Baptism of Anne Voynikova

We come to the baptism of Annie Voinikov. We baptise the children of believers not because

! and not because of tradition, but because we believe the Bible directly commands it.

! And we believe that God, in the way that He deals with people, always deals with people

! by a covenant.

He always deals with people by His promises. We've seen that haven't we with Adam and Eve?

He deals with them by a covenant. And we also see that throughout the Bible, people are not

just individuals. God deals with us as families, as covenant people. So the great promise to

Abraham is, I will be your God, and you will be my people, and I will be the God of your

children also. And so in the Old Testament, the covenant sign was given to baby boys.

It was given to baby boys, circumcision. And it was a cutting away. Now that didn't mean

that those children didn't need to be born again. Of course they did. The Bible talks

again and again, doesn't it, about our hearts being circumcised. They needed to be born again.

They needed to have a right relationship with God. But they were part of the covenant people

of God. They haven't believed the promises for themselves, but they belong to the people.

And so as you come to the New Testament, we see that the Passover is replaced by the Lord's

Supper. We see that circumcision is replaced by baptism. Let me just read to you from the

book of Colossians. These verses. It says, in Him you were also circumcised. That is in

Christ. In the putting off of the sinful nature. That is what circumcision pointed them to.

Not with the circumcision done by the hands of men, but with the circumcision done by baptism.

Done by Christ. Having been buried with Him in baptism. And raised with Him through your

faith. In the power of God who raised Him from the dead.

It's saying that what circumcision meant and what baptism means are the same thing.

And God still deals with people, doesn't he, by nature of a covenant. And the covenant is,

this promise is for you, and for your children, and for all who are far off. That is Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

God dealt with His people and their children by a covenant in the Old Testament. So when you

come to the New Testament, children are not worse off, are they? They are still part of the

people of God. So what does it mean for Annie? Little Annie Voynichoff this morning. Well, I

found this book when I was up in Aberdeen. And lots of books on baptism are absolutely awful.

But this book is very, very helpful. So let me say to you what your baptism means. At your baptism,

God tells you that for you, Jesus Christ came into the world. You are baptized because you belong

to God. It is God's sign of covenant ownership. And you are part of God's family. For you,

Jesus Christ came into the world. You children here. For you. Christ Jesus came into the world

to save sin. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to become human like us without sin. For you,

Jesus lived and showed God's love. While He lived on earth, Jesus was a healer, a teacher,

a friend and so much more. For you, He suffered the darkness of Calvary and cried at the last,

it is finished. Jesus showed His great love for us by dying on the cross. The Bible tells

us that Jesus' death takes away the sin of the world. For you, Jesus triumphed over death

and rose in newness of life. But death was not the end. Jesus came back to life. Now we can live

each day with God's power. And when we die, we can live with God forever. For you, He ascended

to reign at God's right hand. When Jesus left earth, He returned to heaven. He talks to God,

the Father, about us and sent the Holy Spirit with us all the time. And this He did for you

before you knew anything of it. Jesus lived, died and rose for us because He loves us. And

we don't have to do anything to earn His love. And so the word of Scripture is fulfilled.

We love because God loved us first. And we see God's love for us through Jesus. Jesus shows

us how to love so that we can love God and other people. And when you think about your baptism,

all of us, remember that God loves you. Remember that you are part of God's worldwide family.

And no one can take these promises away from you. These promises are for you. They are for

you. Each one of you has been baptized. And so believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be

saved. Love those promises and believe them. Bristol, Paul, Maria and Annie do come to the

front. If you bought one of these books, if you're a child who's been baptized, come on,

I'll give you one. If you're an adult, you can buy it. Come on.

Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray.

Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray.

