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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, Aug 12, 2017 3:58 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 14A: “Any Storms Out Your Way?”<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 “Peter Walks on
Water” or “Any Storms Out Your Way?” and deals with the Gospel (Matthew 14: 22-
33).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here it is: </font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">The year I graduated from
Wayne State University (1959), I got a summer job teaching swimming at
Interlochen Summer Arts Camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stood
in Lake Michigan much of the day and taught.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By the end of each day, I was a cold, exhausted, mess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That must have been how the disciples felt
during that storm we heard about in today’s gospel,</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Bringing us all up-to-date
on the episodes we’ve heard so far from the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus heard
of the execution (beheading) of his second cousin John the Baptist, he tried to
find a quiet place were he could grieve and pray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week, we heard how people in the
surrounding area found him, so he had compassion on them, taught, and healed
the sick. When it was too late to send them home hungry, he fed 5,000 men plus
women and children with only five loaves and two fish, then collected twelve
baskets full of leftovers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today’s
gospel picks up as Jesus sends his disciples ahead of him across the Sea of Galilee so he can finally get some quiet time with
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, the Sea of Galilee is only
seven miles wide and fourteen miles long, but it is 150 feet deep in some
places (about 25 people standing on each other’s heads!) and vicious storms
come up often without warning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a
lot of water to deal with, especially in the middle of a storm, and that’s what
happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The disciples struggled all
night against the wind and waves just trying to keep their boat afloat, and in
the early morning (between three and six A.M.) they saw something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They saw Jesus walking on the water toward
them, but they thought it was a ghost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We heard the rest of the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus reassured them as he walked toward them on the water that he was
no ghost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter responded, “Lord, if
it’s really you, tell me to come to you on the water.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus replied, “Come on.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter was fine at first, but then he lost
focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he experienced the strength of
the wind and the ferocity of the waves, he began to sink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lord, save me!” Peter shouted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right away, Jesus reached out his hand,
grabbed Peter, and helped him into the boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At once, the wind died down, the waves quieted, and the disciples in the
boat worshipped Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what
happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, what’s it to you?</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">What’s true about the Sea of Galilee is also true of our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ferocious storms come up, sometimes totally
unexpectedly; and just as wind and waves can swamp a small fishing boat- life’s
difficulties can swamp our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
can’t control the storms, but we can control our response to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today’s gospel has four thoughts for doing
just that.</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Learn from Jesus.</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be prepared- even Jesus prayed
and spent time alone with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Jesus
needed to pray consistently, what about us?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Martin Luther said that the busier his day, the more important that he
start it with prayer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Rev. Dr. Tony
Evans (Urban Alternatives out of California)
reminds us, “When you consider the power of prayer, it is no wonder Satan works
overtime to keep us off our knees.”</span></font></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Learn from Peter.</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Risk for the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you notice the thought for the week?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not
what ships are built for.” (John Shedd)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t take the easy way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Live
God’s way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do the right thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be a person of justice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Speak up for the Lord.</span></font></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Learn from the disciples.</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Know the
enemy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The disciples knew the sea, and
at this point in their lives, the sea was their enemy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, for thousands of years in many
cultures, the seas symbolized chaos, forces opposed to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those same forces of chaos and evil aim to
destroy us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are the devil’s
tools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An old fable tells us about
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once upon a time, the devil decided
to go out of business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And he thought it
wise to offer all his tools for sale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
he held an auction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the auction, each
tool was described and then sold to the highest bidder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tools which were sold that day were
malice (acting like the “b” word),<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>hatred, envy, jealousy, deceit, and so forth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tool receiving the highest bid was
“discouragement.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When asked why that
went for the highest price, the devil replied,” Discouragement is the most
useful tool in the entire world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I
can get a person in a discouraged, defeatist mood, I can do anything with that
person, for faith is quickly lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
without faith, courage loses its focus and motivation.”</span></font></font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Finally, once again, learn from Peter:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> No matter what, stay
focused on Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, Peter was
doing fine until he lost his focus and started noticing the fierceness of the
storm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This principle is easiest to see
in sports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many games have been lost
when good players lost their focus and got distracted?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever storms we face, God is in charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus triumphs over chaos and evil by walking
all over it and proclaiming to the frightened disciples: “Don’t worry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I AM Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t be afraid”(Matthew 14:27).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Bible, “I AM” is the name God calls
himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter what you’re going
through, God is in charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know a
song about this- we sing it often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s
sing it again: “Be not afraid, for God is in charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be not afraid, for God is in charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be not afraid, for God is in charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I now release, let go, and know that God is
in charge.”</span></font></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">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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