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<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Sermons for Lent 2</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Luke 13:31-35 </span><span>- <strong>"</strong></span><strong>Who Lives In You?" </strong></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Philippians 3:17-4:1 - <strong>"The Cross - Burden or Blessing?"</strong> by Leonard Sweet</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Luke 13<font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">,</font></font> the sermon title "</span><span>Who Lives In You?</span><span>"<font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"> </font></font> <br>
</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Who lives in you?
That's the question that comes to mind as we read those words of Jesus
this morning when he tells the Pharisees, "Go tell that fox (Herod) that
I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow and on the
third day reach my goal." I will do what I must. For God lives in me. I
am a citizen of heaven. Let him do what he must!<br>
<br>
Let your
imagination run free for a moment and picture yourself, your
personality, who you are really, as a house. Any kind of house will do
-- just so it's yours. For some it may be a huge castle, with lofty
turrets and banners waving in the breeze, a place that is safe and
secure. For others it may be a rustic cabin, tucked away in the woods, a
peaceful and quiet refuge. For others still, it might be a nice little
retirement home, with a rocking chair on the front porch, a shade tree
in front and a nice warm breeze stirring flowers blooming in front.<br>
<br>
Now,
move in closer and imagine the front door of that house. Picture
someone pushing the doorbell, clanking the knocker, or rapping on the
door. If someone came to the door of your house, who would they find
inside? Who lives in you?<br>
<br>
I'm not sure about you, but I've met
people who gave me the distinct impression that if I went inside the
"houses" of their lives, I wouldn't find anyone home. Or if I went
inside their houses, they would be so cluttered with junk that there
wouldn't be any room for anyone. Or some whose houses are great and
impressive on the outside, but once I entered everything would be
artificial.<br>
<br>
Who lives in you? That's the question for us to address this Second Sunday in Lent...</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>The rest of this sermon can be obtained by joining <a shape="rect" target="_blank" __removedlink__261607934__href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001PtzeatfJFWNwNdr9seheyQF9b0-MY1gJK2wa-ygYgXbYIdyNhbn7W0FjxeN9djp1B0osKiL9v8PsHWqEaaUIxAtefj1JmJ4mK08HdbZV5nrPYjYQFUxYwRKUGPafu4aF"><span>http://www.sermons.com/signup</span></a></span><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
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<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>_______________________</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Philippians 3<font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">,</font></font> the sermon titled "The Cross - Burden or Blessing?" by Leonard Swe<font size="4"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">et </font></font> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Does a fast-food
nation get the church it deserves, or demands . . . . a fast-food
church? Not if Lent has anything to do with it. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Have you noticed that all the big fast food chains are touting their great new fish menus in the past couple of weeks?</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>McDonald's Fish McBites. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Wendy's Alaskan Pollack sandwiches. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Red Lobster's LobsterFest. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Popeye's Shrimp baskets. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Economically it is a
"down time." No big holidays this month and downright cold and wintery
most places. The big chain restaurants are going to try and capitalize
on anything they can. That includes Lent.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>"Giving up"
something for Lent has long meant, giving up rich goodies. Besides
chocolate, red meat has always been near the top of that list. If you
are old enough to remember those who only ate "fish on Friday," you can
understand the sudden oceanic bent of McDonald's and Wendy's and other
fast-food chains. If people of faith are "giving up" something for Lent,
God-forbid that such a commitment should include "giving up" dining out
at a fast food restaurant! Give them fast-food fish instead!</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>But Lent is not
just a season of winnowing down, of doing without, of "giving up." In
today's epistle text Paul reminds his readers that following Christ is
about living as life as an advocate, as a positive force, not as an
enemy, of the cross...</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>The rest of this sermon can be obtained by joining <a shape="rect" target="_blank" __removedlink__261607934__href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001PtzeatfJFWNwNdr9seheyQF9b0-MY1gJK2wa-ygYgXbYIdyNhbn7W0FjxeN9djp1B0osKiL9v8PsHWqEaaUIxAtefj1JmJ4mK08HdbZV5nrPYjYQFUxYwRKUGPafu4aF"><span>http://www.sermons.com/signup</span></a></span><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>______________________________</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>The World of the Prophet <br>
</span> </div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>What would you do
if someone gave you one million dollars and then told you to come back
as often as you liked and you could have whatever money you needed
whenever you wanted? Just ask and it is yours. What if he told you to
tell all your friends and they could also come and have a million
dollars? Do you think you would tell your friends? Do you think you
would show up regularly to receive more from this very wealthy and very
generous person? </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>What would you
think if you told your friends and they had you arrested? What would you
think if people said you were an idiot for getting money from this
generous person? What if people killed you for telling them about this
person who was giving away free money? Would you expect people to accuse
you of being narrow minded when you told people that they couldn't get
free money from any other person? Would you expect people to say things
like, "You know if we get our money every week, we won't really
appreciate it?" Would you expect people to hunt down this very wealthy,
very generous person and kill him? </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Welcome to the
world of the prophet. If you were to take my recent examples and replace
the money with forgiveness, you would exactly describe the insanity
that faces the prophet, the apostle, and all the messengers of God. God
wants to cover us in His gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation and
for some reason, that makes people angry. <br>
<br>
James T. Batchelor <br>
_______________________________________<br>
<br>
In the Form of a Man</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>The Hindu temple is
built in the form of a man. The outer court raised on pillars and open
on all sides is the human body, the inner court with its wide spaces is
the human mind, the shrine room is the human soul. Man moves within
himself into himself and there finds the presence of God. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>The Muslim mosque,
too, is built in the form of a man. The central dome is man's head and
the minarets are his hands upraised in prayer. Man comes to God through
an act of adoration and submission. The Buddhist dogoba, too, is built
in the form of a man. Its figure is that of a man in the posture of
meditation: legs crossed the body erect, and the head held straight and
unmoving. The approach to reality is by way of inner withdrawal from the
world.</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>The Christian church, too, is built in the form of a man, a man stretched out </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>upon a cross. And
this has made all the difference. The church does not ask its followers
to find their way, or to discover truth within. The church says one man,
Jesus of Nazareth is that way, is the truth. He is life. We put our
faith in him knowing </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span> </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>Brett Blair, <span><a shape="rect"><span>www.Sermons.com</span></a></span>. Adapted from a sermon by Daniel T. Niles. </span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span>_____________________</span></div>
<div style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><span><br>
</span></div>
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