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<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: small">Sermons for Epiphany 3</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"> </SPAN></P>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">Luke 4:14-21 – <B>“Good News</B><B>” </B></SPAN></DIV>
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style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN>1
Corinthians 12:12-31a – <B>“Kintsugi Vessels”</B> by Leonard Sweet</SPAN></DIV>
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style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
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style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">Luke 4<SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> , </SPAN> the sermon title “Good News”<SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN>
</SPAN></DIV>
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style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN style="COLOR: black">The story is told of a
Franciscan monk in Australia assigned to be the guide and "gofer" to Mother
Teresa when she visited New South Wales. Thrilled and excited at the prospect of
being so close to this great woman, he dreamed of how much he would learn from
her and what they would talk about. But during her visit, he became frustrated.
Although he was constantly near her, the friar never had the opportunity to say
one word to Mother Teresa. There were always other people for her to
meet.<BR><BR>Finally, her tour was over, and she was due to fly to New Guinea.
In desperation, the Franciscan friar spoke to Mother Teresa: If I pay my own
fare to New Guinea, can I sit next to you on the plane so I can talk to you and
learn from you? Mother Teresa looked at him. “You have enough money to pay
airfare to New Guinea?” she asked.<BR><BR>Yes, he replied eagerly. “Then give
that money to the poor,” she said. “You'll learn more from that than anything I
can tell you.” Mother Teresa understood that Jesus’ ministry was to the poor and
she made it hers as well. She knew that they more than anyone else needed good
news.<BR><BR>On a Saturday morning, in Nazareth, the town gathered in the
synagogue to listen to Jesus read and teach. It was no big surprise. He was well
known in the area; it was his hometown. He was raised there. They wanted to
learn from him. So when he read from the Isaiah scroll, “The Spirit of the Lord
is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor”
everyone understood these words to be the words of Isaiah. It is how that
prophet from long ago defined his ministry.<BR><BR>When Jesus finished that
reading he handed the scroll to the attendant and sat down. In that day you sat
in the Moses Seat to teach to the people. Today preachers stand in a pulpit. So
all eyes were on Jesus, waiting for him to begin his
teaching…</SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">The rest of this sermon can be obtained by joining
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><A
title=blocked::http://mail.churchmail.com/lists/lt.php?id=Kk8ABAkECQZSCkkNAw5KDAtXUVw=
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style="FONT-SIZE: small"
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color=#0000ff>http://www.sermons.com/signup</FONT></SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"> </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN> </DIV>
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style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">_______________________</SPAN></DIV>
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style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
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style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN>1
Corinthians 12:12-32a<SPAN class=363260803-24012013> - </SPAN> the
sermon titled “Kintsugi Vessels” by Leonard Sweet<SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN>
</SPAN></DIV>
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style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">Anyone here love “antiques?” How about “Antiques Road
Show?” Did you know it’s been around for 36 years, since 1977? </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">[This would be a good time to facilitate a short time
of interaction with the congregation over their favorite “antiques,” their
favorite shows dealing with “antiques,” what the difference is between
“antiques” and “collectives,” etc.]</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">“Antiques” and “collectibles” have value because they
have survived intact for a long period of time. With the exception of those few
things that are made of gold or silver or precious gemstones, the value in most
“old stuff” is mostly found in the simple fact that they are still around.
