowship. Thankfulness. Good and bad can be worked through a kiss. Tying this in with the story of the Good Samaritan, Matt explains how the kiss of heaven on our lives changes us from the inside out and leads us to love other human beings – the good and the bad, the lovely and the unlovely.

We all want to be a hero - and in the story of the Good Samaritan we identify with the hero. But what does it really mean to love your neighbor?

Pastor Sue explains that Christianity is not behaviour management. It is being love. It is a walk with Gods Spirit. It is about our Identity as a whole new you who is Jesus to the world - bringing light love and hope. Sue explains how we are very often the robber in the parable of the Good Samaritan - only when we’ve been rescued by grace can we become the hero of the story - the Good Samaritan himself - in a real and helpful way.

As a foundational member of the Grainery Church, an ex-policeman and as a secondary school teacher, Pat speaks out of his wide experiences of what it means to love others as you love yourself. Having lost his first wife to cancer, Pat shares many very personal stories and anecdotes of both trial and triumph as he furthers the theme of the image of God embedded in each person. Pat teaches from the creation story and the immeasurable value of individuals shown in the death of Jesus for the sins of each individual.

Do you love yourself? Is that all about “self affirmation “? How do we love ourselves in the right way so that we don’t have some ugly narcissistic tendency? Is it all about “self esteem “? Am I fantastic just the way I am?

Josh tackles these questions head on and comes to a conclusion- and it is summed up in 1 Corinthians 13 - the great “love chapter” and 1 John 4 in the New Testament. The “true you” might not be worthy of the love of God and of others , but God loves you fully anyway. Find out why as Josh unpacks what the implications of God’s love and kindness are for us, and helps us to shed our shame.

Before listening to this podcast it would be helpful if you go onto Youtube and watch the short "Bible Project" clip about the "Shema" or "Strength".

Examining Jesus' teaching on the "greatest commandment", Theo focuses specifically on the meaning of strength.

If you want to know why we should love God with our "all", what it means to do this, and how to do it, this message will bring revelation. This is all set within the context of "covenants" between God and man. Jesus, bringing a "new commandment", as always, overturns conventional human wisdom and brings a new way of thinking to an age-old topic - loving God and loving people extravagantly

This message explores theory and practice in Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic language and culture to encourage zeal in our relationship with God. Deep biblical exegesis and contemporary cultural understandings come together as Dr Attia explains what it means to love God with all of our strength: our body, money and possessions, and with our totality or "muchness". (You need to listen to this message if you want to understand "muchness"). This message will help you to be knowledgeable, practical and passionate in your love for God.

Predestination vs Freewill by The Grainery Church

The idea of living God with all that we are was not new when Jesus taught that this was the greatest commandment. He was restating Deuteronomy 6:4 which was a well-known passage to his hearers. Immediately though, they would have noticed that Jesus added the specific concept of loving God with all of our minds. In Greek culture, this would have meant thinking philosophically. To the Jewish hearers of Jesus it meant something completely different.

Matt examines the structure of our brains in this message and applies it to the Biblical understanding of loving God with all of our minds

Small decisions or small thoughts can have massive impacts on our lives. Asher illustrates this in his iconic, humorous style using an illustration involving Henny Penny and the 2018 Rugby League Grand Final!!!

There are many practical ways that we can use our focus, knowledge, remembrance and fascination to love God with our mind.

Asher explains how these four things can show our love for God and build our relationship with Jesus