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From: Judy <judy_boli@ecunet.org><br>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org><br>
Sent: Sat, Oct 14, 2017 7:26 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 23A: "The Lord Is my Shepherd"<br>
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<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Dear Friends,</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “The Lord Is My
Shepherd” and deals with the Psalm (Psalm 23).<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Here it is: </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">We have one of my very favorite Psalms- the 23<sup>rd</sup>
Psalm, in our Bible readings today, and I’d like to look at it.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>This one passage of scripture has brought
comfort and strength to countless Christians through-out the centuries.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It’s a good one to memorize, so you can
repeat it to yourself in stressful times.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>My mother had a picture of Jesus, the <br>
Good Shepherd in a frame in our kitchen.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Over the years, it got stained with grease from cooking and dust from
the Detroit
factories, but I can still remember that picture.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Since we’re city folk, it’s easy to miss
subtleties of Jesus, the Good Shepherd image, but that shepherd carrying the
lost lamb over his shoulders made an impressive statement about God’s love and
care for us.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Let’s examine the Psalm,
verse by verse.</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”</span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>We can count
on God to supply all our needs (not wants or desires- needs).<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>This does not mean that God will take away
the consequences of our sins.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>In other
words, if we gamble away our food money, we can’t expect God to provide us with
more money.</span></font></font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">Sheep
usually graze from early morning (around sunrise) until late morning.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>After that, they need to lie down and rest
while they digest their food.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Our Good
Shepherd also provides rest time for us by commanding us to remember the
Sabbath day and keep it holy. </span></font></font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">“He leadeth me beside the still waters.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He restoreth my soul”.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">Sheep
will not drink from fast-moving streams.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Perhaps the water going up their nostrils frightens them, since sheep frighten
very easily.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Fast-flowing streams also
pose a threat to sheep because if they lose their footing and fall in, their
heavy coats usually become saturated with water and they drown.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Often the shepherd will make a cup with his
hands so the sheep can drink from it.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Our Good Shepherd provides holy food and drink (his Body and Blood) to
give us the strength to continue.</span></font></font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">“He leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his
Name’s sake.”</span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Sheep know the voice of their shepherd and
they follow when he or she calls.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>One of
my Internet friends visited the Holy Land and
told of her experience while in Israel
regarding sheep and shepherds.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Passing
by a field with many sheep while touring, she noticed that many of the sheep
had different colored paint marks on their sides.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>She asked the tour guide what the colors
meant.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“Oh, those sheep don't belong to
the shepherd.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He's just a hired hand,”
responded the guide.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“How can you tell?”
asked the tourist.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“What do the colors
painted on have to do with that?” “A real shepherd (one who owns the sheep)
knows his sheep and they know him,” said the guide.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“These sheep have paint markings because a
hired hand is watching several different flocks for the shepherds and the hired
hand never gets to know any of them.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He
has to have the paint to tell them apart.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>A real shepherd just knows and calls.”<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>In John (10:27-28),
Jesus says: “My sheep know my voice, and I know them. They follow me, and I
give them eternal life, so that they will never be lost.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Sheep don’t get in trouble or danger because
they know the voice of their shepherd and follow him.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>What about us?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Do we know the voice of the Good Shepherd
because we pray and listen daily or do we just go with whoever speaks the
loudest or most convincingly?</span></font></font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">There
is an actual valley of the shadow of death in the Holy
Land.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It has an extremely
narrow path for the sheep to use.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>In
fact, in one spot the shepherd makes the sheep jump across a gully that is
about 18 inches
wide.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Wild dogs and other wild predators
often wait for a sheep or lamb to fall into the gully.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>When this happens, the shepherd uses his rod
to beat back the attack while he uses his staff to hook the sheep or lamb and
bring it up to safety.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>God does the same
for us.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>In those difficult times in our
lives, in the time of our death- we can count on God to protect us and reach
out to bring us safely to him. </span></font></font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of
mine enemies.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">Each morning before the shepherd lets the sheep out to
graze, he inspects the pasture.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He
clears it of poisonous weeds and snakes.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>He also fills in all the holes that might catch a sheep’s leg and cause
injury.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>In the same way, our heavenly
Shepherd looks over our coming day to be sure there is nothing that we can’t
handle in his Name.</span></font></font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">“Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth
over.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">When the sheep come into the pen for the night, the
shepherd inspects each one carefully for cuts and insects.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He applies healing oil to cleanse and begin
the healing process for wounds.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>In the
same way- when we say our bedtime prayers, our Heavenly Shepherd cleanses our
souls and heals the wounds of the day.<b></b></span></font></font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the
days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">This
promise is a gift from the Lamb of God who redeemed us on Calvary.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I’m going to repeat a story I’ve told
numerous times of how the blood of one lamb saves another, and how the Blood of
our Passover Lamb saves us.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>This true
story offers the best example I’ve ever heard of how Jesus, the Lamb of God,
saves us from our sins.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Remember how-
just before we receive Holy Communion- I bread the Holy Bread and say, “Christ,
our Passover, is sacrificed for us.”<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Jesus has become the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the
world.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Have you ever heard of Jeff
Smith, also known as the Frugal Gourmet?<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>(He used to be on TV years ago.)<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Anyway, in his book called <i>The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast</i>, he
tells about a conversation he had with a shepherd from the Middle
East.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He learned that very
often during lambing season, the shepherd would awaken to find a dead mother
sheep with a live baby lamb and another live mother sheep with a dead baby
lamb.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The mother sheep whose lamb has
died has milk ready to feed a hungry lamb, but no babies.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The lamb whose mother sheep has died is
starving for lack of milk.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Easily
solved, you think. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Just let the orphan
lamb suckle from the childless mother sheep.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Great idea, but it won’t work; because the mother sheep knows the orphan
lamb doesn’t smell like her baby.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Do you
know how the shepherd solves the problem?<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>He drains the blood from the body of the dead lamb and washes the live
orphan lamb with that blood.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Now the
orphan lamb smells like one of her own, and the mother sheep will adopt the
orphan and feed it.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>That’s what God did
with us- washed us in the Blood of his Lamb- Jesus, the Christ, so we could be
adopted as sons and daughters of God and freed from our sins.</span></font></font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">So, where are you in all of this?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Have you accepted Jesus as your Good
Shepherd?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>If not, just invite him into
your life right now and then seal it at the altar as you come up for
Communion?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Do you follow him daily, or
do you just expect him to rescue you every time you get yourself in
trouble?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Do you spend enough quiet time
with our Lord so you recognize his voice, or do you keep busy, busy, busy with
the radio blaring, the TV on, or your ear buds blasting away?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Finally, is Jesus not only your Good
Shepherd, but your MODEL Shepherd?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Do
you just happily accept God’s blessings, keeping them to yourself; or do you
reach out and touch?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>May God bless us as
we follow our Good Shepherd.</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">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"></font></u></a><u><font color="#0000ff"><a href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.org" target="_blank">http://www.stpaulsepisag.org</a></font></u><font color="#000000"> .</font></font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Blessed preaching,</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Judy Boli</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">St. Paul's Episcopal Church</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Saginaw, Michigan</font></span></div>
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