King's Church Birmingham

In this introductory message we gain an insight into Paul’s aim in ministry. What? The obedience of faith. Why? For the sake of His name. Where? Among all the nations. He writes to the church in Rome to establish his credentials and to build their confidence in the gospel that they might support him in his ministry to Spain. We uncover how Jesus is the long-awaited Son, the one who ushers in a new...

The final instalment of our Abraham series sees the marriage of Rebekah and Isaac. We note the care and attention Abraham and his servant invest in finding a wife for Isaac; a wife who will be a follower of Yahweh, of godly character, willing to become a woman of faith by leaving everything in the hope of God’s promises. We will find principals for finding a spouse in our day as well as looking be...

The promised son was born but the promised land had not yet been received. Surely if Abraham and Sarah had believed the first promise, they also believed the second. They dreamed together of inheriting the land, to settle, to see everything fulfilled. But Sarah died as they are both still sojourners and nomads, dwelling in tents, possessing nothing. Abraham has no land to call his own, and now Sar...

We have reached the theological summit of the story of Abraham. For 40 odd years and through 10+ chapters we’ve traced the journey of God’s man of faith. The ups and downs and how God has been shaping him into the Abraham we find now. God asks of Abraham one more monumental request; to sacrifice the child of promise. Abraham in obedience is fully consecrated to God – he has given up his past and n...

Twenty-five years after God first called Abraham and promised him that he would be the father of nations, we get to celebrate that his son, Isaac, is born. Abraham is a hundred years old, and Sarah is in her nineties, but they have borne a child! What an incredible miracle that speaks of the goodness and faithfulness of God. How wonderful to have a God who does what He says He will do, for whom no...

Haven’t I read this passage before? We seem to have a rerun of chapter 12 where Abraham pretends that Sarah, his wife, is his sister, and she is taken by another man, until God comes to the rescue. Abraham leaves his dwelling to sojourn in Gerar, a place he perceives to have ‘no fear of God’, has he learned nothing from Lot? However, he is mistaken, as Abimelech acts with integrity and heeds the v...

This week Derek takes us through Genesis 19. In this three point sermon we note 1. God’s judgement on Sodom & Gomorrah. A judgement that is neither rushed nor undeserved but is the appropriate response to the horror of sin. 2. The generous mercy of God and His kindness to Lot and his family who did not merit this favour. We also look beyond them to Jesus in whom we too can receive generous kindnes...

After the mess and complications caused by the birth of Ishmael in chapter 16, thirteen more years pass when suddenly God reappears to Abram. God Almighty reveals Himself & renews the covenant promises of chapter 15 giving Abram more detail about the land that he will be given, the son who will come through Sarai and that this covenant will be everlasting. God gives Abram & Sarai new names as a si...

After 10 years of waiting in Canaan, Sarai proposes to Abram her husband, that he take Hagar a maidservant, to be his wife, to bear a child and unlock the promises God had given them. Abram agrees and Hagar conceives. However, the results are catastrophic. Using language reminiscent of the Fall we see total relationship breakdown, blame & abdication of responsibility as Hagar is forced to flee. Fo...

Abram is afraid of reprisals after his unexpected victories, which leads him back to the promises that God made him. He is unsure of whether God will come through for him, like we often are, and questions the promises that God has made him. We can learn from how he asks God from a position of faith. God kindly shows Abram how his promises are more than he had previously assumed, and then makes a c...

After Lot’s foolish decision to dwell in Sodom he is kidnapped, and Abram has to come to his rescue. We note how this foreshadows Jesus rescuing us from our peril and our enemies; Satan, Sin & death. That Jesus will rescue us, like Lot, even when we’ve blown it, even when it’s our fault, should make us stop and worship. We are also introduced to this mysterious figure Melchizedek, who appears & bl...

In this message the focus is as much on Abram’s nephew Lot as it is on the great patriarch. The problem of too much wealth has divided families throughout human history and Lot falls foul of this great temptation. He leaves Abram and the promises of God for the promise of fertile lands and increased prosperity. Such is the temptation he is oblivious and naïve to the dangers of Sodom and the true c...

