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From: Judy <judy_boli@ecunet.org><br>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org><br>
Sent: Sat, Apr 27, 2019 8:56 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Easter 2C: “Jesus Died to Take Away Your Sins, Not Your Mind”<br>
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<div style="line-height:normal;">Dear
Friends,</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">This
Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Doubting Thomas” or “Jesus Died to Take Away Your
Sins, Not Your Mind” and is based on the gospel (John 20:19-31).<span> </span>Here it is: <span> </span></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="text-indent:21.0pt;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">Today we heard about one of my favorite saints-
Thomas, often called “Doubting Thomas.”<span>
</span>We heard how he wouldn’t believe without the evidence.<span> </span>But let’s back up the story a bit.<span> </span>Life was terrible for the disciples after the
crucifixion.<span> </span>They had all been disloyal,
cowardly, run away just when Jesus needed them the most.<span> </span>After the Good Friday tragedy, they were so
fearful that the Jewish authorities would come after them next for another
spectacle- execute them to remind the common people to toe the mark and forget
about that “Jesus person.”<span> </span>Not only
that, the women were circulating rumors that Jesus was not in the tomb
anymore.<span> </span>They had to wonder if someone
had stolen the body or if the unthinkable had really happened- he had raised
Lazarus, you know.<span> </span>But if he were alive,
it still wouldn’t be the same- he’d probably hate them for leaving him to die
alone, simply in the company of some women, John, two thieves, and Roman
soldiers.<span> </span>Besides, when you’re dead,
you’re dead- aren’t you?!<span> </span>When people
are in terrible times, they often prefer company, so it was their habit to meet
on the first day of the week perhaps in the same upper room in which Jesus had
instituted Holy Communion and washed their feet.<span> </span>This time, though, they met behind closed
doors- probably for three reasons:</span></div>
<div style="margin-left:39.0pt;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;"><span>1.<span style="font:7.0pt New;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">To remember the past.<span>
</span>What a wonderful person he was, and such a great teacher- probably the
best the world has ever seen!<span> </span>Not only
that- he was an amazing miracle-worker and healer! </span></div>
<div style="margin-left:39.0pt;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;"><span>2.<span style="font:7.0pt New;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">To grieve; </span></div>
<div style="margin-left:39.0pt;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;"><span>3.<span style="font:7.0pt New;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">To stick together as they began to try to figure out
what to do with their lives.</span></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">You know the story by heart- in walks Jesus through
the solid wall or the locked door.<span>
</span>Before they can fear, he says “Shalom” i.e. “Peace be with you.”<span> </span>Now Thomas wasn’t there, but you can be sure
that he heard about it.<span> </span>He must have
thought basically what I would have thought if someone told me that they had
seen my deceased husband- “You’re kidding.<span>
</span>It was someone who looked like him.<span>
</span>You’re overcome with grief and your mind is playing tricks on you.”<span> </span>As you recall- Thomas told them: “Unless I
touch the scars in his hands and place my hand in the scar in his side, I will
never believe.”<span> </span>Actually- can you blame
Thomas?<span> </span>The other disciples were asking
him to believe something had happened that no human being had ever experienced
before?</span></div>
<div style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">Expecting people to believe
something they had never seen reminds me of a story I haven’t told for quite a
while and really fits this gospel.<span> </span>It’s
about the young son of an Episcopal priest.<span>
</span>When his mother called him in from play for dinner, he was filthy.<span> </span>Instead of washing, he came directly to the
table.<span> </span>His mother scolded him about this
and reminded him that he had germs all over his hands from playing with the
dog, digging in the soil, and whatever else he had touched.<span> </span>She told him to leave the table and wash his
hands as soon as the food was blessed.<span>
</span>As he left the table, the whole family could hear him mutter, “Germs and
Jesus, germs and Jesus, all I hear about in this family is germs and Jesus- and
I haven’t seen either one.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">Maybe the child hadn’t seen
either, but Thomas was about to encounter the living, resurrected Christ.<span> </span>His amazed response still rings in our ears:
“My Lord and my God!”; thus Thomas became the first person to utter the first
creed of the early church: “Jesus the Christ is Lord.”<span> </span>This wasn’t the only time we heard of Thomas
questioning Jesus when he didn’t understand something.<span> </span>Thomas’ other episode of questioning what he
did not understand came earlier when Jesus was trying to prepare his disciples
for the future.<span> </span>He told them he was
going away to prepare a place for them, and that they knew where he was going,
and they knew the way.<span> </span>You KNOW none of
the disciples had the foggiest idea what Jesus was talking about, but they
didn’t want to look stupid, so they said nothing.<span> </span>Only Thomas had the guts to say, “Lord, we
don’t even know where you are going.<span> </span>How
can we know the way?”<span> </span>Because of Thomas,
we have the powerful statement of Jesus when he said, “I am the Way; I am
Truth; I am Life.<span> </span>No one comes to the
Father except by me.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent:.25in;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">What’s in this episode for
our lives?<span> </span>Three things:</span></div>
<div style="margin-left:39.0pt;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;"><span>1.<span style="font:7.0pt New;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">First: Be like Thomas.<span>
</span>One of the characteristics I love about our Wednesday noon Mass-Bible
study and our Thursday evening School of Biblical Studies is- people will
really ask questions!<span> </span>No one pretends to
know something, if they really don’t know it.<span>
</span>They ask!<span> </span>Good habit!<span> </span>If you don’t understand something, speak
up!<span> </span>It’s an old cliché, but it’s true:
there’s no such thing as a stupid question.<span>
</span>Actually, on second thought- there IS such a thing as a stupid question-
the one someone is afraid to ask. </span></div>
<div style="margin-left:39.0pt;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;"><span>2.<span style="font:7.0pt New;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">Just because you read something in the paper or hear
something some famous person (maybe preacher) said, don’t believe it without
thinking it through for yourself.<span> </span>Be a
questioner, like Thomas.</span></div>
<div style="margin-left:39.0pt;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;"><span>3.<span style="font:7.0pt New;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">Make your faith your own.<span> </span>The Episcopal Church is a thinking person’s
church.<span> </span>We use scripture, tradition, and
reason to sort things out.<span> </span>Three truths
to remember:</span></div>
<div style="margin-left:1.0in;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;"><span>a.<span style="font:7.0pt New;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">“Your mother’s
faith won’t save you.”<span> </span>Think things
through.<span> </span>As Jesus taught us: “Ask and
you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened
for you” (Luke 11:9).<span> </span>Claim and live
your own faith.</span></div>
<div style="margin-left:1.0in;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;"><span>b.<span style="font:7.0pt New;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">“Jesus died to
take away your sins, not your mind.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-left:1.0in;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;"><span>c.<span style="font:7.0pt New;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;">“There’s a huge
difference between being brainwashed and being baptized.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">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: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.org/">http://www.stpaulsepisag.org</a>
.</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">Blessed
preaching,</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">Judy
Boli</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">St.
Paul's Episcopal Church</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">Saginaw,
Michigan</div>
</div>
<div></div>
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