Verso Church Podcast

Why do I feel like I’ve lost my hunger for God?

And how do I get it back?In Matthew 13, Jesus tells two short stories: a man who stumbles on treasure hidden in a field, and a merchant who finds one pearl of great value. Both sell everything to take hold of it. What did they see that we’re missing?

In this talk from our Kingdom of Heaven series, we wrestle with the questions underneath those stories:

🔥 HUNGER: Is losing my spiritual appetite just part of growing up? What if hunger is a sign of health, not a personality trait? What do you do when responsibility, busy calendars and disappointment have dimmed it? (Hint: what you behold is what you pursue.)

🔑 REORDERED: Does following Jesus mean everything else becomes worthless? Or does it change my relationship to it? What would it look like to hand Him the keys to every room of my life, even the cupboards no one sees? Is He just my Saviour, or is He Lord?

😊 JOY: Why does surrender feel like loss? Is God out to make my life smaller? And if the man sold everything “in his joy”, what is joy really?

He’s worth the pursuit. Is He worth the surrender?

CHAPTERS

▶️ (00:00:00) What Is Worth Everything?

▶️ (00:04:50) Is Hunger a Sign of Health?

▶️ (00:08:14) Why Does Our Hunger Get Dimmed?

▶️ (00:15:18) Does Everything Else Become Worthless?

▶️ (00:19:55) “Will You Give Me This?”

▶️ (00:24:49) Saviour or Lord?

▶️ (00:27:29) What Happens When Someone Says Yes?

▶️ (00:31:36) What Is Joy, Really?

Ever feel like the rules of the world just aren’t working anymore?We’re told to go big, move fast, and make noise if we want to change anything - or survive the chaos of modern life. But what if real power operates completely in secret?In this video, we explore a bizarre door-handle story, why instant success is an illusion, and how the smallest, quietest choices hold the secret to total transformation. Whether you're feeling burnt out, stuck, or just curious about how reality actually works beneath the surface - this message is for you.

chapters

▶️ (00:00:00) - Welcome & Reading – Matthew 13, verses 31 to 33▶️ (00:01:35) - The House Where the Door Rules Changed▶️ (00:05:03) - Not the Kingdom They Were Expecting▶️ (00:10:06) - Point 1: Trust the Seed▶️ (00:18:24) - Point 2: Yield to the Yeast▶️ (00:27:06) - This Is the Seed. This Is the Yeast.#versochurch #vineyardchurch #worship #sundayservice

What kind of soil is your heart? Discover what the Kingdom of Heaven looks like in everyday life through Jesus' Parable of the Sower.A lot of people show up for the seed, but very few have the soil to survive the season. Opening up 📖 - Matthew 13, Chuck unpacks Jesus' Parable of the Sower to show why the Kingdom isn't built on shallow crowds, but on deep-rooted, enduring discipleship. Discover what it takes to tend the soil of your heart, stand firm when your faith is under fire, and bear fruit that stands the test of time.SCRIPTURE REFERENCES📖 - Matthew 13, verses 1 to 9: the Parable of the Sower📖 - Matthew 13, verses 10 to 17: why Jesus spoke in parables📖 - Matthew 13, verses 18 to 23: the Parable of the Sower explained🔎 Discover More About JesusJesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (📖 - John 10, verse 10) If you're curious about who Jesus is, we'd love to share more.Visit: https://www.verso.church/🔗 Connect With UsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/versochurch/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verso.churchWebsite: https://www.verso.church❤️ GiveVerso Vineyard Church is financed through your regular giving. To give online, visit: https://www.verso.church/give📅 Stay UpdatedDiscover what’s happening at Verso! Check out our What’s On page: https://www.verso.church/whats-on 🙌 Share Your StoryHave a testimony to share? We’d love to hear it! Email us at: [email protected] passion is to be radically transformed into the likeness of Jesus as we encounter His presence, worship together, serve one another, walk in the truth of God's word and extend Jesus' love into our communities around us.

CHAPTERS00:00:00 Introduction | The Soil of the Kingdom00:00:41 Story: The Garden That Wouldn't Grow00:03:28 Why the Soil of Your Heart Matters00:04:35 Reading: Matthew 13 | The Parable of the Sower00:07:34 How to Read the Bible (If You're New to Faith)00:08:11 Choose a Good Translation | Why We Use the NIV00:13:29 What Kind of Passage Is This?00:14:38 Why Jesus Told Parables: A Sieve, Not a Spotlight00:18:10 What's the Context? | The Crowds Around Jesus00:20:46 Matthew's Story in Reverse: From Crowds to Eleven00:23:01 Jesus Isn't Impressed by Crowds (or Fake Followers)00:24:53 POINT 1: YOUR FAITHFULNESS IS IN THE BALANCE00:25:04 Story: Queenstown and the Lusitania00:28:07 POINT 2: YOUR FAITH IS UNDER FIRE00:28:20 Story: The Schoolyard Fight00:30:18 The Thorns: Worry and the Deceitfulness of Wealth00:32:03 POINT 3: YOUR FRUITFULNESS IS THE MEASURE00:32:54 Story: John Ford and a Thousand Invitations00:34:27 Who Are You Sat Next To?

