Growing Together in the Gospel

Acts Part 2: Let the Silence Speak (In the Upper Room)

Send us your questions or feedback here [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545356/fan_mail/new] Acts 1: 9-14 It's easy to forget that there was a significant period of time between Jesus' ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Probably 40 to 50 days.  Have you ever had to wait for something? I don't know about you but many of us are really poor at waiting. We are impatient to get on with things, we have plans, we need to do something. Didn't the gospels say, "Go into all the world ..."  They did. But the Bible also says, "Be still and know that I am God," and "Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly." (Psalm 37). It is during this time that God is preparing the disciples to go out and do things. But he is using the space, using the time, to form, to mould, to strip away so that when the disciples go out, so when they go to do the work that has been set for them, they do it relying on Him and not on themselves. Waiting on God often does three things in us: * It refines us – exposing our fears, impatience, and self-reliance while shaping our character. * It teaches us to listen – helping us become more attentive to God's voice through Scripture, conviction, peace, and prompting. * It intertwines us with God – drawing us into deeper relationship with him, not merely giving us answers but renewing our strength through his presence. The challenge is simple: don't substitute activity for dependence. The early Church understood that preaching, planning, serving, and mission all required the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. Reflection As we continue through Acts, may we become a people who pursue God's presence, wait expectantly, and make room for all that the Spirit wants to do among us. You can see past sermons on the Leominster Baptist Church website at  Leominster Baptist Church - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@leominsterbaptistchurch] and can contact us directly with your feedback or queries through the Contact Us link at the top of the episode description text. Leominster Baptist Church can be found on Etnam Street in Leominster, Herefordshire. To find out more about us, visit our website leobc.co.uk. If you would like to speak to someone about anything that you have heard on our podcasts please give us a call and ask for a chat.

Acts Part 1: Jesus' Ascension

Send us your questions or feedback here [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545356/fan_mail/new] Acts 1: 1-12 This podcast is the first in a new series of sermons on the Book of Acts – the second part of Luke’s investigation into the life of Jesus and his ministry. We give a lot of attention to Jesus' birth, death and resurrection, but the ascension is just as vital. Without it, everything Jesus had done would remain unfinished. The ascension is not an optional extra in the Christian faith; it is the moment that launches the next stage of God's mission in the world. The image of a rocket launch is helpful as we consider this passage. The first stage is essential, but it is not the final destination. It provides the thrust needed for lift-off, and then it is released so the mission can continue. In a similar way, Jesus' earthly ministry was not abandoned or made less important by his ascension. It was essential. But if Jesus had remained physically present in one place, the mission would have stayed local and limited. By ascending, he was not ending the mission but advancing it. At first, the disciples experienced the ascension as loss. Jesus was taken from their sight, and they stood looking into the sky. But the angels gently rebuked them. Why were they standing there? Why were they frozen? Because they had not yet realised that what looked like departure was actually release, and what felt like separation was actually the beginning of worldwide mission. The ascension means Jesus is not absent. He is exalted. He reigns at the right hand of the Father as our Prophet, Priest and King. As Prophet, he still speaks through his people as the gospel is proclaimed. As Priest, he represents us before the Father, securing our acceptance and giving us peace. As King, he rules over all things for the good of his people. The ascension changes how we live. It gives us joy instead of paralysis, confidence instead of fear, and purpose instead of passivity. Jesus leaving was not the end of the mission. It was the only way the mission could truly begin. Our Christ is not only crucified and risen, he is ascended, reigning, and at work still. You can see past sermons on the Leominster Baptist Church website at  Leominster Baptist Church - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@leominsterbaptistchurch] and can contact us directly with your feedback or queries through the Contact Us link at the top of the episode description text. Leominster Baptist Church can be found on Etnam Street in Leominster, Herefordshire. To find out more about us, visit our website leobc.co.uk. If you would like to speak to someone about anything that you have heard on our podcasts please give us a call and ask for a chat.

Elijah Part 7 - Let Go and Let God!

Send us your questions or feedback here [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545356/fan_mail/new] Elijah Part 7 - Let Go and Let God! 1 Kings 19 v 9-21 After Elijah's exhaustion and despair, God doesn't let him stay in his cave of self-pity. He gives him a clear, threefold mission: anoint Hazael as king of Syria, Jehu as king of Israel, and Elisha as his prophetic successor. It sort of sounds as if Elijah as just been, well sacked. And maybe he has been. But another way to reflect on this passage is that God takes us where we are. We are not forced to do things. Elijah was exhausted. God had met him, restored him and now, he recommissioned him. He has taken Elijah where he is and set him a new task and at the same time, allowed him to find an ending.  Elijah finds Elisha in the middle of ordinary work — ploughing a field. Without fanfare, Elijah throws his cloak over him, a symbolic act of passing on his prophetic mantle. Elisha asks only to say goodbye to his parents, then makes a radical break — he slaughters his oxen, burns his farming equipment, and feeds the people. There is no going back. He follows Elijah completely. Elijah was a steward and like all good steward’s he held in trust, the precious commission that God had given him. At the right time, he didn’t hold on to that commission; he passed it on with humility. Reflection: Take some time to read the text (1 Kings 19 v 9-21) and think about what we can learn about: * Renewed purpose: God meets Elijah’s despair with a new assignment – he takes him where he is and recommissions him. What does this say to us if we feel tired and that we may have disappointed God in our lives?  * Divine sovereignty: We are stewards. God's plan doesn't depend on just one person. When Jesus ascended, he said that he would send his spirit that we might do greater things than He. Think on this and ask yourself what that might mean in your life? * The cost of discipleship — Elisha burns his bridges to follow his calling by sacrificing his oxen and destroying his plough. Then, having bid his family farewell, he followed Elijah. What does this say to us today? * Succession — the prophetic mission will outlast any one prophet. Jesus said, "My yolk is easy and my burden is light." The great news is that God's purpose in His good world, does not depend on us. Even the most successful follower of Jesus is but a bit player in God's big picture.   You can see past sermons on the Leominster Baptist Church website at  Leominster Baptist Church - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@leominsterbaptistchurch] and can contact us directly with your feedback or queries through the Contact Us link at the top of the episode description text. Leominster Baptist Church can be found on Etnam Street in Leominster, Herefordshire. To find out more about us, visit our website leobc.co.uk. If you would like to speak to someone about anything that you have heard on our podcasts please give us a call and ask for a chat.

