Christ Missionary Baptist Church Live

[Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] in my house we shall serve the lord welcome to christ's missionary baptist church our children everybody's somebody and i'm pastor gina m steward and i agree with ryan and lauren come on let's worship the lord oh come on and bless the lord hallelujah the song says alpha ever praise your name [Music] hallelujah [Music] i'll praise your name your holy name lord i praise your name i'll praise your name i praise your name your holy name i praise your names oh is [Music] on this morning hallelujah [Music] is [Music] you can [Music] foreign [Music] come on keep the praises going in the house listen i call you holy your name is holy lord you are so holy your name is holy you are so holy to me i call you holy now your name is [Music] your name [Music] oh you are [Music] right [Applause] you are so faithful to me that's why i call you papers [Music] [Applause] me now you've hear me so many times [Music] [Applause] can i sing that verse and so much more [Applause] you're faithful yes you are you're wonderful [Applause] yes [Applause] [Music] what almighty god hallelujah hallelujah right where you are in your virtual sanctuary won't you just give god one more hand clapper praise for his faithfulness when you look back over the course of your life at just how consistent god has been and showing up and blessing and delivering and making a way out of nowhere you ought to just give god your best praise in your house on this morning we come down to our time of call to worship scripture reading on this morning comes from psalm 24 verses 7 through 10 and it reads accordingly lift up your heads you gates be lifted up ye ancient doors that the king of glory may come in the lord strong and mighty the lord mighty in battle lift up your heads your gates lift them up you ancient doors that the king of glory may come in who is he this king of glory the lord mighty the lord almighty he is the king of glory the word of god for the people of god blessed be the name of our god amen it is now time for it is our prayer time the time when we petition god's throne of grace as the word has reminded us he is the king of glory the lord strong and mighty the lord mighty in battle and so as we petition god's throne of grace this morning we want to remember those who are bereaved uh in our community we want to pray for deacon jan carroll reverend mona carol we want to pray for charles edwards deacon marilyn mormon and also those who are in the hospital we want to pray for brother olien sane and for mother arnett hill this morning also upcoming surgery we have miss mother charlie may carol we want to keep her in our prayers and recently released from the hospital we have none we also want to continue to pray for deacon anthony and antoinette johnson and family terry williams gary williams eric johnson deacon ted and sharwanda roberson karen roberts turner and family and mildred jones collins and also we want to pray for candace gross this morning we want to remember these names in our prayers but also we want to pray for those names we don't know the note to call those people whose names we don't know to call we want to pray for all of those who are experiencing bereavement and for those who are experiencing sickness for those who may be experiencing any kind of tragedy or any loss we want to remember them in our prayers this morning we do serve a god who sits high and looks low whose ear is not so heavy that he cannot hear us whose arm is not shortened that he cannot reach down and save us and so as we go before god's throne of grace this morning we want to keep those things in mind let us pray god we are so thankful that you have allowed us to rise this morning we are aware that it could have been another way so we thank you for the breath that is in our bodies we thank you for the activity of our limbs we thank you oh god for keeping us in our right minds and for placing a hedge of protection around us we thank you for staying the hand of the enemy on our behalf thank you that you kept the robbers away thank you that you didn't let the accident strike striker so god thank you that even when we heard the gunshots in the air you kept them away from our homes we tell you thank you thank you for the things that we forget to thank you for oh god thank you for keeping our minds thank you for healing our bodies thank you for keeping the sickness away from our house thank you for keeping us in a pandemic you have been faithful oh god and for this we give you praise thank you for being a provider thank you for being a waymaker oh god thank you for opening up doors that we didn't ask for thank you for closing doors that didn't mean us any good oh god we just tell you thank you today we could bring a laundry list before you but we just want to open up our mouths and tell you how grateful we are we call you holy we call you faithful we call you awesome oh god we call you great and mighty strong and mighty god we acknowledge oh god who you are in our lives and we tell you thank you thank you for being so kind thank you for being so merciful thank you for being so gracious unto us oh god we do not deserve it but we tell you thank you thank you for keeping us o god thank you for making a way thank you for strengthening us oh god thank you for ministering to our souls oh god thank you for how you kept us in the midnight hour thank you that you didn't let us uh go off a bridge oh god thank you that you placed our feet on solid ground we tell you thank you god that even when the enemy tried to get busy in our lives and in our homes and in our ministries and in our minds you made a way of escape we tell you thank you this morning thank you for all that you have done for us we pray oh god that your will will continue to be done in our lives and even on earth as it is in heaven we know that your plans for us are still good even in the midst of a pandemic we pray for a swift end to the pandemic we pray o god that you would cause coronavirus to dry up in the name of jesus we thank you for vaccinations but we know oh god that there is no medicine like the medicine that can come down from heaven so rain down oh god medicine from heaven dry up these diseases dry up this sickness oh god put it or bring it to an end oh god we still believe that you work all things together for our good you never fellas oh god and so we pray for the person online today who needs to be reminded that you are a strong and mighty god we pray for the person on the online today who needs to be reminded that you are a waymaker we pray for the person online who's watching oh god who needs to be reminded that you are a providing god that you are a sustaining god that you are the all-sufficient one else should die we pray in the name of jesus that you would come into their homes today that you would be a reminder for them oh god remind us today even in the sanctuary that you're still reign supreme that you're still ruled over our circumstances that you still rule over our lives you reign o god and you reign supreme so reign on king jesus we'll give you all the glory we'll give you all the honor for we won't allow the devil to steal our praise but we'll open up our mouths and we'll tell you thank you for how you keep us thank you for how you make ways thank you for how you bring us so god we'll tell you thank you because you're still reign and you still rule we give you all the glory we give you all the honor for we pray for the bereaved today thank you that earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal and so even now minister to your people who are grieving minister to those who are sick oh god send angels to encount themselves about them oh god in the name of jesus we pray this is our prayer we pray for the preacher today give her a word oh god put a word in her mouth give her a word for this season oh god help us to encourage us to go on even a little further and we'll give you the praise for it and we'll give you the honor for it it's in the mighty and matchless and