<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="auto">Forwarded: </div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div id="composer_signature" dir="auto"><div style="font-size:85%;color:#575757" dir="auto">Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.</div></div><div><br></div><div style="font-size:100%;color:#000000" dir="auto"><!-- originalMessage --><div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Judy <judy_boli@ecunet.org> </div><div>Date: 02/11/2019 9:41 pm (GMT-04:00) </div><div>To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org> </div><div>Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for All Saints' Sunday: “Happy All Saints’ Sunday” or “God with Skin” </div><div><br></div></div><div dir="ltr">
<p style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">As you know, today is a very special Sunday- All
Saints’ Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>All Saints is the time
we thank God for all the wonderful saints of God who have mentored us, loved
us, and accepted us through thick and thin- not always an easy task!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This morning, I’d like us to look at saints-
who we are, where we’ve come from, where we’re going, and our ultimate destiny.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"><b>SAINTS- WHO ARE WE? </b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Did you notice the “WE”?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I can’t tell you how many times people have
told me, “Rev. Judy, you expect too much of me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>I’m not a saint, you know.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I
finally get a chance to answer with two questions of my own!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(1) Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and
Savior?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(2) Are you baptized?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If you answered “yes” to both of these
questions, you are a saint- maybe not a famous saint, maybe not even a very good
saint, but you are a saint, and there’s always room for improvement.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>One definition of a saint is simply “God
putting on skin.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A little boy was
afraid of the dark, afraid of thunder storms, and afraid of all those strange
noises you can often hear in a quiet, cooling house.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>One night, a huge crack of thunder frightened
him out of a deep sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He was out of
his bed in a minute and into his parents’ bed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Now the last thing they wanted was a scared child in their bed, so his
mom and dad comforted him a minute, then told him to go back to his own bed.
They told him to remember what he had learned in church- that God was always
with him.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“That won’t do right now!” he
protested.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“I need a God with skin, and
mom, dad- you’re it!”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That little boy
knew what he was talking about.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b>A
saint is a stand-in for God.</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Think
of the people you know who feel as if they have no meaning in their lives?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We saints who are working on our spiritual
walk are seldom in this confusion for long if we’re going to church and
receiving Holy Communion every Sunday, reading our Bible daily, and being
faithful in our prayer life. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Because we are God’s wonderful instruments to
finish the creating, redeeming, and sanctifying of God’s world.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Do you know someone who is hurting?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You’re Jesus’ hands- help them.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Do you know something that needs fixing?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You’re Jesus’ hands- fix it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Do you know something that needs creating or
improving or developing or discovering?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>You’re Jesus’ hands- do it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You,
as a saint- as a stand-in for Jesus are the only God that some people will ever
see.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>How much more meaning could anyone
want?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Do you remember the poem, “The
Gospel According to You?”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It goes: </p>
<p style="margin-left:.75in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">The gospels of Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John are read by more than a few.</p>
<p style="margin-left:.75in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">But the one that is read
most and commented on is the gospel according to you.</p>
<p style="margin-left:.75in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">You are writing a gospel,
a chapter each day, by the things that you do and the words that you say.</p>
<p style="margin-left:.75in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">People read what you
write, whether faithless or true.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Say,
what is the gospel according to you?</p>
<p style="margin-left:.75in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">Do others read His truth
and His love in your life, or has yours been too full of malice and strife?</p>
<p style="margin-left:.75in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">Does your life speak of
evil, or does it ring true?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Say, what is
the gospel according to you?</p>
<p style="margin-left:.75in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-tab-count:
4"> </span>(Anonymous)</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"><b>SAINTS- WHERE WE’VE COME FROM:</b> One of the
things I love about All Saints’ Sunday is it gives us a chance to remember
where we’ve come from- God’s heart.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b>We
are the adopted children of God.</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Our
family tree is amazingly famous.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Abraham
