St. Aidan's Anglican Church, Kansas City - weekly talks

Proper 24

Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

2 Timothy 3:1-17 How to Live in Difficult Times

1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom[a] you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Luke 18:1-8 Praying through Difficult Times

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, 'Grant me justice against my opponent.' For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, 'Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.'" And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

2 Timothy 2:1-2

1You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

Grace, in certain circles, is often distorted to convey an “I’m ok, you’re ok” form of Christianity. Grace sums up the initiative and action of God for and in human beings to rescue and remake them.

Titus 2:11, 12

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.

This is the grace that is in Christ Jesus. It is the power to rescue and remake us into the image of Christ. Grace is salvific and transformation.

Why does Paul need to exhort one of his key leaders to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus? As we read through both letters to Timothy, we get a sense of Timothy’s overall character, both his strengths and weaknesses. He seemed riddled with fear and a sense of shame, lacking mature fortitude. There’s no mention of Timothy’s father, perhaps raised by godly women of faith … his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (2 Tim. 1:5).

Paul seems to be providing that fatherly voice missing in Timothy’s life. “You then, my child … .”

In the first chapter, Paul exhorted Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God given at his ordination (1:6); this gift was given, in Paul’s absence, to lead the Church in Ephesus. Throughout this letter, Paul is saying, stoke the smoldering embers Timothy … don’t let the fire go out … don’t neglect your calling, fan into flame the gift. Face your fears, deal with the power of shame in your life by the power of the Spirit. 2 Timothy 1:7 — God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

The grace that is in Christ Jesus is the new way of being human, a new way of being, by grace, what is not possible, by nature.

Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:16

“according to the riches of his glory, he may grant you to be strengthened with power by his Spirit in your inner being, your inner anthropos …

The daily renewal of the new self – the new anthropos

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day - 2 Corinthians 4:16.

Paul charges Timothy with generational discipleship

This is part of carrying on apostolic succession … from Jesus to his disciples to their disciples …

Four Generations

2 What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

… Make disciples who make disciples who make disciples

Equip the saints for the work of the ministry:

Timothy is to raise up presbyters to plant and pastor new churches and to equip all of God’s people to exercise their diverse and spiritual gifts … to build up the Body of Christ.

Personal discipleship is more effective than programs and expensive evangelistic events.

The Power of Multiplication

“If a gifted evangelist with an international reputation could lead 1,000 persons to Christ every night of the year it would take him over 10,000 years to reach the whole world for Christ (ignoring population increase). But if one true disciple of Christ were able under God to lead one person to Christ each year and train that person to lead one other person to Christ each year, it would take 32 years to reach the whole world for Christ!” Called and Committed by David Watson, page 45.

Action points

Begin to pray for specific people the Lord beings to mind.

Consider your spheres of relationships at work, school, activities, neighbors, etc.

Pray for divine appointments, meaningful conversations. Nurture the relationship and trust God to move.

What is catechesis? Catechesis simply means to teach by word of mouth. In its principle parts it literally means to echo forth or resound down. Christian catechesis, then, is an echo of the Word of God spoken through a teacher, the catechist, that resounds into the minds and hearts of those who hear it, the catechumen. This echo is a passing or handing on of the faith and teachings of the Church to adults and children alike. Formal catechesis developed in the first few centuries of the Church, and over time the content of this teaching came to include four pillars or four movements of a great symphony: what the Church believes (the Apostle’s Creed), what she celebrates (the Sacraments), what she prays (the Lord’s Prayer), and what she lives (the Commandments and fruits of the Spirit). Catechesis is not information but formation into a way of life, the life of Christ and his Body, the Church.

Why catechesis? The ultimate purpose of catechesis is communion with the triune God. Practically and more specifically, the purpose is to pass on the Christian faith from one person and one generation to the next, just as Jesus did with the apostles and the apostles with those after them and someone, whether priest, teacher, parent, or friend, did with you. This is what the word “tradition” means: to hand on the faith. The Church, regardless of denomination, has struggled to do this in our post-Christian age. The numbers are staggering of those who grew up in the faith but have now left. We are daily immersed in a secular culture and story, a world where God is either privatized or anesthetized. The goal of catechesis is to immerse us – adults and children – into an alternative story and culture, the kingdom of God, and form us into an alternative way of being, the life and love of the triune God. No one baptizes himself, likewise no one catechizes himself. We all receive the faith with its teachings as gift from those who have gone before us. The purpose of catechesis is to create missionary disciples, who receive the gift of the Gospel from spiritual fathers and mothers and pass it on to others.

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the Holy Spirit

and born of the virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of the saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

This is the first in a series of catechetical lectures. Our Instructors are Deacon Aaron Williams, assisted by Bill Baldwin.

Due to technical issues, the first 3:44 minutes were rerecorded and added to the live recording. This accounts for the difference in dynamics.

May this series of teachings be a blessing in your growth in Christ.

Fr. Michael Flowers, Rector

www.staidanskc.org

Adult and Children’s Catechism Classes

October 6, 2019 through June 7, 2020

9 a.m. in the Café before 10 a.m. Eucharist

What is catechesis? Catechesis simply means to teach by word of mouth. In its principle parts it literally means to echo forth or resound down. Christian catechesis, then, is an echo of the Word of God spoken through a teacher, the catechist, that resounds into the minds and hearts of those who hear it, the catechumen. This echo is a passing or handing on of the faith and teachings of the Church to adults and children alike. Formal catechesis developed in the first few centuries of the Church, and over time the content of this teaching came to include four pillars or four movements of a great symphony: what the Church believes (the Apostle’s Creed), what she celebrates (the Sacraments), what she prays (the Lord’s Prayer), and what she lives (the Commandments and fruits of the Spirit). Catechesis is not information but formation into a way of life, the life of Christ and his Body, the Church.

Why catechesis? The ultimate purpose of catechesis is communion with the triune God. Practically and more specifically, the purpose is to pass on the Christian faith from one person and one generation to the next, just as Jesus did with the apostles and the apostles with those after them and someone, whether priest, teacher, parent, or friend, did with you. This is what the word “tradition” means: to hand on the faith. The Church, regardless of denomination, has struggled to do this in our post-Christian age. The numbers are staggering of those who grew up in the faith but have now left. We are daily immersed in a secular culture and story, a world where God is either privatized or anesthetized. The goal of catechesis is to immerse us – adults and children – into an alternative story and culture, the kingdom of God, and form us into an alternative way of being, the life and love of the triune God. No one baptizes himself, likewise no one catechizes himself. We all receive the faith with its teachings as gift from those who have gone before us. The purpose of catechesis is to create missionary disciples, who receive the gift of the Gospel from spiritual fathers and mothers and pass it on to others.

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the Holy Spirit

and born of the virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of the saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

Luke 17:1-10; 2 Timothy 1

17 And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, 4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Increase Our Faith

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

Unworthy Servants

7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Icon by Ivanka Demchuk

Proper 21: O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

1Timothy 6:11-19

"But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time — he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life."

Luke 16:19-31

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.' He said, 'Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house — for I have five brothers — that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.' Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' He said, 'No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

Luke 16:1-13

He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. 2 And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ 3 And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ 5 So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He said, ‘A hundred measures[a] of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures[b] of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world[c] are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth,[d] so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Exodus 14:21-31

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, 25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.”

26 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course

when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. 29 But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

Romans 6:1-14

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Luke 18:15-17

15 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

Celebrant The Gospel of the Lord.

People Praise to you, Lord Christ.

People Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

The Narrow Way of Discipleship

25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Salt Without Taste Is Worthless

34 “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? 35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Luke 14:1-14

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, 'Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."