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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, Dec 3, 2016 6:00 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Advent 2A<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 color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “John the Baptist” and
deals with the Gospel (Matthew 3:1-12).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here it is: </font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">This morning we heard
about one of the strangest characters in the Bible- John the Baptist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was the last of the Old Covenant prophets
and had the job of preparing the way for Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even his beginnings were unusual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>John’s parents, Elizabeth and Zechariah, were childless and way too old
to have children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elizabeth was Mary’s cousin and Zechariah was
a priest in the temple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day,
Zechariah was doing his job in the temple when the angel Gabriel appeared and
told him that he and his wife would have a baby, who was to be named John.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zechariah doubted the angel, so he was struck
dumb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shortly after this incident and
against all odds, Elizabeth
became pregnant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s obvious that
Zechariah and Elizabeth were accepting, compassionate people because after the
Virgin Mary became pregnant, she spent some time with them- probably to gain
courage to face everyone when she began to “show.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, in due time the child promised to
Zechariah and Elizabeth
was born; and when he was circumcised and presented in the temple, everyone was
about to name him “Zechariah” after his father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the custom of the day to name children after a relative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zechariah still could not speak, so he communicated
by writing, “His name is John.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Immediately, Zechariah’s speech impediment vanished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those watching these happenings wondered what
kind of a man this “John” would turn out to be.</font></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"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They
were wise to wonder, because this “John”, actually “John the Baptist” was truly
unusual- many must have wondered about his sanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While others lived in comfortable houses, he
lived in the desert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While others
dressed fashionably (or at least comfortably), he wore an itchy camel
skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While others ate fish and bread
and occasionally some meat, he ate what he could find- usually locusts and wild
honey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He spent his time baptizing
people in the Jordan River, giving them a
second chance to enter the Promised Land following God’s way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you recall, Jesus (John’s second cousin)
was baptized by John.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he wasn’t
baptizing, he was preaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
encouraged the common people to repent and return to God, but he infuriated
those in power by calling them “snakes”- not a very good way to get ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When King Herod married his sister-in-law,
John condemned the whole affair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Needless to say, he had many enemies in high places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Herod was so angry with John’s meddling that
he threw him in prison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While John was
there he must have experienced a period of doubt, because he sent some of his
followers to ask Jesus if he was really the Messiah, or was he going through
all of this imprisonment for nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus sent them back with the message that the deaf hear, the blind see,
the lame walk, and the poor have the good news preached to them- in other
words- the Jubilee message.</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">One of John’s most dangerous
enemies was Herodias, the sister-in-law whom King Herod married.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day, Herod threw a party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all the men at the party were drunk,
Salome (daughter of Herodias) really turned them on with her dancing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Herod was so impressed that he promised her
anything she wanted, even half of his kingdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Salome asked her mother what she should request, and the answer came
back clearly: “Ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since Herod didn’t want to look like a fool
in front of his friends by going back on his word, that’s just what happened.</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Out of the strange life of
one of God’s greatest prophets, what’s the message for us?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can this help us get ready for the birth
of Jesus in a few weeks?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are four
thoughts:</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.25in; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; punctuation-wrap: simple; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><font color="#000000"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><font face="Times New Roman">1)</font><span style="font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">John didn’t follow the crowd
and neither should we.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t worry what
everyone expects you to do to prepare for the holiday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In all your rushing around, don’t forget
Jesus.</font></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.25in; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; punctuation-wrap: simple; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><font color="#000000"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><font face="Times New Roman">2)</font><span style="font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">As busy as you are this
year, don’t miss Jesus when he comes to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How is this possible?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look, if
John the Baptist walked in here right now, I’m here to tell you that we’d
probably get a little nervous because (to put it mildly) he’d look
different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, we’d probably
wonder if we had a crazy man in here!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
we didn’t take him seriously, we would have missed one of the holiest people in
the Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, Jesus comes to us
in other people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(“Whatever you do to
the least of these, my sisters or brothers, you do to me.”)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t diminish anyone just because of how he
looks or talks or what she wears.</font></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.25in; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; punctuation-wrap: simple; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><font color="#000000"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><font face="Times New Roman">3)</font><span style="font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">If you meet people who
aren’t quite sure about this “Jesus event,” be kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, even John had his doubts when times
were hard and he was in prison.</font></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.25in; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in; punctuation-wrap: simple; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><font color="#000000"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><font face="Times New Roman">4)</font><span style="font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman">Finally- remember who we’re
preparing for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I know that Jesus
was born a precious little baby in a manger made of hay; but he didn’t stay
that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He grew up to be a wonderful,
powerful man who suffered, died, and rose for our sins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At ChristMass time, a church that will go
nameless often has one of those cute sayings on the sign in front.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It says: “Xmas is Christmas without
Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t “X” Him out!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure you’ve heard people talk like that-
saying it is unchristian to substitute the “X” for the “Christ” in
Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My sisters and brothers,
they’re well-meaning, but very wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The “X” is the Greek letter Chi, for “Christ.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That “X” is also the way you make a Roman
cross, so “X” stands for a cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Xmas”
is a way of saying “Mass for the Holy One who died on the cross.” “Xmas”
reminds us that the baby who was born at ChristMass grew up to be the man who
died on the cross for our salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“XMass” or “CrossMass” reminds us, as we prepare for the birth of our
Savior, to take up our own cross and follow Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some years ago, a friend gave me this statue
of Santa kneeling at the manger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
the Christian priority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember that
this is Jesus’ birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re preparing
for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Santa component is fun, but
the true ChristMass is Jesus and his birth.</font></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" rel="noopener noreferrer" 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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