The Word in Biggleswade

As we begin a new year and start our week of prayer, we’re celebrating new life with our latest baptism service. New Year is a time for resolutions – although these pledges often only address the symptoms rather than the root cause. To truly change we need to make the change in our heart. Only God can do this – and this only takes place when we experience Christ’s love and sacrifice for us. His lo...

As we come towards the end of another year, Gareth explores the reasons why Jesus came to dwell among us – his purpose on Earth. Jesus came so that we might know the Father. To rescue us from sin. To bring abundant life to all those who would believe. There’s more to life than merely going through the motions – we are precious to Him, we are called to praise Him in good times and bad and walk humb...

A short reflection from our Carols by Candlelight evening service, which uses the current crop of festive TV adverts to explore what really makes it Christmas. Hope in difficult situations. Light in a dark world. Peace for anxious and worried hearts and minds. Love to turn away hate. Joy for lives filled with sadness. Certainty into the instability we see all around us. Forgiveness and friendship...

The next part in our ‘Small wonder’ Advent series, explores the context around the prophecy about the birth of Jesus. The sign given could have been seen as insignificant and ordinary. A baby born in poverty might be overlooked as unremarkable. But seen in the context of the bigger picture, this baby is the crucial piece that completes God’s plan. Tiny person. Huge purpose. Without Jesus at the ce...

Continuing our advent series inspired by The London Institute of Contemporary Christianity’s ‘Small wonder’ material. If you live in darkness, there is hope that something better is coming. Light into darkness is wonderful news. It brings hope, anticipation, joy – no matter how bad things are now, they will improve. Sometimes this wonderful news is easily missed – even when it is time to celebrate...

In the build up to Christmas, our advent series explores the wonder wrapped in our preparations – inspired by The London Institute of Contemporary Christianity’s ‘Small wonder’ series. Advent is not just preparation for the coming of the Lord Jesus but also preparing for the fulfilment of God’s plan. A plan put into place before the beginning of time! And much like Christmas itself, it’s going to...

As we continue our series on the bold statements Jesus made about himself, we arrive at ‘I AM the true vine’. Jesus shared with his closest friends about the most intimate of connections – the vine and the branches. If we remain in him, he will remain in us. It’s not a connection based on behaviour or achievement but rooted in relationship. That relationship will ensure we bear fruit so it’s impor...

Jesus said ‘I AM the Bread of Life’ and today’s sermon explores this claim and what it means for us as believers and for all people everywhere. It’s amazing how we can decide we need something that we previously never knew existed – and when it comes to our genuine needs it's also amazing the lengths we’ll go to get them met. Jesus is the very essence of spiritual nourishment and what everyone...

This week as, as we remember those who have fallen in battle on behalf of others, Mike leads us through a short reflection on the importance of remembering. Inspired by the Energize material we use in our youth and children’s work, he poses the question on whether remembrance matters to those who know someone who has been lost. How can remembering the people and events that have gone before become...

Reflecting on the story of the death of Lazarus this week, Martin unpacks the significance of the resurrected life. Jesus said “I am the resurrection” and promises us new life both in the present and in the eternal life to come. The power that brought Jesus back from the dead is the very same power that we have access to – if we are prepared to receive it and act in it. Are we ready to live like w...

This week Martin reflects on the resurrection of Jesus and how Jesus coming back to life after death marks him out as one who can truly make a difference and change our lives. His words are not empty promises. His actions are not powerless gestures. He is the living God and we can be brought into life with him too. As we celebrate the act of baptism and the symbolising of this resurrection, we kno...

This week we explore the challenge for us to spread his light to those around us and to beacon of Christ’s love for others. The church is a light on the hill but we are called to also take that light out to the places we find ourselves throughout the week too. Where the light goes, the darkness of our world is pushed back. In order to keep his light shining brightly we need to check our own lives...