Except for the ravages of the plagues like the Black Death pandemic, which
killed between 75 million and 200 million people, the biggest and most frequent
destructive force in civilization has always been fire. <SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">Alexandria burned. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">Rome burned. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">Paris burned. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">London burned. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">Washington D.C. burned. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">Chicago burned. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">San Francisco burned. <SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">For “stuff” to survive these infernos was no small
feat. And it makes them valuable.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">Then there is the human factor. <SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">Is there anyone who doesn’t have this shuddering
memory: you’re drying a dish, moving a knickknack, or blundering into a piece of
furniture -- and suddenly it happens: you watch almost in slow motion as some
precious bit of china, some heirloom brick-a-brac, some priceless treasure goes
sliding into the abyss. As it slipped from your hands or went sliding off the
table, you knew what was about to happen, but were helpless to stop it. Gravity
doesn’t negotiate. Crash! In an instant a treasured family heirloom is reduced
to pathetic pieces.<SPAN class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">In today’s throwaway culture of planned obsolescence,
with instantly outdated plastic and cardboard, “broken stuff” gets routed to the
“round file” (the trash can) as quickly as last year’s electronics. Artisans of
restorations and repair craftsmen are increasingly hard to find. Unless whatever
has been damaged was extremely valuable, it is usually not worth the investment
to fix it. <SPAN class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">Thankfully that has not always been the case…<SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">The rest of this sermon can be obtained by joining
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><A
title=blocked::http://mail.churchmail.com/lists/lt.php?id=Kk8ABAkECQZSCkkNAw5KDAtXUVw=
href="http://mail.churchmail.com/lists/lt.php?id=Kk8ABAkECQZSCkkNAw5KDAtXUVw%3D"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"
title=blocked::http://mail.churchmail.com/lists/lt.php?id=Kk8ABAkECQZSCkkNAw5KDAtXUVw=><FONT
title=blocked::http://mail.churchmail.com/lists/lt.php?id=Kk8ABAkECQZSCkkNAw5KDAtXUVw=
color=#0000ff>http://www.sermons.com/signup</FONT></SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"> <SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">_____________________________<SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">He Came to Help Us See<SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">Besides freeing us from fear and guilt, Jesus came to
help us see. He wasn’t talking about physical blindness, but rather, spiritual
blindness. We can’t see because we are trapped by habits, addictions and
illusions of happiness. Therefore we are trapped, oppressed by our own choices
and situations. Some of us are in denial. Others of us are reinforced through
the enabling of other people. Consequently, we are not free.<BR><BR>One night a
tiger trainer was performing at a circus. He went into the cage with the tigers
and a huge hush came over the crowd as the doors were locked behind him.
Skillfully, the trainer put the tigers though their routine, entertaining the
crowd. But, suddenly there was a "pop" and the all the lights went out under the
big top.<BR><BR>The trainer was locked inside the cage with the tigers in
complete darkness. They could see him with their night vision, but he could not
see them. All he had was a chair and a whip for protection. Finally the lights
came back on and the trainer finished his performance.<BR><BR>Later in a TV
interview, the trainer admitted how scared he was. Then he realized that the
tigers did not know that he could not see them. "I just cracked my whip and
talked to them," he said, "until the lights came on." (from "Tigers in the
Dark," God’s Little Lessons on Life for Dad, Honor Books)<BR><BR>Keith Wagner,
Liberated and Free
<BR>_______________________________________<BR><BR><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">Fulfilling Others?<SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">And the marvel is this: Jesus somehow fits the void in
all the far flung instances of human longing. When medieval European artists
painted the Holy Family, they usually painted them with typical German, Italian,
or Flemish features. It was not imagination or prejudice which made them do so,
but the instinctive feeling that Jesus belonged to them; he was one of their
people. In our time, Christian artists in Africa and Asia paint the Holy Family
with features and coloring appropriate to their world. Again, it is because they
feel that Jesus belongs to them. <BR><BR>The mountain church, where a duet
twangs out country-western music on a guitar, may seem to have little in common
with a Bach rendition from a four-manual organ; but each is seeking to show its
adoration of Jesus in its own best way. Here is the common bond between a ghetto
storefront church and the massive Gothic structure some miles away: they both
bear the name of Jesus Christ; and they each seek, in their own way and setting,
to fulfill the human longing. What about you and me? What is the longing in our
lives which Christ has filled? "Today," Jesus said, "this scripture has been
fulfilled in your hearing." For you, for me? To what degree are we in the
business of fulfilling the scripture in the lives of others? <SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"><SPAN
class=363260803-24012013> </SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">J. Ellsworth Kalas, Sermons on the Gospel Readings,
Cycle C, CSS Publishing Company </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: small">_____________________________</SPAN></DIV>
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style="FONT-SIZE: small"></SPAN></DIV></BODY></HTML>