Emmanuel Sunday Talks

On Tuesday we continued our weekly podcast 'Live Lunch' where we unpack our Sunday teaching and answer your questions live. We had George Benson along with Christina Omoloso and Yohaan Philip discussing Jesus’ claim that He is the 'true vine'.

Sunday school impressions of Jesus can be of a feeble kind, where Jesus is just nice and wouldn’t hurt a fly. He’s no threat, He can be ignored. He probably wouldn’t be able to survive today’s social-media rage-fuelled climate and he would melt into the background just like other ‘snowflakes’ - the world today likes opinionated, brazen leaders, not weakling nice guys. On a personal level, we want...

On Tuesday we continued our weekly podcast 'Live Lunch' where we unpack our Sunday teaching and answer your questions live. We had Jess along with our hosts Matt Carvel and Yohaan Philip discussing Jesus’ claim that He is the truth.

What is most important to me is my truth. What I feel is my reality. My experiences are my existence. Whatever Jesus said thousands of years ago, might be interesting, but it's hardly relevant to my life right now. Into the context of the deeply personally defined ideas of truth of today, Jesus makes a startling claim, “I am the Truth’. Not even, I am true, but I am truth itself. Truth about life....

On Tuesday, we continued our weekly podcast 'Live Lunch' where we unpack our Sunday teaching and answer your questions live. We had Matt Carvel along with our hosts George Benson and Yohaan Philip discussing Jesus’ claim that He is the Way. What does He mean and how do we know this is true?

Jesus. One of many spiritual sages over the span of human history, offering a path to enlightenment, right? Another voice from many that we can listen to as we see fit. None should be elevated above others - they’re all equally valid. So goes many people’s attitudes to the words of Jesus. But Jesus said, ‘I am the Way’. He didn’t see himself as offering an alternative, but the definitive and exclu...

Religion. Famously the ‘opium of the masses’. A trick. An illusion. A way to control people. Although some may see the claims of Christianity as a trap, Jesus in his own words claims, ‘I am the Door’. In a world of a myriad of options, could this be a door worth opening? What is behind it? Is this another confidence trick or a promise that can be trusted?

On Tuesday we continued our weekly podcast 'Live Lunch' where we unpack our Sunday teaching and answer your questions live. We had Tobi Ford-Western along with our hosts George Benson and Matt Carvel discussing the topic of death; what is it? how do we deal with it? and what does Jesus' death mean for us today? Find out more about Live Lunch at https://WeAreEmmanuel.com/LiveLunch Join us Live and...

To many, the idea of giving your life to Jesus would be the end of the type of life we really want to live. It’s a death to my own autonomy, it’s death to certain relationships or habits or behaviours that I enjoy. It’s ‘game over’. And perhaps that’s why Christianity is only for people who mess up their lives and are really desperate. But Jesus says to come to Him is not ‘game over’, it is life o...

Another oft imagined perception of Jesus is a moral teacher who dispensed guidelines for life. The moral, ritualistic context of the Feast of Tabernacles, complete with shining lamps, is the backdrop for Jesus’ mighty claim, ‘I am the Light of the World’. The religious leaders are quick to jump on Jesus here, challenging the authority of his testimony. Jesus replies, ‘you judge according to the fl...

On Tuesday we continued our weekly podcast 'Live Lunch' where we unpack our Sunday teaching and answer your questions live. We had Neville Jones and along with our hosts Yohaan Philip and Matt Carvel discussing the topic of what it looks like to see Jesus as the Good Shepherd over our lives and the practical ways to outlive that. Find out more about Live Lunch at https://WeAreEmmanuel.com/LiveLunc...

We live in an age that is highly sensitive to ‘toxic leadership/authority’ figures, and understandably so. Toxic authority and the abuse of power is horrific. If Jesus demands people submit to his leadership, then he must be toxic too. Yet, Jesus boldly and graciously claimed, ‘I am the Good Shepherd’. Could this really be good news? Is this an authority that avoids the toxicity we have become so...

On Tuesday we continued our weekly podcast 'Live Lunch' where we unpack our Sunday teaching and answer your questions live. We had Christina Omoloso and Tobi Ford-Western along with our hosts Yohaan Philip and Matt Carvel discussing the topic of Jesus truly being the bread of life and what that practically looks like for us as Christians. Find out more about Live Lunch at https://WeAreEmmanuel.com...

Jesus said many things that people today find hard to swallow. Some of what the Bible says is simply, ‘yuck’ to many modern hearers. It may be surprising to realise that the hearers in Jesus’ day also found his message distasteful and unpleasant! Crowds that had gathered soon turned away when Jesus said, ‘I am the Bread of Life’. Jesus may have been cancelled at the time, but his offer to satisfy...

While some might be sceptical, most people today accept that Jesus was a real person in history. But they leave him there, consigned to history, a relic, of interest only to the historian. He might have been a good teacher, but little more. But this harmless, good teacher of history is a ‘Virtual Jesus’. He doesn’t exist. Jesus, faced with the religious leaders of his day, boldly claimed to be div...

Summer in the Psalms // Psalm 121 - Stu Gibbs by We Are Emmanuel

Summer in the Psalms // Psalm 1 & 2 - Glen Scrivener by We Are Emmanuel

Summer in the Psalms // Psalm 91 - Andrew Wilson by We Are Emmanuel

Steve Walford shows us that Psalm 23 teaches a lot about life, particularly comparing life to a long-distance walk with ups and downs, with Jesus leading and guiding us. He emphasises that Jesus is always with us, even in the darkest valleys of life. Jesus knows us personally, leads us to the best places, is always with us, and lavishly provides for our needs. Steve invites us to embrace Jesus as...

Matt Carvel looks at the public and private reactions to Jacob's death, as well as the ongoing fragility of the relationship between Joseph and his brothers.

The main focus of Sunday's passage is Jacob's journey to Egypt and how his family navigates living in a foreign land. Matt parallels between Joseph's family navigating Egypt and how Christians navigate a world that may be hostile to their beliefs. When Pharaoh asks Jacob how old he is, Jacob responds with a negative view of his life. Matt highlights the significance of Jacob blessing Pharaoh, indi...

This week on live lunch, Tobi Ford-Western, George Benson and Rachel Jeffs discuss the different ways that God speaks through our circumstances. How do we know when God is moving in our lives? What does this look like?

In this talk, Tobi Ford-Western looks at the need for biblical tools to navigate through physical and spiritual famines. He highlights the character development of Joseph, who has learned humility and maturity through his hardships and challenges. The story of Joseph is not outdated but rich in wisdom and guidance for navigating the challenges of the present day.

This week on Live Lunch, Matt Carvel, George Benson and Rachel Jeffs discuss how and why God tests us. How do we know when we are being tested? How does God shape us through trials? Are we to be joyful during trials?

In this talk, Matt Carvel explains that this testing was done by Joseph to see if his brothers had truly changed and were remorseful for their past actions. He draws connections to the Bible's instances of testing and trials, explaining that these are used by God to reveal and shape one's heart. Going through difficult times can be confusing and make us question why God allows it, but we must keep...