[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Epiphany 6B

[Joe Parrish]

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-----Original Message-----
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Sat, Feb 11, 2012 11:46 am
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Epiphany 6B


Dear Friends,

Tomorrow’s sermon is entitled “Stinkin’ Thinkin- Dealing with Problem
People” and deals with the Old Testament lesson (2nd Kings 5: 1-15)
and the epistle (1st Corinthian lesson (9:24-27). Here it is:

Our text today is from today’s epistle: “You know that many runners
enter a race, and only one of them wins the prize. So run to win” (1st
Corinthians 9: 24).  Are you running to win, or are habits making you
a loser at life?  The Old Testament story of Naaman offers us some
modern-day advice about avoiding old, self-defeating habits and
winning at life.

Did you hear about the man who leaned too far out of a window in his
twelve-story apartment building and fell out?  When he reached the
sixth floor he said to himself, “So far, so good.”  That must be how
Naaman, the Syrian general, felt when he found out he had leprosy.  He
knew it was only a matter of time before he lost his position in the
army and had to leave his home, due to his dreaded disease.  As we
know from our Old Testament Bible reading, a while before on one of
his raids into Israel, Naaman kidnapped a little Israelite girl and
gave the child to his wife as her slave.  The Israelite slave girl had
compassion on her master, so she told her mistress (who then told her
husband) about the prophet Elisha, a mighty man of Israel, who might
be willing to heal Naaman of his leprosy.  Naaman figured it was worth
a try, so he got a letter from the king of Syria asking the king of
Israel to cure Naaman’s leprosy.  At the end of his lengthy trip, when
he presented the Syrian king’s letter, the king of Israel was
furious!  Israel’s king presumed this was a trick to justify more
raids into Israelite territory.  He didn’t know what else to do, so he
sent Naaman to Elisha.  When Naaman went to Elisha’s house, Elisha
sent his servant to tell Naaman to go and wash in the Jordan River
seven times.  Naaman was infuriated, since Elisha didn’t come out
personally to see him- just sent “lowly servants.”  Not only that, he
had come all that way to be told to wash in a muddy Israelite river!
“We have better rivers in Syria!” he muttered.  Naaman’s servants
convinced him to try Elisha’s simple remedy, and he was healed.
Naaman went back to Elisha’s house to reward him, but the prophet
would accept no payment.  Naaman proclaimed, “There is a God in
Israel,” took some Israelite soil to use for worship, and started
home- a healed and thankful person.  Now Gehazi (Elisha’s servant)
thought it was really foolish for the prophet to refuse any payment,
so he followed Naaman’s travel party.  When they were far enough away
so Elisha couldn’t see, Gehazi caught up with Naaman and told him that
Elisha had changed his mind about not accepting any reward for the
healing.  Naaman gladly loaded Gehazi down with the treasure he had
brought.  Well, Elisha knew what had happened, so he confronted Gehazi
about his deception.  You know the old saying- “What goes around comes
around?”  Well the leprosy that had afflicted Naaman was transferred
to Gehazi, who then became a leper.

Let’s look at each of the characters to see what we can learn about
stinkin’ thinkin’ pitfalls that have the potential of diminishing our
freedom and our fullness of living:
1)	Stinkin’ thinkin’- type 1= revenge, or at least enjoying the
suffering of our neighbor when their evil catches up with them.  The
Israelite girl told her master about Elisha.  She could have kept it
to herself and let Naaman suffer- “He has it coming to him!”  Jesus
reminds us to love (want what’s best for) even our enemy.
2)	Stinkin’ thinkin’- type 2= presuming a motive from someone’s
behavior.  The Israelite king presumed that Naaman’s visit was a “set-
up.”  We can’t get inside someone’s head.  Guessing at motives puts us
in the judging role of God.  Ex.: if someone doesn’t speak to me, my
assumption might be they are mad at me.  The truth might be that they
were deep in thought and didn’t see me.
3)	Stinkin’ thinkin’- type 3= thinking some things (or some people)
are “beneath us.”  Naaman was furious that Elisha sent a lowly servant
to speak to him, instead of coming out to speak himself.  He
considered washing in the Jordan River “beneath him”- after all,
didn’t they have perfectly good rivers in Syria?
4)	Stinkin’ thinkin’- type 4= “They owe it to me!”  This was a perfect
way for Gehazi to get rich at the hands of the hated Syrians- after
all they’d done to his people, they had it coming- they owed him and
his people.  Truth- no one owes us anything (“forgive us our sins as
we forgive those who sin against us.”).

You may have noticed that each of the above people were tempted when
life was difficult.  I’m going to close with a story that sums up the
importance of avoiding stinkin’ thinkin’ and having a Christ-like
attitude, no matter what we face.  The preacher placed two identical
jars on the table next to the pulpit.  He quoted 1st Samuel 16:7, “The
Lord does not look at the things people look at.  Humans look at the
outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  He went on to
point out that “These jars came from the same factory, were made of
the same materials, can hold the same amount, and the substances
inside them look exactly the same.  But they are different,” he
explained. Then he upset one and it oozed out honey.  He turned over
the other, and vinegar spilled out. When a jar is upset, whatever is
in it comes out. Until the jars were upset, they looked alike.  The
difference lay within, and could not be seen.  When they were upset,
their contents were revealed.  Until we are upset we put on a good
front.  But when we are upset, we reveal our innermost thoughts and
attitudes.  My prayer for all of us today is that when life tips us
over, out will flow God’s grace, love, patience, and endurance.

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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