Weekly Update - 5th August
Dear sisters and brothers
Last Sunday we had the great joy of baptising Kerry and welcoming both her and Muriel into membership of the church. Like many of her generation, Muriel had been baptised as a baby; and like many of Kerry’s generation – she had not. Both of them are now baptised members of the Church – in communion with all those who belong to Jesus Christ, and pledged to follow and serve him together with his people.
I wonder if you remember your baptism. If you are like Muriel, you probably don’t remember the event – although you may know something about it. For example, I know the church in which I was christened and I’ve been told something of the events of that day. It took place in the same church where, around 20 years later, I confirmed my faith, joined the church and made my baptism my own. On the other hand, you may be like Kerry and, having been baptised as an adult, you have a very clear memory of the event and its significance to you. When someone is baptised in the church, it is an opportunity for all of us – whether we have clear memories of the event or not – to remember the significance of our baptism. Remembering your baptism, in that sense, is something well worth doing.
Your baptism is first and foremost a sign of God’s grace towards you. One of the reasons that we baptise babies in the Church of Scotland is because God’s grace is not dependent on our being worthy or able to receive it. It is offered to us because God loves us. When faced with a nursery full of babies I don’t think any of us would ever divide them into the ‘deserving’ and the ‘undeserving’ – rather we would look upon them as all valuable and equally worthy of love and care. That is God’s attitude to all people. That is God’s attitude to you. You are valuable to God and God’s attitude to you is one of love and care. Jesus came to show that love. When we remember our baptism we remember how much we are valued.
But then, of course, we grow up. And perhaps we feel that we don’t deserve that same love because of some of the things that we have done. Perhaps we think that we have devalued ourselves in the eyes of God. When we remember our baptism, however, we are reminded that God has washed us clean of all that might devalue us or separate us from God’s love. This is why Jesus died for us – so that we could rise with him to new life.
And that new life is a life in which we are forever united with Jesus. When we remember our baptism (and our confirmation vows which made our baptism our own) we remember that we have promised to follow Jesus all our lives in faith and obedience. It’s worth remembering that – and checking that we are keeping that promise. And if you find that you are not doing that – or not doing it as well as you might – then remember how you’ve been made new in Christ, and remember that God values and loves you, before committing yourself again to faith in Jesus. Remember your baptism!
With love from Sarah and myself,
Ian
Rev. Ian Aitken
52 Ashgrove Road West
ABERDEEN
AB16 5EE
Tel. 01224 686929
iaitken@churchofscotland.org.uk
www.stockethillchurch.org.uk
Aberdeen: Stockethill Church of Scotland
Scottish Charity Number - SC030587