<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PlaceName"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PlaceType"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="place"/>
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
a:hover { text-decoration: underline; }
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:windowtext;}
h1
{mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:10.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;
color:#666666;
font-weight:bold;}
h2
{mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana;
color:#666666;
font-weight:bold;}
h3
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:9.0pt;
font-family:Verdana;
color:#666666;
font-weight:bold;}
h4
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;
color:#666666;
font-weight:bold;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{font-family:Verdana;
color:#FF6600;
font-style:normal;
text-decoration:none none;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{font-family:Verdana;
color:#666666;
font-style:normal;
text-decoration:none none;}
p
{mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;
color:#666666;}
p.forwardform, li.forwardform, div.forwardform
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;
color:#666666;}
p.forwardinput, li.forwardinput, div.forwardinput
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;
color:#666666;}
p.forwardsubmit, li.forwardsubmit, div.forwardsubmit
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana;
color:#666666;}
span.EmailStyle21
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link="#FF6600" vlink="#666666">
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>Breaking down Barriers</span></font><font size=1
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>C.S. Lewis once wrote an essay
entitled The Inner Ring. He says in the article that in any playground or
office or church there are little groups or rings of people who are on the
“inside”. And those who aren’t: those who don’t get picked at playtime, those
who stand on their own in the lunchroom. Lewis says that the existence of such
rings is not necessarily bad. We’re finite beings, and we can only have deeply
intimate friendships with a limited number of people. But he says that the
desire to gain status or self-worth by being part of an “inner ring” is deeply
destructive. It causes you to constantly compare yourself with others, to feel
anguish when you’re left out, and deeper anguish when someone close to you gets
let in. Worst of all, once you’re in, you want to keep others out, because it’s
the exclusive nature of the group tha t makes you feel good. <br>
<br>
Jesus’ disciples wrestled often with that desire to be part of the inner ring.
They argued over who should have the seats closest to Jesus. They asked Jesus
to bring down fire on pagan villages. They rebuked little children for coming
in too close and wasting Jesus’ time. Jesus must have often shaken his head
because he was constantly teaching about who was in and who was out, about
God’s desire to bring into the inner ring of his love anyone who will come. One
of the most intriguing stories about status is this one in Matthew 15:21-28.</span></font><font
size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>John Tucker, Breaking Down Barriers: Inclusion</span></font><font
size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>_____________________________________</span></font><font
size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>Learning to Be Like Christ</span></font><font size=1
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>A householder keeps faith, keeps care, of all those in his
household. This is what the Canaanite woman learns from Jesus' example. And
this is what she reveals back to him.</span></font><font size=1 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'> </span></font><font
face=Verdana><span style='font-family:Verdana'>In other words, Jesus
"learns" to hear his own words through the ears of her faith. That's
why ultimately Jesus declares, "Woman, great is your faith" - not,
"You are very clever." </span></font><font size=1 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>This is how philosopher Dallas Willard puts it, as he
defines exactly what is a disciple: "One of those who have trusted Jesus
with their whole life, so far as they understand it. Because they've done so,
they want to learn everything he has to teach them about life in the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">kingdom</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">God</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> now and forever, and they're
constantly with him to learn this. Disciples of Jesus are those learning to be
like him" (Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the
Character of Christ, 241). </span></font><font size=1 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>Leonard Sweet, Collected Sermons, <a
href="http://mail.churchmail.com/lists/lt.php?id=Kk8GAgABDwNQRAMDBUsDAABWWg%3D%3D"><font
size=1 color=purple><span style='font-size:8.5pt;color:purple'>www.Sermons.com</span></font></a>
</span></font><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>_____________________________</span></font><font size=1
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>Don’t Jump to Conclusions</span></font><font size=1
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>A family of five was enjoying their day at the beach. The
children were playing in the ocean and making sand castles when in the distance
a little old lady appeared. Her gray hair was blowing in the wind and her
clothes were dirty and ragged. She was muttering something to herself as she
picked up things from the beach and put them into a bag. The parents called the
children to their side and told them to stay away from the old lady. As she
passed by, bending down every now and then to pick something up, she smiled at
the family. But her greeting wasn't returned.<br>
<br>
Couple weeks later this family learned that little old lady was a retired
school teacher who'd made it her lifelong crusade to pick up bits of glass from
the beach so children wouldn't cut their feet. And as she picked up the broken
glass, she prayed for the people who had dropped it, even though she didn't
know who they were.<br>
<br>
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, gave his life on the cross so that we might
know the love, forgiveness and acceptance of our God. Jesus died for each of us
personally. We can't look at another human being without thinking to ourselves,
Jesus died for them, too. We do a disservice when we jump to conclusions about
people because of how they look, where they live or the type of work that they
do. We are all equal Jesus' eyes.<br>
<br>
Billy D. Strayhorn, From the Pulpit, CSS Publishing Company<br>
__________________________________</span></font><font size=1 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>A Strong Woman</span></font><font size=1 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in
shape, but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape.</span></font><font
size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>A strong woman isn’t afraid of anything, but a woman of
strength shows her courage in the midst of fear.</span></font><font size=1
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>A strong woman won’t let anyone get the best of her, but a
woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone.</span></font><font size=1
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>A strong woman walks sure-footedly, but a woman of
strength knows God will catch her when she falls.</span></font><font size=1
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face,
but a woman of strength wears grace.</span></font><font size=1 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the
journey, but a woman of strength has faith that in the journey she will become
strong.</span></font><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>Author unknown</span></font><font size=1 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>___________________________________</span></font><font
size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>Humility</span></font><font size=1 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>One of the most respected personalities in the
entertainment world today is a man named Quincy Jones. Performer, composer,
promoter, producer, director, arranger--Qunicy Jones is all of these and much,
much more. In recent years, he has also become known for his amazing ability to
bring together the superstars of the entertainment industry, getting them to
blend their talents and work together, share the spotlight and function as a
team to produce something that is very special. He can bring together stars
such as Diana Ross, Kenney Rogers, Aretha Franklin, Michael Bolton, Gladys
Knight, Kenney G., Lionel Ritchie, and many others; he can give them a single
phrase there, and combine their artistic skills into a powerful and moving
expression of music.</span></font><font size=1 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>Perhaps Jones is best known for the production of the hit
recording "We are the World," which featured the combined talents of
many of the top pop singers of our time. Do you know how he did it--how he
persuaded those music superstars to come together and work as a team to create
that song? Well, he did a very interesting and, evidently, effective thing. He
put a sign at the entry to the recording studio…</span></font><font size=1
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>The conclusion to this list and for many additional
illustrations and sermons for Proper 15 can be accessed at <a
href="http://mail.churchmail.com/lists/lt.php?id=Kk8GAgABDwNQRAMDBUsDAABWWg%3D%3D"><font
size=1><span style='font-size:8.5pt'>www.Sermons.com</span></font></a>.</span></font><font
size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Verdana'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:8.5pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>