[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 22A: “The Ten Commandments” or “God’s Roadmap” or “Don’t Talk Like a Christian and Live Like a Pagan!”

[Joe Parrish]

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-------- Original message --------From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org> Date: 10/7/17  9:12 PM  (GMT-05:00) To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org> Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 22A: “The Ten Commandments” or “God’s Roadmap” or “Don’t Talk Like a Christian and Live Like a Pagan!” 


Dear Friends,

 

This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “The Ten
Commandments” or “God’s Roadmap” or “Don’t Talk Like a Christian and Live Like
a Pagan!” and deals with the Old Testament lesson (Exodus 20:1-4, 12-20).  Here it is: 

 

We just heard the very serious parable Jesus told about the renters who
tried to take over the vineyard from the owner. 
They killed the slaves who came- even killed the owner’s son (i.e. Jesus),
and thought they were home free.  They
acted as if the owner did not exist- as if he would never intervene.  Then Jesus asked a frightening question- “What
do you suppose the owner (i.e. God) will do to those evil renters?”  The answer- terrible things!  In other words, don’t play with God!  We’ve got to be careful we’re not acting like
those renters- we act as if God does not exist and really will never
intervene.  If we’re not careful, it’s
just too easy to talk like a Christian, but live like an atheist.  Just like the renters started acting as if
the vineyard was their own, we start acting as if our lives are our own, not
God’s.  Did you hear the story of Former President
Clinton’s visit with the pope?  The
meeting that was supposed to be short lasted for two days. Finally, a weary
President Clinton emerged to face the waiting news media.  The former president was smiling and
announced the summit was a resounding success. He said he and the pope agreed
on 80% of the matters they discussed. Then Mr. Clinton declared he was going
home to be with his family.  A few minutes
later, the pope came out to make his statement. 
He looked tired and discouraged and was practically in tears.  Sadly he announced his meeting with the
President was a failure.  Incredulous,
one reporter asked, “But your Holiness, President Clinton just announced the
summit was a great success and the two of you agreed on 80% of the items
discussed.”  Exasperated, the pope
answered, “Yes, but we were talking about the Ten Commandments!” My friends,
the Ten Commandments are not called the Ten Suggestions!  They are not open to negotiation!  You know the song that Frank Sinatra used to
sing- “I Did It My Way.”  I’m not
supposed to live my life my way; I’m supposed to live my life God’s way. 

 

Why?  Why would God give us
orders?  For the same reason parents give
rules to their children?  To keep them
safe so they can have a happy life.  The
Rev. Bass Mitchell told a story illustrating why we need the commandments.  He wrote,   “Once a people lived on an island.  They were a happy and content people.  But something started to go wrong.  Some of them began to disappear.  They discovered to their horror that all
around them were dangerous, deep pits that you could not see until it was too late.  When one of their children strayed too far
away one day and never returned, the people gathered at the hut of one of their
holy elders, pleading with him to do something. 
He went into the shrine and prayed for guidance.  Days passed by and he did not come out.  Then one day the people were summoned to the
shrine.  The elder told them that God had
granted their prayers.  The elder held up
before them a sketch of their island, and a large X mark identified each dangerous
pit for them.  They rejoiced!  They put the elder on their shoulders and
carried him in a parade.  They made
copies of the sketch and committed it to memory.  They gave thanks to God for such a great
gift.   That’s what the commandments are
for us- a life-map showing the basic potential pitfalls.  So you see, the commandments are not intended
to stifle our spirits, but to allow us to have happy lives and avoid tragedy.  

 

Let’s look at them (Exodus 20). 
You’ll notice they fall into two categories: “Love the Lord your God
with all your heart and soul and mind and strength” and “Love your neighbor as
much as you love yourself.”  The first
four commandments describe the greatest possible pitfalls we face in terms of
loving God. 

Ø  Do not worship any god except me (vs. 3).  

Ø  Do not make idols that look like anything in the sky
or on earth or in the ocean under the earth (vs. 4).

Ø  Do not misuse my name. I am the LORD your God, and I
will punish anyone who misuses my name (vs. 7). 


Ø  Remember that the Sabbath Day belongs to me (vs. 8).

The last six commandments deal with loving our neighbor- they describe
how God intends us to interact with our neighbors.

Ø  Respect your father and your mother, and you will live
a long time in the land I am giving you (vs. 12).  

Ø  Do not murder (vs. 13).  

Ø  Be faithful in marriage (vs. 14).  

Ø  Do not steal (vs. 15). 


Ø  Do not tell lies about others (vs. 16).  

Ø  Do not want anything that belongs to someone else (vs.
17). 

 

Friends, our intentions are good- we Christians really do want to obey
the commandments, yet we frequently fail. 
What goes wrong?  When are we most
at danger of breaking one of the commandments? 
Did you hear the story of the Sunday school teacher who was discussing
the Ten Commandments with her class of five and six-year-olds? After explaining
the commandment to honor thy father and thy mother, she asked, “Is there a
commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?”  Without missing a beat, one little boy
answered, “Thou shall not kill.”  This
story gives insight into how the devil tempts us into breaking the last six
commandments (describing our duty toward our neighbors).  Have you heard the wisdom statement that says,
“He who angers you, controls you”- True! 
Strong emotions make us vulnerable, so we do what we want at the moment
rather than what we know is right and best in the long run.  Like the child in the story- anger or
jealousy tempt us to threaten or hurt or kill or lie about someone.  Strong sexual urges make us choose to
disrespect someone’s partner and family. 
Seeing something we want makes us choose to steal.  So watch out when those strong feelings hit.  Take a breath, count to ten (or 1,000 or say
The Lord’s Prayer), get away from the situation for a while, and talk it out/
walk it out/ think it out/ pray it out.

 

What about the commandments dealing with our duty toward God (the first
four commandments)?  We are most
vulnerable to breaking those commandments when we decide that we are Lord of
our own lives.  We’ll do it our way,
thank-you.  We talk like a Christian, but
live like an atheist.  Did you notice the
thought for the week- “Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory
position” (Anonymous).  God doesn’t need
our advice, we need God’s roadmap.  May
God bless us as we struggle to live what we believe.

 

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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