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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, Dec 2, 2017 4:56 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon- Advent 1B: “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like ChristMass!” or “First Things- First”<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 “It’s Beginning to
Look a Lot Like ChristMass!” or “First Things- First” and deals with all the
lessons.<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">Happy New Year!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Today is the first Sunday in the four week
season of Advent; and with it we begin a new church year.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>You notice, the color is purple (blue is also
used) for contemplation.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Advent
(“adventus” in Latin) means “coming,” and our focus for these four weeks is
getting ready for the coming of Jesus.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>The focus of the first week is “peace,” the second week is “hope,” the
third week is “joy,” and the fourth week is “love.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>You will notice that some churches
interchange “peace” and “hope.” </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">Speaking of comings-
actually, there are two comings associated with our Lord- his first (in
Bethlehem many years ago and in our own lives when we accept him as our Lord
and Savior) and his second (which we heard about in today’s gospel and also in
our own lives when we die and he comes for us personally).<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>We hear a lot of TV sermons about the second
coming, but Jesus himself said that the details, especially the “when,” are
none of our business.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>In fact, as you
recall from the sermon two weeks ago, it’s as if God says to us: “MYOB.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Jesus is the way, truth, and life- so live
your life to the fullest, remembering that you may die at any time.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Your next minute may be on this planet or in
eternity.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>With that in mind, let’s
focus on the first coming and how to get ready.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>The prophet Jeremiah (33:14-16) promised in God’s name that the Messiah
was coming- a King who would establish justice.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>That promise was fulfilled when Jesus was born in Bethlehem.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>As you know, it’s his birthday we’re getting
ready to celebrate on December 25th, but if you wander through the mall or
watch the TV commercials- you’d never guess!<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Did you see the TV news clips on the day after Thanksgiving? I saw people
grabbing, pushing, and stampeding to get the exact sale item they wanted as a
gift- all in honor of the Prince of Peace!<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Shoppers pepper-spray other shoppers to get what they want, and then
call it “competitive shopping!” There are numerous parking lot robberies and
people shot!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I can’t believe it!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Did you hear about the little boy who went
shopping with his mother, ate, and was put to bed so his mother could wrap the
presents.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>She heard noises in his
bedroom and thought she’d better check.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>When she put her ear to the door, she heard him asking God in his
prayers, “Hey, God- is this what you had in mind when you invented
ChristMass?”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Good question!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Along the same line- a little girl was barely
surviving the Christmas jitters.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>She
knew Santa wrote down who was naughty and who was nice, and she was afraid she
was on the wrong list.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>You see- she and
her mother had had a hard day!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Her
mother made the mistake of taking her into a toy story to purchase a present
for her little sister, but everything she saw was a “gimme.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The little girl ended screaming and kicking
on the floor of the store in a full-blown temper tantrum.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Her mother picked her up, strapped her in her
car seat, drove her home, fed her as quickly as possible, and put her to
bed.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Out from the room came a sorry
little voice- “Mother, are you too mad at me to listen to my bedtime prayers
tonight?”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Back came the mother to hear
her daughter pray, “Forgive us our Christmases as we forgive those who Christmas
against us.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Been there- done that!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I remember Christmases past in which I was so
frantic to get ready that I forgot who I was getting ready for.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>What about you?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Money worries, shop-til-you-drop, run up the
credit card (or cards), cook, clean, yell at the kids (or grand-kids), cards,
parties, pig-outs, toys to assemble, decorate, put up the tree- the list seems
endless until you’re an exhausted nervous wreck on ChristMass Eve.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>You force yourself to church (or skip it entirely-
telling yourself you’ll make it next year) and Jesus’ birthday is the last
thing on your mind.</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">Let’s do it differently
this year.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Let’s use these four weeks of
Advent to center ourselves and really get ready for the one who is coming at
ChristMass- the one with the birthday.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>But how?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Put God in charge!</font></span></div>
<ol type="1" style="margin-top:0in" start="1">
<li style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">Remember, this is the birthday of the Prince of
Peace, therefore- put God in charge of your choices and attitudes.</span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Let’s
honor him- not just with our lips and ChristMass carols, but in our lives
by our behavior.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>There’s no greater
gift we could give Jesus than to be his peacemaker in our little part of
the planet.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Speaking of gifts- what
