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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, Apr 11, 2015 9:08 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Easter 2B<br>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Dear Friends,</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Doubting Thomas” or “Out of Sight- Out of Mind” or “Your Mother’s Faith Won’t Save You” and deals with the all the lessons.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Here it is: </font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">Happy Easter!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Yes, it’s still the Easter season and will be for 43 more days.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">As you recall, last Sunday I reminded us that this is a Good Friday world, but the Easter promise is that God has already overcome.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">In this world of difficulties, fear, frustration, and death- it looks like evil has the last word- but it doesn’t, because the Lord has overcome.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">In the middle of the mess, Jesus calls our name like he called Mary’s Magdalene’s name; takes us by the hand; and walks us through it.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">By God’s grace, there is absolutely no situation so hopeless that God cannot use it to empower us and glorify himself.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Even death itself is swallowed up in victory, because it is the gateway to heaven.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Yes, that’s God’s Easter promise to us.</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">This last week really pointed up the Good Friday reality of our world.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Two murder victims are in the bulletin- one from Saginaw and one (family of one of our members) from out-of town; more shootings by police officers of unarmed African-American men; and the list goes on and on.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">All of these people were younger than I am; many are younger than most of you are.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">We really don’t expect someone younger than we are to die, but no one has a claim on life.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Not one of us, even the youngest child, has even the slightest idea about how much longer we have of this life (I just did a memorial service for a 48 year-old father/grandfather)- which brings us to the point of this sermon.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">It’s not just Thomas- each one of us absolutely must develop our own personal relationship with Jesus.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Each one of us absolutely must put our money where our mouth is and walk with God.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Your mother’s faith won’t save you- only a faith of your own is enough to get you through the hard times and on to eternal life with our Lord.</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">I’ve mentioned this before, but it really made an impression on me.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Some time ago, I mentioned how ghastly it was for Judas to betray Jesus, then asked if it’s possible for people today to betray Jesus, and if so- how.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">One of our very perceptive members quickly answered- “Oh sure- out of sight; out of mind!”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Do you know, that person was right!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The opposite of faith is NOT doubt; it’s indifference- an attitude of “I don’t care” or “I’m too busy to bother with Jesus and church right now.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Then when the hard times come (as they come to everyone), we haven’t developed the spiritual relationship with our Lord to survive with power.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">How do you protect yourself?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Here are four ways- each one from the Bible lessons today.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">FROM THE ACTS LESSON- don’t be stingy and let money and possessions be your god.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">You can’t take it with you, and they wouldn’t do any good anyway!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Did you hear of the man who figured out a way to get his gold to heaven?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">As he walked in those gorgeous gates dragging his huge stock of gold, the angels just shook their heads.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“The very streets are paved with gold up here!” they said.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“Why in the world would that foolish man drag in more paving bricks?!”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Your money and possessions won’t save you; only your faith and absolute trust in the living Lord will.</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">FROM THE PSALM- don’t let squabbles between family members get you down and poison your spirit.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">There are two problems with family- we don’t get to choose them and they usually know us well enough to really pull our chains!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Give them to God and forgive.</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">FROM THE 1</font><sup><font color="#000000">ST</font></sup><font color="#000000"> JOHN LESSON- live what you believe.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">If you’re not living it, you really don’t believe it.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Actions speak louder than words.</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">FINALLY, FROM JOHN’S GOSPEL- don’t make Thomas’ mistake.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Do you know what it was?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">If he had been with the fellowship of disciples on Easter day, he would have seen Jesus too.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Keep the Sabbath- don’t miss church.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Our culture has six days (plus the powerful tool of the television set) to tattoo its values of me, my, mine and buy, buy, buy into your very soul.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Let God undo the damage and give you an attitude adjustment every Sunday.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">What frequently happens to AA members when they stop going to meetings?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">What frequently happens to Weight Watcher members when they stop going to meetings?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The same thing happens to Christians when they stop going to church- out of sight, out of mind- and they slowly drift away from their source of power.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The trouble is- the drifting happens so gradually we don’t notice it- like the frog and the boiling water.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">If that frog started to jump in the pot, he’d sense the danger as soon as his little toe touched the edge and he’d escape.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">If, however, he starts in the pot and then the water gradually comes to a boil, he doesn’t notice the danger and the next thing you know- he’s frog stew.</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">As we prayed in this morning’s collect, may God empower us to show forth in our lives what we profess in our Easter faith.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Amen.</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes; tab-stops: .25in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements are posted on our parish’s 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"></font></u></a><u><font color="#0000ff" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.org" target="_blank">http://www.stpaulsepisag.org</a></font></u><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> .</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Blessed preaching,</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Judy Boli</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">St. Paul's Episcopal Church</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Saginaw, Michigan</font></span></div>
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