[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Lent 4B

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded:



-----Original Message-----
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Sat, Mar 17, 2012 9:25 pm
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Lent 4B


Dear Friends,
Tomorrow’s sermon is entitled “Don’t Lose Your ‘Attitude of
ratitude!’” and deals with the Old Testament lesson (Numbers 21: 4-
) and the gospel. (John 3:14- 21). Here it is:
So far this Lent, we’ve looked at what the Bible says to us about
emptation- how vulnerable we are to wanting anything we’re not
upposed to have or to doing anything we’re not supposed to do.  As
ou know, one of our offertory hymns for this Lent is “Yield Not to
emptation for Yielding is Sin.”  We’ve considered one of our chief
emptations- to avoid the cross that Jesus expects us to carry.
emember, he said, “Take up your cross and follow me”- and he wasn’t
alking about jewelry on a gold chain; he was talking about a chosen
acrifice for him.  Last week we examined where yielding to temptation
eads us- SIN, and we saw that the middle letter of sin is “I”!
ctually, self-centeredness (i.e. original sin) is like a beautiful
pple with a rotten core.  Today I’d like us to think through one of
he dangerous symptoms of sin- a poisoned spirit.  Did you hear of the
other who called the poison control center, seriously worried that
er two-year-old daughter had poisoned herself by eating ants?  The
urse who answered the phone calmly reassured the anxious mother that,
lthough eating ants sounds nasty and you hate the thought of your
recious child eating them- they’re not poisonous.  “Oh, I’m so
elieved!” said the mother.  “If I had known that ants weren’t
oisonous, I wouldn’t have made her eat all that ant poison!”  “You
ade her eat ant poison?” asked the nurse.  “Absolutely”, answered the
other.  “I wanted to be sure all the ants in her stomach were
illed.”  “Look lady,” shouted the nurse.  “Bring the child in RIGHT
WAY!”  We know what’s poisoning that precious two-year-old, but I’d
ike us to look at the snakes that were poisoning the Israelites and
hen think about if anything is poisoning you.
The Israelites were in the desert- picture their situation.  God had
orked a mighty miracle delivering them from slavery in Egypt and then
opped it off with their miraculous escape through the Red Sea.  They
aw God’s mighty hand when Moses encountered the living God on the
ountaintop and came back down with the Ten Commandments.  God led
hem through the desert in the fire by night and the cloud by day- on
heir way to the Promised Land.  When they began to hunger, God began
ending manna.  Every morning when they woke up, there was this bread-
ike substance on the ground- enough for one day’s food for everyone
two days before the Sabbath so they wouldn’t break the fourth
ommandment).  Manna, plus the occasional quail that foolishly landed
here they could be caught, made an amazingly nutritious diet.  Their
eet did not blister and their sandals did not wear out throughout the
ntire trip.  What wonderful provisions from God!  How truly blessed
hey were!  Wouldn’t you think that would have been enough for any
uman being?  Yet all we heard in today’s Old Testament reading was
omplaining!  Why?  Because they were bored with the same old “same-
ld.”  Sounds like when I was a little girl.  We were very poor, but
y mother always saw that I had all my necessities met.  Occasionally
he would find me in front of the refrigerator with the door open.
hen she would ask what I was doing, I would complain- “I’m hungry,
ut there’s nothing to eat!”  She would tell me to close the door and
emind me that I must not really be very hungry.  You know why?
ecause the refrigerator was full of food- just nothing special,
othing fancy- just the same old “same-old.”  You see, I was truly
lessed- but instead of an attitude of gratitude, I had a complaining
pirit- just like the Israelites did.  You heard what happened to
hem.  God allowed them to stumble into a bed of snakes with burning,
oisonous venom.  Whether God actually made this happen or whether
hey took a wrong turn due to their negative attitude and then blamed
he problem on God- who knows.  Whichever- the problem did what
roblems frequently do- it shaped up their bitter attitude and got
hem down on their knees in a hurry!  They went running to Moses who
rayed.  We heard how God told Moses to erect a bronze snake on a
ole.  God said that anyone who looked at the snake would be healed.
hat’s what happened.  Now- what’s in it for us?  What Bible wisdom
