{"id":2497,"date":"2019-01-13T12:40:39","date_gmt":"2019-01-13T12:40:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk\/web\/?page_id=2497"},"modified":"2019-01-21T10:58:29","modified_gmt":"2019-01-21T10:58:29","slug":"sermon-13th-january-2019","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk\/web\/information\/sermons\/sermon-13th-january-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Sermon – 13th January 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sermons index<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baptism of Christ – morning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Sunday 13th January 2019<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Epiphany 2 – Baptism of Christ – morning
\nIsaiah 43. 1-7
\nLuke 3. 15-17; 21-22<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Revd Preb Maureen Hobbs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\"Maureen<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

OK, so how many of you have said at some time over the Christmas holiday or at New Year \u2013 \u201cNever again!\u201d, \u201cWhy do I do it!\u201d; made a resolution to lose those extra pounds; to give up alcohol \u2013 (dry January anyone?); to stop smoking \u2013 again. How many of us when confronted by the bank statement \u2013 and the credit card statement – in the reality of January, gasp in horror at the consequences of our generosity \u2013 or is it guilt? Presents given in lieu of time spent with our loved ones?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remorse\nis something that we human beings are really good at \u2013 especially\nat particular times of the year and the first few days and weeks of\nJanuary must be the tops when it comes to guilt and resolutions to\nchange\u2026 to repent, if you like. Only, despite the remorse, we are\nnot too good at the repentance \u2013 not beyond a few hours or a few\ndays anyway. I won\u2019t embarrass you by asking how many of the New\nYear\u2019s resolutions you have broken already, and I won\u2019t tell you\nabout mine \u2013 not quite two weeks into 2019! \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So\nI suppose anything that helps us to stick with the resolutions \u2013 to\nturn our initial resolve into real repentance \u2013 to really change\nour ways \u2013 change our life \u2013 anything is going to be good?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\ndon\u2019t suppose many of us associate the ritual of baptism with our\nadult desires to turn our lives around? After all, for most \u2013 if\nnot all, of us \u2013 this is something that happens when we are quite\nyoung (Darcey\u2019s age or even younger) and we don\u2019t have much\nactive memory of it. But Baptism is very much about turning away from\nall the difficult things in life that get in the way between us and\nGod, and positively turning our gaze to God as revealed in the person\nof Jesus of Nazareth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John\u2019s\nbaptism was all about repentance \u2013 making good for the unclean\nactions and thoughts we all commit…. At least all except Jesus\nhimself, because wasn\u2019t he supposed to be the sin-less one? So why\ndid he come seeking baptism do you suppose….<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus\u2019\nbaptism marks the start of something new \u2013 newly created in the\nworld; never before experienced… John came to tell people that they\nneeded God in their lives like never before \u2013 and I think we still\ndo. And the best way to realize that is to be baptized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly,\nJesus\u2019 baptism tells us something new about the very nature of God.\nOur needs are not going to be met by the same old tired religious\nresponses. No, this is different. God is going to act in a new way!\nHe is not remote and aloof. In the person of Jesus, God enters into\nour experience \u2013 all of it! So he too will experience the shock of\nbaptism. He is no longer going to be the kind of teacher or lecturer\nwho stands afar off and tells us what to do in dry academic terms. He\nis prepared to get in among us and show us by example how to live our\nlives in future. He involves himself with his people, and that is the\nmark of his saving love for us. That is what can give us the courage\nto live the life of faith. \u201cDon\u2019t just tell us what to do \u2013\nshow us!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thirdly,\nas we turn towards Christ and our new life together, we are formed\ninto a new community \u2013 one \u201cin communion\u201d \u2013 which is why\nbaptism is the fundamental and most important rite of initiation for\nChristians. Confirmation is a good step to take, but it is only the\nsecond part of the baptism that was begun for us (most of us) as\nchildren. So the physical form of the communion \u2013 bread and wine,\nshould never be denied to those who are baptized who are (as the\nprayerbook puts it) \u201cdesirous of confirming the promises made for\nthem at baptism.\u201d Anyone who feels the urge to belong may come and\npartake of bread and wine and blessing…. although of course it is\ngood to make an adult confirmation of that too. Baptism is a bridge \u2013\nnot a roadblock. In baptism we don\u2019t reach the end of anything,\nrather we turn a corner into a new path that opens life up in\nstriking ways \u2013 part of Christ\u2019s new community. Baptism always\nspeaks of belonging to Christ\u2019s people. It always challenges us;\nare we on the road with and to Jesus, or not?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Baptism of Christ – morning Sunday 13th January 2019 Epiphany 2 – Baptism of Christ – morning Isaiah 43. 1-7 Luke 3. 15-17; 21-22 Revd Preb Maureen Hobbs OK, so how many of you have said at some time over the Christmas holiday or at New Year \u2013 \u201cNever again!\u201d, \u201cWhy do I do it!\u201d; … <\/p>\n

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