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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: Sun, Apr 12, 2020 9:23 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Easter sermon preached on Facebook live video: “You Can’t Have Easter Power with a Good Friday Attitude!”<br>
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<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-weight:normal;">Dear Friends,</span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-weight:normal;"> </span></strong></div>
<div style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-weight:normal;">The name of Sunday’s
sermon is “You Can’t Have Easter Power with a Good Friday Attitude!”<span style=""> </span>It is based on the gospel (John 20:
1-18).<span style=""> </span>Here it is. </span></strong></div>
<div style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:normal;">Happy Easter on this glorious day of
our Lord’s resurrection!<span style=""> </span>Lent is done
and Easter is here!<span style=""> </span>It seems like just
yesterday we were getting our Lenten ashes.<span style="">
</span>Did you hear about the little boy who asked his pastor what “ashes to
ashes, dust to dust” meant?<span style=""> </span>“Ah!” said
the pastor.<span style=""> </span>It means we all come from
dust and we all go to dust.”<span style=""> </span>“Well,”
said the child, “you’d better get over to my house right away and look under my
bed, because there’s someone there who’s either coming or going!”<span style=""> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:normal;">We are
all aware of how atrociously painful Jesus’ last days were, but- if you think
about it, his friends had also lived in crisis.<span style="">
</span>Did you notice how the Gospel of John tells us about the awful reality
Mary Magdalene experienced as she struggled to move from Good Friday tragedy to
Easter Sunday delight?<span style=""> </span>The entire week
had been unbelievably bad for all of Jesus’ friends- actually going from
terrible to worse.<span style=""> </span>They’d watched
everyone turn against him; with even his disciples leaving him to face his
worst times alone. They saw the trial, the beatings, the mocking, the torture,
his execution, and his burial.<span style=""> </span>Worse
yet, because the Sabbath was approaching, they couldn’t even give Jesus a
proper burial- he had to be just quickly placed in the grave and locked in with
a huge stone.<span style=""> </span>Early Sunday morning, Mary
went to see the body of Jesus.<span style=""> </span>The
scripture didn’t say why, maybe she went to anoint the body as the other women
did.<span style=""> </span>Maybe she just couldn’t sleep.<span style=""> </span>Whatever- when she got there, the stone was
rolled away and the body was gone- only the grave clothes were there- carefully
folded and placed on the floor.<span style=""> </span>Mary
assumed that the body had been moved, so she started to cry. Everything seemed
hopeless, but then Jesus called her name and Easter was the new reality.</div>
<div style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:normal;">That’s
what happened- Jesus is alive, but what’s it to you?<span style=""> </span>Let’s be honest with each other.<span style=""> </span>Really- what difference does it make in your
life as you worry your way through the coronavirus quarantine?<span style=""> </span>People are starting to snap at each other-
all stuck in the same house.<span style=""> </span>Domestic
abuse is rising alarmingly.<span style=""> </span>How will you
pay your bills?<span style=""> </span>How will you keep food
in the house?<span style=""> </span>How will you even find the
food and other necessities in the stores?<span style="">
</span>Will you or someone you love catch it?<span style="">
</span>To make it all worse, we can’t even go to church!</div>
<div style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:normal;">The
answer to this question is in my suggestion on Good Friday.<span style=""> </span>Do you remember our St. Paul’s tradition-
counting down the last 10 seconds of Jesus suffering just before he died?<span style=""> </span>At ten seconds to three o’clock, we start
counting: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0- and shout <b>“It is accomplished!” </b>because
that’s what Jesus said.<span style=""> </span>He didn’t say,
“It’s over.”<span style=""> </span>He said, “ACCOMPLISHED!”<span style=""> </span>So I ask you, what’s accomplished?<span style=""> </span>The war with evil was won.<span style=""> </span>The entire universe was reclaimed from the
forces of chaos, destruction, and evil- yes, including viruses; heaven had been