an we extract from this ancient story to help us in our lives today?
FIRST, THEY WERE IN A SPIRITUALLY VULNERABLE POSITION.  They had
epeatedly experienced great victories won for them by the Lord.  What
requently happens after a woman has gloriously experienced the
mazing miracle of giving birth to a longed-for child?  Sure-
epression hits.  What happened after the prophet Elijah won his
ighty victory over the prophets of Baal?  Same thing- depression.
hat other factors predisposed them to being vulnerable?  Exhaustion-
entally and physically; the “sameness” of their lives that must have
ad them thinking- “Is this all there is to life- walking, work,
oring food and water- over and over again?”  Do you want to avoid
heir mistake?  Watch out after a marvelous event.  Watch yourself
hen you are exhausted, mentally or physically.  Take care of your
hysical health.
SECOND, THEY LOST THEIR ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.  Instead of focusing on
heir blessings, they found themselves focusing more and more on the
egatives.  Just as I should have been thankful for all the food in
ur home refrigerator, I focused not on what WAS there but on what
ASN’T there.  Before you go to bed every evening, count your
lessings and thank God for every last one of them.
THIRD, DON’T BLAME GOD IF YOU MAKE A WRONG TURN IN LIFE.  Simply do as
oses did.  Pray and ask for guidance.  Did you notice that God didn’t
ake the snakes go away?  He simply told his beloved people what to do
f they got bitten by one.  He’ll do the same for you.  Your problems
on’t necessarily go away, but you will be given the wisdom to handle
hem in a way that turns them into a blessing for you.  I’ve got a
uestion for you.  Have you ever wondered why the person had to look
t the snake to be healed?  In other words, why didn’t God
utomatically heal anyone who was bitten?  Think about it- because God
ever forces us to come to him.  The person who was bitten had to
hoose to look.  Healing was then and is now a choice.  When have you
ver had the experience that God MADE you come to church on Sunday
orning?  And yet, it is God’s will that you worship Him and receive
oly Communion every Sunday morning unless you are sick, working, or
ngaged in some other pressing ministry.  Don’t presume on God.  Ask
od for help.
FINALLY- THE SNAKE ON THE POLE:  remember the snake that tempted Eve
n the Garden of Eden?  Can’t you just picture the lovely belt or
hoes or handbag he would make? Yet- when that snake is all curled up,
hat’s at the very center?  I’ll tell you what- a head, complete with
 venomous mouth, almost camouflaged from view.  That’s how sin is,
hich is why we’re so vulnerable to temptation, especially at weak
oints in our lives.  It often looks so inviting, so beautiful, so
armless.  But watch out- the poison is right there.  Please look at
he thought for the week: “It is unlikely there’ll be a reduction in
he wages of sin” (Anonymous).  Does anyone remember what Paul says
he wages of sin are?  (“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of
od is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord”- Romans 6:23.)
ohn 3: 16-17 reminds us that when Jesus was lifted up on the cross
or our sins, it wasn’t to condemn us but to save us and gift us with
ternal life- fullness of life that will last forever and begins at
ur baptisms.  So, what’s poisoning your life?
	Do you have a health problem?  Enjoy what you can do and the life
ou have.  Don’t waste the life God has given you worried about what
ight happen.
	Are your children becoming a frustrating heartache?  They’re God’s
ids, not yours.  Give them to God, do the best you possibly can with
hem, and enjoy them whenever you can.  Have an attitude of gratitude,
ot a complaining pity-party.
	Do you have a relationship problem?  Is there someone in your life
ho is really hard to deal with, perhaps even hard to live with?  Once
gain- remember the happy times you had with this person, forgive
hem, and don’t let them impose their negatives on your attitude.
	Are addictive substances wrecking your life?  Look to Jesus, claim
is power, get into a program if necessary, and get yourself healed.
	Do you have money problems, housing problems, car problems, job
roblems?  Put God first in your life, consult with someone you trust,
ray about it, and give them to God.  Don’t let them wreck your
resent life.
In closing, let’s bow our heads and sing our prayer: “Thank you,
ord.”
For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American
isdom statements are posted on our 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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