This week we’re joined by a guest speaker (who is practically part of the family!) to mark Good Money Sunday. Matt Ceaser from JustMoney explores the subject of money – how we use it, what is says about us and how it can impact us and those around us. Using the Parable of the Talents as a basis he reflects on the complicated relationship between loaned money and the one doing the loaning. We are c...

This Harvest Sunday Martin reflects on the changing nature and rhythm of harvest. Most of us don’t grow our own produce any more so how do we ensure we are bringing our very best to God in worship of Him? We can offer our money, our time and our talents as a sacrifice of praise and gratitude, in acknowledgement of all that God has provided and how grateful we are to Him for that provision. We are...

Strong, challenging words from Paul's letter to Timothy to reflect on this morning, as Martin unpacks this week’s passage. We should beware the false teachers who pull us away from Christ and wrap up selfishness and greed in godly language. Instead we must hold on to the true teaching of Christ, that points us to Christ and leads us into deeper relationship with him and with our fellow believe...

This week, as we continue to reflect on putting God in His rightful place through worship, we focus on the call to respond to God’s love for us. We are called to devote ourselves, giving our whole lives, not just our Sunday praise, as an act of worship to Him. When we present ourselves as living sacrifices and allow ourselves to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, it gives us a new perspe...

Exploring the example of the early Church, this week we delve into our shared lives at the body of Christ. How invested are we in each other’s lives? How are we linked and making the effort to take an interest in those around us? Will we respond to the individuals in our community when they are hurting and hurt with them too? However we feel about our connection to Church, the challenge is to inve...

As we begin a brand new academic and Church year, Martin challenges us to think about what our priorities are for the year ahead – placing God as our primary focus for the months to come. What we put focus on and where our eyes are drawn to is what we will prioritise this year. If it is not God that holds our gaze we may get distracted and pulled away from him. Where are your eyes fixed right now?...

This week Cliff takes us back to basics as we explore the role and importance of service, highlighting examples of godly service throughout the Bible. Service is the expression of love, obedience and humility towards God and others. Not status or recognition but instead demonstrating faithfulness, sacrifice and reflecting God’s own heart. We’re all called to serve – an instruction and part of our...

How brave are you? Are you willing to face your fears and ask the sorts of questions where you might not like the answer? This week Gareth leads us through a reflection on the challenging words of Psalm 26 where David asks God to test him and examine his heart. We know we can convince others that we are doing the right thing and often we can even deceive ourselves but to leave our lives open to th...

This week we explore something simple but so shocking and so profound. Martin unpacks more about the identity of Jesus and the claims he made about himself. He referred to himself as Jehovah – the unchanging, eternal God – and it caused shockwaves for those who heard him. The Jews couldn’t believe him and the Romans would have seen as an anti-establishment revolutionary. But Jesus doubled down – n...

At the end of a fantastic week of Holiday Bible Club, Martin reflects on the story of Joseph and how God rescued his people. It’s just one example of God’s big rescue plan for mankind – that concludes with the ultimate saviour, Jesus. As Peter cried out for help in this morning’s reading, Jesus was there to rescue him. But he needed to be ready to ask and seek that help too. Are you ready to reach...

On the eve of our annual Holiday Bible Club, we conclude our short series on the themes of Joseph and his final test for his estranged brothers coming to Egypt to beg for food. The story shows that the worst moments can be used for God’s glory and Joseph gets to choose his grace moment – resisting revenge to be reunited with the ones who tried to get rid of him. There’s nothing we can do to interr...

Returning to the Holiday Bible Club themes in Genesis, Cliff explores the way God works through Joseph’s toughest season – suffering from the injustice of being wrongly accused and then wasting away in an Egyptian prison. God took this lowest moment and made it something significant. Something life changing. Something with long term impact for him, his family and his people. Are we ready to let Go...

Celebrating baptisms this week with the message of the Gospel. God knows us and he loves us. He’s been thinking us since time began. He’s focused on us above all things in creation – and he does everything he can to tell us this too. We all want to be known, loved, to be whole and holy, to have a purpose and a plan – and all this can be fulfilled through God. Nothing we can do will make him love u...