<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: Judith Boli <judy_boli@ecunet.org> </div><div>Date: 9/17/17 7:04 PM (GMT-05:00) </div><div>To: Joe Parrish <joeparrish@compuserve.com> </div><div>Subject: Re: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 19A: “The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.” (Thomas Szasz) </div><div><br></div></div><div dir="ltr"><div>Sure, Joe. God bless you and Bob as you live in the unknown.</div><div><br></div><div>This morning we found out that our apprentice social ministry worker's brother visiting from Memphis was jumped and robbed yesterday. He is in critical condition at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor (about 100 miles from Saginaw) while surgeons reconstruct his face. He has lost an eye and is not doing well. The timing of the sermon couldn't have been better, although the circumstances are awful! Here's the sermon. Hope you get it this time.</div><div><br></div><div>
<p style="margin:16px 0px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">STRAIGHT
FROM THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW: </span></b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Jesus
said: “Peter came up to the Lord and asked, “How many times should I forgive
someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?’ Jesus answered:
“Not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!”<span style="margin:0px"> </span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin:16px 0px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span></p>
<p style="margin:16px 0px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">CONTINUED
STRAIGHT FROM THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW: </span></b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“This
story will show you what the kingdom of heaven is like: One day a king decided
to call in his officials and ask them to give an account of what they owed
him.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>As he was doing this, one official
was brought in who owed him fifty million silver coins.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>(One denarius = about 100 day’s labor; 1
year’s work= ~3.5 coins; what he owed would take ~14,285,714 years!) But he
didn't have any money to pay what he owed. The king ordered him to be sold,
along with his wife and children and all he owned, in order to pay the
debt.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>The official got down on his knees
and began begging, ‘Have pity on me, and I will pay you every cent I owe!’<span style="margin:0px"> </span>The king felt sorry for him and let him go
free. He even told the official that he did not have to pay back the
money.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>As the official was leaving, he
happened to meet another official, who owed him a hundred silver coins. So he
grabbed the man by the throat. He started choking him and said, ‘Pay me what
you owe! ‘The man got down on his knees and began begging, ‘Have pity on me,
and I will pay you back.’<span style="margin:0px"> </span>But the first
official refused to have pity. Instead, he went and had the other official put
in jail until he could pay what he owed.<span style="margin:0px">
</span>When some other officials found out what had happened, they felt sorry
for the man who had been put in jail. Then they told the king what had
happened.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>The king called the first
official back in and said, ‘You're an evil man! When you begged for mercy, I
said you did not have to pay back a cent.<span style="margin:0px">
</span>Don't you think you should show pity to someone else, as I did to you?’ The
king was so angry that he ordered the official to be tortured until he could
pay back everything he owed.<span style="margin:0px"> </span><b><span style="margin:0px;text-transform:uppercase">That
is how my Father in heaven will treat you, if you don't forgive each of my
followers with all your heart.”<i><u></u></i></span></b></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin:16px 0px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span></p>
<p style="margin:16px 0px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font size="3"><font color="#000000">Did you hear what Jesus
said.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>He said the same thing in the
Lord’s Prayer<b><span style="margin:0px;text-transform:uppercase">:<span style="margin:0px"> </span>“Forgive us our sins AS we
forgive those who sin against us.”</span></b><span style="margin:0px">
</span>In case we don’t get it, when he finishes teaching us how to pray, he
says<b><span style="margin:0px;text-transform:uppercase">,
“If you forgive others for the wrongs they do to you, your Father in heaven
will forgive you. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive
your sins.” (Matthew 6: 14-15)</span></b></font></font><span style="margin:0px;text-transform:uppercase"></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:16px 0px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="margin:0px;text-transform:uppercase;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span></p>
<p style="margin:16px 0px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><span style="margin:0px;text-transform:uppercase;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">N</span><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">ow, if we choose to try to live
the way Jesus said, let’s see what’s involved.<span style="margin:0px">
</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin:16px 0px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font size="3"><font color="#000000">This is what NOT to do.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>Someone overheard a conversation between a
husband and wife. It was Thanksgiving, and a husband was telling his wife how
thankful he was for her even-temperedness.<span style="margin:0px">
</span>He said, “When I get mad at you, you never try to get revenge or give me
the silent treatment.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>How do you manage
to forgive me so easily?”<span style="margin:0px"> </span>His wife
answered, “I clean the toilet.”<span style="margin:0px"> </span>“How
does that work?” asked the puzzled husband.<span style="margin:0px">
</span>“Well,” said his blushing wife.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>“When
I’m really mad at you, I clean it very slowly and it really helps me.”<span style="margin:0px"> </span>“How does cleaning the toilet help?” the
husband asked.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>“Oh, that’s easy!” the
wife replied.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>“I use your
toothbrush.”<span style="margin:0px"> </span></font></font></span></p>
<p style="margin:16px 0px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span></p>
<p style="margin:16px 0px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font color="#000000" size="3">OK- so we’re not going to get
even subtle revenge.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>What are we going
to do?</font></span></p>
<p style="margin:16px 0px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span></p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 13px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">FIRST-
WHAT?</span></b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="margin:0px"> </span>What are we talking about when we say
“forgive.”<span style="margin:0px"> </span>Here’s the best definition of
forgiveness I’ve heard: “Forgiveness is me giving up my right to hate you for
hurting me.” (Anonymous)</span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 13px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">SECOND-