magnificent name of jesus the christ that we pray and the people of god said amen god bless you our congregational hymn remains him number 248 of the new national baptist hymnal hold to god's unchanging hand we will sing it in its entirety time is filled with transition [Music] [Applause] trust in him who will not leave you oh trust in him who will not leave [Music] [Applause] to him [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] is oh [Music] oh again [Applause] [Music] everyday [Music] [Music] oh me [Music] [Music] unchanging hand build your hopes on things eternal and hold to god's unchanging hand good morning cnbc and to all of you who have joined us by way of live stream and facebook and our website we are thankful to god for another day that the lord has made we rejoice and we are glad and why don't you take a moment you're in your own home but it's your sanctuary put your hands together and give god praise and just thank god for another day that the lord has kept us and sustained us and preserved our lives we give thanks to god for his faithfulness and his goodness and his mercy toward us for this we offer praise from the rising of the sun until the going down of the same the name of the lord is worthy to be praised do me a favor if you haven't already done so take a moment and like and share like and share this service on facebook or youtube if you have not already done so like and share this service on facebook or youtube with a friend a colleague a family member someone who is in need not only of a word but in need of an experience of encouragement that they may be strengthened and fortified for the week that is in front of them or even for the day that they are facing uh help is on the way somebody ought to just type that in the comment section help is on the way help is on the way you ought to just say that to yourself help is on the way i'm trusting and believing god for a season of relief it's our theme for this year is refresh 2021 we are revisiting reorienting reimagining and re-calibrating uh for the year that is before us and i am trusting god and believing god that a change is in the air that god is going to send new energy and new resolve and fresh strength and a fresh wind and a fresh fire and that our lives will be refreshed with fresh oil praise god from whom all blessings flow i'm believing god for that and i'm already anticipating i'm standing in expectation of what the lord is going to do because god is able to do exceedingly infinitely immeasurably more than we can ask think or imagine according to the power that's at work in us if you're visiting with us digitally would you please complete the digital connect card in the comment box we'd like to know who you are we'd like to respond to you in a more tangible way in this virtual space so take a minute and let us know who you are if you have prayer requests please type those in the comment section we have intercessors who believe in the power of prayer and there are persons that are part of this congregation and an extension of our ministry who are proof that god still answers prayer and that miracles still happen i want to along that line i want to thank god that uh we want to also mention that our prayers are with mother arnett hill who was recently released from the hospital this week as well as brother oleon saying they were on the prayer list earlier this week today they're back at home we give god praise that god has raised them up and we pray for their continued restoration she's not here today but help me give god praise for our assistant director of worship pam armor who celebrated a birthday on yesterday we'll have to honor her when she's in the building but yesterday was her birthday and we want to celebrate pam armor she is such a gift to this ministry and such a tremendous blessing a faithful and committed servant of god come on help me give god praise for she's probably watching the service even as she's celebrating her birthday and helped me celebrate jason and sabrina hoke who celebrated 25 years of marriage and doctors chuck and deneen lester who celebrated nine years of marriage what an anniversary gift it is for them this year for him to be alive to celebrate their anniversary come on give god praise for these love birds as they celebrate their anniversary amen we want to remind you that this week is the last week for our lenten reflections series i hope you've been blessed by all these preachers that have been sharing with us reverend william lamar was our preacher for this past wednesday this coming wednesday reverend dr courtney v buggs will give our final reflection for the week of lent we ask that you tune in at 12 noon on our facebook page and receive a word of inspiration and if you miss bible study on this past friday night the reverend dr anita gene williams was laying it down she was walking heavy with a big stick this past friday and she is going to be with us again as we continue this series please make a note that this week the series will be offered on saturday this coming saturday at 12 noon and on april 9th at 6 30 p.m you must register each week for the class you can access the link from our facebook page if you would like to attend make sure that you participate and sign in for this time of instruction and impartation be clear that we don't want to take the fact that the reverend dr anita weems is sharing with us what she is sharing with us is information that you would get in a seminary classroom but we're getting it on friday and saturday and she is doing it for our church and for the larger community can you help me celebrate this great woman of god since we're in women's history women's history month let's celebrate this woman of god who is a trailblazer and pioneer in her own right a friend and sister beloved and she's sharing with us each week in our women's bible study in honor of women's history month all members please join me on zoom this afternoon for our virtual congregational praise meeting at 3 30 pm the link has been provided we just want to celebrate the goodness of the lord in the land of the living and all associate ministers meet me on zoom tomorrow night at 6 30 pm for our ministers meeting i hope you've marked your calendars for the holy week revival there's going to be some serious preaching on virtual on our virtual platform holy week march 30th through april 1st dr charles goodman and the um what's the name his church i can't think of this shirt tabernacle baptist church i want to say ebenezer tabernacle baptist church dr elaine flake and the allen cathedral music ministry and dr marcus d cosby and the wheeler avenue baptist church will be our guest it promises to be a blessing i want to encourage you to invite someone to join you as we celebrate jesus during holy week the transplant life foundation is looking to host a virtual webinar about the manner in which covet vaccines or to receive feedback about covet vaccines in minority communities they have heard about pastor chuck's story and they have invited him to be the focus group leader for these focus groups we need about 48 people who are willing to be a part of these focus groups to call our administrative offices if you were willing to participate the focus groups will last for about one hour we need about six or seven groups to participate in these sessions if you're willing to share in this information or these sessions please call our administrative offices i'm gonna ask the media ministry to place the number to the minister to the administrative office on the screen if you're interested in participating in one of these groups please contact our administrative services office and finally let me thank you again for your help and your assistance and your investment in this ministry we have been on the front lines this week as we have served 200 boxes of food we are grateful for your continued support that helps to sustain this ministry in the coming weeks we will be amplifying our efforts we're already amplifying our efforts because there is a humanitarian crisis in mississippi in jackson