is our forefather and Sarah is our foremother.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Our ancestors include Isaac and Rebecca; Jacob and Leah and Rachel; King
David; culminating in Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We have a
glorious past and an even more glorious future.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"><b>SAINTS- WHERE ARE WE GOING:</b> For me, one of the
best parts of being a saint (i.e. a Christian) is that I don’t need to worry
about the future, because I know who holds the future in his hand- God, and He’s
my dad- my heavenly Father, so I know nothing can happen to me that He and I
can’t handle together.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Did you notice how
the first reading reminds us to expect trouble, and that surely is
correct.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In fact, if you never have to
face trouble or problems because you follow Jesus, because you choose to do the
right thing regardless of peer pressure, money pressure, family pressure, or
any kind of pressure, then something is the matter with your choices or your
walk.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Listen to the Ecclesiasticus
lesson (2: 1-9): It not only warns us to expect trouble, but advises us how to
handle it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“1 Students, if you decide to
worship and obey the Lord, be ready to face problems. 2 Have firm self-control
and don't act too quickly if trouble strikes. 3 Don't turn from the Lord, but
be faithful; that's the way to succeed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>4-5 Accept everything that happens.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Be patient if others humiliate you;<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>humiliation tests people as a furnace tests gold.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Trust the Lord if you become sick or
poor.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>6 The Lord will give His help, if
you depend only on Him and do right.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>7
If you fear the Lord and are patient, He will show you mercy.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But if you turn away, you will fall.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>8 Put your trust in Him, and He will reward
you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>9 Don't give up hoping for good
things, like mercy and a life full of joy.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Did you notice how trouble tests us as a furnace tests gold.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>What happens to gold in a furnace?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sure, it comes out stronger and more
pure.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Stick with Jesus, stay strong
through trials, and you will develop amazing spiritual power and courage as
well.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">Here’s another difference between we saints and
others not so blessed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While they’re
calling their psychic hot lines or checking what their astrological signs say
will happen in the current crisis- and life is full of crises- always has been
and always will be, we can sing with meaning, “Be not afraid, for God is in
charge.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While others are hiding from
life with their alcohol or drugs or TV programs or shopping or just being busy,
busy, busy- we can sing with meaning, “I put my troubles in God’s hands” and
not only put them there, but leave them there.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Does being a Christian mean we are immune from trouble?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Absolutely not, but with God, the sacraments,
my Christian friends, the Bible- <b>I can take whatever life throws at me, and
so can you and turn problems into opportunities and personal spiritual power.</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Easy?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Of course not, but worth every minute.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>It’s great being a saint!</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"><b>SAINTS- OUR ULTIMATE DESTINY:</b> Did you hear
about the little girl in Sunday school?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Her teacher had just asked the class how you get to heaven, hoping she
would get the Biblical answer “Believe and be baptized.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Up shot the little girl’s hand.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Now this was one of those “goody-goody little
girls” who always does everything right and always knows the answer, so the
teacher chose her to answer.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“What was
the question?” the child asked.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“What do
you have to do to get to heaven?” the teacher repeated.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Oh, that’s easy,” the child answered.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Get dead!”<b> Not only do I automatically
have an abundance of meaning in my life, not only do I know who I am and where
I’ve come from, and where I’m going--- I also have a sure knowledge of my
ultimate destiny.</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Death is an
illusion, a devil-trick- it doesn’t exist.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Death is simply a birth process to the next glorious part of my life
with Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This world is just my
temporary home, my citizenship is in heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Getting dead may not be great, but being dead is fine, because we are in
heaven with Jesus.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"> </p>
<p style="text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">As a Christian, as a saint, not only do I
automatically have an abundance of meaning in my life, not only do I know who I
am and where I’ve come from, and where I’m going, not only do I have a sure
knowledge of my ultimate destiny- heaven; I am also blessed with clear
instructions for how to be blessed (and a blessing) in this life: love God,
love neighbor, don’t hold grudges, no revenge, the beatitudes we heard this
morning for our Gospel.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So let’s get on
with our worship by thanking God for the wonderful privilege of being saints in
our generation and renewing our Baptismal Covenant.</p>
</div>
<p></p>
-- <br>
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