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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, Feb 1, 2020 7:15 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Epiphany 4A: “God’s Way to Happiness” or “Not Like an Oscar-Mayer Wiener!”<br>
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<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-family:serif;font-weight:normal;">Dear Friends,</span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-family:serif;font-weight:normal;"> </span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-family:serif;font-weight:normal;">This Sunday’s sermon is
entitled “God’s Way to Happiness” or “Not Like an Oscar-Mayer Wiener!” and is
based on the<span style=""> </span>gospel (Matthew 5:1-12).<span style=""> </span>Here it is: <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-family:serif;font-weight:normal;"> </span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">We just heard Jesus
tell how to have a blessed life, which is another way to say “a happy
life.”<span style=""> </span>We’d all like a happy life.<span style=""> </span>What would make you happy?<span style=""> </span>(Listen to a few responses.)<span style=""> </span>Let me tell you about a man who had the
chance to get anything he wanted.<span style=""> </span>This
is a old, old story I’m repeating from some years ago.<span style=""> </span>See if you can remember how it ends.<span style=""> </span>Before we start, does anyone know the
commercial “I Wish I Was an Oscar Mayer Weiner?”<span style=""> </span>How does it go?<span style=""> </span>(Get responses.)<span style=""> </span>Well, here’s the story.<span style=""> </span>A man was walking along the beach when he
came across this very old oil lamp. The man started to rub it to remove all the
ocean crud when "poof" a genie appeared.<span style=""> </span>This genie, like all genies, was so happy to
be freed of the lamp that he granted the man three wishes...<span style=""> </span>"I wish to be the richest man in the
world,” the man said.<span style=""> </span>"Man,"
the genie replied, "It has already happened.”<span style=""> </span>The man’s wallet would hardly fit in his
pocket because of all the thousand dollar bills.<span style=""> </span>“Wait until you get your bank statement!”
said the genie.<span style=""> </span>You won’t know what to
do with all that money!”<span style=""> </span>What's your
second wish?"<span style=""> </span>"Genie”, said
the man, “I want a CAR!<span style=""> </span>In fact, I want
the most expensive Porsche convertible made: Fire engine red, on board GPS and
the finest audio system ever installed in an automobile."<span style=""> </span>"That’ll work," said the
genie.<span style=""> </span>He waved his hand and the finest
car anybody had ever seen popped out of the lamp. The genie then asked the man
for his third wish.<span style=""> </span>He thought and
thought, since he really wanted to choose wisely.<span style=""> </span>After all, this was his last wish, so it had
to be a good one.<span style=""> </span>Finally he said,
“Genie, I can't think of anything now.<span style="">
</span>May I save the third wish for later?"<span style=""> </span>"My, that’s unusual, responded the
genie, but of course you may wait.<span style=""> </span>Just
call me when you're ready."<span style=""> </span>With
that, whoosh, the genie disappeared.<span style="">
</span>The man leapt into his fire engine red Porsche convertible, turned on
the radio with the great audio system and pulled onto the highway.<span style=""> </span>He had the top down, so the wind was
whistling through his hair, the sun was shining, not another car was on the
road, and he was HAPPY- in fact so happy that he began to sing along with the
great music on his great radio.<span style=""> </span>Up came
a commercial, and he continued to sing the old familiar tune: “Oh, I wish I was
an Oscar-Mayer Wiener...."<span style=""> </span>Whoosh-
what a wish!</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">A wishing lamp with a
genie really won’t make us happy, but God’s way will.<span style=""> </span>Let’s look at the Beatitudes in the bulletin
one by one to see God’s way: 3 “God blesses those people who depend only on
him.<span style=""> </span>They belong to the kingdom of
heaven!”<span style=""> </span>If you think about it, who or
what else can you really depend on that will never let you down?</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">4: “God blesses those
people who grieve.<span style=""> </span>They will find
comfort!”<span style=""> </span>Here, we’re talking about
those whose hearts are broken by the things that break the heart of God.<span style=""> </span>Are you so in touch with our Lord that human
pain, misery, injustice, cruelty, ignorance break your heart?<span style=""> </span>Practice putting yourself in other’s shoes,
so you know how they feel.<span style=""> </span>Then do
something about their pain.</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">5: “God blesses those
people who are humble.<span style=""> </span>The earth will
belong to them!”<span style=""> </span>You know what this
