Vineyard Church | Following the Way: Beloved Before You Begin

In this sermon, we reflect on Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3:13–17 alongside Psalm 2 and Isaiah 42 to discover that God’s love comes before our performance. Just as Simon became Peter through relationship, not effort, our identity is formed by walking with Jesus—not by striving to earn approval. Jesus’ baptism is powerful because He did not need repentance, yet He chose to stand where we stand, identifying with broken humanity. He began His ministry with presence, not distance, setting the pattern for His followers. Faith does not lift us above the mess; it keeps us rooted in love within it. The church begins not in purity, but in God’s presence. Obedience flows from identity, not anxiety. Being beloved doesn’t remove struggle—but it changes where we stand when it comes.