[Propertalk] Fwd: Draft of Sunday's Sermon and Updated African-American Wisdom Statements

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded:
Note #33123 from JUDY BOLI to PROPERTALK:

ear Friends,
Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Actions Speak Louder than Words” or “Is Your Faith 
 Verb?” (Proper 14C, 8-8-10) and deals with the epistle (Hebrews 11: 1-3, 
-16).  Here it is:
Almost all our Bible readings for today center on faith, so we’re going to focus 
n it this morning- what it is; how you know you have it; what gets in the way 
f having faith; and how you can help it grow.  First of all- what is it?  In 
ur Hebrews lesson, we get a definition in the very first verse: “Faith makes us 
ure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see.”  In other 
ords, faith means we obey God even when the reality of the situation makes 
bedience impractical or even risky.  Next the Hebrews lesson point out how 
aith made our ancestors pleasing to God.  
If we examine the pattern of the people of faith listed in this 11th chapter of 
ebrews, we quickly notice that God knew they had faith, not by what they said, 
ut by what they did.  Faith is not simply a thought process- it is an action 
ord.  James says, “Anyone who doesn’t breathe is dead, and faith that doesn’t 
o anything is just as dead (2:26).”  You’ve heard the old saying- “actions 
peak louder than words.”  In two of our Bible lessons, Genesis and Hebrews, God 
ade two seemingly impossible promises to Abraham and Sarah. They believed God’s 
romises of descendants and land, in spite of the fact that they were too old to 
ave children and therefore any land they might claim couldn’t continue in the 
amily.  How can you tell Abraham and Sarah had faith?  Not by their words, but 
y their actions- Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, his only son with 
arah.  God spared Isaac only after Abraham’s actions proved his faith.  Abraham 
as also willing to take hi!
s family and follow God’s leading to the land of promise.  His actions- walking 
o the place of sacrifice and walking to the Promised Land.
Then there was Noah- he believed when told that God would destroy the world by 
lood, and it was up to Noah to preserve life.  How do you know he believed?  
ot by what he said, but by what he did.  Faith is an action word.  Do you 
emember the very short summary of the Bible in which every other word is a verb 
action word)?  It goes: “God made; Adam bit; Noah arked; Abraham split; Jacob 
ooled; Joseph ruled; Bush talked; Moses balked; Pharaoh plagued; people walked; 
ea divided; tablets guided; promise landed; Saul freaked; David peeked; 
rophets warned; Jesus born; God walked; LOVE talked; anger crucified; hope 
ied; LOVE rose; Spirit flamed; Word spread; GOD remained.”  So- faith- how do 
ou know if you have it?  Test yourself by the same criteria we use to judge our 
ible ancestors- not our words, but our actions.
We mean well, but I know three traps we fall into unless we’re careful.  First 
rap- we sell ourselves and our Lord short.  We know we and our children are 
ifted beyond measure and that we are created in God’s image, yet we see the 
vils of our society (racism, sexism, classism, ageism, etc.) and “fate” as 
verpowering our lives.  Fate and evil are not in charge, GOD IS IN CHARGE, but 
e must put this belief into action, or it is useless.  TAKE CHARGE- you are not 
estined to get lung cancer- stop smoking!  Parents- TAKE CHARGE - don’t trust 
our doctor’s office to keep up with your child’s shots or medications.  You 
tay informed.  Young people- TAKE CHARGE- don’t listen to your friends- you are 
ot fated to be killed by violence.  Don’t hang out with people who don’t have 
our values.  Have nothing to do with violence.  In other words, be proactive 
ith things that are important to you.  Plan ahead and then use self-discipline.  
oney is a tool that can help you!
 live a good life or destroy you, depending on if you run it or it runs you.  
ive within your means.  Watch your charge cards- don’t charge desires and 
ants.  If you drive a car- don’t park in an illegal spot and then blame someone 
hen you get a ticket.  Think ahead.  Don’t have unprotected sex and then blame 
omeone if you get pregnant or AIDS or have huge life-destroying child support 
ayments.  Choose carefully whom you marry.  God intends marriage to be 
ife-long.  Do everything you can to preserve your marriage, regardless of how 
asy and accepted divorce is these days.  TAKE CHARGE!  If everybody’s doing it 
nd you know it’s wrong, that simply tells you that you need other friends.  Do 
ou remember hearing of dolphins and other sea mammals beaching themselves?  