means- be humble- be reality-oriented.<span style="">
</span>Live in a real world.<span style=""> </span>Don’t
pretend to be someone you’re not.<span style=""> </span>Don’t
pretend to know something you don’t know.<span style="">
</span>Acknowledge your talents- they’re from God; compensate for your
weaknesses- don’t hide them.<span style=""> </span>In other
words- know your spiritual gifts and then develop them.</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">6: “God blesses those
people who want to obey him more than to eat or drink.<span style=""> </span>They will be given what they want!”<span style=""> </span>This is the beatitude that really can get to
many of us, because we really like to eat.<span style="">
</span>Anybody else like that- you can tell what time it is by what our stomach
is saying?<span style=""> </span>God needs to come even before
food and drink.<span style=""> </span>Don’t be a “convenience
Christian”- someone who comes to church if it isn’t too hot, too cold, too
early, too late, too inconvenient because they need to cook, they were up late
and need to sleep, etc.<span style=""> </span>Put God first if
you truly want to be happy.</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">7: “God blesses those
people who are merciful.<span style=""> </span>They will be
treated with mercy!”<span style=""> </span>Here’s “what goes
around comes around.”<span style=""> </span>Don’t expect God
to forgive you if you refuse to forgive your enemy</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">8: “God blesses those
people whose hearts are pure. They will see him!”<span style=""> </span>What’s the opposite of pure?<span style=""> </span>Think in terms of food?<span style=""> </span>The opposite of pure is poisoned.<span style=""> </span>What poisons the human heart?<span style=""> </span>Bitterness, anger, jealousy- all those
negatives.<span style=""> </span>Once we realize this, it’s
easy to see why a poisoned heart can’t see God- they’d never recognize him- not
in a neighbor, not in the Bible or in Holy Communion, not even in a
miracle.<span style=""> </span>Why?<span style=""> </span>They’d be too busy criticizing the neighbor,
the Bible, the church service, and they’d think the miracle was an accident!</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">9: “God blesses those
people who make peace.<span style=""> </span>They will be
called his children!”<span style=""> </span>Nothing to say
here- love (in other words- want what’s best for) your enemy.<span style=""> </span></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">10: “God blesses those
people who are treated badly for doing right.<span style="">
</span>They belong to the kingdom of heaven.”<span style="">
</span>Alexander Hamilton (one of our country’s founding patriots) said: “Those
who stand for nothing will fall for anything.”<span style="">
</span>You know what’s right- live it.<span style="">
</span>Doing so may not be easy, may not make you popular, but you’ll have a
clear conscience; you’ll be able to sleep at night.<span style=""> </span>Have the courage to stand up for what you
know is right.</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"> </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">If you do all these
things, what’s in it for you?<span style=""> </span>Day by
day, a better life.<span style=""> </span>In closing, listen
to the words Mahatma Gandhi (one of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s mentors):</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;">“Keep your thoughts
positive because your thoughts become your words.</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><span style=""> </span>Keep your words positive because your words
become your behaviors.</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><span style=""> </span>Keep your behaviors positive because your
behaviors become your habits.</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><span style=""> </span>Keep your habits positive because your habits
become your values.</div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><span style=""> </span>Keep your values positive because your values
become your destiny.”<strong><span style="font-family:serif;font-weight:normal;"></span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-family:serif;font-weight: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="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.org/"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none;">http://www.stpaulsepisag.org</span></a>
.</span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-family:serif;font-weight:normal;"> </span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-family:serif;font-weight:normal;">Blessed preaching,</span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-family:serif;font-weight:normal;">Judy Boli</span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-family:serif;font-weight:normal;">St. Paul's Episcopal Church</span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-family:serif;font-weight:normal;">Saginaw, Michigan</span></strong></div>
</div>
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