Christian GUIdance

A Baptism & Pre-Confirmation Sermon on Genesis 12 & John 14

Prep: Letters spelling GUIDANCE on cards, held up by young people with G, U & I turned so the congregation can't see.  Have two people who are happy to make fools of themselves dance somewhere that people can see them.

WAY IN

[reveal word ‘dance’]

It’s nice to be invited to a dance.  Of course, we all like different dances: tea dances, line dancing, ceilidh, disco … and all these are terribly old-fashioned to our new confirmation candidates!

I DANCE

Dances are made up of steps: first steps, next steps, with some extra dramatic steps along the way for variety.

Our Bible reading about Abraham is all about first and next steps.

In the Bible, Abram is the grandfather of all faithful people.  When God calls Abram, in our Genesis reading, Abram has a choice.  He can stay where he is, quite comfortable.  Or he can accept the invitation and step out!  And the Bible tells us ‘And Abram went’.  Now he didn’t know where exactly he was going – God just said ‘to the land that I will show you’.  But Abram took that first step.

There’s a personal responsibility for each of us to step out. 

If you attend a dance, you don’t want to spend the evening standing on the edge watching others have fun, do you?  [cue Claire]

And sometimes you have to might feel a bit self-conscious, even nervous, but you have to get up on that dance floor and go for it!

 [reveal ‘I’]

Christian life isn’t like sitting on the sofa watching Strictly and commenting on other people dance.  It’s about responding to God’s call and joining the dance ourselves.  [Clare starts to dance]

We each have to decide how to respond to God’s invitation to follow Him.  We decide in little ways every day, in the things we do and don’t do; in the choices we make.  And sometimes we make definitive decisions, like in baptism and confirmation.

Starting this week, 14 of our young people are taking this very seriously as they begin confirmation classes.  They were baptised, maybe 12 or 13 years go.  Their parents and godparents and others made promises on their behalf, because all they could say at the time was ga-ga goo-goo.

And the point of preparation for confirmation is that they come to a point where they take personal responsibility for the promises made for them.  They will step up here in front of Bishop John and say ‘I choose, I follow, I dance, I take this step myself because I want to.’

U+I DANCE

Life isn’t meant to be lived alone.  When God invites Abram to take those first steps in our reading from Genesis, Abram steps out with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and some people who work for him.  And God promises to bless all the peoples of the world through him.

It’s not enough that I dance – but that ‘U+I’ dance together!  [reveal U; Willie joins Claire]

Same with Christian life.  Meant to be lived together.  Not enough to stay at home and read Bible yourself.  Jesus never told his disciples to find their own way in life.

Newly baptised have become part of our church family, in which we care for one another and belong to one another.

Confirmation candidates finding their place as young adults in church.  Serving not just about who I am and what my talents are (ref last week), but also look around at others – what are needs?

GOD +U +I DANCE

When two people dance, one thing can make it difficult and jerky – if no one leads, or if both try and lead.

[reveal G]  But in the Christian life, God leads us.  A gentle nudge or pull, this way or that, maybe in an unexpected direction.

Sometimes, like Abram, we don’t quite know where we’re going, or what next steps we should take.  But God promises us He’ll get us there.

WAY OUT

It’s nice to be invited to a dance.

And God invites us.  God, You and I Dance together – that’s what the Christian life is like.

He has invited N and N this morning to take their first steps in baptism.

He is inviting 14 young people and an adult or two to take next steps, in confirmation.

He invites all of us, young and old, to dance with him.  And to dance, you have to get close!  [Willie and Claire get closer - encourage a bit of congregational laughter/ ooooh!]  So get close to Him, as he leads us all in the next steps he would have us take.

And enjoy – dancing isn’t a chore, it’s a lot of fun.  So let’s have fun and adventure along the way in which Jesus Christ calls us.

Amen.