<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></head><body ><div>Forwarded: </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div style="font-size:8px;color:#575757">From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.</div></div><br><br>-------- Original message --------<br>From: Judy <judy_boli@ecunet.org> <br>Date:02/13/2016 10:49 PM (GMT-05:00) <br>To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org> <br>Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Lent 1C <br><br><div dir="ltr"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p 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></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p 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></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p 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 “Yield Not to
Temptation” or “The Devil Made Me Do It!” and deals with the gospel (Luke 9: 28-
36).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">Here it is: </font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span></font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p 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></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">(Part 2 of 2)</span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p 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">Question- how can you know if that still,
small voice in your head is God’s- encouraging happiness and life, or the
devil’s encouraging unhappiness and death?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></font><font color="#000000">Use Jesus’ experience to help you figure it out.</font></font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><ol style="list-style-type: decimal; direction: ltr;"><li style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><p style="line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; mso-add-space: auto;"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">From the “stones into bread”
temptation, ask yourself:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> “What’s in it for me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
essence of the demonic is self-centeredness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Remember, the devil tempted Jesus to misuse his powers and turn stones into
bread FOR HIMSELF.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t let the devil
succeed in tempting you to use your powers and skills selfishly.</span></p></li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; mso-add-space: auto;"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">From the “throw yourself
from the top of the temple” temptation, ask yourself:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Am I taking the easy way, a
short cut, a “quick-fix”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, the
devil tempted Jesus to throw himself off the top of the temple as a short-cut
means to gain popularity and attention.</span></p></li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; mso-add-space: auto;"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">From the “fall down and
worship me” temptation, ask yourself: </span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Am I being tempted to use an evil means and hoping
to get a good end, like when the devil suggested that Jesus worship him to gain
the power he needed to do good?</span></p></li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto; mso-add-space: auto;"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally, did you notice how
the first and third temptations started: “If you are God’s son…..”?</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that voice inspiring self-doubt,
discouragement, depression?</span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p></li></ol><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">If
the answer to any of these is unsatisfactory, just say “NO!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">Get thee behind me Satan!</font></font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p 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">Speaking of “Get thee behind
me, Satan,” I’d like to close with an old story that perfectly fits the
beginning of Lent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">Watch for the
mistakes the woman makes.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Did you hear
about the woman who just loved to shop?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">The problem was- both of their credit cards were maxed out, and she had
promised her husband that she would not buy anything that was not absolutely
necessary.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Well, Lent came soon after
she made the promise, and her Lenten commitment was that she would exercise
every day.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Since it was pouring rain,
she couldn’t walk outside; so she decided to go to the mall to walk and get her
exercise.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“Don’t worry, dear,” she told
her husband before leaving.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“I won’t buy
anything- I promise you.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Her walk in
the mall started out just fine, but then, as she strode past one of her
favorite stores, she saw this beautiful dress in the window.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">You know what she did- stopped walking to
look at it.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">She noticed that it was in
her favorite color and would match the shoes she purchased the week
before.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“It won’t hurt if I just go in
the store to look.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">They probably won’t
have my size anyway.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">When she checked
out the rack, there was that gorgeous dress; and it was in her perfect color
and correct size.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“Wow!” she
thought.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“It won’t hurt to just try it
on.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Trying it on is not the same thing
as buying it.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">You know what she did-
took it into the dressing room to try it on.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">After it was on, she looked at her image in the mirror, and she really
did look good.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">All of a sudden, she came
to her senses and remembered her promise to her husband.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“Get the behind me, Satan!” she ordered.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“I’m not buying this dress!”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">From behind her came a soft voice that said-
“Gee, that’s a shame. </font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">It looks really
good back here too!”</font></font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">May God bless us as we keep a holy Lent full
of life-giving spiritual growth.</font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p 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"> </font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p 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 href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.org/"><u><font color="#0000ff" face="Times New Roman">http://www.stpaulsepisag.org</font></u></a><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> .</font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p 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></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p 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></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p 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></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p 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></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p 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></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div>
<p></p>
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