his seems to happen a couple of times a year.  The dolphins or whales almost 
lways either die or have to be euthanized.  What causes these wonderful sea 
ammals to beach themselves?  Dolphins and whal!
es have an extremely strong social bond, so scientists theoriz!
e that t
ey just follow their leader, even though he or she is self destructive or has 
ost his or her way.  Have courage and TAKE CHARGE!  No friends are better than 
he wrong friends.
Second trap- we’re like the impala (a deer-like African animal).  The impala can 
ump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance of greater than 30 feet. 
et these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a 
-foot wall. How is this possible?  Impalas will not jump if they cannot see 
here their feet will land.  Sometimes we’re like that.  We know Jesus says to 
ove our neighbor, pray for our enemies, not put our security or peace of mind 
n material things, and yet it just seems so impractical.  If we’re kind to our 
nemies, won’t they take advantage of us?  If we live by our values, won’t we 
ave to get by with no friends or else be labeled as somehow “strange”?  If we 
eally intend to obey our marriage vows, won’t they stand in our way?  If we 
each out and help somebody, won’t we have less for ourselves?  Forget about 
racticalities.  Follow Jesus’ way.
Faith- how do you help it grow?  That gets us to the third trap- we mean well, 
ut then we lose our temper, or the money runs out, or another crisis hits and 
e lose our focus.  You’ve heard the saying- good intentions pave the way to 
ell.  Well, my friends, I’m here to tell you that good intentions work if 
hey’re backed up by God’s power.  Latch on to that power and keep your focus.  
nce again, be proactive.  NEVER start the day off without prayer.  NEVER miss 
ome kind of spiritual reading, even if it’s simply “Forward Day by Day.”  NEVER 
iss getting your weekly spiritual redirection and Holy Communion power, unless 
ou are sick or working.  Your friends will tell you that you don’t have to come 
o church every Sunday.  True, but how do you expect to maintain your positive 
ocus and spiritual power unless you do?  That’s why the fourth commandment 
ays, “Remember the Sabbath day (for Christians- Sunday- the day of the Lord’s 
esurrection) and keep it holy.”!
  That’s why the Bible warns us not to forget our gatherings for prayer and the 
breaking of the bread” (i.e. Holy Communion).  
So how’s your faith?  Don’t tell me what you think about faith or God or the 
ible; show me by what you do in your life.  What are your action words?  Are 
ou prayed up, worshipped up, Holy Communioned up, loved up, listened up, 
orgiven up, studied up, confessed up, thanked up, helped up?  Are you like the 
mpala, can’t see it- won’t try it?  Or are you like the little boy I’m going to 
ell you about in closing?  There was this little boy who was watching a group 
f scientists and botanists as they explored a remote region of the Alps in 
earch of new species of flowers. One day they noticed through binoculars a 
lower of such rarity and beauty that its value to science was incalculable. The 
roblem was- it lay deep in a ravine with cliffs on both sides. To get the 
lower, someone had to be lowered over the cliff on a rope.  They noticed the 
urious young boy who’d been watching them for days, and the scientists told him 
hey would pay him well if he would agree to be!
 lowered over the cliff to retrieve the flower below.  The boy took one long 
ook down the steep, dizzy depths and said, “I'll be back in a minute.” A short 
ime later he returned, followed by a gray-haired man. Approaching the botanist, 
he boy said, “I'll go over that cliff and get that flower for you if this man 
olds the rope. He's my dad.”   So be proactive; take charge of your life; be 
ourageous to go against the crowd and risk failure- just let your Dad, your 
eavenly Father, hold the rope.  You know he won’t let go.  Have faith and trust 
im. 
For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom 
tatements are posted on our NEW PARISH WEB SITE. The address is: 
ttp://www.stpaulsepisag.com .
Blessed preaching.
udy Boli 
t. Paul's Episcopal Church
aginaw, Michigan
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