mississippi and in addition to the boxes that we will distribute to the community we are planning to distribute or to prepare over 200 boxes of food to take or to be delivered to jackson mississippi as some of you know they are in a humanitarian crisis due to long-standing infrastructure issues related to their pipes and related to water issues that were as a result of the storm we are also collecting items to to be delivered to them they will come to pick those items up the week of holy week and if you are interested in making donations we are accepting food we're accepting gift cards and monetary donations i also want to thank dr thomas murray who called me this week and i wanted to be a blessing to jackson and agreed to donate the amount to secure 75 boxes additional boxes for our relief outreach effort on behalf of the anointed temple of praise we invite you to join us as we take heed and we respond to the macedonian call to come over to macedonia and help our brothers and sisters in jackson mississippi and of course one of the reasons why we're able to help is because you continue to give into this ministry the media ministry has placed the giving options on the screen and we're asking that as you are able it is always as you are able that you give to this ministry that we can continue to be a presence in the world that we can continue to touch lives with the transforming love of jesus christ it's my suspicion that things are going to get worse before they get better and it is my desire as the shepherd of this house that we might be positioned to continue to be a blessing not only to those who are inside of the house but who are part of this community and this world and so we thank you for your investment for what you give not only for members but for those who are not even members of this community but you continue to invest in this work many will give thanks to god because of your generosity say man now for the music ministry as they come in their own way can you put your hands together the final says [Music] the finals [Music] the noise [Music] [Music] tell me [Music] tell me [Music] i [Music] [Music] come on all over the building can you clap your hands keeping it tv land come on and grab your hands come on everybody [Music] i have i will feel no ego [Music] oh [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] i have no [Music] that's why [Music] i have no reason you don't have a reason to feel god is right there by your side [Music] is come on put your hands together come on give god will you help me give god come on sing a little bit more that i have [Music] i'm not gonna cry i'm gonna keep [Music] you don't have to worry about even it you're sick in your body i know a healer and his name is jesus i have no reasons yes hallelujah bless the lord hey bless his name hallelujah come on and put those hands together and bless the lord in this place the lord is my light and my salvation whom shall i fear when the wicked [Music] and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh they were coming to take me apart they stumbled and failed though a host shouldn't camp against me my heart will not fear the war should rise against me in this will i be confident just just just tap somebody near you and say don't cast away your confidence be not dismayed whatever be tied god will take care of you he'll prepare a table in the presence of your enemies the message translation said he'll prepare a table while your enemies watch and i heard dr freddie hayne said but you can't eat until your enemies rsvp so we thank god that the lord is our light and our salvation our deliverance whom shall i fear it's about as a closed god thank you for a worship experience thank you that the one thing a pandemic couldn't erase the one thing that a pandemic could not quench the one thing that a pandemic could not destroy are moments like this moments like this that transcend time and space moments like this where we even though we can't gather in person we gather in front of screens and phones electronic devices and flat screen tvs to worship the god of our salvation thank you that you're not only uniting christ missionary baptist church but you're uniting people from all over this country maybe even all over this world that we might collectively declare the worthiness of king jesus i pray now that even as we bring this word and we prepare to minister to your people that you would get the glory i pray that your word will have free course i pray that it will comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable we know you watch over your word to perform it it's a lamp to our feet it's a light to our path and so even now i pray that you would take a cold from the altar touch my lips of clay that the words of my mouth the meditation of my heart might be acceptable not just in your sight but for the living of these days save a soul salvage a life add to the church let somebody say what must i do to be saved and you have all the glory you can have all the praise you in fact you deserve it it's yours all glory honor and praise belongs to you we declare this preaching moment to be free now for your ministry in jesus name and all those that agree with this prayer said together amen luke chapter 13 we're going to try this again luke chapter 13 beginning with verse 10 luke chapter 13 beginning with verse 10 through verse 17 a very very familiar passage of scripture but don't sleep on it somebody shout don't sleep on it so often when we see scriptures that we are familiar with we already think we know where it's headed but touch your neighbor somebody and say oh yourself and said don't sleep on it luke chapter 13 verse 10 through 17 thank you music ministry for your ministry today on the sabbath jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues and a woman who was there a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for 18 years somebody shouted 18 years she was bent over and could not straighten up at all somebody say at all when jesus saw her somebody shout jesus saw her he called her forward and said to her woman you are set free from your infirmity then he put his hands on her and immediately she straightened up and praised god indignant because jesus had healed on the sabbath the synagogue leader said to the people there are six days for work so come and be healed on those days not on the sabbath the lord answered him you hypocrites doesn't each of you on the sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it to water leave it out to give it water then should not this woman a daughter of abraham whom satan has kept bound for 18 long years be set free on the sabbath from what bound her when he said this all his opponents were humiliated but all the people were delighted with the wonderful things he was doing this is the word of the lord the grass withers the flower fades but the word of our god shall stand forever i want to use today as a subject the an heir to the promises of god and heir h-e-i-r to the promises of god somebody just type that in the comment section i'm an heir to the promises of god in john 10 and 10 jesus makes an astounding declaration that the thief the enemy of our souls comes with an agenda and that is to kill to steal and to destroy on the other hand jesus says but i've come that you might have zoe that you may have life that you may have a better quality of life in fact the highest quality of life that is available not just spiritual life because so often when we think about our relationship with jesus we think about spiritual realities which are important and spiritual life and eternal life to the exclusion of material life jesus says i've come that you might have zoe that you might have life that you might have a higher and a better quality of life jesus comes to give us an upgrade in our life spiritually soul and body materially eternally and spiritually jesus says i've come that you might have life the common english bible puts it this way the thief enters only to steal kill and to destroy but jesus said i've come so that they may have life indeed