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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “When Dreams Die” and deals with the Old Testament Lesson (Exodus 34:1-12). </font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">Here it is:</font></font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">In our Old Testament Bible reading this morning, we heard the sad episode of Moses’ death. </font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">Moses- who by the glorious power of God faced down the mightiest world power of his day, the Egyptian pharaoh.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Moses- who led the children of </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Israel</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> out of </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Egypt</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> from slavery to freedom.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Moses- who climbed the holy mountain to receive the Ten Commandments.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Moses- who interceded for those same hard-headed and hard-hearted people when they grew tired of waiting for him to come down from the mountain and followed his brother Aaron in making and then worshipping an idol (a golden calf).</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Moses who continued to intercede for the Israelites every time they faced hard times and their faith wavered.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Moses- who at Meribah cried to the Lord when the people were without water, prayed to the Lord and then used his staff to strike the rock.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">You know what happened- out flowed precious water.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Moses- who led these people for FORTY YEARS through the desert to the Promised Land.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Yet, when they had finally reached their long awaited goal, the Lord took Moses up a high mountain so he could get a chance to see the Promised Land.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">There, Moses died without ever being allowed to enter the land with his beloved people.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Talk about a goal not reached- a dream not personally achieved!</font></font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000" size="3">Then there was the Rev. Dr</font><font color="#000000" size="3">.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Martin Luther King, Jr.: From the Montgomery bus boycott through firebombings and beatings and jailings and terror at its worst, he faced down the worst evil American racism had to offer.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Through it all, he held fast to his dream- but he never personally saw it.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">In one of his most famous sermons he said, “I have a dream......that my four little children will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Dr. King went to </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Memphis</font><font color="#000000" size="3">, </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Tennessee</font><font color="#000000" size="3">, to support the strike of the garbage workers (poor Black, poor Hispanic, poor White) and to work for a Rainbow Coalition to work together for racial and economic justice.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">A few days later, his goal was smashed by a sniper’s bullet.</font></font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">And us...our dreams may not be as lofty as those of Moses or Dr. King, but we’ve all had them. </font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">You can ask any of our young people about their goals.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">If you ask, you will hear about dreams of becoming teachers, lawyers, architects, doctors, singers, basketball and football players.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">You know as well as I do that life is hard on dreams; in fact- I can think of three reasons why life is hard on dreams, and that’s what I’d like us to think about this morning.</font></font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">FIRST REASON- CONSEQUENCES. </font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">Life is hard on dreams because we can’t pray ourselves out of consequences we behave ourselves into.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">That’s almost getting to be a </font><font color="#000000" size="3">St. Paul</font><font color="#000000" size="3">’s parish slogan.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Moses is the best example of this.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">You might wonder- what sin could Moses possibly have committed that was THAT BAD.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">As you may know, Bible scholars have varying theories, but the most likely one is from what happened at Meribah when the people complained and Moses struck the rock to produce water.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">What also happened was that the thirsty people intended to stone Moses, so he went in fear to the Lord, probably making it look to the people as if Moses did not trust God.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">In fact, in Numbers 20:12, God says to Moses and Aaron, “Because you refused to believe in my power, these people did not respect me.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">And so, you will not be the ones to lead them into the land I have promised.”</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">What’s the spiritual lesson for us?</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">The same as three weeks ago when we talked about not taking God’s name lightly.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Don’t play with God.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">If we want to be blessed, we must follow God’s ways.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Look at Psalm 1:</font></font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0.5in; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">1 “God blesses those people who refuse evil advice</font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0.5in; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">2 Instead, the Law of the LORD makes them happy,</font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0.5in; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">3 They are like trees growing beside a stream, trees that produce fruit in season</font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0.5in; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">and always have leaves. Those people succeed in everything they do.</font></font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0.5in; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">4 That isn't true of those who are evil,</font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0.5in; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">5 Sinners won't have an excuse on the day of judgment,</font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0.5in; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">and they won't have a place with the people of God.