we praise you that you are the God of the covenant

that you have made promises

that you will be our God

and we will be your people

and you will be the God of our children

so we pray for this household

this family

pray that they will love you

and they will follow you

and Christo will say all the days

as for me and my house

we will serve the Lord

so we thank you for the sacrament

we thank you for this baptism

which is a picture of your covenant love

which is a sign and a seal

and shows us that we belong

to your family

shows us that the blood of Jesus Christ

cleanses us and washes us from all sin

so we pray for her

that she will love you all her days

that she will follow the Lord Jesus Christ

and you will be her shepherd

so we pray this in Jesus' name

Amen

I'm going to ask you questions

I don't have a time

I'll try and hold it

Do you acknowledge

that you are saved only through faith in Jesus

and that you trust in God

anything you have done or will ever do

but only in the finished work

is there to come to Christ

by which you took upon yourself

a penalty for sins

I can't beat the suspense

in the moment

Do you realise that baptism

is not a saving ordinance

and though it signifies Annie's membership

in the covenant community

it is not a matter of magic

and do you understand

that she is herself responsible

to receive Christ as Saviour and Lord

as she becomes accountable to him

Yes, really long

Do you in this sacrament

covenant together with God

to raise Annie

in the instruction, obedience

and worship of the Lord

to pray for and with her

to keep her in the fellowship

of God's people

to be faithful

and loving in your home

to be an immediate example of faith

and therefore

to do your utmost

to lead her

to a saving knowledge

of Christ at an early age

Amen

Do you acknowledge

that Annie is a gift from God

who is of course

to be cherished and enjoyed

but who belongs at last

not to you

but to God

Do you undertake

to assist her

in every possible way

as she seeks

to lead a life

of devoted service

to her Lord and Saviour

Do you with God's help

undertake

not to hinder Annie

should she feel called

to serve God

in a far away place

and do you with God's help

undertake

not to complain against God

should Annie die before you

Do you, the members

of this congregation

agree to pray

for Frisco and Maria

as they raise Annie

in the Christian faith

and to support them

in their efforts

by providing her

with further examples

of obedience

and service to God

and should they neglect

their God given task

will you in all humility

rebuke and correct them

Amen

Amen

It's heavy

I'll take this off

Annie

Christopher

Annie

Christopher

Christopher

Boylecrow

I baptise you

in the name

of the Father

the name

of the Son

and in the name

of the Holy Spirit

May God bless you

and keep you

May God make

his face

to shine upon you

and may God

turn his countenance

towards you

and give you peace

Amen

and turn to Luke

Luke 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6

Luke chapter 6

Luke 6 · chapter mention

Luke 6

Luke 6:12

verse 12

and 26

this morning

I had the privilege

this week

of speaking at

Paul

Claree's funeral

and it was a joy

to be able to do that

and yet it was

difficult to think

of Paul

to express this

in a few words

and what he meant

to myself

and to many of you

and when you go

to a funeral

it gets you thinking

doesn't it

I wonder what people

will say

at my funeral

I wonder what

the people

will say

who give the tribute

they might say that

I want it very brief

right

and four hymns

that's it

done just in an hour

and I guess

we'd all like

to be people

who are funeral

people

will say

they lived well

one thing

we wouldn't want

people to say

is that he

wasted his life

I'm reading a book

by John Piper

an American pastor

that's called

Don't Waste Your Life

and I'm going to

read you

one of the stories

that he tells

but I haven't

got the book

with me

but it's on page

45

if you want to

remember

it's about a

couple that

retire to

Florida

and they've

been in business

for years

and they retire

to Florida

and each day

they go along

the beach

in Florida

and they collect

shells

and their house

is full of

the most amazing

collection of

shells

they check out

in retirement

and that is

what they do

day in

day out

they go onto

the beach

and they look

for shells

and John Piper

shells

not shells

and John Piper

says when they

die they will

stand before God

on the day of

judgment

and God will

say what did

you do with

your life

and they will

get out

their trays

and their trays

of shells

and John Piper

says that

is a tragedy

I mean that is

what so many

of us want

don't we

we won't get

to the point

where we have

enough money

maybe not too

much

where we can

just take it

easy

that is the

kind of dream

of life

where we can

just relax

and take it

easy

the greatest

challenge to

the spread of

the gospel

in this country

and the good

news about the

Lord Jesus

in the western

world

is not the

kind of

bonkers

secular atheism

of somebody

like Richard Dawkins

it is not

the Islamist

extremist

radicals

that is not

the greatest

threat

it is

Christians

who live

for this

world

rather than

the next

it is

Christians

whose lives

look

like everybody

else

around them

it is people

who call

themselves

Christians

and yet

their

priorities

are no

different

from those

who don't

have Jesus

as Lord

that is the

greatest threat

to the spread

of the gospel

and the growth

of the church

in this

country

and that is

why when we

come to Luke

6 we've got

big problems

with it

especially when

you look down

at verses 22

and 23

blessed are you

when people

hate you

when they

exclude you

and insult

you

and reject

your name

as evil

because of

the son

of man

rejoice in

that day

and leap

for joy

because great

is your reward

in heaven

now if you

are anything

like me

verse 22

does not

sound like

blessing

does it

sounds like

a nightmare

and if we're

going to

understand

why this

is the life

that all

of us

should desire

well we

need to see

first of all

that we are

an ordinary

people

we are

ordinary

people

now at the

beginning of

this passage

the Pharisees

the Jewish

leaders

have been

told that

Jesus has

come to

do a

new

thing

they

can't

squeeze

Jesus

into

their

legalistic

understanding

of the

Old Testament

law

he has

come to

create

a new

people

of God

and look

what happens

in verse

12

do you see

what they

say

well do you

see what

Jesus does

one of those

days Jesus

went out to a

mountainside

to pray

and spent

the night

praying to

God

so it seems

Jesus is far

more into

24-7

prayer than

I have

whenever

there is a

big step

forward

for Jesus

in his

mission

he talks

to his

father

about

heaven

he prays

and he

spent the

whole night

in prayer

and verse

17

when morning

comes

sorry

verse 13

when morning

comes

he calls

his disciples

the 12

of them

whom he

designated

apostles

now if we

were Jews

our hearts

would be

racing at

this stage

we would

be singing

12

that's like

the 12

tribes of

Israel

isn't it

that is

the people

who went

up to

make up

the people

of God

and now

Jesus is

choosing

12 new

leaders

and they

are going

to be

the witnesses

!

