In this episode of Calling City Life, Richard, Ian, Brodie, and Jacq conclude their series on the Holy Spirit by exploring the difficult reality of suffering through the lens of Romans 8. The team unpacks the "three groans" of creation, the believer, and the Spirit, delving into deep theological questions about whether God experiences pain while addressing practical challenges like mental health and the pressure Christians often feel to "suffer well." Ultimately, this conversation offers a compassionate reminder that we do not groan alone—the Spirit intercedes for us in our weakness, and our present struggles are held within the sure hope of future glory.

Based on Romans 8, this sermon explores the inevitable reality of suffering, which is framed as a "groaning" shared by creation, by believers, and by the Holy Spirit. It explains that while hardship is a part of both the broken world and the Christian life, it is not without purpose and can be a place of transformation. The central message of hope is that in our weakest moments, when we don't even know how to pray, the Spirit himself intercedes for us, meeting us in our suffering and empowering us to endure.

In this episode, Brodie discusses his sermon on 2 Corinthians 5:14-21, focusing on the theme "The Spirit in the Future". He explains that with Jesus's resurrection, the "age to come" has entered our present, making believers "God's eschatological people". This new identity in Christ is a change in both location and time , meaning followers are part of the "new creation" now. This status changes how believers relate to one another, moving beyond worldly divisions like politics to see each other as fellow new creations. The group explores how this identity calls everyone to a "ministry of reconciliation," urging them to first "be reconciled to God" and then extend that reconciliation to others , practically by building friendships with those who are different.

The sermon "The Spirit and the Future," part of the "Naturally Supernatural" series and based on 2 Corinthians 5:13-21, explains how the Holy Spirit forms believers into God's "eschatological people" by bringing God's future into the present. In Christ, we are a "new creation" and have been "relocated" from death to life. While we must actively shed our "old world ways" (as "Grandpa lives in our bones"), this new life is compelled by the "love of Christ." This love gives us a new perspective, causing us to "regard no one from a human point of view" and transcending worldly divisions. This new identity commissions every believer with the "ministry of reconciliation," calling us to be reconciled both vertically to God and horizontally to one another, thereby becoming living examples of God's righteousness and justice in the world.

In this episode of the "Calling Us to Life" podcast from Queen's Park Baptist Church, hosts Richard and Jacqui are joined by pastors Iain and Brodie to dive deep into Iain's recent sermon on Romans 15.

The conversation is a practical and honest debrief of the sermon's "3 P's" of a Spirit-led mission: Presence, Power, and Proclamation.

• Presence: The team discusses the challenge of being "present" in the world. Referencing a quote about "comfortable pews" seeing more of Christians than the "multitudes", Jacqui asks how to balance structured church activities with building authentic, day-to-day relationships with people outside the church.

• Power: What do you do when your faith feels "eroded" and you don't feel the "confident hope" the Holy Spirit is supposed to provide? Brodie shares a powerful insight, emphasizing that our confidence isn't in our feelings but in the good news itself, and that being authentic about our struggles is essential.

• Proclamation: The group talks about the necessity of speaking the gospel, not just living it. Brodie candidly shares his own struggle with "flying the plane" but failing to "land it"—having great spiritual conversations but stopping short of an actual invitation. The team explores what a clear, accessible invitation looks like in a post-Christian world.

The episode wraps up with a real-life story about how a simple search for barn owls led to a spiritual conversation, illustrating how the 3 P's work together.

This sermon is a powerful call to action based on Romans 15:15-19, and it will challenge how you see your everyday life as a Christian.

Iain dives deep into what it really means to be a minister of the "good news." He explains that sharing your faith isn't just a chore or a duty; it's a profound act of worship, what Paul called a "priestly duty."

To make it easy to remember, Iain breaks his message down into three key ideas (all starting with "P"!):

1. Being Present: It's not just about ideas; it's about being physically present and engaged with people in specific places. Iain uses Paul's journey from "Jerusalem... to Illyricum" as the model for us to be in our communities.

2. The Holy Spirit's Power: This is the core of it. You don't have to do this in your own strength! Iain passionately reminds us that this is all accomplished through the "power of the Spirit of God," which includes signs, wonders, and the incredible hope only the Spirit can give.

3. The Act of Proclamation: While our actions are vital, Iain makes a strong case that the gospel must be spoken. The good news needs words to be fully understood and received.

This week, we deliver a powerful double-header, exploring two vital and often challenging gifts of the Spirit: Healing and Prophecy. Brodie tackles the complex theology of healing, emphasizing the importance of expectancy and faith while acknowledging the reality of suffering and unanswered prayer, urging us to step out in boldness rather than merit-based faith. Ian delves into prophecy, demystifying it as an accessible, Spirit-given ability to listen for God's voice, encouraging us to practice listening and offering words of strengthening, encouraging, and comforting affirmation to one another, often found simply by pausing to take a "beat" in our everyday lives.

This sermon emphasises that the Christian life is naturally supernatural, with a focus on prophecy it highlights that God actively speaks, and believers are called to be active listeners, much like disciples learning from their master. Prophecy is presented not as infallible scripture, but as a valuable spiritual gift—putting into human words what God brings to mind—primarily intended to strengthen, encourage, comfort (1 Cor 14:3), and guide the church community. Guided by the Holy Spirit (our "internal teacher"), believers should eagerly desire this gift (1 Cor 14:1) and use it lovingly and responsibly, always testing its content, to build up the body of Christ.