Shirley Baptist Church Solihull, Sermons

God has a wonderful plan for the world. But what does that mean? At Christmas, we often focus on the details of Christ's birth. But as we start this Advent season, let's consider the big picture - God's grand plan for the world and how our lives fit into this.

Hands up anyone who has ever felt inadequate, unconfident, unsure, not good enough or vulnerable? I’m guessing there are quite a few hands in the air! Most of us have, at some point, felt like this and may even think that these things are signs of a weak character. Vulnerability is actually a strength, and here’s the best bit… God delights in using vulnerable people to do amazing things! Gideon in...

There is good news and bad news, and it’s always best to start with the bad! The bad news is none of us is perfect, no matter how hard we try. However, the good news is that God knows this! And not just that, God knows our flaws and imperfections and yet still gives us His grace and mercy, and enables us to step out in faith. God calls each one of us to step forward and, when we do, He equips and...

Remembrance Sunday. A time to reflect, remember and give thanks for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. However, sadly, in the world today, there are more wars than ever. Some quick research on the internet suggests that there are currently 130 armed conflicts worldwide. Double that of 15 years ago! The world is in chaos and crisis, and we may feel helpless. The story of Abigail in 1 Samue...

Do you remember Tales of the Unexpected? This was a popular series on UK TV between 1979 and 1988. In each episode, everyday folk got caught up in surprising and bizarre stories. Each story ended with a twist. This story from the bible is similar. Rahab, a lowly prostitute, gets involved with hiding two spies from Joshua's Israelite army. She does a deal, involving hanging a crimson ribbon in her...

Have you ever been too frightened to follow God’s call on your life? That may be a big question, so let's put it another way. What is stopping you from God’s leading and direction in your life? Maybe that’s still too big a question. Another try. Do you realise that God can use you, even if you don’t feel adequate? Ah, that may be easier to answer, and it was exactly what Moses thought when God spo...

Around 4000 years ago, a man living in what is now Syria gets a message from God. He is called to uproot and go to live in a foreign land called Canaan. So begins a story of God interacting with generations of his family over thousands of years. That story of God interacting with humanity lives on. The God who called Abraham at age 75 calls us now, whatever our age or background. The journey conti...

We are created to relate all our experiences to God. Even the bad ones. To hand over to God all our moments of questions and doubts, anger and pain, silence and suffering, that all may be an act of trust in Him and His presence in our lives. Psalm 10 ends with the reminder that God hears us.

We continue our Summer Psalms series by looking at Psalm 9. Let us use it to reflect on how God can be trusted, whatever the situation.

God’s mercies are new every morning, and such mercies, along with his love, affection, grace and goodness, are a gift for us all. We are noticed today, and He has made you for loving Him and living for Him today and for all eternity. So, we are pretty amazing and God thinks the world of us. This is the message of Psalm 8!

Have you ever needed to run from a situation or been falsely accused of something you didn’t do or wrongly spoken about behind your back? That’s what David is singing about in Psalm 7. The tune to the psalm isn’t the sweet melody of worship songs on a Sunday morning but the wild, erratic, jarring tones of irregular musical strains! David laments, cries out in despair for God to save, protect and b...

Forgiveness. When we've been hurt or betrayed, it is sometimes so hard to offer. But it is empowering for the giver. Joseph’s story in Genesis shows us the power of forgiveness. Despite being betrayed, Joseph forgives, reminding us that even in tough times God is at work, making things happen for His glory and our good.

In this psalm, the writer, King David, is not in a good place. In fact, he says he is 'flooding' his bed with tears. It's a lament. When was the last time you lamented? When was the last time you cried? Perhaps, sometimes, crying is good for you. Why? Because crying can open your heart, and maybe that's how God gets in? Maybe those kinds of tears are the ones that God counts?

Are you a morning person or a night owl? Psalm 5 is about seeking God in the morning and laying requests before God. It’s a discipline, but also a brilliant way to start each day. So let’s have a shout-out for the quiet time in the morning! The Psalm is also about learning to live a life well and being rooted in God’s love. We all need that, right? And maybe it begins when we wake up each day, bec...

As we continue our Summer Psalms, we dive into Psalm 4, reflecting on how God is trustworthy and present with us in all circumstances.

History has seen many battles and I’m sure many of us have faced battles of our own. David definitely did. We read here a Psalm when his own son was leading a rebellion against him! Yet David declares that he is not afraid of his enemies, and the Lord is victorious. How amazing that we can also make the same declaration and be convinced that no matter what we face in life, the battle belongs to th...

For thousands of years, in response to injustice, pain and suffering in the world, men and women have got on their knees and asked God - WHY? In today’s Psalm, God turns the tables and asks us that same question - WHY? Are you prepared to give Him an answer?

Psalms are prayers and hymns directed to God. They are words that express the range of human experiences from joy and thanks to pain and anger, and all this is brought before God. Psalms are full of honesty and openness. There is no spiritual performance or polite Christianity. Rather, faith is expressed in raw and real ways. Psalm 1 is about what it means to live wisely in the world today. Jesus...

On our frontlines, it is good to be prepared to share our story of why we have hope in Jesus. 1 Peter 3:14-16 explores what it means to give such an answer. What is important to remember is that those asking matter to God. So we need to make the effort to enter their world, the world of the curious, the questioner, the seeker and the lost. Whether we are asking the questions or attempting the answ...

God invites us to be champions of right living and fair dealing on our frontlines. Every day we have the opportunity to promote good, fair and just ways of living. But being bold and courageous and speaking up for others when we see injustice can be difficult. So how can we be encouraged to do this in our daily routines, with the people we meet, work with and live alongside?

Have you ever heard someone being described as 'the salt of the earth'? The Oxford Languages Dictionary says it means "a person or group of people of great kindness, reliability or honesty". When Jesus described his followers as the salt of the earth, what did he have in mind? And what was his warning about salt losing its saltiness? Hopefully, this gets your taste buds tingling and gives you a fl...

What does it mean to live a radical lifestyle - where grace and love are acted out? The story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 is the inspiration for such a lifestyle. This might be a well-known story heard many times before, but we shouldn't lose sight of the challenge of Jesus’ words - "go and do the same". What does it mean for us to do the same as the Good Samaritan? What might it look like to...

Monday to Friday, nine to five. For many people, that is their working week. But patterns of work change, full-time, part-time, shift work, some are employed, some work for themselves, some are paid while others are not. For some people, their week is taken up with caring responsibilities - for children or others needing help with some of life's basics. Whatever we do from Monday through to Saturd...

Wherever we are and wherever we go, God is present and at work. Everyone is made in God’s image and that is a beautiful thing. The truth is, however, that although each of us is gloriously made by God, we are tragically fallen too. So, how do we model God’s character when we are imperfect and fallen? The answer to this is to live a life by the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEA...

We are so excited to start our series on Growing on the Frontline. Join us as we explore 'The Big Picture' — the reality that we, as Christians, walk in every day.