the foundation

of the new

people of

God

is going

to be

built

the church

those people

who have

trusted Jesus

in history

who have

seen him

and the church

is going

to be built

on that

foundation

so you

would expect

them wouldn't

you to have

a great CV

you would

expect them

to be very

impressive

you would

expect them

to be leaders

of the day

to be high

achievers

you'd expect

well you'd

expect people

to be able

to mean

them all

so let's

do that

if the elders

and the deacons

would look up

and not look

down

and let's

test the elders

and the deacons

alright

no looking down

alright I can

see you

so let's

shout out

elders and

deacons

in the middle

of the 12

disciples

Bartholomew

Bartholomew

well done

keep your

head up

Chris

Craddock

pardon

Matthew

Andrew

pardon

John

Judas

come on elders

there's only one

set only

Peter

Philip

James

John

we've done

another

Thomas

Judas

Judas

we're at 11

Peter

are we

yes

you see

they just

trip off

the tongue

don't they

we all

know them

we can't

help ourselves

but the point

is this

they are very

very ordinary

people

and in fact

they are so

ordinary

that actually

we can't remember

the names of

them all

can we

the only one

that we've

heard much of

in Luke's

gospel

is Simon

and now he's

had his name

changed to

Peter

and so we

saw that he

was a fisherman

and he was

convinced

wasn't he

that he

wasn't worthy

to follow

Jesus

so look at

Luke chapter 5

Luke 5:8

verse 8

when he meets

Jesus

he realises

who he is

and he says

depart from me

for I'm a sinful

man

get away from me

Lord

I don't deserve

to know you

then there's

Levi

Levi is

known as

Matthew

in Luke's

list

he was one

of the tax

collectors

he was a

cheat

and a liar

and as you

read on

you find that

they are the

most hated

of people

don't you

those tax

collectors

and what

are the

disciples like

the disciples

in Luke's

gospel are

not known

for getting

things right

they are not

known for being

at the top

of the class

they are known

for constantly

getting things

wrong

and they weren't

special

they were very

ordinary men

and Jesus

does not choose

people on

merit

even the names

of followers

should tell us

that

what does the

word disciple

mean

it means

learner

do you remember

that when you

were learning to

drive

I used to

despise

L plates

it was

enormously

humiliating

when you

were in

sixth form

and you

would drive

along the

road

at 20

mile per

hour

past your

mates

with your

mother

telling you

to slow

down

and it

was a

great relief

wasn't it

it was a

great relief

when you

passed your

test to go

into the

sixth form

common room

and rip

up the

L plates

it felt

didn't it

like L

was for

loser

as much

as for

learner

unless you've

got a really

spiteful

parent

it makes

you

put those

green ones

on the

car

sorry

for people

like that

but if

you're a

follower of

Jesus

this morning

you will

know

won't you

that you

need

L plates

for the

whole

of life

we are

spiritual

losers

who will

always be

learners

and that

is what

it means

to be

a

Christian

to be

a

disciple

even

actually

the word

apostle

it just

means

sent

one

it's

somebody

who

Jesus

has

sent

to do

an

errand

it is

not

great

one

it is

not

holy

one

it is

not

a

powerful

one

it is

errand

boy

it is

a

sent

one

and the

errand

happens

to be

telling

the

whole

world

about

him

but all

they

are

is

sent

that's

what

apostle

means

and verse

16

should be

enough

to remind

us

shouldn't

it

that it

is

not by

merit

we become

followers

of Jesus

look at

verse

16

it's

and Judas

Iscariot

who became

a traitor

even now

at the

beginning

we're hearing

about

Judas

who's going

to betray

Jesus

to death