The first half of Genesis 12 is a wonderful portrait of the grand promises of God, combined with radical faith as Abram leaves all in search of the heavenly vision. The second half of chapter 12 paints a much darker portrait. Abram leads his family away from Canaan to Egypt, which leads to compromise and handing is wife over to Pharaoh and his harem. Abram ends up out of control, in a foreign city...

We are introduced to Abram, a Hebrews 11 hero of the faith; yet what we immediately discover is that this is still very much God’s story. The story of God’s initiative, God’s covenant, and God’s promises to bless. How God promises a pagan man, with a barren wife, from an inauspicious family, that he will bear many children and bless every nation on the planet. Despite his unimpressive resumé we le...

Genesis 12 begins with the words ‘now the Lord said to Abram…’ but who was Abram? Why did God speak to Him? And why did God make such incredible promises to an idolater from Babylon? In the first part of our new series ‘Adventures with Abraham’ we take a look at the problem of sin. The problem facing all mankind. The reason the world is not all as it should be, and we trace the meta-narrative of t...

This is the final letter in our series, Jesus’ letter to the church in Laodicea. It is the strongest letter in terms of rebuke and alarmingly it is to a church that looks most similar to us in 21st century UK. The church is neither hot nor cold but is lukewarm and Jesus says if they remain this way he will have no choice but to spit them out of His mouth. The challenge to us in this passage is ‘am...

This is the penultimate of Jesus’ seven letters to the churches. This is a letter of undiluted praise, to a church, though lacking in size and power, which is commended for its faithful witness – ‘you have not denied my name’. Jesus introduces himself as the one who holds the keys of David; the one who grants access to God’s presence and His heavenly treasuries. The one who also sets before them a...

We look at the fifth of Jesus’ 7 letters to the churches, the letter to the church in Sardis. This church looks great. They have a reputation for being alive and yet Jesus’ damning indictment is they are in fact dead. The call to any who will hear is to wake up. The troubling thing when you’re asleep is that you often don’t realise it. This church may have had ‘good’ meetings, read the bible, pray...

We look at the fourth of Jesus’ 7 letters to the churches, the letter to the church in Thyatira. This church is commended for its church growth – in Christlikeness. However, Thyatira was renowned for its many trade guilds, and to be a member usually required participating in a common meal dedicated to a patron deity. Christians who refused to participate in the life of the guilds would thus find t...

We look at the second of Jesus’ 7 letters to the churches, the letter to the church in Smyrna. This church receives no rebuke and the Smyrnaeans are encouraged as they undergo persecution from the authorities and slander from the Jews. However, we are in for as surprise. Rather than promising to strike down their enemies, Jesus asks them to remain faithful, through tribulation, even unto death. We...

We look at the first of Jesus’ 7 letters to the churches, the letter to the church in Ephesus. We note how Jesus first encourages these believers for their toil, patient endurance, for bearing up and not growing weary, for fighting for sound doctrine and not bearing with those who are evil. And yet Jesus has this against them – they have forsaken their first love. Jesus takes this extremely seriou...

There’s much in our world that can cause us to lose confidence – the geopolitical situation between London, Moscow & Washington, the church supposedly in decline in our nation, we may ask; what happened to the promises of God, His promise to build His church. John writes to 7 churches who are being persecuted, who may be tempted to be discouraged and disillusioned and gives them, and us, a Revelat...

Jesus asks Simon the Pharisee – do you see this woman? Jesus is worshipped, extravagantly by a sinful woman, she knows that she is a sinner and yet Jesus totally forgives her sin. Simon, by way of contrast fails to realise the depth of his transgressions. Poignantly and yet lovingly Jesus exposes this Pharisaical way of thinking by making Simon witness Jesus’ forgiveness of a woman of the city. Je...

Paul encourages the Roman believers that in light of God’s mercies they are to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice, their spiritual worship. We take a look at what that means for us today, how we too are to have our minds renewed by Christ and specifically how that means more than just right information but right valuing. That Jesus truly is our treasure, the pearl of great price and that aff...

This week we take a look at the spiritual gift of prophecy. We marvel at the fact God longs to speak with us and be in intimate fellowship with us. We are to eagerly desire this gift that we might build one another up, be strengthened and encouraged and hear what God might say to His people. Full of practical wisdom & insight let us pursue this gift of God together.