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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, Sep 1, 2018 9:16 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 17B: “Breath Mints Won’t Help!”<br>
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<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Dear
Friends,</font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">This
Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Breath Mints Won’t Help!” and deals with the
gospel (</font><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11pt;">Mark
7:1-8, 14-15, [16], 21-23)</span></i></font><font color="#000000"><font size="3">.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Here
it is: <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></font></font></font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">This morning, we
heard Jesus talking about what makes us unclean, and I’d like us to think about
the implications of his teachings.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>In
the part of the Bible immediately before our Gospel begins, the Pharisees had
just criticized Jesus for allowing his disciples to eat without washing their
hands.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Jesus responded with the
statement we heard in the gospel- it’s not what you put into your mouth that
makes you unclean.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It’s what comes out
of your mouth that makes you unclean.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>You
know He’s right!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I do our household
shopping once a week, and- WOW!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>You
should see the huge number of products for bad breath- mints, pocket packs,
pocket mist, mouthwash, special toothpaste, tongue scrapers on those shelves!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Guess what, friends?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>They’re really not going to help that much,
except maybe the tongue scraper, since the cause of most bad breath is a rotten
tooth, a gum disease, an infection, an illness, or that garlic you had at
dinner!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>A breath mint or its equivalent just
won’t cut it, because the source of the problem is deep inside your body.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>You know how deodorant won’t help if someone
hasn’t showered or bathed for a week.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>We’ve got to clean up the inside before we worry about the outside.</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">What’s true with
bad breath and deodorant is true with a sinful heart.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>What we put in our mouths won’t affect the
state of our souls any more than breath mints will clean up seriously bad
breath or deodorant will clean up a filthy body.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>We’ve got to clean up from the inside out.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It’s what comes out of our mouths that signify
what’s on the inside.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>So what comes out
of your mouth?</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Do you have a bad
habit of using God’s name in vain?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It is
so very easy to pick up this habit- saying “Oh, Lord!” or such phrases.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>What does the commandment say?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy
God in vain.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>You wouldn’t use your
mother’s name that way.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>In fact, I still
remember from my teaching days how many fights either started or almost started
because of the way someone was talking about someone else’s mother.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>So- watch your mouth.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The ancient Israelites didn’t even speak the
name of God- they considered it too holy.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>We can learn from them.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>If you’ve
got a bad habit in this regard, break it.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Only use God’s name with the highest reverence, respect, and honor.</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">What about other
kinds of swearing that do not use God’s name in vain?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Are they sinful?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>That depends.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>If the words are used to describe another person or as a weapon against
that person, then they are very sinful.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>If, however, they are simply part of your vocabulary or used to express
anger at someTHING (not someONE)- they may or may not project the image you
want, but they’re probably not sinful.</font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="margin: 0px;">Most times when
someone continually uses God’s name in vain or swears casually, it usually
signifies a bad habit, not a sinful, poisonous heart; however there’s other
poisonous nasty verbiage that comes out of our mouths far too often.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Gossip; put-downs; lies; swearing AT people;
labeling people as bad, stupid, ugly, etc.- these seriously show a heart
problem, not coronary artery disease but poisoned spirit disease.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>These kinds of remarks have heart-roots of
jealousy, anger, hatred, poor self-esteem, desire to look better than others,
and other negative emotions.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Molefi
Asante reminds us, “There are two things over which you have complete dominion,
authority, and control- your mind and your mouth.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He’s right, and you get control of your mouth
by getting control of your mind.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Don’t
think evil thoughts.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Don’t dwell on
negatives.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Remember </span>the old
Cherokee who was telling his grandson about a fight that constantly goes on
inside himself. It’s a fight between two wolves.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>One is evil: full of anger, envy, regret,
guilt, false pride, resentment, inferiority, superiority, etc.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The other is good: love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather
“Grand-daddy, which wolf wins?”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The old
Cherokee thought for a minute and then replied simply, “The one that I feed.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Don’t feed the negatives.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>When you find yourself dwelling on such
thoughts, take charge.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Go for a
walk.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Wash the dishes.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Listen to some music.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Read your Bible.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Say your prayers.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Call a friend on the phone.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Change the content of your thoughts from
negatives to positives.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>That’s exactly
what St. Paul meant when he taught the <span style="margin: 0px;">Philippians
(4:8) “Finally, my friends- keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right,
holy, friendly, and proper. Don't ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile
and worthy of praise.”</span></font></font></font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="margin: 0px;">Why bother to watch your mouth?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Because when evil words come out, they can
never be recalled.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>They can be
explained, forgiven, maybe if you’re lucky forgotten- but when they’re out,
they’re out.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I want to close with a
story I’ve told many times before, but it explains so very well why we’ve
simply got to think before we speak and keep Jesus in control of our lips.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span>There was a little boy with a bad
temper.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>His father gave him a bag of
nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to shut his mouth and hammer
a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy drove 37 nails into the fence. Gradually
the number of nails he was pounding into the fence dwindled down.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He discovered it was easier to hold his
temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the
boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it, and the father
suggested that now the boy should pull out one nail for each day that he was
able to hold his temper.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The days passed
and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were
gone.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The father took his son by the
hand and led him to the fence.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>He said, “You
have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The fence will never be the same. When you
say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>You can put a knife in a person and draw it
out.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It won't matter how many times you
say “I'm sorry,” the wound is still there.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>And while we’re thinking of such things, you
know who gets the worst of our poison?<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Those we especially love- our family and dear friends.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>How we act at home and with those we love is
the true test of what’s in our hearts.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>So
remember Jesus warning, it’s not what you put into your mouth that makes you
unclean, but what comes out of your mouth- because it shows the state of your
heart.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>May God bless us as we clean up
our hearts and watch our mouths.</font></font></font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><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><font color="#000000" size="3">
.</font></font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Blessed
preaching,</font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Judy
Boli</font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">St.
Paul's Episcopal Church</font></div>
<div style="margin: 16px 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Saginaw,
Michigan</font></div>
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