Proper 7B

[Judy]

Dear Friends,

 

This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Here We Go Again!” and deals with Jesus and life.  Here it is:

 

Here we go again!  Another shooting- an atrocious shooting!  A young white man (21 years old) enters an historic black church during last Wednesday evening’s prayer meeting/Bible study, sits down at the table for an hour, is received graciously, and then murders nine people!  Wow!  Talk about evil! I have some semi-organized thoughts I’m anxious to share with you.  But let’s start with a story. We need to do something to boost our spirits.  A little boy came running in the house, shouting at the top of his lungs.  “Mom!  Dad!  Guess what!?  I got 100% in school today.”  “Great!” they responded.  “What subject?”  “In three subjects!” he answered.  “I got 50% in spelling, 30% in math, and 20% in science.”  In our modern culture, those scores could be ours.  We get 50% in common sense, 30% in understanding Christian values, and 20% in living them.  Why do I say that?

 

COMMON SENSE: WHAT ARROGANCE AND IGNORANCE!  Why did Dylann Roof say he did that horrendous deed?  To start a race war!  Isn’t that brilliant!!!  Two thoughts:

1. If there were a war between Caucasians and African Americans in this country, what makes him assume the Caucasians would win?
2. Regardless of who officially won, do you know who would really win?  No one.  Do you remember what riot-torn areas look like?  Have you seen the destruction that war brings?  Think of those TV pictures of war-torn countries with their sad-eyed children and refugees!  Look. We’re all in the same country, therefore we’re all in the same boat!  If I make a hole in my end of the boat, I hope you don’t continue to feel safe, because we’re all going down together.  This is not rocket science.

 

CHRISTIAN VALUES:

1. Weapons- how many Christians own weapons (not counting guns for hunting)
1. David said, “Everybody here will see that the LORD doesn't need swords or spears to save his people. The LORD always wins his battles, and he will help us defeat you.” We could add “or guns or knives or cruel instigating words” (1^st Samuel 17)
2. Jesus said, “Those who live by the sword will die by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52)
2. Attitudes about conflict:
1. Jesus said, “You have heard, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I (Jesus) tell you, not to try to get even with a person who’s done something wrong to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, turn and let that person slap your other cheek.” (Matthew 5: 38-39)
2. Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you.” (Matthew 5:44)
3. Attitudes about difference:
1. Paul said, “There is neither Jew nor Greek (signifies race), there is neither male nor female, there is neither slave nor free (signifies economic class), but all are one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

 

Living Jesus’ way:

1. Jesus said, “You have heard, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I (Jesus) tell you, not to try to get even with a person who’s done something wrong to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, turn and let that person slap your other cheek.” (Matthew 5: 38-39)
2. Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you.” (Matthew 5:44)
3. Jesus said, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” (Lord’s Prayer)
4. The ground is level at the foot of the cross.

 

Satan’s best strategy is revenge.  Satan’s best tool is anger.  We think it’s OK to do anything if we’re mad enough.

 

Do you want to know what real Christian living looks like?  Look at the Charleston martyrs.  One man said, “Kill me, not her” (referring to the oldest lady in the group.  In court, they forgave their enemy.  They refused to hate.  They quoted Dr. Martin Luther King: “Love is stronger that hate.”  Most impressive to me was the young teen age man who said that when talking about his murdered mother.

 

As for me, I intend to live Jesus’ way to the very best of my ability, no matter what.  How about you?

 

 

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