TO WHAT EXTENT?</span></b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="margin:0px"> </span>What if the person did something terrible to
you or someone you love, and you can’t stand their guts?!<span style="margin:0px"> </span>C. S. Lewis said, “Everyone thinks
forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.”<span style="margin:0px"> </span>Of course you don’t like the person.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>They hurt you or someone you love, and they
probably did it on purpose!</span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 13px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">THIRD-
WHAT IF THEY KEEP DOING IT? </span></b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Then,
keep forgiving them, but go back to the drawing board and solve the
problem.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>Remember, Jesus did say 70 X 10
+ 7 times. (7 and 10 are both Bible coding for the whole thing).<span style="margin:0px"> </span>In other words, the whole thing times the
whole thing plus the whole thing.</span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 13px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">FOURTH-
DO YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE AND FORGET?<span style="margin:0px"> </span></span></b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">No, you have to forgive and
remember, just don’t dwell on it.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>Forgiving
does not mean forgetting that you have been wronged or pretending you have not
been hurt.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>If you forget, you open
yourself up to being hurt again and you also open yourself up to tempting the
other person to sin again by hurting you again.</span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 13px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">FIFTH-
DO YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE THEM IF THEY’RE NOT SORRY?<span style="margin:0px"> </span></span></b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Yes,
it’s not about them, it’s about you and God.<span style="margin:0px">
</span>They might even be dead.<span style="margin:0px"> </span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 13px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">WHY
SHOULD YOU DO SUCH A HARD, ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE THING? </span></b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The reasons you forgive are:</span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 0px 48px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font color="#000000"><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="margin:0px"><font size="3">1.</font><span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman";margin:0px;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal">
</span></span></span><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font size="3">Jesus
said to do it.</font></span></font></p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 0px 48px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font color="#000000"><b><span style="margin:0px;text-transform:uppercase;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="margin:0px"><font size="3">2.</font><span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman";margin:0px;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal">
</span></span></span></b><b><span style="margin:0px;text-transform:uppercase;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font size="3">The big
one: So you can be forgiven by God: “Forgive us our sins/trespasses/debts AS
(maybe even “when”) we forgive those who sin against us.” (Lord’s Prayer)</font></span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 0px 48px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font color="#000000"><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="margin:0px"><font size="3">3.</font><span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman";margin:0px;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal">
</span></span></span><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font size="3">For
your own serenity.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>Your choice is to
live at peace or to live in bitterness with mental illness, heart disease, migraines,
ulcers, high blood pressure.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>You want to
live a fulfilled happy life, and not die a bitter old (or not so old) man or
woman.</font></span></font></p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 0px 48px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font color="#000000"><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="margin:0px"><font size="3">4.</font><span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman";margin:0px;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal">
</span></span></span><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font size="3">You
have a better chance of sleeping well at night.</font></span></font></p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 13px 48px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font color="#000000"><b><span style="margin:0px;text-transform:uppercase;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="margin:0px"><font size="3">5.</font><span style="font:7pt "Times New Roman";margin:0px;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal">
</span></span></span></b><b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font size="3">THE OTHER BIG ONE: <span style="margin:0px;text-transform:uppercase">Jesus’ Way is the only way that makes life
work.</span></font></span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin:0px 0px 13px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">NOW,
YOUR CHOICE</span></b><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">:<span style="margin:0px"> </span>Very shortly, we’re going to sing- “I Have
Decided to Follow Jesus.”<span style="margin:0px"> </span>I personally decided
that when I was four years old, and I continue to make that decision daily,
sometimes on a hard day minute by minute.<span style="margin:0px">
</span>Where are you?<span style="margin:0px"> </span>Remember the sermon
title by Thomas Szasz (American psychiatrist): “The stupid neither forgive nor
forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.” Let’s
not be stupid.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>Let’s not be naïve.<span style="margin:0px"> </span>Let’s choose to be wise. </span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin:16px 0px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font color="#000000" size="3"> </font></span></p>
</div><div><span style="margin:0px;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><font color="#000000" size="3"><p style="margin:16px 0px;text-align:justify;line-height:normal">
</p></font></span>
</div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Sep 17, 2017 at 8:55 AM, Joe Parrish <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:joeparrish@compuserve.com" target="_blank">joeparrish@compuserve.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div><div>Hi Judy,</div><div>Your sermon came to me blank.</div><div>Can you please resend?</div><div><br></div><div>Bob is still waiting for surgeon's decision.</div><div><br></div><div>Thanks for prayers.</div><div>Peace and blessings,</div><div>Joe</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div id="m_9141176452281137690composer_signature"><div style="font-size:85%;color:#575757" dir="auto">Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device</div></div><div><br></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div>
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