Elijah Part 6: The God Who Speaks

Send us your questions or feedback here [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545356/fan_mail/new] Elijah Part 6: The God Who Speaks. 1 Kings 19: 9-18 Elijah has run away from Jezebel and Ahab. He has been sustained by the angel of the Lord in the desert and he has arrived at Mount Horeb – the mountain of God. His instinct, when he has found himself in despair and dread, has been to run to his father, to God. And his father has loved him, and met him on the journey, and sustained him.  And when Elijah is at Mount Horeb, God asks him a simple question: “What are you doing here?” And Elijah pours out his heart – how the Israelites have rejected His covenant, broken down his altars, killed His prophets – all true.  I am the only one who is left, he says. Not true.  In this little coaching session, God teases out the thing that is holding Elijah back and weakening him. It’s not true that Elijah is the only one left and nor is it true, therefore, that everything sits on his shoulders. There are others and most importantly, there is God himself – a God who has just demonstrated his power and existence to all who would listen and see, in a confrontation with the very people who Elijah is afraid of. It’s in this famous moment, God speaks to Elijah – but actually, God has always been speaking to Elijah. The question has not been the speaking but is perhaps more about the listening. What has Elijah been listening to? What are we listening to? Who are we listening to? This episode from the depths of the Old Testament, sign posts us to a truth: that is was Jesus who met Elijah in the wilderness, it was Jesus who spoke in that still small voice and it is Jesus who stills speaks to us now.  The challenge of Elijah’s story is that even those who have seen the most amazing demonstrations of God’s power in their lives, can become discouraged, but finding God’s voice again is what puts Elijah back on track. Hearing His truth and not the enemy’s lies. You can see past sermons on the Leominster Baptist Church website at  Leominster Baptist Church - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@leominsterbaptistchurch] and can contact us directly with your feedback or queries through the Contact Us link at the top of the episode description text. Leominster Baptist Church can be found on Etnam Street in Leominster, Herefordshire. To find out more about us, visit our website leobc.co.uk. If you would like to speak to someone about anything that you have heard on our podcasts please give us a call and ask for a chat.

Elijah Part 5: Steward Not Saviour

Send us your questions or feedback here [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545356/fan_mail/new] 1 Kings 19:1-9  Following his great victory over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah received a death threat from Queen Jezebel, who was furious that her prophets had been killed. Despite his recent triumph, Elijah was seized by fear and fled for his life southward through Judah to Beersheba, leaving his servant there before venturing alone into the wilderness. Utterly exhausted and broken in spirit, he sat beneath a broom tree and prayed for death, telling God, "It is enough." He felt he had failed, that his ministry was worthless, and that he was no better than those who had come before him. He then fell into a deep sleep. Rather than rebuking him, God responded with remarkable gentleness. An angel appeared twice, touching Elijah and simply urging him to eat. Each time, Elijah found freshly baked bread and water beside him. There was no lecture, no disappointment — just quiet, practical care for a man at the end of his rope. The second visit came with added encouragement: "The journey is too great for you," acknowledging the weight of what lay ahead.  Restored by this provision, Elijah rose and travelled for forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God — a journey that mirrors the wilderness experiences of Moses and Israel. He took shelter in a cave, and the passage closes there, heavy with expectation, as God prepares to meet his weary but still-moving prophet. In this sermon, Dean relates Elijah's story to our own. He shows how we are encouraged to do the part that God has given us in our lives, and no more. He places us as stewards in this world, people who hold in trust that which has been put in our care, whether that is as parents, friends, or colleagues. Elijah  thought that his job was to save Israel and when it was obvious that the nation had not turned back to God, was deflated and defeated. It took a gentle God to remind Elijah that he was a steward who had a part. It is God who acts as saviour. You can see past sermons on the Leominster Baptist Church website at  Leominster Baptist Church - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@leominsterbaptistchurch] and can contact us directly with your feedback or queries through the Contact Us link at the top of the episode description text. Leominster Baptist Church can be found on Etnam Street in Leominster, Herefordshire. To find out more about us, visit our website leobc.co.uk. If you would like to speak to someone about anything that you have heard on our podcasts please give us a call and ask for a chat.