<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><br></div><div id="composer_signature"><div style="font-size:85%;color:#575757" dir="auto">Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device</div></div><div><br></div><div style="font-size:100%;color:#000000"><!-- originalMessage --><div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Judy <judy_boli@ecunet.org> </div><div>Date: 4/1/17 6:05 PM (GMT-05:00) </div><div>To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org> </div><div>Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Lent 5A </div><div><br></div></div><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 color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Unbinf Him and Let
Him GO!” and deals with all the lessons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here it is: </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 style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">I absolutely love the story we just read- it sometimes
brings tears to my eyes, because there’s so very much wisdom in it and it lets
us see, just a little bit, into the amazing mind of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first half of the episode points out what
we believe- that our God is in charge and that he is an on-time God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were good friends
of Jesus, so when Lazarus got deathly ill, they simply assumed they could send
for their good friend Jesus to heal their brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, Jesus was known for his healing
powers, and if he could heal complete strangers, he could certainly extend
himself to heal a good friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Problem- they
sent for Jesus, but he didn’t come for four days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It probably took one day for the messenger
from Mary and Martha to arrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
Jesus waited two days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had to decide
if he would risk his ministry on this dangerous trip, because the last time he
was in Jerusalem he was almost stoned to death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then it probably took a day’s travel to get there- long walk!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s so special about four days?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a Jewish tradition that that the
soul hovered around the body for three days after death and then left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, by the fourth day- this was a hopeless
cause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other cultures had the same
understanding- for good reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have
wakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know how the custom of a wake
started?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In England, lead cups were often
used when people drank alcoholic beverages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The lead combined with lots of alcohol could really knock the drinker
out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To keep from burying a live person,
the “body” was laid out on the kitchen table and the family and friends would
sit around eating, drinking, and waiting for a couple of days to see if the
person would “wake” up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But after four
days- no way!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dead is dead, and in fact-
in that heat- dead is very smelly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
noticed, when the sisters saw Jesus- the first thing they said was an
accusation: “If you had been here, my brother would not have died!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Jesus wasn’t late- he was right on time,
because God’s amazing power was about to be proclaimed; and when Jesus said, “I
am the way, the truth, and the life”- all anyone had to do was open their eyes
and see it.</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;"><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;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">The last half of the story is where the rubber hits
the road- it’s about living what we believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s about this- do we really believe God is in charge?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well then, prove it by our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take risks for God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t panic when things aren’t going the way
you want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stay faithful and trust
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of these elements are in the
rest of the story- watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What had to
happen if God was going to work a miracle and restore Lazarus to life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary and Martha had to take the risk of their
lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had to obey Jesus when he
told them to roll the stone away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under
ordinary circumstances, what would have met them as soon as that stone produced
even a small gap into the tomb?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Smell!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ghastly smell of
rotting human flesh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you ever
smelled a pack of ground beef when it’s been in the refrigerator too long?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now look- ground beef is bad enough; but if
the smell is coming from your beloved brother’s decomposing body- that’s too
much to bear!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s that song- “Trust
and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey”-
easier said than done.</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;"><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;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman">There’s one more significant part of this
episode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After Jesus shouted, “Lazarus,
come out,” what is the next thing Jesus said to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Untie him and let him go.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some translations say, “Unbind him and let
him go free.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as Lazarus had to be
released from those restrictive burial wrappings, so must we.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the most important jobs of Lent is to
identify those left-over trappings of death to which we still cling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We work at it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stop smoking or drinking too much,
overeating, swearing, having destructive attitudes, overly trying to control
others and have our own way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We start praying
five times a day, spending time with God, reading the Bible and other helpful
literature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We work at all sorts of
habits- cutting out the bad and starting the good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But- we’ve got to stay unbound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Old Testament lesson from the prophet
Ezekiel speaks of dry bones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you
know that there are three kinds of bones that will help us stay unbound and
free: the wishbone, the jawbone, and the backbone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wishbone lets us have a wish- a vision of
where we’re going, what we want to accomplish or who we ultimately want to
be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s your vision?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What kind of person do you want to be in two
years?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve got to have vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The jawbone gets us data, knowledge,
wisdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our jawbone asks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s arrogant to try to figure out life on
our own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s why St. Paul reminds us
that we are each only a small part of the body of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve got to have knowledge and wisdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally- the backbone- you know what that
is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve got to have the backbone to
stand up for what you know is right, no matter what.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everybody else is doing it- so what!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You do what’s right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You made a promise without thinking?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either keep that promise or call the person
and tell them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want to do something
that you know is wrong, but no one will see?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Two someones will see- you and God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Something that is not good for you is just calling your name?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell Satan to move out of the way, and then
focus on something positive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></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;"><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;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">May God bless us with wishbones- a vision of God’s
desires for us, jawbones- the wisdom to ask and listen for the answers, and
backbone- the power to live what we believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Amen.</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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