so they can have life to the fullest jesus asserts that he offers us a qualitatively different kind of life when jesus stepped out of hiddenness into documented history to initiate and inaugurate a world of economic social and political egalitarianism or equality in a world that was socially exclusive unequal and discriminatory he came preaching and proclaiming the kingdom of god or the reign of god or the kingdom of god and he preached unapologetically and unequivocally and unashamedly a theology of liberation in her book god in her midst dr elaine flake writes that jesus came to restore wholeness and balance to our lives and to neutralize the power of sin in a word jesus came to empower us to live free free from sin free from satan free from enslavement and every type of bondage jesus came to empower us so that we can live the life we were created to live i wish i had time to talk about living the life we were created to live so many of us are living beneath our privilege so many of us are are victims of spiritual identity theft i don't have time to talk about it right now but i do need to tell you that jesus came so that we could live the life that we were created to live despite our past despite our history despite our social status or our position in society it is we were created to live free unhindered uninhibited by the wills the whims and the wishes of other folk say to yourself ain't nobody the boss of me but jesus know that jesus came so that we might have life that we might have zoe luke 4 and 18 jesus says he came to set the captives free he came to give us a new exodus freeing us not only from sin and slavery but from all the pharaohs all the slave masters that have been a part of our life that have delighted in keeping us in bondage and i'm not just talking about physical slave masters i'm talking about metaphor for life description all of the slave masters that have held us in bondage all of the pharaohs in our life that seek to hold us captive if jesus the son of man sets us free the bible says we are free indeed for he or she whom the son sets free is free indeed jesus is the redeemer who paid the price to ransom our souls god through jesus christ has rescued us ephesians says from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of his beloved son through him we have redemption of sin we have redemption the forgiveness of sins the life eternal the birthright of an abundant life an abundant life the birthright of an abundant life is what jesus gives this woman in the text luke describes her as an unnamed woman who was in the synagogue on the sabbath she has been over and cannot stand up she's been in this position for 18 years can you imagine being in a bent over position for 18 years pastor chuck you were on event for 42 days but can you imagine being in a certain condition of powerlessness for 18 years 18 years is a long time it's a long time to be sick it's a long time to be broke it's a long time to be in pain it's a long time to be in a toxic relationship it's a long time to be on a ventilator it's a long time to work it's a long time to struggle 18 years you might say is also possibly metaphor for an extended period of time a time that lasts too long because there's nothing like having a problem or a situation or a person in your life that lasts too long for 18 years she's been staring at the floor 18 years she's unable to stand to sit or even lie down in bed for 18 years she couldn't straighten her crooked back the unidentified woman has been in bondage to an infirmity and a weakness that has crippled her and kept her in a state of impotence and powerlessness for 18 years and i need to say there's something about being in a state of powerlessness for so long that you begin you the temptation is to begin to believe that this is just as good as it gets there's a temptation to believe but this is just the life that i'm destined to live but this woman came to the synagogue yeah i'm about to shout out my shoes and she probably had been coming for 18 years now the text doesn't tell us she had been coming for 18 years we just know she was in the synagogue on that day and she had been suffering for 18 years she came just like she was bent over with a back that was twisted and sore she could hardly see anything beneath her it was impossible to look anyone straight in the face no aleve no advil no tylenol no ibuprofen could alleviate her pain some of y'all been in a situation like that when nothing you take can help you it may not be uh from being bent over but it could be a a headache that you can't get rid of it could be a sickness that you can't seem to shake some of the long haulers of covet have experienced long-term effects from this viral and virulent virus that has a way of attaching itself to you even after you've gotten up past the 14 days no details of her exact condition are given it could have been a degenerative spine it could have been a curved spine it could have been osteoporosis or arthritis the text doesn't give specifics but what is apparent is that this woman is in a state of unrelenting pain if you've ever seen anybody in a position like that or condition like that you can look at them and tell how painful and limiting the condition is this is the condition of the woman in our text that she has been in this condition i should say for 18 years luke attributes her condition to a spirit the king james version describes it as a spirit of infirmity a weakness or incapacity or limitation there is a subtle suggestion that this woman had much more than a physical problem you know some problems are just physical and not spiritual and some problems are spiritual and not physical and then there are some problems that are spiritual and physical the text seems to suggest that this woman had more in a physical problem that in this case the pain of her condition was caused by an evil spirit now hear me with your good ear i'm not suggesting that every condition is caused by an evil spirit come on hear me what you're good at i'm not suggesting that every time somebody gets sick or they can't seem to get well that it is because they are being tormented by an evil spirit that not every condition necessarily is a spiritual condition but in this case somebody shout in this case in this case the woman's condition was physical and spiritual it was caused by an evil spirit the text doesn't specifically state evil spirit in the sense of demonic possession but it is quite possible that it is demonic or satanic oppression because satanic oppression is real i ain't getting no help here i'm gonna say that again let me back up and say that again i said satanic oppression is real okay i can't get no help i heard about three of y'all i said satanic oppression can be real and it can be the culprit behind sin suffering and sickness and this woman has been bound and bent over by a spirit of infirmity a weakness a way that that in some ways made her powerless and incapacitated her and severely limited her range of motion and afflicted her for 18 years but that day somebody shout that day jesus was at church lord have mercy i tell you that's why you don't want to miss church can i help somebody here that's why you can't miss church because you never know when jesus is going to show up we we are we want jesus to show up every week but there are some days that jesus shows up and does we experience the manifested presence of god that day jesus was in the synagogue and on that day jesus happened to be the teacher and what happens in the text is quite amazing she does not ask to be healed if you read along with me jesus doesn't ask her about her disease verse 12 through 13 simply say and when jesus saw her somebody shout saw her he called her forward and said to her woman you are set free from your infirmity and he put notice this he declared her heel first then he laid his hands on her he put his hands on her and immediately somebody shouted immediately she straightened up and she praised god can i pause parenthetically here and say there's a certain way you ought to act when you come