[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 10B

[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 14, 2012 11:32 pm
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 10B


Dear Friends,

This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “John the Baptist” and deals with the
gospel (Mark 6: 14- 29).  Here it is:

This morning we heard about one of the strangest characters in the
Bible- John the Baptist.  He was the last of the Old Covenant prophets
and had the job of preparing the way for Jesus.  Even his beginnings
were unusual.  John’s parents, Elizabeth and Zechariah, were childless
and way too old to have children.  Elizabeth was Mary’s cousin and
Zechariah was a priest in the temple.  One day, Zechariah was doing
his job in the temple when the angel Gabriel appeared and told him
that he and his wife would have a baby, who was to be named John.
Zechariah doubted the angel, so he was struck dumb.  Shortly after
this incident and against all odds, Elizabeth became pregnant.  It’s
obvious that Zechariah and Elizabeth were accepting, compassionate
people because after the Virgin Mary became pregnant, she spent some
time with them- probably to gain courage to face everyone when she
began to “show.”  Well, in due time the child promised to Zechariah
and Elizabeth was born; and when he was circumcised and presented in
the temple, everyone was about to name him “Zechariah” after his
father.  It was the custom of the day to name children after a
relative.  Zechariah still could not speak, so he communicated by
writing, “His name is John.”  Immediately, Zechariah’s speech
impediment vanished.  Those watching these happenings wondered what
kind of a man this “John” would turn out to be.
	They were wise to wonder, because this “John”, actually “John the
Baptist” was truly unusual- many must have wondered about his sanity.
While others lived in comfortable houses, he lived in the desert.
While others dressed fashionably (or at least comfortably), he wore an
itchy camel skin.  While others ate fish and bread and occasionally
some meat, he ate what he could find- usually locusts and wild honey.
He spent his time baptizing people in the Jordan River, giving them a
second chance to enter the Promised Land following God’s way.  As you
recall, Jesus (John’s second cousin) was baptized by John.  When he
wasn’t baptizing, he was preaching.  He encouraged the common people
to repent and return to God, but he infuriated those in power by
calling them “snakes”- not a very good way to get ahead.  When King
Herod married his sister-in-law, John condemned the whole affair.
Needless to say, he had many enemies in high places.  Herod was so
angry with John’s meddling that he threw him in prison.  While John
was there he must have experienced a period of doubt, because he sent
some of his followers to ask Jesus if he was really the Messiah, or
was he going through all of this imprisonment for nothing.  Jesus sent
them back with the message that the deaf hear, the blind see, the lame
walk, and the poor have the good news preached to them- in other
words- the Jubilee message.
One of John’s most dangerous enemies was Herodias, the sister-in-law
whom King Herod married.  One day, Herod threw a party (actually a
birthday banquet).  After all the men at the party were drunk, Salome
(daughter of Herodias) really turned them on with her dancing.  Herod
was so impressed that he promised her anything she wanted, even half
of his kingdom.  Salome asked her mother what she should request, and
the answer came back clearly: “Ask for the head of John the Baptist on
a platter.”  Since Herod didn’t want to look like a fool in front of
his friends by going back on his word, that’s just what happened.
Out of the strange life of one of God’s greatest prophets, what’s the
message for us?  Here are five thoughts:
1)	John didn’t follow the crowd and neither should we.  Don’t worry
what everyone expects you to do.  Instead, be true to yourself and
your Christian values- especially “Love one another as much as I have
loved you.
2)	Be careful about judging people by their appearances- these days:
tattoos, piercings, drooping pants, hair, etc.  Look, if John the
Baptist walked in here right now, I’m here to tell you that we’d
probably get a little nervous because (to put it mildly) he’d look
different.  Actually, we’d probably wonder if we had a crazy man in
here!  If we didn’t take him seriously, we would have missed one of
the holiest people in the Bible.  Remember, Jesus comes to us in other
people.  (“Whatever you do to the least of these, my sisters or
brothers, you do to me.”)  Don’t diminish anyone just because of how
he looks or talks or what she wears.
3)	We love second chances for ourselves.  As God has given us many
second chances, so must we do the same for others.
4)	Watch those promises.  Be careful about making them, and if you
realize you’ve made an unloving one- face up to it and risk looking
foolish, but don’t keep it.  Love, not honor, is our Christian
expectation.
5)	If you meet people who aren’t quite sure about this “Jesus event,”
be kind.  Remember, even John had his doubts when times were hard and
he was in prison.

May God bless us as we try to faithfully follow our Lord in this
difficult world.

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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