The Word in Biggleswade

Beginning with a rather dramatic story about a wasps nest, this week’s talk from Cliff explores freedom from fear. We all experience fears – from the obvious to the unusual and even the fear of fear itself – and it can be crippling to our lives. It can be something positive but usually it merely limits or traps us. God wants us to be free of fear, in the knowledge that we are loved. In the Bible,...

This week – while many of the church family are away together at Church Camp – Martin speaks on the latest of our “knowing the truth and the truth shall set you free” series. How do we love others, loving our neighbour as ourselves? To love others we need to actually love who we are first. It’s not about only wanting the best for ourselves but knowing that we are loved unconditionally, first. In t...

This Father’s Day, Ellen helps us to explore what it means to have freedom to be a child of God as well as having freedom because we are children of God too. We all have different experiences of our earthly fathers but God is the perfect father. What does it mean to be childlike – having humility, submitting to him, approaching him whenever and however we are. God accepts us just as we are and inv...

This week we are joined by Ully from Compassion UK to share about their work supporting children out of extreme poverty through child sponsorship. With reference to some of the stories of lives changed around the world, Ully unpacks some of the Sermon on the Mount – the radical manifesto of Jesus for his followers and all who are curious. We are called to be light, bringing out the God colours in...

We return to our series on Freedom this week, with a focus on Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman. Just by talking to her Jesus was breaking barriers – of race, gender and morality. Then he challenged the idea that worship should be restricted to one place. Worship is a relationship and not a location. We are made to worship something but called to worship God alone – a combination of heart,...

A special extra episode from our recent All-age service. Ali explains, with the help of some fruit and some young friends, what the Holy Trinity is and how the Father, Son and Spirit interact with one another. Three distinct parts but all forming one whole – you’ll never look at an apple in the same way again!   All age service Ali Ceaser Sunday 31st May   Find out more about our church community...

This week we explore the events of Pentecost – the coming of the Holy Spirit and the impact it had on the disciples and those they came into contact with. God poured out his Spirit so that his followers could tell others about His love for everyone who would listen. The disciples were transformed from a scared group to a passionate band of advocates and witnesses. 3000 people responded and were ba...

This week we focus on the role we all have to play and our responsibility to serve as Jesus did. Jesus sets us free to serve others - to not worry about status and importance, not to force own agenda. We recognise that we are part of the body of Christ – and we have a role and a part to play. Living a life that honours God by following the example of Christ to serve others. On our own we don’t sou...

This morning we celebrated another baptism – and another life reborn to follow Jesus. In this week’s talk, Martin reflects on what it means to be a follower of someone or something. The concept means something more detach and impersonal now but when Matthew followed Jesus, he literally got up and followed – it was physical, intimate and relational. Matthew was despised in the community but Jesus n...

This week we are joined by guest speaker Lisa Kerry from Central Baptist Association. Lisa reflects on forgiveness through the story of the Bible’s most dysfunctional family – Joseph and his brothers. Forgiveness is a long process – more of a long term project than an instant transformation. Forgiveness is emotionally messy – it’s a decision not a feeling, a process not an event and yet it is a pa...

In the second of our new series on freedom, Martin explores how we are loved and how we are called to love God and others. We were created out of love to love and be loved. Jesus said as the Father has loved Him, so He loves us – now we are to remain in His love and love those around us too. An unconditional love that is generous and sacrificial, unbreakable and stronger than death itself. We are...

At the start of a new series exploring freedom in Christ and the implications for our lives, Martin draws inspiration from Paul’s letter to the Galatians and the life of Nelson Mandela. There was a contemporary debate about freedom being achieved by submitting to Jewish law – but Paul explains that rather it is through faith in Christ alone. The law makes you aware of your sin and guilt but we are...

In the aftermath of the Easter story, the disciples have gone home and returned to the fishing they knew so well. Gareth unpacks their encounter with the risen Jesus. The chance to eat breakfast with their friend and Lord. After his miraculous fishing tips, Jesus challenges Peter and gives him the chance for complete restoration. It’s a restoration that completely recharges his calling and sends h...

