[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 14C

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Forwarded: 

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-------- Original message --------
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org> 
Date:08/06/2016  8:32 PM  (GMT-05:00) 
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org> 
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 14C 

Dear Friends,

 

This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Actions Speak Louder than Words” or “Is Your Faith a Verb?” and deals with the epistle (Hebrews 11: 1-16).  Here it is:

 

Almost all our Bible readings for today center on faith, so we’re going to focus on it this morning- what it is; how you know you have it; what gets in the way of having faith; and how you can help it grow.  First of all- what is it?  In our Hebrews lesson, we get a definition in the very first verse: “Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see.”  In other words, faith means we obey God even when the reality of the situation makes obedience impractical or even risky.  Next the Hebrews lesson point out how faith made our ancestors pleasing to God. 

 
If we examine the pattern of the people of faith listed in this 11th chapter of Hebrews, we quickly notice that God knew they had faith, not by what they said, but by what they did.  Faith is not simply a thought process- it is an action word.  James says, “Anyone who doesn’t breathe is dead, and faith that doesn’t do anything is just as dead (2:26).”  You’ve heard the old saying- “actions speak louder than words.”  In two of our Bible lessons, Genesis and Hebrews, God made two seemingly impossible promises to Abraham and Sarah. They believed God’s promises of descendants and land, in spite of the fact that they were too old to have children and therefore any land they might claim couldn’t continue in the family.  How can you tell Abraham and Sarah had faith?  Not by their words, but by their actions- Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, his only son with Sarah.  God spared Isaac only after Abraham’s actions proved his faith.  Abraham was also willing to take his family and follow God’s leading to the land of promise.  His actions- walking to 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 flood, and it was up to Noah to preserve life.  How do you know he believed?  Not by what he said, but by what he did.  Faith is an action word.  Do you remember 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 fooled; Joseph ruled; Bush talked; Moses balked; Pharaoh plagued; people walked; sea divided; tablets guided; promise landed; Saul freaked; David peeked; prophets warned; Jesus born; God walked; LOVE talked; anger crucified; hope died; LOVE rose; Spirit flamed; Word spread; GOD remained.”  So- faith- how do you know if you have it?  Test yourself by the same criteria we use to judge our Bible ancestors- not our words, but our actions.

 

We mean well, but I know three traps we fall into unless we’re careful.  First trap- we sell ourselves and our Lord short.  We know we and our children are gifted beyond measure and that we are created in God’s image, yet we see the evils of our society (racism, sexism, classism, ageism, etc.) and “fate” as overpowering our lives.  Fate and evil are not in charge, GOD IS IN CHARGE, but we must put this belief into action, or it is useless.  TAKE CHARGE- you are not destined to get lung cancer- stop smoking!  Parents- TAKE CHARGE - don’t trust your doctor’s office to keep up with your child’s shots or medications.  You stay informed.  Young people- TAKE CHARGE- don’t listen to your friends- you are not fated to be killed by violence.  Don’t hang out with people who don’t have your values.  Have nothing to do with violence.  In other words, be proactive with things that are important to you.  Plan ahead and then use self-discipline.  Money is a tool that can help you live a good life or destroy you, depending on if you run it or it runs you.  Live within your means.  Watch your charge cards- don’t charge desires and wants.  If you drive a car- don’t park in an illegal spot and then blame someone when you get a ticket.  Think ahead.  Don’t have unprotected sex and then blame someone if you get pregnant or AIDS or have huge life-destroying child support payments.  Choose carefully whom you marry.  God intends marriage to be life-long.  Do everything you can to preserve your marriage, regardless of how easy and accepted divorce is these days.  TAKE CHARGE!  If everybody’s doing it and you know it’s wrong, that simply tells you that you need other friends.  Do you remember hearing of dolphins and other sea mammals beaching themselves?  This seems to happen a couple of times a year.  The dolphins or whales almost always either die or have to be euthanized.  What causes these wonderful sea mammals to beach themselves?  Dolphins and whales have an extremely strong social bond, so scientists theorize that they just follow their leader, even though he or she is self destructive or has lost his or her way.  Have courage and TAKE CHARGE!  No friends are better than the wrong friends.

 

Second trap- we’re like the impala (a deer-like African animal).  The impala can jump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance of greater than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a 3-foot wall. How is this possible?  Impalas will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will land.  Sometimes we’re like that.  We know Jesus says to love our neighbor, pray for our enemies, not put our security or peace of mind in material things, and yet it just seems so impractical.  If we’re kind to our enemies, won’t they take advantage of us?  If we live by our values, won’t we have to get by with no friends or else be labeled as somehow “strange”?  If we really intend to obey our marriage vows, won’t they stand in our way?  If we reach out and help somebody, won’t we have less for ourselves?  Forget about practicalities.  Follow Jesus’ way.

 

Faith- how do you help it grow?  That gets us to the third trap- we mean well, but then we lose our temper, or the money runs out, or another crisis hits and we lose our focus.  You’ve heard the saying- good intentions pave the way to hell.  Well, my friends, I’m here to tell you that good intentions work if they’re backed up by God’s power.  Latch on to that power and keep your focus.  Once again, be proactive.  NEVER start the day off without prayer.  NEVER miss some kind of spiritual reading, even if it’s simply “Forward Day by Day.”  NEVER miss getting your weekly spiritual redirection and Holy Communion power, unless you are sick or working.  Your friends will tell you that you don’t have to come to church every Sunday.  True, but how do you expect to maintain your positive focus and spiritual power unless you do?  That’s why the fourth commandment says, “Remember the Sabbath day (for Christians- Sunday- the day of the Lord’s Resurrection) 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 Bible; show me by what you do in your life.  What are your action words?  Are you prayed up, worshipped up, Holy Communioned up, loved up, listened up, forgiven up, studied up, confessed up, thanked up, helped up?  Are you like the impala, can’t see it- won’t try it?  Or are you like the little boy I’m going to tell you about in closing?  There was this little boy who was watching a group of scientists and botanists as they explored a remote region of the Alps in search of new species of flowers. One day they noticed through binoculars a flower of such rarity and beauty that its value to science was incalculable. The problem was- it lay deep in a ravine with cliffs on both sides. To get the flower, someone had to be lowered over the cliff on a rope.  They noticed the curious young boy who’d been watching them for days, and the scientists told him they would pay him well if he would agree to be lowered over the cliff to retrieve the flower below.  The boy took one long look down the steep, dizzy depths and said, “I'll be back in a minute.” A short time later he returned, followed by a gray-haired man. Approaching the botanist, the boy said, “I'll go over that cliff and get that flower for you if this man holds the rope. He's my dad.”   So be proactive; take charge of your life; be courageous to go against the crowd and risk failure- just let your Dad, your heavenly Father, hold the rope.  You know he won’t let go.  Have faith and trust him.

 

For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements are posted on our parish’s web site under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org .

 

Blessed preaching,

Judy Boli

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Saginaw, Michigan

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