Freedom isn't only something we wait for in heaven. It's for you, today. Whether you're carrying shame, fear, an old battle or a new one, you're welcome here, just as you are.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

📖 - Matthew 8, verses 28 to 34: the two demonised men at Gadara
📖 - Luke 8, verse 26 to 39 and Mark 5, verses 1to 20: parallel accounts📖 - Colossians 2, verse 15: the powers disarmed at the cross
📖 - John 19, verse 30: "It is finished"📖 - Luke 4, verse 18 and 📖 -Isaiah 61, verse 1: freedom for the captives

🔎 Discover More About JesusJesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (📖 - John 10, verse 10) If you're curious about who Jesus is, we'd love to share more.

Visit: https://www.verso.church/

❤️ GiveVerso Vineyard Church is financed through your regular giving. To give online, visit: https://www.verso.church/give

📅 Stay UpdatedDiscover what’s happening at Verso! Check out our What’s On page: https://www.verso.church/whats-on

🙌 Share Your StoryHave a testimony to share? We’d love to hear it! Email us at: [email protected]

Our passion is to be radically transformed into the likeness of Jesus as we encounter His presence, worship together, serve one another, walk in the truth of God's word and extend Jesus' love into our communities around us.

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 Introduction | Matthew 8

00:01:08 Story: Grandma at the Baby Dedication

00:05:12 This Is the Freedom-Getting Place

00:08:24 Jesus Brings the Kingdom Through Deliverance

00:10:12 They Threw Themselves at Jesus' Feet

00:12:38 If They Can Be Free, You Can Be Free

00:14:48 Story: Bringing the Darkness Into the Light

00:18:22 Not Only Forgiven, But Free

00:19:33 The Battle Is Already Won

00:20:38 Becoming Part of Bringing Freedom to Others

00:21:04 Story: The "Regular Baptists" and the Dream

00:26:37 Invitation & Response

Our passion is to be radically transformed into the likeness of Jesus. Welcome to Verso Vineyard Church! Jesus is our ultimate goal and we long to create spaces to host His presence well.🌟 Connect With UsWe want to help you stay connected and be part of all that’s happening at Verso Vineyard Church!🖥️ https://www.verso.church https://www.facebook.com/verso.church https://www.instagram.com/versochurch/

Have you ever discovered you're on the wrong train, heading to the wrong destination? In Matthew 7:21-27, Jesus challenges our assumptions about what gets us into heaven. It's possible to know about Jesus without really knowing him, and to build a life that looks secure but lacks the right foundation.

Discover what it means to know Jesus, follow Jesus, and build your life on him.

🔔 Subscribe for more messages from The Kingdom of Heaven Series and weekly talks: [https://www.youtube.com/@verso.church]Anxiety has a way of sounding like wisdom. In week three of our Kingdom of Heaven series, we look at 📖 - Matthew 6, verses 25 to 34 and ask what it really means to seek first God's Kingdom, and what happens to our vision, our peace and our faith when worry takes first place instead.SCRIPTURE REFERENCES📖 - Matthew 6, verses 25 to 34📖 - James 2, verses 15 and 16 📖 - Exodus 16📖 - Lamentations 3, verse 22 📖 - 2 Corinthians 4, verse 18REFLECT THIS WEEK: What am I raking through today, and what would it look like to look up?🔎 Discover More About JesusJesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (📖 - John 10, verse 10) If you're curious about who Jesus is, we'd love to share more.Visit: https://www.verso.church/🔗 Connect With UsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/versochurch/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verso.churchWebsite: https://www.verso.church❤️ GiveVerso Vineyard Church is financed through your regular giving. To give online, visit: https://www.verso.church/give📅 Stay UpdatedDiscover what’s happening at Verso! Check out our What’s On page: https://www.verso.church/whats-on 🙌 Share Your StoryHave a testimony to share? We’d love to hear it! Email us at: [email protected]

Our passion is to be radically transformed into the likeness of Jesus as we encounter His presence, worship together, serve one another, walk in the truth of God's word and extend Jesus' love into our communities around us.CHAPTERS00:29 Why the Kingdom is a priority01:13 Opening prayer01:55 Reading: 📖 - Matthew 6, verses 25 to 3403:48 The Himalayas flight: how worry shrinks our vision06:23 Replacing faith with control08:49 The muck rake: Pilgrim's Progress11:30 Why seek the Kingdom? Your Father knows what you need12:20 What about real hunger and poverty?14:36 Trusting God for today: manna and daily mercies16:41 How to seek first the Kingdom: obedience before certainty18:57 Three ways to practise Kingdom priority: 1. Look up19:50 2. Look inside20:11 3. Look ahead with open hands#VersoChurch #KingdomOfHeaven #Matthew6