Happy Easter to you from all of us at Biggleswade Baptist Church! On Easter Sunday, as we also celebrate a baptism, Martin links the story of the risen Jesus to the importance of baptism. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. But not everyone acknowledges this and that’s how sin came into the world. This holy rebellion was why Jesus had to come. To shed his blood. To die. N...

Guest speaker Mary Moody (from Central Baptist Association) joins us this week to share her reflections on these challenging passages from Joel – an ordinary man with an extraordinary message. In the context of a positive season for God’s people, Joel speaks words of dread and warning – too much sunshine can lead to drought and the prophecy was designed to shake them from their dangerous complacen...

Martin shares his reflections on the joy that comes as a result of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The disciples suffered sorrow because of Jesus’ death on the cross – but after the sorrow comes the joy of resurrection. New life comes death – and it had to happen through pain and suffering. No matter what we encounter in this life we can do so knowing we experience it with him. There is joy t...

This week’s sermon unpacks a well known yet rich passage of Scripture. Exploring the role of the Holy Spirit in the transformation we experience as believers. In order for the Spirit to come Jesus had to leave us and return to the Father. The Spirit is Jesus’ own breath that comes into us to give us strength and energy to do what we have to do. It’s through the Spirit that we know we can do what J...

This week’s talk – the latest in our “Truly truly” series – looks at the idea of the grain of wheat that falls to the ground, dies and is buried. Jesus is the grain, proving that God’s love is greater than even the power of death itself. Even the very worst of people can experience forgiveness and grace through the death of Christ if they genuinely accept him. All because of the cross and the seed...

With a nod to the work of Charlie Mackesy, this week Cliff unpacks the concept of the Good Shepherd and themes of kindness, trust and vulnerability in relationships. The shepherd would be fully committed to his sheep, laying his life down for them and blocking the one gate to the sheepfold. As with us, his people, he is the one route through which they find freedom and hope and are kept safe too....

As we celebrate the new life of one of our youngest church members, we also reflect on the advocate – the Holy Spirit – being sent to us by the Father. When the Spirit comes, he will guide us into all truth. Raising us like a parent raises a child. He only shares what He hears – words of love, forgiveness, grace, peace and joy from God the Father. The guiding, caring words of the Most High. We hav...

This week’s sermon focuses on Jesus’ teaching just after one of the great feeding miracles. The people wanted to see him perform but they missed the point of why he was there. Who he was and why it mattered. This seemingly lowly carpenter’s son was claiming God’s approval and pointed the people towards Moses and being fed in the wilderness. The people only focused on short term satisfaction of the...

This week Nick unpacks the story of Jesus healing someone on the sabbath, helping us reflect on both who Jesus is and how he goes about his work. His claims and deeds seem to contradict the commandments, which really stirs up the local religious authorities. But his words are backed up by his actions – in this case a miraculous healing of the sick. Jesus, the Son, does the work of God, he brings l...

With a little help from Boney M, Martin explores the story of Jesus and Nicodemus and what it means to be spiritually transformed. If we want to see God’s Kingdom and be part of His family, we need a second spiritual birth. Being born again brings freedom, belonging, meaning and hope. It’s an internal change that leads to external transformation too – with new understanding, standards, values, att...

The story of Philip and Nathanael is our subject for this week as the disciples come to follow Jesus and go on to tell others the great news too. Nathanael is seen by Jesus, even before they had even met. It prompts Nathanael to realise just who is Jesus is and what he came to do. It is a radical, life-changing conversion. Jesus is showing us that God’s presence is no longer just a place but a per...

This week Martin unpacks John 8:32 – our verse for the year. In these days of subjective truth, Jesus calls us to not just know truth but the truth. Objective truth is not connected to our own narrative, agenda, feelings and desires and objective truth leads to suffering and hurt for others. The one who was the truth – Jesus - lived the truth, spoke the truth and modelled the truth. We need to kno...