[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Epiphany 2

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-------- Original message --------From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org> Date: 1/14/17  9:34 PM  (GMT-05:00) To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org> Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Epiphany 2 


Dear Friends,

 

This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “The Rev. Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr.- Champion of Justice” or “Let There Be Peace on Earth” or “Put
Your Money Where Your Mouth Is!” and deals with The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s
birthday.  Here it is: 

 

This morning, I’m going to repeat the sermon I’ve preached many times
when we celebrated The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s. birthday because it’s
even more relevant now then it was then. 
I’m repeating this sermon because WE HAVEN’T DONE IT YET!  Dr. King was one of the greatest Jubilee saints
of the twentieth century.  In his honor,
there’ll be speeches, special programs, remembrances of every kind.  I have my own special remembrances.  I remember that hot August day in Vicksburg, Mississippi,
in 1964, when I was working in the civil rights movement doing voter
registration.  I remember when Dr. King
came to Vicksburg
to preach in an old brick (I think) church. 
There were no seats left.  There
wasn’t even standing room left in the aisles. 
Some friends and I balanced on the ledge of the stained glass window
through his whole long sermon, just so we could hear him.  Then, because we were part of the local
freedom movement, we were introduced and got to shake his hand.  It was this hand- I never should have washed
it!  Those were days when the Spirit of
God was moving over our land, and it was thrilling, exciting, and an honor to
be a part of it!

 

Do you remember the parable that Jesus told about the two sons (Matthew
21: 28-32)?  Their father came to them and told them to
work in the field.  The older son said
the equivalent of, “Oh, no way Dad.  I’ve
got better things to do with my time.  I’m
not working in the field today.”  The
younger son more-or-less said, “Of course, dear Father.  I’d be delighted to work in the fields for
you today!”  You remember what happened
next.  As soon as the father left, the
older son began to feel guilty.  In spite
of what he said, he did what his father asked and went to work in the
fields.  The younger son however had no intention
of working that day.  As soon as his
father left, he took off and did whatever it was he wanted.  Remember, then Jesus asked, “Which son loved
his father the most?”  Of course, the
answer was the oldest son.  He proved his
love by his obedience.

 

I know you’re wondering why in the world I’m telling
you this parable.  I’m telling it because
it holds true for parents and children; it holds true for God and us; and it
holds true for our honoring Dr. King. 
The greatest honor we can give Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is to do what
he said.  This is especially important
for us, as Christians, because all his teachings came from the Jesus’ teachings
in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). 
If ever we Christians were called to live Jesus’ teachings, it’s now.  It’s not just what we say, although we
certainly must tell that old, old story. 
Our lives proclaim what we really believe.  We must LIVE it!  

 

For the many years , we have been concerned about the
violence that plagues our streets.  It’s
improving, but it still is very strong.  Many
think that the answer is more police and better programs for our youth and more
jobs and better education.  My brothers
and sisters- all those things are truly necessary, and we should certainly work
for them.  However- I have come to the
unpleasant conclusion that all these things, as necessary as they are to
getting a handle on this problem, will not solve it.  In too many cases, our hearts are wrong.  All these things, as good as they are, are
like the flesh and skin of an apple. 
What happens if the core of the apple is rotten?  Nothing’s going to save that apple, is
it?  Our culture is like that apple- a beautiful
outside but a rotten, violent core.  Look
at the words of the music we sing, look at the content of the movies and videos
we watch, look at the action of many of the video games we play, look at the
violence in the sports we watch, look at our nation’s speed in using war as the
way to make peace and protect ourselves. 
If we are ever going to experience a stop to all this violence, we
Christians are going to have to live what we believe.  What does this mean?


 Spend not one penny for any game or toy or music
     that promotes violence.
 NO GUNS, unless they are to be used for sport!  They get stolen, used for revenge
     killing, and don’t really protect those who legitimately buy them.
 Don’t let the devil pollute your mind!  Don’t watch or listen to anything you
     would be ashamed to let Jesus see or hear.
 Don’t deal in illegal or dishonest stuff- not
     drugs, weapons, cheap hot items.  It
     supports the very people who are the devil’s agents in destroying our
     youth, and it’s a sin.To be continued...in Parr 2<>

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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