<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: 6/17/17 5:50 PM (GMT-05:00) </div><div>To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org> </div><div>Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 6A: "Jesus Died to Take Away Your Sins, Not Your Mind" </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;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Dear
Friends,</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><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; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">This
Sunday’s sermon is entitled “He Died to Take Away Your Sins, Not Your Mind” and
deals with the epistle (Romans (5:1-8).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here
it is:</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt; line-height: normal;"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman">This morning, I’d like us to
focus on sin and forgiveness. In the epistle, Paul reminds the Roman Church
that Christ’s death and resurrection makes us acceptable to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Problem- just because we start out acceptable
to God after we are baptized and accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, what
happens when we become unacceptable because we sin?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the early church, there were people who
put off being baptized because they worried what would happen to them if they
sinned after they had received the sacrament. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you hear the story of the vacuum cleaner
salesman?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little old lady answered a
knock on the door one day, only to be confronted by a well-dressed young man
carrying a vacuum cleaner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">“Good morning,” said the young man. “If I
could take a few minutes of your time, I would like to demonstrate the very
latest in high-powered vacuum cleaners.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Go away!” said the old lady. “I haven't got any money!” and she
proceeded to close the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quick as a
flash, the young man wedged his foot in the door and pushed it wide open.
“Don't be too hasty!"” he said. “Not until you have at least seen my
demonstration.” And with that, he emptied a bucket of horse manure onto her
hallway carpet. “If this vacuum cleaner does not remove all traces of this
horse manure from your carpet, Madam, I will personally eat the
remainder.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old lady stepped back
and said, “Well I hope you've got a darn good appetite, because they cut off my
electricity this morning.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mouth
surely got him in LOTS of trouble, as did Sarah’s mouth when she laughed at
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></font></font></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 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-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">One of the biggest
mistakes we make these days is discounting the importance of sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We call it “making a mistake.” We tell
ourselves that God understands how weak we are and how we can’t help it- “after
all, we’re just human.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part of that is
true- we are human and weak, but God is like any good parent- he expects steady
improvement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only that, he has given
us the tools to overcome: Bible study, prayer, Christian fellowship, and Holy
Communion and the other sacraments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not
to take sin seriously is to play with God.</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-style: italic; 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-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">All right- I’ve
convinced you to take sin seriously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
1<sup>st</sup> Timothy (1:15a), the author reminds us that “Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Exactly
what do we do to be forgiven when we sin?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Three things:</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-style: italic; 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">FIRST- CONFESSION: tell God about your sin
and tell him you’re sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Name the sin
in detail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It isn’t enough to say “I’m
sorry that I stole something.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead,
“I shoplifted a candy bar from the drug store because the check-out line was
too long and I was in a hurry.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be
specific.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If another person was hurt
mentally, physically, or emotionally- confess the sin to the person you
wronged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go to the drugstore, tell the
manager, and (while you’re at it) pay for the candy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only exception to this is if telling the
other person would not be a loving action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For example, if a husband cheats on his wife, telling her may
permanently damage the relationship- it just depends on the couple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this is the case, the husband should not
tell his wife, but might choose to tell his priest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In serious matters, it is almost always best
to tell another person- usually the person wronged, as well as telling God.</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">SECOND- RESTITUTION: make it up to the person
or persons you wronged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know how
quickly children learn to spout- “I’m sorry” and then go on about their
business as if nothing happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
not how to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You noticed a bit ago-
after confessing the theft to the story manager, what did the sinner do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(That word sounds strange- “sinner”- doesn’t
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re not talking about
mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re not talking about white
lies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our society downplays sin, but we
mustn’t.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What did the sinner do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paid for the candy bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember Zacchaeus- the very short tax
collector who climbed up the sycamore tree to see Jesus, and then Jesus went to
his home for dinner?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After Zacchaeus
repented for cheating his fellow citizens, what did he say he would do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>("I will give half of my property to the
poor. And I will now pay back four times as much to everyone I have ever
cheated."- Luke 19: 8b) Saying we’re sorry is not enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now is pay-back time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Problem: what if you don’t have the money to
pay it back?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, then you pay it back
in kind- clean the person’s house or wash their car or weed their garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pay it back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not all pay-backs are money or material things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you gossiped about someone, start telling
nice things about the person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
snubbed someone, pay extra attention to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What if the person won’t let you pay them back, or what if your sin
isn’t the kind that allows a pay-back, or what if the person has moved away or
is dead?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may not be able to do
something nice for that person, but you surely can do something nice for
SOMEONE!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, here’s a word of
caution: please be careful in your thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pay-back is NOT a way to earn your forgiveness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forgiveness can’t be earned; it is a
gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only Jesus’ blood covers sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Payback is to re-establish
relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, the cross has
two bars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The vertical bar reminds us
that Jesus’ blood restores our relationship with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The horizontal bar reminds us that we have a
responsibility to God’s other children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Payback helps to heal the damage our sin did to human community so we
can continue to reach out and touch in Jesus’ name.</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">THIRD- AMENDMENT OF LIFE: make a firm
decision to stop committing that sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Change your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Use the power
of your Holy Communion and the strength of the Holy Spirit to change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you still slip again and sin- no
problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just repeat the three above
steps and make better plans this time.</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">FINAL THOUGHTS: Some sins need the special
sacramental help of confession.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps
you have a sin that you continue to commit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’ve worked on it over and over again, but you seem to be getting
nowhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or- if you’ve confessed and
confessed, but still feel guilty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
either of these cases, make an appointment to talk to your priest and make a
sacramental confession.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anything like
that is totally confidential and there’s power in the sacraments of the Holy
Spirit, and confession is one of those sacraments.</font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"></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">So- when we sin:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>confess it; make restitution of some kind;
and change your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May God give us
all the grace 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;"><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; mso-mirror-indents: yes; tab-stops: .25in;"><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; mso-mirror-indents: yes; tab-stops: .25in;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">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" size="3">http://www.stpaulsepisag.org</font></u></a><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; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><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; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Blessed
preaching,</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Judy
Boli</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">St.
Paul's Episcopal Church</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Saginaw,
Michigan</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div>
<p></p>
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