[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 13A

[Joe Parrish]

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-----Original Message-----
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Sat, Jul 30, 2011 10:52 pm
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 13A


Dear Friends,

Tomorrow’s sermon is entitled “In God We Trust!” and deals with the
Old Testament lesson (Genesis 32:22-31). Here it is:

	This morning I’d like us to think through our Old Testament reading
about Jacob’ wrestling.  To understand the implications for our lives
today, we really need to go back to the beginning of the Jacob story,
actually as close to a Biblical soap-opera as we get.  Let’s bring us
up to date in our story.  As you recall, Abraham and Sarah gave birth
to Isaac (the child of promise) in their extreme old age.  Then we
followed the story as Isaac and his wife Rebekah had twin sons, Esau
(the oldest) and Jacob (the youngest).  Remember how Isaac favored
Esau because he was an outdoorsman, while Rebekah preferred Jacob
because he was a home-body.  Do you recall how Rebekah helped Jacob
trick both his slightly older twin, Esau, and also his aged father,
Isaac, into giving him the firstborn rights and blessing?  At that
point, to avoid the murderous rage of his twin brother Esau, Jacob
decided to travel to the distant home of his uncle Laban and move in
for a while.  While there, he married Leban’s daughters- Leah and
Rachel, had many children, and grew rich off his uncle, mostly by
trickery.  Since Laban and his sons were getting angrier by the day as
they watched Jacob get richer while they grew poorer, Jacob decided to
return to his home and take over his stolen role as first-born.   He
and his family took off when Laban was gone for three days shearing
sheep.  Little did Jacob know that Rachel took advantage of her
father’s absence by stealing his household idols.  When Laban got back
from shearing the sheep, he immediately found that Jacob had taken off
in his absence, along with his daughters, grandchildren, and all the
sheep and goats that Jacob had claimed as his own.  Also missing were
Laban’s household idols.  It took him three days to catch up with
Jacob’s caravan.  When he accused Jacob of stealing the idols, Jacob
very self-righteously declared himself and his entire entourage
innocent.  Jacob told Laban he could search anywhere he chose; and if
he found anyone with the idols, that person would be killed.  Rachel
now had a problem, because she had the idols.  She put them in her
saddle bags, then sat on them.  When her father came to search her,
Rachel maintained that she couldn’t stand up to be searched- it
wouldn’t be proper because she was having her menstrual period.  Laban
let her be, so he left without ever finding his idols, and Rachel’s
life was spared.  Next, Jacob sent messengers ahead to tell Esau he
was coming, but the messengers returned saying that Esau was headed
their way with 400 men!  Jacob figured he’d better cut his losses, so
he sent half his servants and belongings one way, half another way,
and the women and children on just ahead of him to cross the river up
ahead.  What a mess he had made of his life!  His uncle hated him!
His twin brother was out to get him with 400 men!  Jacob decided to
stay behind for the night before crossing the river, and he lay down
to sleep.
	That’s the background for today’s episode.  Suddenly Jacob found
himself wrestling with someone whom he thought was another man.  The
prophet Hosea (12:4) said it was an angel.  Later, Jacob said he
thought it was God.  Whoever it was Jacob wrestled with physically, do
you know with whom he was mentally wrestling?  Himself.  He had lived
his life, getting everything he wanted by lying, cheating, deceiving,
stealing, trickery.  He had to make a decision.  Was he coming back to
continue in his old evil ways, or was he going to be God’s person,
trust God, and let God’s family name continue in power?  He chose
God’s way.  To symbolize the new Jacob, his name was changed to
“Israel,” a name that has many meanings- one of which is “God Is in
Charge.”  His meeting with Esau was joyous and all was well.
That’s the story.  Now, what’s in it for us?  Trust God and don’t
hedge your bets!  Dr. Tony Evans reminds us in our thought for the
week, “Your circumstances are never the last word as long as God is on
the scene.”  So do your part and then TRUST GOD!  Don’t be like Rachel
and hedge your bets.  She kept the household idols “just-in-case.”
What do you keep in reserve if God’s response isn’t quick enough for
you?  Do you carry a rabbit’s foot?  Tell me, why in the world would
you think a rabbit’s foot would bring you good luck?  It surely didn’t
bring the rabbit good luck, did it?  Do you call psychic hot lines or
have someone read your future in tea leaves?  Do you know your sign?
Why?  Those stars don’t control your future!  You and God working as a
team do!  Christians have nothing to do with astrology!  In other
words, don’t be like Rachel.  Don’t hedge your bets with idols.
What else can we learn from today’s lessons?  Don’t be like Jacob and
use a sinful action to get what you need (or think you need).  Don’t
trick or sneak or lie or manipulate or shoplift (i.e. steal).  Did you
hear the story of the wife who just suffered the loss of her husband?
He had a lot of positives, and she was really going to miss him, but
he had one over-riding negative- he was STINGY.  On his deathbed, the
man made his wife promise to bury him with all his money.  After the
funeral when the family went downstairs in the church for the dinner,
her grown children asked if she had kept her promise.  “Of course!”
she replied.  “I would never lie to a dying man!  I put all his money
into my account and then threw a check into his casket.  Where he’s
going- if he can cash it; he can have it!”  Good for the wife, but
don’t be sneaky!
Finally, do be like the new Jacob- i.e. “Israel” and never give up.
Do you remember how the being who was wrestling with Jacob said to let
him go?  Jacob/Israel replied, “I will not let you go until you bless
me!”  God is waiting to bless you.  Stick with it.  Never give up.
Claim your blessing.

For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American
wisdom statements are posted on our parish web site. The address is:
http://www.stpaulsepisag.com .

Blessed preaching.
Judy Boli
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Saginaw, Michigan

 
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