claimed, and the forces of God and good and life had won.<span style=""> </span>God is in charge.<span style=""> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:normal;">If
you’re serious about Jesus, my question to you is- are you living as if God and
good and life are in charge; or are you living as if evil and death are in
charge?<span style=""> </span>Does everything seem hopeless,
like it did to Mary? Is your attitude Good Friday negative or an Easter life
positive?<span style=""> </span>Are you on the winning side,
or are you on the losing side, and how can you tell?</div>
<div style="margin-left:.75in;line-height:normal;"><span style="">1.<span style="font:7.0pt New;"> </span></span>Good
Friday attitude- I can’t stand this COVID-19 life another minute!<span style=""> </span>Easter attitude- I’ll do it day at a time,
live like Jesus wants me to, and work to maintain my serenity.</div>
<div style="margin-left:.75in;line-height:normal;"><span style="">2.<span style="font:7.0pt New;"> </span></span>Good
Friday attitude- the perspective is defense; Easter attitude- the perspective
is offense!</div>
<div style="margin-left:.75in;line-height:normal;"><span style="">3.<span style="font:7.0pt New;"> </span></span>Good
Friday attitude - I don’t get mad; I get even!<span style="">
</span>Easter attitude- drop it; don’t let hatred poison your spirit; give the
problem to God and leave it there (i.e. God says, “Vengeance is mine; I will
repay- and God does a much better job than we ever could and can even get
spiritual growth in the lives of our enemies.).</div>
<div style="margin-left:.75in;line-height:normal;"><span style="">4.<span style="font:7.0pt New;"> </span></span>Good
Friday attitude– you only go around once in life so I’ll go out and socialize
if I want (and forget about everyone else)!<span style="">
</span>Easter attitude- I’ll do the loving thing.<span style=""> </span>We’ll get through this.</div>
<div style="margin-left:.75in;line-height:normal;"><span style="">5.<span style="font:7.0pt New;"> </span></span>Good
Friday attitude- I can’t take it!<span style=""> </span>I’ve
got to have something (alcohol, TV, all day sports or video games, drugs,
nicotine, food, etc.) to make it through this mess!<span style=""> </span>Easter attitude- God can get you through
anything!</div>
<div style="margin-left:.75in;line-height:normal;"><span style="">6.<span style="font:7.0pt New;"> </span></span>Good
Friday attitude- we will probably die from this, so I might as well do what I
want!<span style=""> </span>Easter attitude- Jesus is the
firstfruit; so death is new birth into heaven.</div>
<div style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:normal;">So,
are you on the winning side?<span style=""> </span>If not, why
not get there!<span style=""> </span>Wishing won’t do it.<span style=""> </span>Living in the past won’t do it.<span style=""> </span>Making a decision to live as Jesus’ Easter
people will.<span style=""> </span>In his book <i>Teaching the
Elephant to Dance</i>, James Belasco describes how trainers shackle young
elephants with heavy chains to deeply embedded stakes. In that way the elephant
learns to stay in its place. Older, powerful elephants never try to leave—even
though they have the strength to pull the stake and walk away. Their
conditioning has limited their movements. With only a small metal bracelet
around their foot attached to nothing, they stand in place. The stakes are
actually gone!</div>
<div style="text-indent:.5in;line-height:normal;">Don’t
let COVID-19 do this to you.<span style=""> </span>Don’t let
the coronavirus turn you into a negative, self-centered person!<span style=""> </span>Say your prayers at least 3 times a day, sing
holy songs, help your neighbor, love those God has put in your life.<span style=""> </span>With Jesus, we can do this!<span style=""> </span>The Risen Christ can give us the power.<span style=""> </span>We shall overcome! </div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-weight:normal;"> </span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="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-weight:normal;"> </span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-weight:normal;">Blessed preaching,</span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-weight:normal;">Judy Boli</span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-weight:normal;">St. Paul's Episcopal Church</span></strong></div>
<div style="line-height:normal;"><strong><span style="font-weight:normal;">Saginaw, Michigan</span></strong></div>
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