[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Epiphany 3C

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded:



-----Original Message-----
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Sat, Jan 23, 2016 10:59 pm
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Epiphany 3C



Dear Friends,
 
This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Jesus’ First Sermon”or “Jubilee” and deals with the Gospel (Luke 4:14-21).  Here it is:
 
I remember the first sermonI ever preached here at St. Paul’s.  It was some 30 years ago, and it started:“Today is Theological Education Sunday here at St. Paul’s.” I don’t need to tell you that a few more sentences into the sermon, mostof the congregation was looking out of the window or gazing at me with sleepy,half-closed eyes- not a great start as a preacher!  Well, we just heard Jesus first sermon, andit almost got him thrown off a cliff!  Heread from the prophet Isaiah, and basically said- “Jubilee is starting NOW inyour hearing!”  Why didn’t those ancientpeople want Jubilee to start?  Becausethey had too much to lose.  Near thebeginning of their walk with God as his chosen people, God told the Israelitesthat every 50th year was to be a Jubilee year to remind them thateverything on this planet belongs to him, not us.  Therefore, in the Jubilee year- slaves wouldbe freed and all property would be returned to the original owner, thusestablishing a second chance for everyone who had messed up to fix up- all overthe land.  Now we hear Jesus saying thathe came to proclaim the great news that prisoners could claim their freedom (doyou know anyone enslaved to anything?), the blind could finally open their eyesand see (do you know anyone who is blinded by something?), those who sufferhave healing offered to them (know any sufferers?), and those who need a secondchance- here it is.  If you wonder aboutthis, go back and read Leviticus 25 and Isaiah 42.
 
What are the implications ofthis for us, if we are going to be true to our Lord?   When Jesus ascended back to heaven, he leftus with the responsibility of completing his mission- bringing all people tohim for salvation and a fresh, new start at real life through him.  That’s not just US, that’s specificallyYOU!  I can imagine you thinking- “Notme- I don’t have any talents!”  If you’reeven beginning to think this, remember the basic teaching of the epistle (1stCorinthians 12:12-27): we are all part of the Body of Christ, and every singleone of us has needed talents to share with the church to bring people towholeness and new life in Jesus.  If youfind yourself thinking- “She can’t mean me! I’m too sinful,” check out our Old Testament lesson (Nehemiah 8: 1-10).  Its basic teaching is- NO ONE is too sinfulto be used by God.  It’s not where you’vebeen that’s important; it’s where you’re going that counts.  We truly are the Body of Christ.  Our hands, feet, mouths, bodies, lives do theJesus ministry.  It is entrusted tous.  If we don’t do it, it simply won’tget done.
 
What are we to do?  The letters in the holy name of Jesus remindus of some of the basics:
 
“J” reminds us we are tocontinue Jesus’ work of establishing Jubilee- in other words: justice, peace,and a second chance for all God’s people. When in doubt, give a second or third or millionth chance.
 
“E” reminds us to evangelize-spread the Word, baptize, and teach. Remember, in Matthew 28 Jesus reminded us to go to all nations baptizingand teaching.
 
“S” is for “strength”- thepower, courage, and endurance Jesus offers through daily reading of His Word,prayer, fellowship, and weekly Holy Communion.
 
“US” reminds us that God expectsus to be in this together as a team.  Thedisciples knew Jesus expected them to stick together, which is why they wereall back in that upper room at Pentecost. One person can’t be the “Body of Christ.”  Read 1st Corinthians 12, andyou’ll se we’re all expected to be the “Body of Christ” together.  I’m going to close with a story illustratingwhy we must stick together.  Do youremember the story about the mouse and the other animals?  Well- the mouse overheard the farmer tell hiswife that he was installing a brand new, foolproof mousetrap.  The mouse was so upset that he went runningto the barnyard to get help from the other animals.  When he told the hen, he got no sympathywhatsoever!  “Don’t bother me, mouse-that’s your problem; not mine” was the reply. So he told the pig and got the same reply- “Don’t bother me- not myproblem.”  He even told the cow; againwith the same reply- “Don’t bother me- not my problem.”  That night as the mouse was sleeping, heheard the mousetrap snap.  A poisonoussnake had gotten his tail caught in the trap. When the farmer’s wife went to see what had happened, the snake drewback and bit her.  Instantly, she startedto feel very sick, so she called her husband. Now the husband didn’t know anything about medicine, but he knew thatchicken soup cures anything; so he went to the barn, killed the chicken(remember- it wasn’t her problem), and made some chicken soup.  Problem- his wife got sicker.  He called the doctor who said he would comeif he could be paid in bacon, so he butchered the pig (remember- it wasn’t hisproblem) and paid the doctor in bacon. Finally, his wife died.  He neededfood for the many people who visited to comfort him, so he killed the cow(remember- it wasn’t her problem) and started up the grill so everyone couldhave steak.  The moral of this story-we’re all in this together. May God bless us all as we work together to becomethe Body of Christ here on this corner and establish Jubilee in every sphere ofour lives.  
 
For anyone who isinterested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements areposted 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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