[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Easter 2A: "The Eyes of Faith"

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded: 



-----Original Message-----
From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org>
To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org>
Sent: Sat, Apr 22, 2017 8:56 pm
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Easter 2A: "The Eyes of Faith"



DearFriends,
 
ThisSunday’s sermon is entitled “The Eyes of Faith” “Help Us Live What We Believe” and deals with all the lessons.  Here it is: 
 
What afascinating story about faith we heard in this gospel about Thomas! Actually,all the Bible lessons are about faith one way or another. And all of them areabout having faith in difficult times. Did you hear the story about the husbandwith foot-in-mouth disease? 
 
A husband andwife are getting ready for bed. The wife is standing in front of a full lengthmirror taking a hard look at herself. “You know love,” she says, “I look in themirror and I see an old woman. My face is all wrinkled, my stomach is stickingout in front and my butt is hanging out behind. I've got fat legs and my armsare all flabby.”  She turns to herhusband and says, “Tell me something positive to make me feel better aboutmyself.”  He thinks about it for a bitand then says in a soft voice, “Well...your  eyesight’s still pretty good!” Noah (Old Testament reading), the churchto whom Peter was writing (epistle), and Thomas (gospel) would all have beenable to understand where that couple were coming from, because all of them knewabout hard times and how faith during these times will carry us through.
 
Let’s look atNoah’s situation first. Some years ago when I was into embroidery, I stitched apicture of Noah and the ark.  The captionon the stitchery read: “Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.”Actually, that’s a huge understatement, because it wasn’t at all likely it wasever going to seriously rain WHERE Noah built the ark- because it was a desert(or at least a simi-desert) area. You know the story. God told Noah to build anark. He obeys and loads the animals up just as he was told- to the jeering rudelaughter of his neighbors. When we pick up the story, we find the significanceof Noah’s obedience. He has saved every species from extinction. Even moreimportant, the rainbow in the sky signifies God’s bow (his weapon- i.e. bow andarrow) hung on the wall- his weapon put away. When God promises he will neveragain destroy life by water, since water is a symbol for chaos, he is promisingchaos will never wipe out life on this planet. What a promise, and all possiblebecause of Noah’s faith and willingness to obey in hard times.
 
Then there wasPeter and the church to whom he was writing. They were under huge Romanpersecution- probably the same persecution that later caused the execution ofPeter and Paul. The church was under intense temptation to give up the faith.Family members were being tortured, thrown to lions, burned at the stake, andGod only knows what else evil humanity could think up. They were also having towork out the solutions to hideous questions. What should they do with churchmembers (or even family members) who had chickened out during torture andbetrayed family members, who were then executed? What about those who hadworshipped the emperor because of fear, while others died refusing to bow theknee to anyone but Jesus, the Christ? To make matters worse, many of thesepeople wanted back in the fellowship. Should they be forgiven? How could theyever stand to see them again? Peter reminded them to stick with it. God willwin and we shall overcome.
 
Finally, wehave Thomas. When Lazarus was so ill, Thomas was the one who convinced thedisciples to accompany Jesus to the Jerusalem area, even though their liveswere in danger the last time they went. Thomas was also the one who had thecourage to challenge Jesus when he said, “I am going to prepare a place foryou, you know where I am going, and you know the way.” Remember- Thomas said,“Lord, we don’t even know where you are going. How can we know the way?” It wasthis question that gave Jesus the marvelous opportunity to make hisearth-shaking statement: “I am the Way; I am the Truth; and I am the Life. Noone comes to the father except through me.” After all this, Thomas was missingon the evening of the resurrection when the other disciples encountered therisen Lord. When they told him about Jesus’ resurrection, he wouldn’t believeunless he touched the scars. The next Sunday, when they were all gathered againfor Holy Communion- there was Jesus confronting Thomas with what he said.Thomas went from disbelief to supreme faith and stated the church’s firstcreedal statement- “My Lord and my God!”
 
Where are youthis morning? Maybe, like Noah, you’re struggling against the pressures of theworld- a world that says irresponsible talk or casual sex, or wasteful use oftime, or greedy use of money is all right. Maybe all your friends are saying,“Just do it!” Well don’t just do it. Think first. Like Noah, live what youbelieve.
 
Maybe thismorning you are like the church to which Peter was writing, when Peter toldthem to forgive- no matter what. Maybe it is the behavior of other Christiansthat upsets you. Perhaps they’ve gossiped about you or been rude to you.  You look at them and say, “How couldthey?!!”  Yet, the truth is- nothinganyone else has done to you or yours approaches the magnitude of the tortureand execution of countless family members experienced by Christians in Peter’scongregations.  You want to stay wholeand have a good life in Christ?  Wellthen- do what Peter told his churches- forgive.
 
Then maybe youare like Thomas. Your heart breaks as you watch good people suffer- like themany people shot or blown-up in terrorist bombings. Or perhaps you arewondering why God allows terrible tornadoes- we’re sure to get some thisyear.  You remember the awful violence inour own streets recently, and you remember how summer is fast approaching.  You (like Thomas) look at the mess and say,“Chaos reigns.  God, where are you? Whydo you allow such terrible things to happen?” And God answers- “My precious,precious child. You waste the amazing resources I give you. I send you childrenwho could grow up to be physicians who could find ways to prevent and healhuman afflictions and you don’t nurture them, don’t educate them, and they endup in prison. I send you prophets and diplomats and negotiators and yet youcontinue to glorify violence in your media and make decisions from greed andarrogance. You asked me why I allow such things- strange. I was going to ask youthe same question.”
 
For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updatedAfrican-American wisdom statements are posted on our parish’s web site under“Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org.
 
Blessedpreaching,
JudyBoli
St.Paul's Episcopal Church
Saginaw,Michigan

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