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From: Judy <judy_boli@ecunet.org><br>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org><br>
Sent: Sat, Jan 20, 2018 8:28 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Epiphany 3B: "Jonah"<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 “Jonah” and deals
with the entire Old Testament book of Jonah.<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"><font face="Times New Roman">This morning, we heard the end of the story of Jonah- you probably
remember it from Sunday school.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Speaking
of remembering, do you remember the story of the little girl who was riding by
herself in a bus?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>To use her time wisely,
she was reading a book of Bible stories.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>The man in the next seat saw what she was reading and wanted to tease
her, so he said, “I see you are reading a book of Bible stories.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Which story are you reading?”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“The story about Jonah being swallowed by the
big fish,” replied the little girl.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“You
really don’t believe that a fish could swallow a fully-grown person, do you?!”
said the man.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“Of course I do!”
exclaimed the little girl.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“How is that
possible?” asked the man.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The little
girl said, “When I get to Heaven I will ask Jonah.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The man asked, “What if Jonah went to
Hell?”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The little girl replied, “Oh,
that’s easy- then you ask him.”<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 color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Do you remember why Jonah got swallowed by the huge fish?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>God wanted him to travel to Nineveh to warn
the people to repent, but he hated them, so he got on a boat headed in the
opposite direction for Tarshish (Spain).<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>God caused a huge storm to attack the boat.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>When the sailors prayed for deliverance,
Jonah told them he was the problem, so just throw him overboard.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>God had a huge fish ready.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The fish swallowed Jonah whole, which saved
him from drowning.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>While he was in the
belly of the fish, Jonah decided to obey God, so God had the fish vomit him up
on the shore.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>From there, Jonah headed
for Nineveh.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The people of Nineveh
believed Jonah’s message and repented.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Jonah was really angry- he wanted to see the city of his enemies
destroyed, so he sat under a huge bush in its shade and pouted.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>God appointed a worm to destroy the bush, so
Jonah lost his shade.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>When Jonah
complained to God, the Lord reminded him that he is a God of compassion and
second chances.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>What’s in this ancient
story for us?</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 style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">First: forgive your enemies and reach
out to them.</span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>You’ve heard repeatedly how God says,
“Vengeance is mine; I will repay” (Romans 12:19).<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Jonah hated the Ninevites because they had
destroyed the country of his ancestors and killed many of them.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He was glad to give the revenge to God as
long as God destroyed them and their land.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>I am reminded of an old friend- not from St. Paul’s, who was horrified
that God would have forgiven Hitler if he had but asked; and not only forgiven
him- God would have welcomed him into heaven.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Did you notice the thought for the week; “We expect God to be patient
with us, but get annoyed when God is equally patient with others” (The Rev.
William W. Boli).</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 style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">Second: don’t drag other people down
with you.</span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Did you notice how Jonah told the sailors
that the storm was his fault, and that they should throw him overboard instead
of allowing everyone onboard ship to drown?<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>If you’ve chosen to go against God’s will, don’t look for company.</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 style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">Finally: don’t mess with God!</span></b><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Did you hear
the story of the little boy and his babysitter?<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Little Johnny hadn’t eaten anything for days, so his mother called his
favorite babysitter to see if she could get him to eat.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“I’ll pay you $100 if you can get him to eat
anything,” said his mother.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“Anything?”
asked the babysitter.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“Yes, anything!”
said the exasperated mother.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“I’ll be
right over!” said the babysitter; because she had seen some new jeans she
wanted.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>When she got there, she offered
Johnny all the goodies she could think of.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>That didn't work.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>She tried a
little scolding.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It didn't work.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>A little pleading.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>To no avail.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Finally she sat down, faced the boy, looked him in the eye, and said
“Look young man, if you can be stubborn, so can I.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>You're not going anywhere till you eat
something.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>You can have whatever you
want, but only after you have eaten will you leave the table.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Little Johnny just sat and glared for some
time, then said “Ok, I'll eat, but, I have some conditions. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>First, I'll have exactly what I want and
exactly how I want it.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Second, you'll
share it with me.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The babysitter
agreed, and asked Johnny what he wanted.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>“Worms!" said Johnny.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The
babysitter was horrified, but didn't want to back out now, when she seemed
close to a break-through, so she dug up some worms from the garden.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“Not that many, just one,” yelled Johnny when
he saw the plate.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>So, everything other
than one worm was removed.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Johnny then
demanded that the single worm be cut in two and that the babysitter eat
half.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The babysitter wrinkled up her
face, held her nose, thought of the new jeans, and ate half the worm.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Turning to Little Johnny, she said, “Ok, now
you eat!”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Little Johnny, sobbing
refused.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“I c-c-c-can't!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>You ate my half!”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Maybe children can mess with their
babysitters, but we should not mess with God!<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>If there is something God wants you to do, do it!</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">May God bless us as we seek to answer his call, reach out to others-
even our enemies, and live holy lives.</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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