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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 <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org><br>
Sent: Sat, Jan 23, 2016 10:59 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Epiphany 3C<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 “Jesus’ First Sermon”
or “Jubilee” and deals with the Gospel (Luke 4:14-21).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><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; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">I remember the first sermon
I ever preached here at St. Paul</font><font color="#000000">’s.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">It was some 30 years ago, and it started:
“Today is Theological Education Sunday here at </font><font color="#000000">St. Paul</font><font color="#000000">’s.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">I don’t need to tell you that a few more sentences into the sermon, most
of the congregation was looking out of the window or gazing at me with sleepy,
half-closed eyes- not a great start as a preacher!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Well, we just heard Jesus first sermon, and
it almost got him thrown off a cliff!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">He
read from the prophet Isaiah, and basically said- “Jubilee is starting NOW in
your hearing!”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Why didn’t those ancient
people want Jubilee to start?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Because
they had too much to lose.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Near the
beginning of their walk with God as his chosen people, God told the Israelites
that every 50</font><sup><font color="#000000">th</font></sup><font color="#000000"> year was to be a Jubilee year to remind them that
everything on this planet belongs to him, not us.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Therefore, in the Jubilee year- slaves would
be freed and all property would be returned to the original owner, thus
establishing a second chance for everyone who had messed up to fix up- all over
the land.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Now we hear Jesus saying that
he came to proclaim the great news that prisoners could claim their freedom (do
you know anyone enslaved to anything?), the blind could finally open their eyes
and see (do you know anyone who is blinded by something?), those who suffer
have healing offered to them (know any sufferers?), and those who need a second
chance- here it is.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">If you wonder about
this, go back and read Leviticus 25 and Isaiah 42.</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">What are the implications of
this for us, if we are going to be true to our Lord?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">When Jesus ascended back to heaven, he left
us with the responsibility of completing his mission- bringing all people to
him for salvation and a fresh, new start at real life through him.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">That’s not just US, that’s specifically
YOU!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">I can imagine you thinking- “Not
me- I don’t have any talents!”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">If you’re
even beginning to think this, remember the basic teaching of the epistle (1</font><sup><font color="#000000">st</font></sup><font color="#000000">
Corinthians 12:12-27): we are all part of the Body of Christ, and every single
one of us has needed talents to share with the church to bring people to
wholeness and new life in Jesus.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">If you
find yourself thinking- “She can’t mean me!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">I’m too sinful,” check out our Old Testament lesson (Nehemiah 8: 1-10).</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Its basic teaching is- NO ONE is too sinful
to be used by God.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">It’s not where you’ve
been that’s important; it’s where you’re going that counts.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">We truly are the Body of Christ.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Our hands, feet, mouths, bodies, lives do the
Jesus ministry.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">It is entrusted to
us.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">If we don’t do it, it simply won’t
get done.</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">What are we to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">The letters in the holy name of Jesus remind
us of some of the basics:</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font color="#000000">“J”</font></span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font color="#000000"> reminds us we are to
continue Jesus’ work of establishing Jubilee- in other words: justice, peace,
and a second chance for all God’s people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></font><font color="#000000">When in doubt, give a second or third or millionth chance.</font></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font color="#000000">“E”</font></span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font color="#000000"> reminds us to evangelize-
spread the Word, baptize, and teach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></font><font color="#000000">Remember, in Matthew 28 Jesus reminded us to go to all nations baptizing
and teaching.</font></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“S”</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> is for “strength”- the
power, courage, and endurance Jesus offers through daily reading of His Word,
prayer, fellowship, and weekly Holy Communion.</span></font></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font color="#000000">“US”</font></span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font color="#000000"> reminds us that God expects
us to be in this together as a team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">The
disciples knew Jesus expected them to stick together, which is why they were
all back in that upper room at Pentecost.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">One person can’t be the “Body of Christ.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Read 1</font><sup><font color="#000000">st</font></sup><font color="#000000"> Corinthians 12, and
you’ll se we’re all expected to be the “Body of Christ” together.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">I’m going to close with a story illustrating
why we must stick together.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Do you
remember the story about the mouse and the other animals?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Well- the mouse overheard the farmer tell his
wife that he was installing a brand new, foolproof mousetrap.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The mouse was so upset that he went running
to the barnyard to get help from the other animals.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">When he told the hen, he got no sympathy
whatsoever!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“Don’t bother me, mouse-
that’s your problem; not mine” was the reply.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">So he told the pig and got the same reply- “Don’t bother me- not my
problem.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">He even told the cow; again
with the same reply- “Don’t bother me- not my problem.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">That night as the mouse was sleeping, he
heard the mousetrap snap.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">A poisonous
snake had gotten his tail caught in the trap.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">When the farmer’s wife went to see what had happened, the snake drew
back and bit her.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Instantly, she started
to feel very sick, so she called her husband.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">Now the husband didn’t know anything about medicine, but he knew that
chicken soup cures anything; so he went to the barn, killed the chicken
(remember- it wasn’t her problem), and made some chicken soup.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Problem- his wife got sicker.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">He called the doctor who said he would come
if he could be paid in bacon, so he butchered the pig (remember- it wasn’t his
problem) and paid the doctor in bacon.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">Finally, his wife died.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">He needed
food for the many people who visited to comfort him, so he killed the cow
(remember- it wasn’t her problem) and started up the grill so everyone could
have steak.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The moral of this story-
we’re all in this together. May God bless us all as we work together to become
the Body of Christ here on this corner and establish Jubilee in every sphere of
our lives.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span></span></font></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">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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