on a cross

that death

that he had

to die

in our

place

so he

could make

us worthy

to be his

followers

by taking

his sin

upon ourselves

and if

you're a

Christian

this morning

at the

heart of

King

Jesus

people

are some

very

very

ordinary

men and

women

and if

you're not

a Christian

if you

feel

ordinary

or maybe

you feel

worse than

ordinary

then you

are just

the sort

of person

Jesus

wants

in fact

Paul tells

the church

in Corinth

these words

that God

chose the

foolish

things

of the

world

to shame

the wise

and God

chose

the weak

things

of the

world

to shame

the strong

and God

chose

the lowly

things

and the

despised

things

and the

things

that are

not

to nullify

the things

that are

so that

no one

may boast

before him

God

chooses

ordinary

people

so that

there is

no doubt

is there

who is

responsible

for our

salvation

and that

is him

if you're

not a

Christian

and you're

here this

morning

you've

probably

been told

all of

your life

you've

got to

be

someone

I was

reading this

week

of the

huge

pressure

that's

on

Chinese

students

who come

to the

UK

they've

come to

this

country

and they're

under

enormous

pressure

because

they've

got to

achieve

the degree

that their

parents want

they've

got to

achieve

the right

degree

to get

the job

that they

want to

get

and maybe

you feel

you need

to be

admired

and you

need to

be somebody

who earns

your way

you pay

your way

in life

can I say

that will

never work

with God

will it

to be

one of

his people

you've

got to

recognise

that you

are very

very

ordinary

and that

you cannot

do anything

to win

God's love

and you

fail to

keep his

standards

and in

fact you

deserve

his

punishment

in the

game of

life

you're not

just a

learner

you're a

loser

and so am

I

but he

will freely

give you

his love

if you

come to

Jesus

and that

is the

only

sensible

course

of

action

we are

an

ordinary

people

secondly

we are

called

by a

powerful

king

we are

called

by a

powerful

king

look down

at verse

17

look at

verse 17

he went

down with

them

and stood

in a

level

place

you can

have a

fascinating

discussion

on this

for those

who would

like to

whether

Luke is

giving an

abbreviated

version of

the sermon

on the

mount

from chapter

5 to

chapter 7

whether the

word level

place means

plain at the

bottom of a

hill

or like a

plateau

halfway up a

hill

or whether

Jesus is

giving a

totally different

sermon on a

different occasion

but who cares

frankly

because God's

spirit has

caused this

to be written

and as we

look at this

passage our

focus first

and foremost

is not on

when these

words were

spoken

and not on

where these

words were

spoken

but on

what was

spoken

and on

the one

who was

speaking

so look

what he

says

look at

verse 17

he went

down with

them and

stood at a

level

place and a

large crowd

of his

disciples were

there

and where

were they

from?

Well they

were from

all over

Judea

from Jerusalem

and from

the coast

of Tyre

and Sidon

do you see

what Luke

is emphasising

it's a

large crowd

there's a

great number

of people

clearly

Jesus has

got some

quite impressive

pulling power

hasn't he?

Even people

from Tyre

and Sidon

were there

why is that

significant?

Well because

they were the

two arch enemies

of God's

people

Israel

the point

is this

there is

no one

who is

excluded

from coming

into God's

people

and when

they come

they find

a king

of huge

power

look what

happens

in verse

18

they come

to cure

him

and to be

healed

of their

diseases

those troubled

by evil

spirits

were cured

and the

people

all

tried to

touch him

because

power was

coming from

him

and healing

them

all

do you see

that?

