Christ Church: Aug 29, 2004: 10.00am

Morning Worship with Baptism

Hebrews 13:1-16

We shall shortly be beginning that part of the service where we baptise N. Before we do so, I want to briefly look at that Bible reading from the book of Hebrews that we heard a short while ago. Now Hebrews contains some very difficult theology, but the last chapter, part of which formed our reading contains some very direct and easy-to-understand words of advice.

But to understand them properly we must note to whom they were written. In verse 1 we have Keep on loving each other as brothers. We need to realise that these words were written to a group of Jews who had come to faith in Jesus Christ, and probably in a particular 'church'- that is an assembled group of Christians. This morning we meet as a group of Christians here in Christ Church (but it's the people and not the building who make the 'church'). And realise that much of what is written in the New Testament was written to groups of Christian people, with specific advice for them and not the populace of the place at large. One mistake we can make as a church is to impose the moral teachings of these letters on all and sundry. We are to teach not by precept but by example and by the lives we live.

Baptism, as we practise it in the Church of England is really an admission into church membership, and we're trusting God, and also parents and godparents for the later coming to a full personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. But as of this morning, N becomes a member of a Christian assembly, or 'church'. It saddens me that so many of the children who are brought in here for baptism we never see again: in saying which I am not trying to apportion any blame.

There are three verses that speak very directly that I wish to look at, if only for a minute or two each.

1. Verse 1

Keep on loving each other as brothers

'Love' lies at the very heart of Christianity. Of our God, John says in his first epistle very simply: God is love.

Now the word 'love' in the New Testament is not 'love' as is generally understood. It is not the love of a man for his wife, nor yet that of brother for brother or friend. It's not an overpowering emotion nor yet a general 'good will'. This comes near it: it is a practical concern for whst is best for the object of our Christian love- which may not always be what the person wants or desires. It is a very difficult love which is outside our human capacity. It can only be developed as God's Spirit has access to our hearts, our minds and our wills. It is a love which is best nurtured in a Christian fellowship.

2. Verse 9

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching.

True Christian character, true Christian faith cannot grow is a soil of false teaching. Now correct belief on its own is something sterile which will never make any difference to out lives, or mark us out, on its own, as true Christian believers.

But today more than ever, 'strange teaching' abounds, and the blame for this lies four-square at the door of the church. Much of what is taught from Christian pulpits today has little to do with what the Bible says. I would ask people who say, for example, that Jesus was never raised from the dead: 'How do you know?'. To those who would say the Old Testament is archaic and shows a different God from the New (which is doesn't), 'How do you know?'. If we make the Bible a 'pick-and-mix' then we lose all bearings. That is why we will give N a children's Bible where she can read some of the basis of the Bible.

3. (and here out of sequence), verse 5

Keep you lives free of the love of money and be contenet with what you have, because God has said "Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you"

Money has always been important. We always want more. Why? Money is the gateway to possessions and prestige, and ultimately to power. OK- you can't live without money, and no-one should seriously suggest otherwise. What is wrong is the hankering after more, and after more of the things money can buy. For it's a truism that the more you have, the more you want. Indeed one of today's perverse teachings in particularly American churches is the 'faith' teaching which says that if you want something, as a Christian, you should just 'name it and claim it'. That is a perversion and an abomination in God's eyes.

No- and the thing above all that I want you to take away with you this morning, if you forget all else- thing which above all else that I desire that perents and godparents teach N is that because of who and what God is, there is no need to go after more money and 'things' for God is the one who will never forsake us. All through our lives he will seek after us, seek us out. Francis Thompson wrote a famous poem- 'The hound of heaven', which depicts God chasing after us- until we turn round to him and allow him his heart's desire to embrace us. Teach that to N- God desires to embrace and hold him/her in his arms of everlasting love