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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Worship: Time to Cool Down</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">In
the early days of automobiles, it was common for eating and drinking
places to be built on the tops of long hills. I know that near where I
grew up on the old Island Highway, there is a restaurant called the
Malahat Chalet - still located at the top of the longest grade between
Nanaimo and Victoria. It was not located there for the view, nor were
most of the others you can still find around North America at the tops
of hills and mountains. These locations were for the convenience of
people who needed to stop and let their overheated radiators cool down.<br>
<br>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">That
is one of the functions of Worship for many of us - a time for rest and
refreshment - when we let our overheated radiators cool down. <br>
<br>
Richard J Fairchild, Come Unto Me - For My Burden Is Easy<br>
________________________________________________________</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Counter-cultural Surrender</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">There
is something quite important for us to understand as we celebrate
Independence Day. There is a "flip flop" quality to understanding
today's scripture. It goes counter to our usual way of thinking.
America is the home of Davey Crocket who conquered the "wild frontier"
and Wyatt Earp who tamed the "wild west." We honor and value
independence, self-sufficiency, strength and the glory of a "self-made"
man or woman. Surrender is what we did not do. With brains and brawn we
became a super power in the world. "Yankee Ingenuity" is the brilliance
that made us great. Resisting the yoke others would put on us is the
strength that made us free.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><br>
Now Jesus comes along to say that wisdom and intelligence did not cut
the mustard when it comes to knowing God. Not only is the yoke not to be
resisted, we are to voluntarily take this yoke upon ourselves and
surrender to one who is greater than us!</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">How counter-cultural can you get? We can not fight, or think or power ourselves into the kingdom of God and the peace of Christ.<br>
<br>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">John Jewell, Knowing God</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">______________________________</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Discipline of Simplicity</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">In
Richard Foster's book of discipline he divides discipline into three
parts: Inward, Outward, and Corporate discipline. He places simplicity
under the category of the Outward Disciplines. Here are his nine ways to
order our world so that we can create simplicity in our life.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">First, buy things for their usefulness rather than their status</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Second, reject anything that is producing an addiction in you.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Third, develop a habit of giving things away.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Fourth, refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Fifth, learn to enjoy things without owning them.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Sixth, develop a deeper appreciation for the creation.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Seventh, look at a healthy skepticism at all "buy now, pay later" schemes.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Eighth, obey Jesus' instructions about plain, honest speech.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Ninth, reject anything that will breed the oppression of others.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Tenth, shun whatever would distract you from you main goal: "Seek first the kingdom of God."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">_____________________________</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Sweetest Sound</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">There
is a story that Hebrew families tell their children to help them
understand the fourth commandment. The fourth commandment reads, "Six
days you shall labor but on the seventh you shall rest." The story is
called, "The Sweetest Sound." The main character in the story is King
Ruben. It goes something like this.<br>
<br>
The king asked his royal subjects, "What is the sweetest melody of all?"
Early the next morning they gathered all sorts of musicians. The sound
awoke the king and all morning he listened to their tunes. But, after
listening to all of them he could not tell which was the sweetest sound.
Finally, one subject suggested they all play together. It was so noisy
the king couldn’t think.<br>
<br>
About that moment a woman, dressed in her Sunday best, pushed to the
front of the crowd and stepped forward. "O, king," she said, "I have the
answer to your question." The king was surprised since she had no
instrument. "Why didn’t you come earlier?" he asked. She replied, "I had
to wait until the setting of the sun." The musicians were still playing
and the king told them all to stop.<br>
<br>
The woman then took two candles and placed them on the king’s balcony
rail. She lit them just as the sun continued to set. The flames glowed
in the evening darkness. She then lifted her voice and said, "Blessed
art thou, O Lord, Our God, King of the universe, who sanctified us with
the commandments and commanded us to kindle the Sabbath lights." She
then said, "He who has an ear, let him hear."<br>
<br>
Everyone was completely still. "What is that?" asked the king." He could
not hear a sound. The woman then replied, "What you hear is the sound
of rest, the sweetest melody of all."<br>
<br>
Jesus said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest." This is also the sweetest sound any of us can hear.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Keith Wagner, True Freedom</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">________________________________</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">A Contented Man</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">A
story is told of a king who was suffering from a malady and was advised
by his astrologer that he would be cured if the shirt of a contented
man were brought to him to wear. People went out to all parts of the
kingdom after such a person, and after a long search they found a man
who was really happy...but he did not possess a shirt.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">David Leininger, Ask the Average Person, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.esermons.com/"><span style="color: purple">www.eSermons.com</span></a></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">__________________________________</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Did You Use All Your Strength?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">I
remember an old story about a little boy who was out helping dad with
the yard work. Dad asked him to pick up the rocks in a certain area of
the yard. Dad looked over and saw him struggling to pull up a huge rock
buried in the dirt. The little boy struggled and struggled while Dad
watched. Finally, the boy gave up and said, "I can't do it." Dad asked,
"Did you use all of your strength?" The little boy looked hurt and said,
"Yes, sir. I used every ounce of strength I have." The father smiled
and said, "No you didn't. You didn't ask me to help." The father walked
over and then the two of them pulled that big rock out of the dirt.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">One of the great Biblical truths seems impossible. Liberty comes through being yoked with Christ.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Billy D. Strayhorn, Freedom through the Yoke </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">_______________________</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt"> </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Our Value in God's Eyes</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">A
well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In
the room of two hundred, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?"
Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 bill to
one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the $20
bill up. He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in
the air. "Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on
the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He
picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?"
Still the hands went into the air.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson…</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The conclusion to this illustration and for many additional illustrations and sermons for Proper 9 can be accessed at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sermons.com/">www.Sermons.com</a>.</span></div>
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