<font color='black' size='4' face='Times New Roman, Times, serif'>Forwarded:<br>
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<div style="font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:10pt;color:black">-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Judy <judy_boli@ecunet.org><br>
To: propertalk.topic <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org><br>
Sent: Sat, Oct 18, 2014 5:45 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 24A<br>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Dear Friends,</font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">This Sunday’s sermon is
entitled “Give WHO…WHAT?!” or “You Are What You Think” and deals with the Gospel
(Matthew 22: 15-22).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">Here it is: </font></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">Do
you remember the story I told you back in May 4, 1014?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">It was about a principal, school custodian,
and some 12-year-old girls?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">According to
a news report, a certain private school in Washington recently was faced with a
unique problem. A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick
and would put it on in the bathroom.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3">
</font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press
their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night, the
custodian would remove them and the next day, the girls would put them back.
Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the
girls to the bathroom and met them there with the custodian.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">She explained that all these lip prints were
causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every
night. To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked
the custodian to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a
long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">Since then, there have been no lip prints on
the mirror (JokesWareHouse.com Joke of the Day).</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">Just
as that principal and custodian outsmarted the girls, Jesus once again
outsmarted the Pharisees when they tried, as usual, to trap Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">It seems they didn’t have the nerve
themselves, so they got some of their students to ask him a trick question:
“Should we pay taxes to the Emperor or not?” (Matthew 22: 17b).</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">This was intended to be one of those
lose-lose questions for Jesus.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">What they
figured was- if Jesus said to pay taxes to the Emperor, the people would be
angry.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">They hated the Emperor and Rome,
because they were an occupied country.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3">
</font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">If, however, Jesus said not to pay taxes to the Emperor- he would end up
in prison or dead!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">Did you notice how
brilliantly Jesus handled the situation?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3">
</font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">First he asked, “Whose picture and name are on it?” (Matthew 22:
20b).</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">When they answered “The
Emperor’s”, he said: “Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what
belongs to God” (Matthew 22: 21b).</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">He
put it right back in their corner- their trick didn’t work.</font></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">As
you know, in those days- the Emperor represented the government, so the
questions comes right back to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">What
do we owe the government and what do we owe God?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">Let’s look at what we owe our government first.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span></font></div>
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</font><li style="line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;">“Be a
good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and
order, it's God's order. So live responsibly as a citizen.” Romans 13:1
(The Message Translation).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
U. S. this means- be informed, vote, participate, and obey the law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be informed- do you know what’s going on
in your city, state, country, world?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do you only watch fun TV programs, or do you watch the news?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you registered to vote?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not, get registered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t put it off and then miss your
chance to vote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t vote,
you have nothing to say about what our officials do!</li><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><li style="line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;">“Prayer
and thanksgiving should be made for kings and all in authority” (1 Timothy
2:1,2).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You notice, we pray for our
leaders in church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you pray for
them in your own private prayers?</li><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><li style="line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;">You’ll
love this one- “You must also pay your taxes” (Romans 13: 6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yech!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course we know it’s true!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Who else is going to pay for roads and schools and police officers
and inspectors to be sure our food is safe?!</li><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">That’s
what you owe the government.</font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">Now,
what do you owe God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">Remember, Jesus
said to look at the coin to see whose image was on it.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">If we look at this quarter, who’s image is on
it?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">Sure, George Washington- the first
president of our country.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">Now, whose
image is in you?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">God’s! (Genesis 1:
27).</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">Do you remember the poem way back
from 2001 that goes:</font></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">“My face in the mirror isn't wrinkled
or drawn.</font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">My house isn't dirty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">The cobwebs are gone.</font></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">My garden looks lovely and so does my
lawn.</font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">I think I may never......put my glasses
back on.”</font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">“God
created humans in his own image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">Male
and female created he them.”)</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">What’s it
mean to you?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">Remember the end of last
week’s epistle- Philippians 4: 8 (“Finally, my friends, keep your minds on
whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don't ever stop
thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise.”)</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">Since we are what we think, if we think on
those things, that’s who we’ll become.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3">
</font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">So put your God-glasses back on and look at life as a child of our
heavenly Father.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">What
is this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">(a mirror).</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">Tomorrow morning, when you first look at
yourself in the mirror- probably with your hair a mess and your teeth not
brushed, remember that you are created in God’s image.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span><font color="#000000" size="3">Don’t worry too much about what you look
like- be concerned about that precious image inside and don’t embarrass your
dad.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; tab-stops: .25in;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">For
anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements
are posted on our parish’s NEW WEB SITE under “Sermons & Stuff”. The
address is: </font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.org/"><u><font color="#0000ff" face="Times New Roman" size="3">http://www.stpaulsepisag.org</font></u></a><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
.</font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Blessed preaching,</font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Judy Boli</font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">St. Paul's Episcopal
Church</font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Saginaw, Michigan</font></div>
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