All tried

to touch

him

healing

from them

all

Jesus

is so

awesome

that a

touch of

faith

smashes

evil

it gives

sick bodies

health

and the

message is

clear

this is

God on

earth

restoring

a sin

ravaged

creation

during this

life

Jesus acts

as a

trailer

showing what

his perfect

kingdom would

be like

so you go

to the cinema

don't you

and you look

at the trailers

and it shows

you all the

best bits

in fact

the only

good bits

of the film

is often

and you

turn to

the person

sitting next

to you

afterwards

and you

either give

a nod

or you

give a

no I

don't want

to go

to see

that

that is

what happens

to us

all

the trailer

is supposed

to show

us what

the film

is like

it's supposed

to whet the

appetite

it's an

advertisement

and the

idea is

that you

see the

trailer

and think

that's

fantastic

I'm going

to go

to the

film

and when

Jesus

walks the

earth

Jesus

shows you

and I

how wonderful

the new

creation

is going

to be

when he

will return

and he

will judge

this world

and he

will rid

it of

all evil

and he

shows us

in one

man

what the

renovated

universe

is going

to be

like

let me

tell you

what it

will be

like

Revelation

21

this is

what he

says

what's

it going

to be

like

it says

he will

wipe

every tear

from their

eyes

and there

will be

no more

death

or mourning

or crying

or pain

for the

old order

of things

has passed

away

the dwelling

of God

is with

man

and that

is the

certain

future

how do

we know

that is

a certain

future

because we

look at

King Jesus

in the

present

this is

what happens

all around

him

isn't it

everything

is healed

everything

is better

all sin

all sickness

and evil

disappear

but God

in his

mercy

has delayed

that final

judgment

that new

world

so that

very

very

orderly

people

like you

and like

me

can come

to know

him

can come

to King

Jesus

for forgiveness

you see

nobody else

has shown

that they

can deal

with the

problems

of our

world

secular

humanism

promises

that the

human race

can better

itself

but anybody

who knows

history

knows

that

that is a

lie

if you

look just

at the

lives

of secular

humanist

philosophers

you find

time and

time again

that they

are miserable

people

Islam

it says

doesn't it

it's the

route

to peace

and happiness

that's what it

says on the

bus

as it drives

past

but let's

have a look

for a moment

at those

countries

that practice

Islamic

government

in the world

today

just think

about them

what are

they

they are

places of

oppression

and they

are places

of fear

look at

the life

of Mohammed

and you

will find

that he

is a

very

very

troubled

man

only

Jesus

says

I'm

going to

make a

perfect

new

world

and you

can come

into my

kingdom

now

he shows

us what

that kingdom

is like

what that

perfect new

world would

be like

as he

strides

the earth

and he

smashes

the effect

of sin

and Jesus

calls people

to follow

him

to come

into my

kingdom

now

Jesus

says you

are not

going to

experience

the full

benefits

of my

kingdom

now

that is

madness

you won't

but when

I return

and I

judge the

world

this is

what life

is going

to be

like

and so

we wait

don't we

we are

an ordinary

people

called by

powerful

king

and thirdly

we are

called to

live

extraordinary

lives

extraordinary

lives

Jesus

fixes his

followers

and his

gaze

and he

says you

are to

long for

the things

that this

world

despises

and you

are to

reject the

things that

this world

admires

and these

verses are

totally

counter

cultural

let me

say before

we look at

verses 20

to 26

if everybody

here today

who claims

the name of

Christian

lived like

this it

would transform

not only

our lives

but our

city

wouldn't it

look at

verse 20

he looked at

his disciples

and he said

blessed are you

who are poor

for yours is the

kingdom of God

to be blessed

is so much

more than to

be happy

it is that

deep

contentment

that only a

relationship with

the true and

living God

can give you

it is to

know how

high and

how wide

and how

long and

how deep

the love of

Jesus Christ

is for you

and that

blessing comes

to those who

are poor

it doesn't

mean those

don't have

money

it doesn't

fit with

what Jesus

has been

teaching in

Luke

no this

is those

who recognise

that they

are spiritually

poor

those who

know that

they are

sinners

and there's

nothing they

can do

with it

do about it

those who

recognise the

truth of that

verse from

Luke earlier

in verse 31

that they are

sick and they

need Dr.

Jesus

those who

don't just

sing nothing

in my hands

I bring

simply to your

cross I cling

but that is

shown in the

way that they

live

that is a

certain person

who has

the kingdom

of God

and they

live it now

they live

under the

rule of

King Jesus

they realise

there's nowhere

else and

no one else

to go to

and if you

want to know

God's blessing

in your life

the first thing

you need to

see is that

you are

totally

unworthy

of it

and it's

not just

a one off

event

it is an

ongoing

attitude

it is to

realise

that spiritually

you are

bankrupt

and it's

so easy

to go on

thinking

I'm not

as bad

as other

people are

and as I

have looked

at Luke's

gospel

the one

thing

that I

think I've

been

confronted

again

more and

more and

more

is by

what a

Pharisee

I am

how easy

it is

to think

that I'm

better than

other

Christians

that is an

awful thing

that they are

doing

I would

never do

that

so for

example

last week

we looked

at the

great privilege

and the

great blessing

it is

for us

to be able

to have

a sabbath

a day

of rest

I got

home on

the Monday

and I read

a friend

of mine

who's written

an article

on why

because of

Easter

I don't

no longer

keep the

sabbath

a day

of rest

I think

it's a

pretty

appalling

article

that is

badly

worded

I've

told him

that

and is

badly

argued

I don't

think it's

right

but I

got so

angry

about it

and I

thought

well actually

he just

doesn't get

it does

he

I get

it

but he

that's the

spirit of the

Pharisee

but if only

you and I

will see our

poverty

daily

we will enjoy

the true

blessing of

being in

God's

kingdom

you see

it's only