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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, Jun 29, 2019 9:05 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 8C: “What Holds Us Back?” or “Are You the Carrot, the Egg, or the Coffee?”<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 <span> </span><span> </span>“What Holds Us Back?” or “Are You the Carrot,
the Egg, or the Coffee?” and is based on the gospel (Luke 9:51-62).<span> </span>Here it is: <span> </span></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">Did you hear about the
little girl when she went to the doctor for her physical so she could enter
kindergarten?<span> </span>As the doctor looked down
her ears with an otoscope, he asked, “Do you think I'll find Big Bird in here?”
The little girl stayed silent. Next, the doctor took a tongue depressor and
looked down her throat. He asked, “Do you think I'll find Cookie Monster down
there?” Again, the little girl was silent. Then the doctor put a stethoscope to
her chest. As he listened to her heart beat, he asked, “Do you think I'll hear
Barney in there?”<span> </span>“Oh, no!” the little
girl replied. “Jesus is in my heart. Barney's on my underpants” (Peter L.
Haynes).<span> </span>Even though you’ve accepted
Jesus as your Lord and Savior; even though he’s in your heart, have you ever
wished for a stronger spiritual life, a more powerful overcoming attitude, a
closer walk with Him?<span> </span>This morning we heard
the story of a number of interpersonal exchanges Jesus had.<span> </span>If you think about them, they all had
something in common.<span> </span>Each person turned
down the chance of a lifetime- a closer walk with Jesus, for something not
nearly as important.<span> </span>Let’s look at each
person’s experience with Jesus to see what we can learn from it.</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">First, we heard how
Jesus intended to go through Samaria on his way to Jerusalem, but was rebuffed
because of his destination.<span> </span>We’ve heard
many episodes in which Samaritans accepted Jesus- perhaps they perceived him as
different from many other Jews. This time, however, they wanted nothing to do
with him, since he was on his way to Jerusalem, the Jewish capital, and they
were so bitter about the way Jews treated them.<span>
</span>Here’s an example of old attitudes, old sins separating them from one of
the greatest honors anyone could have- welcoming Jesus and his disciples into
their homes.<span> </span>You heard Paul’s list of
sins from his Galatians letter: “People's desires make them give in to immoral
ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. <span> </span>They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate
others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and
selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are envious. They get
drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you
before, and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in
the blessings of God's kingdom” ( 5:19 -21).<span> </span>Do any of these sound like you?<span> </span>Jesus heard lots of excuses in today’s
Gospel, and in my ministry I hear a lot too.<span>
</span>The most common ones are: “Pastor, that’s just how I am.”<span> </span>You know the answer to that one- “Well, by
the grace of the Lord, use the power from your Holy Communion and change!”<span> </span>The other excuse I frequently hear is- “I
can’t be perfect.<span> </span>Everyone has his or
her flaws and faults.<span> </span>I’ll just plead
the Blood.”<span> </span>Friends- that won’t
work.<span> </span>To be forgiven by God, you must
intend to change.<span> </span>You may fail
repeatedly, but the intention must be there, or the forgiveness won’t be there<b>.<span>
</span>Life lesson- no excuses- get rid of the sin that holds you back.</b></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">Next we hear of the
person who promised Jesus to go anywhere with him- until he heard that Jesus
was essentially homeless.<span> </span><b>The requirements of being a disciple</b>
were too hard for this person to face.<span>
</span>Maybe we hear Jesus’ expectations of loving our enemies and no revenge
and bringing others to Him through his church and reaching out to help others
and accepting those who differ from us- and we say- that’s too much of a cross
to carry.<span> </span>True- no one ever said following
Jesus would be easy, but I’m here to tell you that’s it’s the only way to
live.<span> </span>When Jesus said, “I am the Way,
the Truth, and the Life”- he meant it.<span>
</span>Living Jesus’ way is the only path to a happy, fulfilled life.</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">Then we hear of the
son who makes a request that really sounds reasonable to us- he wants to wait
and bury his father.<span> </span>What kind of person
would deny a request like that- yet Jesus does.<span>
</span>What’s up?<span> </span>What we DON’T know
about customs in Bible times can really interfere with understanding the
ultimate message of an episode in scripture.<span>
</span>Here’s a prime example.<span> </span>In those
days, it was the duty of the eldest son to care for his parents until they
died.<span> </span>His reward for this was a double
portion of the inheritance.<span> </span>So if there
were two sons, when the parents died the estate would be divided into three
equal parts.<span> </span>The oldest son would get
two parts and the youngest would get one part.<span>
</span>If there were three sons, the estate would be divided into four parts
with the oldest son getting two of the parts, and so on.<span> </span>The request of the son in the Jesus episode
sounds very reasonable until you realize that his father wasn’t dead yet.<span> </span>Following Jesus wasn’t convenient just then,
because the man wanted to wait so he could lay claim on his money and property,
then follow Jesus.<span> </span>Under those
circumstances- it was quite reasonable for Jesus to say, “Let the dead bury the
dead.<span> </span>You follow me.”<span> </span>What’s the life lesson for us?<span> </span><b>He’s
not telling us to neglect our family responsibilities- that’s our first area of
ministry.<span> </span>What he is saying is- don’t
wait for a more convenient time to follow him.<span>
</span>Do it now.</b></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">Finally, we hear of
the person who just wants to take care of things at home.<span> </span>What’s the matter with this request?<span> </span>Nothing, except in that culture- “taking care
of things at home” would involve getting his parents’ permission to leave and
follow Jesus.<span> </span><b>Our life lesson- no one should be given veto power over our commitment
to our Lord.</b></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">Did you notice the
common thread through all these lost opportunities?<span> </span><b>People
intended to do the right thing, they intended to follow Jesus, but then as
circumstances got hard or their lives got complicated, their commitment
slipped.</b><span> </span>I’m going to close with an
old story.<span> </span>As I tell it, you can decide
if you are the carrot, the egg, or the coffee?</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">A daughter complained
to her father about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not
know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of
fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one
arose.<span> </span>She had decided that her fate was
to lead a disappointing life and that her lot in life was to never succeed at
anything.<span> </span>Her father, a chef, took her to
the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire.
Soon the pots came to a boil. In one he placed a carrot, in the second he
placed an egg, and in the last he placed ground coffee beans. He let them boil
for about twenty minutes, then fished everything out of the boiling water.<span> </span>Turning to her, he asked. “Darling, what do
you see.”<span> </span>“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,”
she replied. He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did
and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it.
After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he
asked her to sip the coffee. She smiled as she tasted it and smelled its rich
aroma. She humbly asked. “What does it mean Father?”<span> </span>He explained that each of them had faced the
same adversity, boiling water, but each reacted differently. The carrot went in
strong, hard, and unrelenting. But after being subjected to the boiling water,
it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had
protected its liquid interior. But after sitting through the boiling water, its
inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After
they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><span> </span></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">Like the carrot, do
adverse circumstances weaken you, make you lose your commitment to God, and
give up?<span> </span>Or like the egg, do adverse
circumstances harden you and make you unloving and evil?<span> </span>I hope not.<span>
</span>I hope you are like the coffee beans.<span>
</span>I hope your faith and love and commitment enrich those adverse
circumstances by the power of the Spirit until they are transformed into a
sweet-smelling gift to our Lord.</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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