in contact with the grace of god there's a certain way that you ought to respond when you come in contact with the grace of god on your life the bible said she didn't wait until she got home she didn't wait for billy to start playing the organ she didn't wait for the drums to start playing she didn't wait for somebody to get the microphone she didn't wait for somebody else to help her praise she did like richard and she immediately started praising god she stood up and immediately straightened up and praised god she asked for nothing she had not cornered jesus she did not request a meeting she didn't try to get close to jesus she didn't ask for an appointment she didn't force his hand she jesus could have finished and gone home and it's quite possible that the woman would have gone home the same way she came but on that day whoa jesus picked her up on his radar but jesus saw her he stopped and he healed her i'm about to shout here it's important to know that jesus knows the rules somebody said he knows the rules because jesus is not just you know some he is the palestinian jew he is a jew so he has jewish heritage he's a palestinian jew from the backwoods but he's familiar with all the rules and the rituals and the heritage of judaism he knows the rules but on this day jesus does something revolutionary he breaks the rules on that day jesus created a dramatic shift he does a healing watch this in the on the sabbath in the synagogue in front of the synagogue leader and it wasn't an emergency i'm going to help you in a minute let me come back and get somebody i said he does a healing in the sabbath on in the synagogue on the sabbath in the synagogue in front of the synagogue ruler and it wasn't an emergency which is probably why the ruler of the synagogue responds to jesus actions with a tone of sarcasm the rule of the synagogue comments suggests that he does not see the woman's need as an emergency his opinion is that even though this woman has been in this condition god helped me for 18 years she's been in a state of powerlessness for 18 years nobody has seemed to be able to help her for 18 years she's been bent over unable to look up unable to stand up straight for 18 years the synagogue ruler's opinion is that in spite of the fact that jesus has healed her her healing could wait watch the text if you don't believe me in verse 14 the text says indignant in other words he mad he hot indignant he got issues because jesus has healed on the sabbath the synagogue is how you know he a coward he says it to the people y'all missed that i said he says it to the people now jesus is the one stay with me i'm here by myself i believe jesus is the one that does the healing but instead of him making his comments directly to jesus he makes it to the people ain't nothing like a coward that that is not brave enough to say what they want to say to you they say it to everybody else he says to the people jesus did the healing he says to the people of them not six days for work so come and be healed on those days not on the sabbath the attitude of the ruler of the synagogue was informed by their interpretation somebody shout interpretation they interpret as a whole another sermon your interpretation of the law your interpretation of scripture your interpretation of the text his understanding or his attitude was informed by his interpretation of the law that one should deliberately avoid treating non-fatal wounds and injuries on the sabbath in other words billy it was permissible to treat what was considered critical meaning it was permissible to treat her if her condition had involved immediate danger or death but not chronic meaning long-term or frequent the ruler's attitude was that this woman's issue was chronic and not critical y'all gonna get it in a minute her situation did not have the urgency of something like childbirth or a heart attack or a stroke it was much closer to something like a broken limb or a toothache or a dislocated foot so because the woman's condition was chronic meaning it had been going on so long but not critical in the ruler's mind one more day wasn't going to kill her one more day wouldn't make a difference he's implying that jesus and her healing even though they were in the place were hurt for her healing to take place even though they were in the place where healing should have been the norm and not the exception he implies that jesus and the woman's healing could have waited one more day it would have been he suggested better to wait for another day rather than violate the sabbath can i pause here and say isn't it funny how there's always somebody who always wants to say that one more day won't kill you isn't it funny how there are always others who are of the opinion and the conviction that our deliverance can wait isn't it funny that there are always other people who don't live with our realities but they want to make decisions based on theirs i can't get no help in here isn't it funny how there are people who can always say that one more day won't kill us but they don't live with our pain they don't live without struggles they don't live without frustration one more day won't kill us is the lie that many of us have been conditioned to believe you've been this way so long that everybody's used to it in other words you've been in this way so long that other folks have lowered watch this their expectation of what's acceptable for you oh that's good right there can i come back and get some i said you've been in this situation so long that everybody else has gotten so used to it that other folk have lowered their expectations of what's acceptable or normal for you even if it ain't normal based on your reality they've normalized your suffering you've been lost so long that everybody's used to it been broke so long everybody's used to it been sick so long everybody's used to it been in the valley so long that everybody is used to it been depressed so long that everybody is used to it been struggling so long that everybody is used to you've been oppressed so long that everybody's you why we want to why we want to make some laws now to help you you've been marginalized for 400 years we might as well keep it like this why do we need to make make policies that are going to make change and help you to live an abundant life ain't nobody complaining but you you've been in this situation for so long one more day is not going to kill you they couldn't see i'm doing the best i can they cannot see a reason for change but jesus i'm so glad jesus somebody shout jesus jesus didn't share this perspective it's in the text although jesus knew that her condition was chronic here it is he saw her healing as mission critical he didn't wait for an explanation he didn't wait to give her a questionnaire he didn't make assumptions about why she was in that condition he didn't castigate her or blame her for being in that condition he didn't ignore her or look the other way and most importantly he didn't wait for her to ask for help here's the shout jesus took the entire initiative for her restoration in his hands y'all don't know in the shower i'm gonna come back and say it again i said jesus took the entire initiative for her restoration in his amateur tribe i'm okay i said jesus took the entire somebody shout entire the entire initiative for her restoration in his hands because she had already been in this position for 18 years and she had made some steps she had probably taken some initiative but on that day jesus took the initiative for her entire restoration in his hands and she never requested his intervention y'all don't know when to shout i wonder do i have anybody in here that can give god some praise for every restorative initiative that has taken place in your behalf can you stop right there and give god some praise for every blessing for every door that he opened for every path made smooth for every quickest place made straight for every incident of healing for every open heaven that you didn't ask for do i have anybody in here that can give god some praise that jesus took the initiative on