a terrible sacrilege it would be for us to buy violent videos or games or
music as gifts celebrating his birthday.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">Put God in charge of your money.</span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>God
doesn’t want you afraid to answer the telephone because creditors are
calling at all hours of the day and night.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Live within your means.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Don’t buy anything you can’t afford.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Don’t buy anything on a credit card that
you won’t be able to pay for on the next billing.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">Put God in charge of the gifts you buy or make.</span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Gifts
don’t have to be expensive or numerous.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Did you notice the thought for the week- “I’ve never seen a hearse
with a U-Haul behind it!” (Anonymous). A gift from the heart means much
more than an expensive gift bought at the last minute because you “had to
get something.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The best present I
ever got was a hand-made card from one of my children telling me how much they
loved and appreciated me.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Don’t buy
cheap stuff from the street.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Your
purchase encourages others to sin- remember “Thou shalt not steal.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>(Yes- all the way back from the book of
Genesis- we are our brother’s and sister’s keepers.)</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">Finally, put God in charge of your time.</span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Do you recall
the episode when Jesus went to the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Remember how Mary sat at Jesus’ feet
learning from him while Martha worked away in the kitchen.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Finally Martha couldn’t stand it any
longer and came storming out to Jesus.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>“Master,” she said, “make my sister help me in the kitchen!”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Jesus responded, “Martha, Martha- just
one dish was needed.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Mary has
chosen the best thing and it won’t be taken from her.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Choose Jesus, not busyness.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>How?<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Maintain your focus- whose birthday is it anyway?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Don’t miss church one Sunday this
Advent.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Don’t neglect your prayer
life.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The busier you are, the more
you need to start your day with the Lord.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Get your ChristMass preparations focused on Jesus before things get
out of hand.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Start ChristMass
preparations early and pace.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>If
you’re running short of time- prioritize and eliminate what isn’t
absolutely needed.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>There’s a good
chance no one will even notice.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>In
terms of cooking, cleaning, and decorating- keep it simple.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Most of all- don’t miss the Christ Mass
on ChristMass Eve, December 24th, at 8 PM- that’s what it’s all about.</span></li>
</ol>
<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">I’m going to close with a
true story from one of my internet friends who is a Roman Catholic priest.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I’ve told it every Advent since I read it.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He heard it on the radio and shared it with
his friends. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>There was a woman who was
out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at
row after row of toys and everything else imaginable and hearing both her
children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she and the kids
finally made it to the elevator.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>She was
feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season- overwhelming
pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food
and treats, buy that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list,
making sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, etc.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Finally the elevator doors opened and there
was already a crowd in the car. She pushed her way in and dragged her two kids
in with her and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed she couldn't take
it anymore and stated, “Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be
found, strung up, and shot.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>From the
back of the car, everyone heard a quiet calm voice respond, “Don't worry lady,
we already crucified him.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>For the rest
of the trip down the elevator, it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.</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"><font face="Times New Roman">So- what is Christmas for
you really- the gimmee, party, pig-out, decorating time or is it Jesus’
birthday?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The truth is not shown by what
you say, but what you do- your priorities. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“First Things- First.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I hope the Crucified Christ-child is really
first for you!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>My prayer for us is that
we not crucify Jesus again with our choices this ChristMass.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>May we not argue or complain.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>May we not fight or say cruel things to
someone acting as if they’re our enemy.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>May we not spend more than we can afford or encourage our children to be
greedy.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>May we not get so frantically
worried or rushed that we don’t take time for Jesus.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>My prayer for us is that we make our
preparations joyful and remember ChristMass is Jesus’ birthday and Jesus is the
reason for the season.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Amen.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></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 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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