Parish of St Britius, Brize Norton & St John 
the Evangelist, Carterton

The Communities of Brize Norton and Carterton

Readings and Sermons

• themes for June & July 2003

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The Christian at Home

The following is based on Roger Billing's sermon on Sunday, 29 June 2003

The ten commandments refer to home commanding us to honour our father and mother.  Jesus began life in a home with parents and siblings and his final thoughts, dying on the cross, were of his mother and for John to care for her and provide a home.  Jesus spent a lot of time in people's homes and he was often invited into them.  He also told people he had healed to go home and show what great things God had done.

The New Testament is essentially a practical book.  The epistles often tackle theological issues yet relate theology to life style.  No where is the Christian seen in a holy bubble apart from life, and there is no more testing area than the home.   Allusions to the family and home life abound in the bible.

The home was as key in the days of Jesus as it is today!

It is easy enough to manage an hour of godliness on a Sunday but often the true measure of our faith is when we go home.  Commenting on the life of Eric Shippham (of paste fame) when he became a Christian, his wife commented that 'suddenly dad started coming home to be with the children and suddenly the children wanted him to'.

The hallmarks of a Christian household are no different from Christian values and standards for all of life.

 'Love is patient, love is kind.  
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves'

These attributes are not unique to the Christian household.  So what comes into a Christian home?

• Forgiveness
• Worth
• Honesty
• Faithfulness
• Hospitality
• Worship

As Christians we want to make our home a place where God is honoured, where our children grow up in the best way possible in the love of Jesus and where we ourselves demonstrate Jesus. 

There are difficulties and challenges.  What do we do when one partner had a faith and the other not?  Where do we draw the boundaries of behaviour in our homes?  For example, fiends come to stay living together, children bring their partners home, fiends of our children come round with quite different values and standards.  How much do we censure what the child sees on the TV?  How do we balance the demands of our church life with our family life?  What do we do when a child joins a football club which plays on a Sunday?  Each of us will have our own challenges and issues - and the answers may well differ.

'A real home is more than a roof over your head - its a foundation under your feet'.  So build well!