your behalf even when you didn't ask for it you didn't request it i feel the holy ghost you didn't ask for it but the lord did it somebody ought to shout the lord did it somebody ought to shout the lord did it in spite of my haters the lord did it in spite of the fact that nobody wanted to see me heal the lord did it in spite of the fact that it had been a long time the lord did it somebody shout jesus took the initiative and he healed this woman he healed her anyway he healed her anyway and his reasoning is found in verse 15 and 16. listen the lord answered he said you hypocrites you play actors doesn't each of you uh the sabbath untie your ox or your donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water listen listen then shut not this woman i'm headed somewhere this daughter of abraham somebody shout daughter of abraham this daughter of abraham whom satan has kept bound for 18 long years be set free on the sabbath day from what bound her jesus asked a relevant question within a matter of seconds and without asking for anybody's permission jesus heals this woman he performs a revolutionary act in the synagogue on the sabbath in front of the synagogue leader and it wasn't an emergency healing he shifts the entire trajectory of this woman's life despite the ruler's protest that her deliverance could wait when she entered the synagogue she came in bent over but she was going home standing up straight giving god praise can i tell you that's what happens when you come in contact with the power of god you come in one way and you leave another way you start out lows and you leave found do i have anybody in here that can look back over your shoulder and give god some praise that jesus will see you just like you are but he won't leave you the way you came do i have anybody here that can give god some praise that he took the initiative for your restoration entirely in his hands lord have mercy it was revolutionary enough that jesus would heal on the sabbath that he would heal lord have mercy and break the rules in front of the synagogue leader it was revolutionary enough watch this that he would speak to a woman i ain't got time to unpack that but you do need thank you billy but you do need to understand that it is revolutionary that he even speaks to a woman in public not just that he heals her but that he acknowledges her personhood that he sees her not as a piece of property but he sees her as a person as a matter of fact the fact that jesus references the fact that it's okay to untie your donkey or your ox and lead them to the stall and give them water is indicative of the split the place that women had in that society women in the ten commandments were locked in the same category with property y'all ain't saying nothing but jesus didn't see her as property he is trying to get them to see that if you would do this for your personal property how much more should you do for a person who has been created in the image of almighty god and on not this woman i feel the holy ghost whom satan have bound for 18 years be set free from that which has had her bound jesus says this daughter of abraham can i tell you it was not just revolutionary what jesus did for the woman but what is also revolutionary is what jesus called the woman can i say that again i said it was revolutionary enough what he did for the woman but what is even more significant is what he called the woman what did he call a pastor he called her a daughter of abraham a term not found in any of the prior jewish literature now hear me with your good ear this is revolutionary because it was believed back then that women were saved through their men it was believed back then that they were saved through childbirth never in any rabbinical teaching was an individual woman called a daughter of abraham jewish men were often referred to as sons of abraham everybody knew that women however were not included as heirs of abraham in the way that men were so it's not lost on me that jesus takes this unnamed woman and gives her a different name in the seneca she enters she is nameless but when she leaves she has a new name the words daughter of abraham are intended to send a message to everybody that's in the synagogue and the message goes something like this but all the reasons why you should care more about the reasons why you should care more about a suffering person than a thirsty ox is the fact that this woman is not a piece of property she is a person she has been created in the image of god she is the fingerprints of god on her being she is a fellow heir of the blessing promised to abraham and you pride yourself in saying that we are the children of abraham well let me give you a news flash jesus says if i may use my homiletical imagination she too is a child of abraham you hide from the warnings of john the baptist that say we have abraham as our father well let me give you another news flash she too has abraham as her father and so the message of jesus to the synagogue leaders was a message not only about their sabbath keeping but about their hypocrisy it was not just about their sabbath-keeping but also about their hypocrisy about the value and the worth in the eyes of god not just how god values men but also how god values women i ain't gonna get no help in here i don't want the brothers to get mad at me but i gotta do a little teaching here to help you understand how revolutionary it is to be treated as a person when all your life you've been viewed as property i ain't jesus is saying to them that men and women both are equal before god she is not a second-class citizen she is created in the image of god she is an heir to the promises of almighty god to call her a daughter of abraham is to make her a full-fledged member of the nation of israel listen to me with your good ear with equal standing before god which means listen now that she has certain rights and privileges y'all ain't gonna shout with me but i'm a shout by myself what it means is now she's entitled whoa see my i had a key change i didn't even i'm so excited my huh she's entitled i didn't even intend to do that but i i'm getting she's entitled to every blessing that the sons of abraham have she's entitled to every right and privilege what jesus is really saying is that this woman who has been bent over for 18 years is entitled to be healed he y'all don't know when to shout she's entitled there's something about that word entitled she's entitled to be set free why because she's a daughter who thank you scholars a daughter of abraham listen jesus response is not a rejection of the torah rulings about the sabbath rather than arguing about restricted work on the sabbath jesus argues for healing on the sabbath based on the fact that this is mission critical she is not an ox she is not a donkey she is a person created in the image of god she is a woman of great worth a pearl of great price she is a daughter of abraham and what jesus seems to be suggesting in the text is that in the kingdom of god anytime is the right time to bring healing any time is the right time to bring freedom anytime is the right time to be delivered and can i tell you why that's important because there's always somebody who's saying not yet i can't get no help there's always somebody that's saying not yet they said not yet to us we were trying to come out of slavery they said not yet to us when we were trying to come out of segregation they said not yet to us when we were trying to elect a black man to be the president of the united states they said not yet to kamala harris when they were she was running for president and then vice president of the united states but thanks be to god that jesus gives us a template for what life in the kingdom of god is like that in the economy of god anytime is the right time when jesus is in the room to bring healing and freedom and deliverance this daughter of abraham is no longer an anonymous woman who has been bent over for 18 years but jesus set her free he legitimizes her healing not on the basis watch this of who she is but whose she is she is a daughter of