Following Christ

Sermons for the Christian Year

Robert Beaken

• Publisher: Sacristy Press
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781789590821
• eBook ISBN: 9781789590845
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Denominations

It is often said – and it is undoubtedly true – that the heart of the Church of England is to be found beating in the work and witness of its parish churches. In Following Christ we see that Anglican heart at work through a collection of sermons and spiritual addresses given in urban and rural parishes. 

The sermons draw heavily on Holy Scripture, the Prayer Book, and the classical Anglican spiritual and liturgical tradition. They also reflect the author's wide and varied pastoral experience. Following Christ does not shy away from tackling difficult subjects such as sin, illness and death, but does so with lightness of touch. If it is realistic about the ups and downs of the Christian pilgrimage through life, it is also practical, hopeful and joyful. 

Notes

1 Robert Beaken is the author of Cosmo Lang, Archbishop in War and Crisis (Tauris, London, 2012). Archbishop Lang’s words have popped up from time to time in his sermons.

2 Betjeman, John, “Christmas”, Collected Poems (London: John Murray, 2006), p. 155. Reproduced by permission of Hodder and Stoughton Limited.

3 In the Septuagint or Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, “I AM” is ἐγώ εἰμι (ego eimi). In Exodus 3:14, the story of God speaking to Moses, we read: καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν. καὶ εἶπεν· οὕτως ἐρεῖς τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραήλ· ὁ ὢν ἀπέσταλκέ με πρὸς ὑμᾶς. (God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”. He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” NRSV). [My emphasis].

4 John 18:5: ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ, Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναζωραῖον. λέγει αὐτοῖς Ἐγώ εἰμι. (They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth”. Jesus replied, “I am he.” NRSV). [My emphasis].

5 John 14:6: λέγει αὐτῷ Ἰησοῦς Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ ἡ ζωή: οὐδεὶς ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸν πατέρα εἰ μὴ δι᾽ ἐμοῦ. (Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” NRSV). [My emphasis].

6 John 8:12: Πάλιν οὖν αὐτοῖς ἐλάλησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγων Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου · ὁ ἀκολουθῶν ἐμοὶ οὐ μὴ περιπατήσῃ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ, ἀλλ’ ἕξει τὸ φῶς τῆς ζωῆς. (Again Jesus spoke to them, saying “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” NRSV). [My emphasis].

7 John 10:11: Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλὸς τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ τίθησιν ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων (“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” NRSV). [My emphasis].

8 Hebrews 4:15: the Greek word πεπειρασμένον, depending on the context, may be translated as having been ‘tested’ or ‘tempted’. The New Revised Standard Version has chosen ‘tested’, with a footnote offering ‘tempted’ as an alternative. I prefer ‘tempted’.

9 Matthew 4:1–11.

10 Dix, Gregory, The Shape of the Liturgy (London: A. and C. Black, 1982), p. 774.

11 Greene, Graham, Monsignor Quixote, (London: The Bodley Head, London, 1982), pp 46–8.

12 Sister Benedicta Ward SLG is a sister of the Anglican r...

Table of contents

• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Advent Sunday
• Christmas
• Christmas Angels
• Candlemas
• The Silent Years
• Come, follow me
• Seeing Clearly
• The Good Shepherd
• The Pearl of Great Price
• The True Vine
• Confession in Lent
• Palm Sunday
• Maundy Thursday
• Good Friday
• Easter
• The Ascension
• Pentecost
• Trinity Sunday
• Reservation of the Blessed Sacrament
• Bible Sunday
• Baptism: Joined to Christ
• Marriage
• A Priest’s First Mass
• The Blessed Virgin Mary
• Saint Benedict
• Saint Frideswide
• The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
• The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
• Requiem for a Churchwarden
• The Rededication of a War Memorial
• Harvest Thanksgiving
• A Visit to the Relics of Two Saints
• Christ the King
• Notes