Shirley Baptist Church Solihull, Sermons

How does one participate in the Kingdom of God? Well, in His parables, Jesus gave examples - something that could grow from small beginnings, like a mustard seed, or something that could affect great change, like yeast in flour. And how best to action this? Check out 2 Peter 1:5-7 - there is a clear answer!

"Surely the Lord was in this place, and I was not aware of it…How awesome is this place!". This is what Jacob said in Genesis 28. There are places where God seems closer than normal. Celtic Christianity speaks of “thin places” where the distance between heaven and earth collapses. Was this the experience of Pentecost when the Spirit came and moved among the followers of Jesus? And where is your “t...

What was the greatest theme that Jesus spoke about during his three years of ministry on Earth? It might surprise you that it wasn’t the church but the Kingdom of God. Jesus spoke loads about this topic. It could be compared to a bar of soap - slippery to handle, but it makes you clean! Okay, maybe that analogy is a bit rubbish - but there are so many ways Jesus explained the Kingdom and described...

'Do you love me?'. It's a big question. It's a question Jesus asked the disciple Peter three times at the end of the greatest story ever told. 'Do you love me?' As one story was ending, another was beginning. 'Feed my sheep'. Jesus had been crucified and he had resurrected. He was giving Peter a big job. 'Feed my sheep'. How do these verses change things today - for you and the church? How do we l...

Baker, Le Tissier, Patel, Vale. Names often have meaning, telling us about family origins - perhaps their trade or status or where their house could be found. Similarly, the name of the Lord our God tells us very much who He is. His name is Yahweh in the Hebrew. It is often translated to 'I am who I am', but it is a phrase without any tense. So it can also mean 'I've always been who I've always be...

Breakfast. The experts say it is the most important meal of the day. What does yours typically consist of? When the resurrected Jesus invites his followers to ‘Come and have breakfast’, it is an invitation to recognise Jesus, to identify him, to know him and to be present with him. So not only the best meal of the day but the best meal of their lifetime! And the good news is that this is an invita...

Easter has happened, and Christ has risen! Just as the disciples continued to be amazed in the days and weeks that came after, we too can continue to learn and be astonished as we continue this journey with Jesus.

Easter is about rising from the dead, rising from the ashes of lost hope and rising from a life of loneliness and separation to a life of joining God and living with him forevermore. The cross is the greatest act of love where forgiveness reigns and reconciliation rules. Jesus is Lord. He is Risen. Hallelujah! This Easter, commit to Jesus and celebrate lives transformed and changed. In a world of...

James concludes his letter by writing about the ups and downs of community life and how PRAYER and PRAISE need to be woven throughout our relationship with God and one another. James’ final sentence focuses on people who may have wandered away from FAITH. Because James is about doing faith, not just having faith! Why not act now to pray and encourage people in their faith journey! Especially frien...

In chapter 5 of his letter, James encourages us to be patient, but, in reality, what does that mean? Well, in simple terms, being patient in waiting, patient in times of difficulty and patient with each other. But this is not easy - we all struggle with patience if we’re honest! The good news is we don’t have to struggle in our own strength - we have the power of the living Lord Jesus available to...

What is your life? That is the simple but very difficult question James asks in chapter 4, verse 14. This is more than a philosophical question. It is a question at the heart of what it means to be human and created in God’s image. Our life is precious, but it is a life that can be shaped, formed, filled and led by the love of God. Your life matters to God, so live it in such a way that God matter...

James does not pull any punches in our passage today. He reminds us that our behaviour towards each other is a window into the state of our hearts. And the language he uses to do this is both blunt and emotive. Why? To make the point that many in the early church had chosen to seek what the world offers rather than God. But if you, like the early church, are concerned that your heart may be pointi...

Who is the wisest person you know? Is wisdom based on intelligence and volume of knowledge? Or is wisdom based on emotional maturity? Or perhaps wisdom is about self-awareness. I mean, we’re all insecure right, but we might not all be self-aware? James asks the question, ‘Who is wise among you?’ He then shares what true, godly wisdom looks like. It is curious, but James connects wisdom with knowin...

Just do it'! Three words that capture the spirit of active faith from James 2:14-25, where he says faith without deeds is dead. But then the question is: 'What makes a Christian good deed compared to a worldly good deed'? And then: 'What is the ultimate good deed'?

Justice and equality for every human being is the heart of the good news of Jesus. As Paul says to the Galatians, 'There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.' In James's letter, the instruction is typically blunt: 'My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favouritism'....

Do you know someone who is a great listener? Listening shows attention, care, love, dignity, and the possibility of a deeper understanding of someone else and their situation and circumstance. People who really listen are such a gift to the community. James understood this. He wrote to small communities of Jesus' followers, telling them how important it is to listen well to one another and the wor...

We often look for the easy way out of difficult situations, but James turns this on its head, telling us to joyfully persevere when our faith is tested! He's right of course, because like exercise develops our bodies, when our faith is tested, our endurance has a chance to grow, making us more mature Christians.

When life hurts, it's sometimes difficult to be loyal to God. In such times, the letter of James is a great place to turn to for encouragement. It is a short book of the Bible written by the brother of Jesus to new Christians who face persecution for their faith. It is a practical, down to earth book that aims to help people stick with their newfound faith.

Ever had that moment when you're just about to go out but you can't find your car keys? Or you try to get into your home but the keys aren't where they should be? Just when you need them they seem to have disappeared. Our faith can be a bit like that - it can't be found when we most need it. As we start 2024, we explore what happened to the disciples that led to Jesus asking, 'Where is your faith?...

Where do you go to, to look for God? That may seem a strange question but go a little deeper and you may begin to answer it in surprising ways. The final talk in our series, ‘Seeking God’ is about finding God in all things. At the heart of this is discovering that God can be experienced when walking, working, meeting friends and socialising, reading scriptures and praying, watching the news and wo...

What does it mean to "die to self"? It's a strange phrase, but commonly used in the New Testament. Baptism is a sign of how we begin this journey. Romans 6:4 says, "For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives". It means moving from an old way to a new way of living.

Surfing, well, it’s probably the nearest thing to walking on water! Perhaps Peter should have tried it when he got out of the boat to follow Jesus (Matthew 14:22-36). This moment on the water is an example of how we interact with Jesus. We sometimes feel like we’re sinking. All is not well. But then Jesus reaches out to grab us. That is the amazing part!

In a world that has been historically, and is currently, subjected to dreadful wars, is it naïve to think peace is possible? If we are thinking of some kind of utopia, a place where there is no conflict and strife, then the answer is clearly no. But by looking at the words of the prophet Isaiah and John’s gospel, we can see that, whatever situation we are in, we may have hope and peace in Jesus.

What do you most desire? Are you longing for anything in particular? What do you want God to do? Perhaps these sound like selfish questions, but every one of us has a desire, and it just may be God-given! The truth is that godly desire is crucial to following Jesus. So give it a try. Who knows, you might even get some cake!? :)

Seeking God through the ‘Doorway of Repentance.’ That seems a serious topic and it is! But repentance can also bring joy and excitement! Listen and discover how and why!