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0.5in; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">6 The LORD protects everyone who follows him,</font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">Don’t play with God. </font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">You can’t pray your way out of consequences you behaved yourself into.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">We are many times our own worst enemy when we try to achieve our goals.</font></font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">SECOND REASON- EVIL- Life is hard on dreams because this world is full of evil, and it is the true calling of every single Christian to do everything in our power to eradicate evil every single place we find it, no matter the risk to ourselves. </font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">Wow- but then no one ever said being a Christian was going to be easy.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">In fact, I read somewhere about taking up our cross and following Jesus.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Again- our best example is the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">He didn’t see the Promised Land, but when future generations finally have a truly just, free country, it will be because of his sacrifice combined with the sacrifices of thousands of good people of every color and creed who stood up for justice and God and good.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">What’s the spiritual lesson for us?</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Don’t take the easy way; take the right way.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Do what Jesus said in today’s gospel reading (Matthew </font><font color="#000000" size="3">22: 37</font><font color="#000000" size="3">-39)</font><font color="#000000" size="3">: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.....and love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.”</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">THIRD REASON- WE USUALLY MUST LIVE OUR LIVES ONE STEP AT A TIME, ONE DREAM AT A TIME. </font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">I think sometimes God does us like I used to do our cat last cat- Astrophe.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">(Magnificat is too smart for this!)</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">If I wanted to lock her in the bathroom, I’ll never get her in there in one step, and I surely couldn’t catch her!</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Instead, I had to get some goodies and first call her off the sofa- first goodie.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Next, another goodie got her to the hall; finally a third goodie got her to the bathroom- then SLAM, I had her.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">(She never did figure this out!)</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">God did that with me.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">When I was about six, I thought God was calling me to be a missionary (the only thing I’d ever seen women do in church besides cooking and taking care of children).</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">That wasn’t it, but when I was about 20 I thought my call was teaching inner-city, poverty children.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">That was close, but not exactly it.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">When I was about 22 I thought it was civil rights work, so I organized rent strikes with Detroit CORE and went to </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Mississippi</font><font color="#000000" size="3">, </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Selma</font><font color="#000000" size="3">, </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Atlanta</font><font color="#000000" size="3">.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">That was close, but not it either.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">I used to think that I would never really understand what that elusive goal was.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Finally, while I knelt as an acolyte at this holy altar at 31 years of age (about 45 years ago), I realized what that call was- to be a priest.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">You see how God went from goodie to goodie to goodie.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">What’s the spiritual lesson for us?</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Maybe what you think is your goal is not the final step; perhaps it’s just a stop along the way.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">FINAL THOUGHT- WHAT IF???? </font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">What if you are like Moses and consequences have interrupted your first dream?</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Don’t quit.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">God’s not through with you anymore than he was with Moses, unless you think leading the people of </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Israel</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> 40 years through the desert and then appointing his successor (Joshua) was nothing.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Stay strong, stay open, and God will show you your next God-given goal.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Are you alive?</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Then God has big dreams for you.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">What if you are like Dr. King?</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Don’t give in to evil; and don’t let evil bring you down to its level by revenge, dishonesty, etc.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">You will overcome?</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">What if you’re like Astrophe or me?</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Take life step by step, and know that God is with you.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">How do you get the power to do this?</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Do you remember the old song, “There is a balm in </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Gilead</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> to make the wounded whole;.....to heal the sin-sick soul.”</font><font size="3"><font color="#000000"> Gilead</font></font><font color="#000000" size="3"> was a part of the Promised Land that Moses saw.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">In it were evergreen trees that remind me of the house plants we sometimes have on our window sills in the kitchen in case we burn ourselves- the aloe plant.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Anyone have one?</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">You can’t carry a cross without getting hurt sometime, and we have the perfect balm- the arms of Jesus around us in the form of our Christian friends, Holy Communion, and the Holy Bible to heal our weary, sin-sick souls.</font><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" size="3">Amen.</font><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000"></font></span></font></div>
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<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><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/" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer;"><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>
<div style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">Judy Boli</font></div>
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