abraham she is an heir to the promises of god deliverance is her birthright can you just type that in the comment box that deliverance is my birthright i got a right to be healed i got a right to be delivered i got a right to be set free i got a right to live well i have to live in a wealthy place i got a right to live my best life right now i don't have to wait for anybody else to give me permission because when jesus is in the room and jesus shows up jesus makes everything all right do i have anybody in here that can just get excited about what it means to be an heir to the promises of god she is a daughter of abraham jesus sets her free watch this not only from her infirmity but also from invisibility i told y'all don't sleep jesus sets her free not just from infirmity but he sets her free from invisibility now this won't mean much to some of you because some of you ain't never had to deal with invisibility this won't mean much to some of you because some of you have never had to worry about being the center of attention you've been caught all your life when you walk in the room folks see you when you walk in the room people genuflecting this won't this won't mean much to you if you're one of those that has had uh exposure and has had opportunities for visibility but if you've been invisible if you've ever been ignored if you've ever been one of those who's been unnoticed or overlooked or treated as if you don't exist if you've been one of those where little attention has been given to your realities or lived experiences or issues or everyday concerns if you've been one of those who has constantly been talked over in meetings or you raise your hand and they call on everybody else except you if you're one of those that's in the family that's always depended on to be the anchor because everybody else's issues seem to be more important than yours if you've been one of those to be the person that skipped over in social situations because you're a bit awkward or you may they can may not consider you to be worthy of sitting at their table if you've been one of those who has ever been in settings where you kind of felt like you're stuck out like a thumb some of us understand what it means to be set free from invisibility because some of us know what it means never to be acknowledged to be ignored to be treated as a non-entity some of us know what many women and other marginalized groups know and experience on so many levels to be treated with silence and indifference to not be heard in spite of the fact that we're screaming to not be heard to be treated with silence around laws and public policy tables to have issues that directly impact our lives whether it's gender equity or reproductive rights or maternal mortality or domestic violence to see a hundred and seventy-two people i'm talking like my grandma now a hundred i know it's one hundred but i feel like talking like money i feel mother channeling through me 172 congressional representatives vote against the violence against women's acts less than 24 hours after a mass shooter killed seven women in a massage parlor in atlanta georgia i asked myself who are their wives i asked myself who are their daughters who are their mothers who are their aunties who are their sisters that they can sit in a room and see women massacred just 24 hours before in a massage parlor and a shooter justifies his rampage using language steeped in racist language and misogyny how in the world can you sit in a room and vote against an issue and you got a daughter and a daughter and a wife and a sister and a mama some of us know what it's like to be overlooked that's what it means to be overlooked that's what it means when your issues are treated as if they are non-entity or you're treated as a non-essential or as if you don't matter some of us know what it's like to be overlooked and disregarded and ignored and invisible but on that day i'm gonna move on because i want y'all to swell up on me god who was in jesus god who was in the flesh saw her as significant and treated her with dignity not only did he see her but he healed her oh it's a whole sermon i could do a whole sermon about what it means to be seen by jesus what it means to be seen by god in the flesh the the one who has every reason to overlook us to walk past us to ignore us to discount us to be seen by the one who has every reason to look the other way and not respond to what does it mean to be seen by jesus not did he just see her but he healed her and he set her free to live life and she was created to live but not only did he set her free from invisibility here's a second piece he gave her a new identity y'all don't know when to shout somebody shout identity when jesus called that woman a daughter of abraham he gave her an identity here it is that was greater than her burdens he gave her an identity that gave her hope after 18 years of suffering he gave her an identity that gave her hope after 18 years of being invisible he gave her identity of being a child of god the identity of being special to god the identity of being the apple of god's eye and heir to the promises of god and i don't know about you but i need to tell you that's a word for somebody today that's a word for somebody that's under the sound of my voice that deliverance is our birthright that freedom is our birthright that abundance is our birthright not just because of who we are but because of whose we are i want to tell you that's a word for some of us because some of us know what it's like to be disqualified we know what it's like to be overlooked we know what it's like to be invisible we know what it's like to be marginalized we know what it's like to be discounted we know what it's like to have our feelings taken for granted we know what it's like to feel unloved and unlovable we know what it's like to be invisible and treated with contempt but on that day somebody else shot on that day when jesus was in the synagogue he saw that woman and he called her a daughter of abraham which suggests that in the economy of the kingdom i'm about to close here billy if you'd help i sure not is not available who we are oh i wish you could just type that in the feed and say what i've been through is not necessarily who i am we are children of god we are daughters and sons we are daughters and sons of god we are daughters and sons of abraham and it does not yet appear what we shall be but one thing is sure is that when god gets through with us we shall come forth like pure gold can i tell you why you ought to praise him can i tell you why you ought to give him glory is because the same miracle that that woman experienced in the synagogue that day is the same miracle that's available to the sons and daughters of the earth right now can i preach to somebody and tell them your burdens don't have to define you your weakness doesn't have to define you powerlessness doesn't have to define you your past experiences don't have to define you the labels we've been given don't have to define you we are sons and daughters we are daughters and sons we are heirs to the covenant we are heirs to the promises of god we are seated in heavenly places we are seated and accepted in the beloved we are part of god's cosmic plan through his which he will restore creation we are one of the ones just touch yourself and say i'm one of the ones who gonna redeem my family i'm one of the ones who gonna break the curse just touch yourself and say i'm one of the ones who's gonna get us out of debt say i'm one of the ones who gonna shift the trajectory shout i'm one of the ones who's gonna change things in my family of origin somebody shout out i'm one of the ones i'm one of the ones through which every family in the earth will be blessed tap yourself and say i'm a son of abraham come on sisters and shout to yourself i'm a daughter of abraham but if that's not enough if that's not enough to make you shout if abraham is not enough to make you shout come here look closer hear me with your good ear the bible says that we are heirs and joint heirs and if we be abraham's seed we