🔔 Subscribe for more messages from The Kingdom of Heaven Series and weekly talks: [https://www.youtube.com/@verso.church]Have you ever felt like life isn't turning out the way you planned? Join Taryn as she dives into 📖 - Matthew 5, verses 1to 12 to unpack the upside-down culture of the Kingdom of Heaven. Discover how the Beatitudes reveal that true blessing isn't the absence of struggle, but the presence of Jesus meeting us right in the middle of our real, messy lives.SCRIPTURE REFERENCES📖 - Matthew 5, verses 1 to 12🔎 Discover More About JesusJesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (📖 - John 10, verse 10) If you're curious about who Jesus is, we'd love to share more.Visit: https://www.verso.church/🔗 Connect With UsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/versochurch/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verso.churchWebsite: https://www.verso.church❤️ GiveVerso Vineyard Church is financed through your regular giving. To give online, visit: https://www.verso.church/give📅 Stay UpdatedDiscover what’s happening at Verso! Check out our What’s On page: https://www.verso.church/whats-on 🙌 Share Your StoryHave a testimony to share? We’d love to hear it! Email us at: of[email protected]Our passion is to be radically transformed into the likeness of Jesus as we encounter His presence, worship together, serve one another, walk in the truth of God's word and extend Jesus' love into our communities around us.CHAPTERS2:09 – Jesus' Central Message & The Invisible Gorilla4:40 – The Kingdom in Jesus' Teaching (Beatitudes, Lord's Prayer, Parables)11:00 – God's Kingdom vs. the Enemy's Kingdom15:59 – The Complexity of the Kingdom: Four Tenses24:46 – Responding to the Kingdom: Repentance & Invitation

🔔 Subscribe for more messages from The Kingdom of Heaven Series and weekly talks: [https://www.youtube.com/@verso.church]What's the one thing Jesus talked about more than anything else? We put that question to our church this week as we launched a brand new series in Matthew's Gospel, one that'll carry us right through to Christmas. Turns out the answer's been sitting in plain sight the whole time — you just have to know where to look.SCRIPTURE REFERENCES📖 - Matthew 7, verses 12 to 17🔎 Discover More About JesusJesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (📖 - John 10, verse 10) If you're curious about who Jesus is, we'd love to share more.Visit: https://www.verso.church/🔗 Connect With UsInstagram:   / versochurch  Facebook:   / verso.church  Website: https://www.verso.church❤️ GiveVerso Vineyard Church is financed through your regular giving. To give online, visit: https://www.verso.church/give📅 Stay UpdatedDiscover what’s happening at Verso! Check out our What’s On page: https://www.verso.church/whats-on 🙌 Share Your StoryHave a testimony to share? We’d love to hear it! Email us at: [email protected]Our passion is to be radically transformed into the likeness of Jesus as we encounter His presence, worship together, serve one another, walk in the truth of God's word and extend Jesus' love into our communities around us.CHAPTERS00:00 Starting a New Series: The Kingdom of Heaven01:14 Matthew 4, verses 12 to 17 — Jesus Begins to Preach02:09 The Invisible Gorilla: What We Keep Missing06:25 "Kingdom" — The Word That's Everywhere in Matthew08:05 What "Kingdom" Really Meant in Jesus' Day10:31 Creation, the Fall, and God's Kingdom Restored16:00 The Four Tenses of the Kingdom17:18 Tense 1 — The Kingdom Is Here18:06 Tense 2 — The Kingdom Will Come (and Why Some Prayers Wait)20:21 Tense 3 — The Kingdom Has Been Delayed21:52 Tense 4 — The Kingdom Is Near24:46 How Do We Respond to the Kingdom?30:54 Don't Camp Out — Expect the Kingdom to Break In

God's Mercy and Kindness | Jonah 4

We close out "Grace in the Deep End," our summer series through the book of Jonah, with the chapter most sermons skip: the one where the prophet gets angry that his enemies actually turned to God.

Jonah 4 catches Jonah sitting outside Nineveh, furious that the revival worked. Clare unpacks why - the Hebrew wordplay hiding in the word "overthrown," what it means to want justice without mercy, and a true story from the front lines of anti-trafficking work about a survivor who chose to forgive the men who trafficked her. It's an honest look at what it costs to receive God's mercy for ourselves while learning to extend it to the people we've quietly decided don't deserve it.