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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Sermons for Proper 11<font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"> - Part 1</font></font>: </span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 - <strong>"Pulling Weeds"</strong></span></div>
<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> Romans 8:12-25 - <strong>"Why Are You Acting Like Orphans?"</strong> by Leonard Sweet</span></div>
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<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Matthew 13<font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">,</font></font> the sermon titled "Pulling Weeds" </span>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Last
week we talked about planting seeds. This week we're talking about
pulling weeds. The two go together. Every gardener knows that planting
seeds is the easy part of having a successful garden. It is much more
time consuming to weed that same garden. And it's hard work. As someone
has said: "When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a
weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the
ground easily, it is a valuable plant." </span></div>
<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">There is a corollary to that truth: "To distinguish flowers from weeds, simply pull up everything. What grows back is weeds."</span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Some of you can relate to one unknown homemaker who wrote: </span></div>
<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I don't do windows because . . . I love birds and don't want one to run into a clean window and get hurt. </span></div>
<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I don't wax floors because . . . I am terrified a guest will slip and get hurt then I'll feel terrible (plus they may sue me.) </span></div>
<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I don't disturb cobwebs because . . . I want every creature to have a home of their own. </span></div>
<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I don't Spring Clean because . . . I love all the seasons and don't want the others to get jealous.</span></div>
<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I don't put things away because . . . my husband will never be able to find them again. </span></div>
<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I don't do gourmet meals when I entertain because . . . </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I don't want my guests to stress out over what to make when they invite me over for dinner. </span></div>
<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I don't iron because . . . I choose to believe them when they say "Permanent Press." </span></div>
<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">And finally: I don't pull weeds in the garden because . . . I don't want to get in God's way, He is an excellent designer!</span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I doubt than anyone likes pulling weeds, including God. In today's lesson Jesus tells a parable. </span></div>
<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">"The
kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But
while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the
wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the
weeds also appeared. </span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">"The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?' </span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">"'An enemy did this,' he replied. </span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">"The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' </span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">"'No,'
he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up
the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that
time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in
bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my
barn.'"</span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Then
Jesus left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him
and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." </span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Jesus
answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field
is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The
weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the
devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
</span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">"As
the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the
end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will
weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in
the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear."</span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">On its surface, there is not much to be said about this parable except make sure you're not a weed...</span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">1. Pulling Weeds Is an Important Part of a Successful Life.<br>
2. God Is Our Savior.<br>
3. God Wants to Save Us from Sin.</span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The rest of this sermon following the outline above can be obtained by joining <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sermons.com/signup">http://www.sermons.com/signup</a></span></div>
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<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">R</font></font>omans 8<font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">,</font></font> the sermon titled "Why Are You Acting Like Orphans?" by Leonard Sweet </span>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">There
comes a time in every child's life when he or she entertains two
possibilities. One: your parents are from Mars. Two, you must have been
adopted. Usually these revelations occur in tandem . . . after a huge
fight with Mom and/or Dad; or after a sibling beats us up or puts us
down. It dawns on us that no way could we really be related to such
mean, bossy, completely opposite people. </span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">We must be adopted. </span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Remember
when adoption was a highly confidential, even secretive, process? That
made it a great source for childhood fantasies. "Closed adoptions" were
the norm from the 1920s through the 1960s. The birth mother didn't know
and couldn't know who the adoptive parents were. The adoptive parents
didn't know who the birth mother was. The adopted child didn't know
anything - especially if their adoptive parents chose not to tell them.
Even if they were adopted. </span></div>
<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">In
the 1970s, the legalities behind adoptions began to change. A massive
shift toward what are now called "open adoptions" took place. In open
adoptions all the parties know who they are dealing with. And at least
hypothetically, there is the possibility for communication and
connection at some later time.</span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">As
with every other social scenario in the last ten years, science and
technology have changed everything. Nobody respects a "legal screen."
Nobody has to live with no information about their past. The advent of
Facebook has allowed thousands of birth parents and adopted children of
all ages to search for and connect with their families of origin. The
birth of DNA testing enables uncertainty to be eliminated. </span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">In
fact, almost all officials in the hierarchies of state and federal
adoption laws admit the same thing: "the jig is up." Adoption
information and biological identities are no longer capable of being
protected in any way, shape or form. For some adopted children and for
some biological parents this is a great advance. For others, it is hard
knocks and heartbreak. </span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Almost
all ancient religions and cultures had legal means whereby orphaned or
abandoned children could be legally incorporated into a new family. Both
the law-loving environments of first century Judaism and the Roman
empire had a laundry list of adoption laws, policies, rights, and
regulations. Whether it was done for economic, political, or emotional
reasons, in the world Paul inhabited, "adoption" was a well legislated
procedure.</span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">So
when Paul used the language of "adoption" to describe the startling,
new relationship enjoyed by followers of Jesus, he was speaking to an
educated audience...</span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Click here: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sermons.com/signup">http://www.sermons.com/signup</a> or call 1-800-777-7731 to join.</span></div>
<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">_____________________</span></div>
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<div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Two Wolves<br>
<br>
One
of my favorite theologians, Mr. Rogers, used to say: "Have you ever
noticed that the very same people who are bad sometimes are the very
same people who are good sometimes?" It reminds me of a story called,
"Two Wolves." It goes like this:<br>
<br>
"An old Cherokee once told his
grandson about a fight that was going on inside of him. He said it was
between two wolves. One was evil: Anger, envy, greed, arrogance,
self-pity, gossip, resentment, and false pride. The other was good: Joy,
peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, generosity, truth,
compassion and faith. The grandson thought about it for a moment and
then asked his grandfather, 'Which wolf do you think will win?' The old
Cherokee replied, 'The one I feed.'"<br>
<br>
Philip W. McLarty, The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares <br>
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