are heirs to the promise blessed assurance jesus is mine oh what a fortes of glory divine i'm an heir of salvation i'm purchased by god i'm born of his spirit washed in his blood do i have any company that can stand on your feet wherever you are and lift your hands and shout this is my story this is my song i'm praising my savior all the day long do i have anybody that can give god your best praise that god doesn't see you for who you are he sees you for what you can become for i know the plans that i think toward you plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you a hope and a future come on here and preach to yourself get your preaching voice talk to yourself touch yourself tell yourself i'm a daughter and a son i'm a child of the most high god i am what god says i am i can do what god says i can do i can have what god says i can have i can be what god says i could be shout yeah and he who had oh shucks him i said he who had begun a good work won't he do it won't he do it yeah won't he do it won't it bring it you gotta give him glory won't he bring it to completion yeah yeah yeah yes somebody shout somebody shout i'm an heir to the promises of god i'm so glad that the kingdom of god ain't like our little kingdoms that we set up everybody is somebody in the kingdom of god in the kingdom of god ain't no second class i citizens somebody said quit playing ain't no second-class citizens in the kingdom of god eh he must talk about say all of us stand on equal footing in the kingdom of god all of us created in the image of god filled with potential and possibility he don't care what your past was like i don't care where you come from where you live what your social economic status is jesus says that our burdens don't have to define who we are that our past doesn't have to dictate our present or our future because when jesus sees us when jesus sees us he doesn't just see us in our infirmity but he sees us with an intent to deliver us not just from our infirmity but from invisibility and give us a new identity and i need to tell y'all if you notice in the text the woman ain't saying nothing the whole time i need y'all to talk back to me i said she ain't saying no they talking about her they're talking around her which is also another indication of the value of women back in that time they were not persons so they didn't talk to her or talk to her directly to her they talked about her they talked around her they talked at her but guess what y'all don't need to sit down because you need to stand up for this somebody said why why why didn't the woman say anything asked me said pastor why didn't the woman say anything can i tell you why she was too busy praising god to pay attention i wish i had some daughters and sons of abraham that could take a minute and just give god some praise and tell somebody i'm too busy praising god to pay attention to what anybody else is saying come on take about 30 seconds and say i'm too busy giving god glory for the doors that he's open to pay attention come on clap your hands and say i'm too busy giving god glory to pay attention to what other people are saying about me or saying throwing at me or saying in front of me do i have anybody in here that can lift your hands up and say i'm too busy giving god glory to pay attention because i received my birthright i received my deliverance when he spoke to me i was ready when he declared me free and called me a daughter of abraham that's all i needed to lift my hands and give god glory why because there's always going to be somebody who's saying you ain't qualified yay i feel the holy ghost i don't want to preach a second sermon but the holy ghost keeps sending me faxes there's always going to be somebody saying uh-uh not her ah but when jesus sees you when jesus sees you it might not be your turn but it will be your time and it may not be your time but when it's your turn go bulldog hear me with your good ear no devil in hell can stop it no angel in heaven will try this is the word of the lord the grass withers the flower fades but the word of our god shall stand forever it's about eyes are closed god how we thank you for reminding us today that everybody is somebody in your kingdom male and female black and white jew and greek bond and free we're all heirs because of what christ has done to the promise remind us god we don't have to compete with folk remind us in this that we don't have to compare ourselves to others remind us with this word that even when others don't see us you have radar vision and you'll pick us up on your radar and you will take us from the back of the line to the front of the line you will do something revolutionary in our lives that even the people standing around watching will have to give you praise for the marvelous works that you are doing i thank you that you're doing a work right now i thank you for the doors that you're opening right now i thank you for the the ways that you're making right now i thank you for the favor that's falling right now on your people i thank you that somebody is making a decision to say yes to jesus i thank you that somebody wants to know what kind of god is this that after 18 years after a long time of suffering after a long time of struggle after a long time of waiting that when jesus sees us he gives us a new lease on life he declares that we are heirs of the promise we give you praise for the power of your word now i pray that the weeds won't choke out this word i pray that the birds won't come and steal it snatch it i pray that this word will find a resting place in our hearts and bring forth fruit that lasts in jesus name and all those that agree with this prayer said together amen listen if you don't have a church if you're not a part of a community of faith if you don't have a pastor let me tell you just because you're in virtual space doesn't mean you have to wait to become a member i see people out town they said pastor when you go back in the building i'm going to join your church listen to my rain promise to you i'm not speaking death on anybody but you can be a member right now we don't know how long we'll be worshiping virtually but you already know you want to be a part of this community you hear you show up every week listen you paying tithe like you remember come on here you are supporting the work of the ministry like you remember you may as well go ahead and seal the deal because the truth of the matter is i already feel like i'm some of y'all's pastor so go ahead and text join cnbc to 84576 we really are the church that's trying to be a place where everybody is somebody let me tell you true we ain't perfect excuse my ebonics we are not perfect i am not perfect but we are trying to treat everybody with dignity and respect male or female children grown folk senior citizens and adults folk that are in leadership and lay nobody is any better than anybody else so if you want to be a part of this community go on and text it join cnbc 84576 i'd love to be your pastor and i believe you would enjoy being a part of this family so as the music ministry sings this refrain as we say when we're in the building the doors of my father's house are open the invitation to discipleship is extended [Music] praising my savior [Applause] come on sing it with us let's sing the first verse blessed assurance [Music] jesus [Applause] [Music] [Music] this is my story this is my song praising my savior [Applause] [Music] one more time this is my story this is my story you want to give him a wave offering praise this is my story this is [Music] the lord bless you and keep you the lord make his face to shine upon you old daughter old son of abraham the lord lift the light of his countenance upon you and be gracious unto you and give you peace both now his fourth and forever walk in your destiny son of abraham daughter of abraham we'll see you next week same time 11 a.m central daylight time [Music] is you

Channel: Christ Missionary Baptist Church

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Length: 107min 44sec (6464 seconds)

Published: Sun Mar 21 2021