Good Friday 2017 Seven Last Words

gospel writer Luke says this that after they had crucified him Jesus simply said Father forgive them for they know not what they do do me a favor note somebody and tell them it ain't that easy these words first uttered on the lips of Jesus while dying on Calvary's cross Bishop bloomer are the most debated among scholars about their authenticity scholars debate whether or not Jesus actually said these words the debate stemmed simply from the fact that in some of their earliest manuscripts of the Gospel of Luke his first words are strangely missing there are some copies of Gospel of Luke that record Jesus saying Father forgive them and there are many others that do not but for the research scholars have realized that the omission of these words and not because Jesus did not utter them but rather because in the early stages of the growth of the church their early church decided to delete them because of the growing tension between Christians and Jews and the early Christian church was still bitter and broken about the death of Jesus Christ and one of the Jews to be held accountable for their role in nailing Jesus to the cross when those Temple was therefore destroyed in 70 AD the Christian Church looked at it as a sign that God had not forgiven the Jews for their role in crucifying their Lord and Savior and therefore some early church leaders decided to take erasers to their pens and delete these words of Jesus others from the cross the debate comes from the deletion but the deletion stems from the difficulty of realizing how challenging it is to live up to these words that Jesus others from the cross early church leaders understood what church folks still know today that sometimes it ain't that easy to let folks off the hook you ain't got to say man I know I just slid down your driveway because somebody can say past I've heard a lot of sermons on forgiveness I know I'm supposed to let it go I know I'm supposed to sweep it under the rug huh but you don't know my ex-husband you you just don't know what he did to me you don't know what she said to me you don't know how ugly it got you don't know how much they hurt me you don't know how much they lied on me you don't know the dirt they it to me and when I sit back even now it went down in 76 but I feel like it happened yesterday I can remember everything they did every pain every ounce of hurt every bitterness is there anybody here that's ever had some folk do you wrong and as much as you love the Lord as big as your Bible is as many scriptures as you can quote as many hymns as you can sing as often as you've been in church if the truth be told there's something some Negroes have done to you that's just hard to let go of it ain't that easy to let them off the hook I come by to tell you tonight that offense is inevitable you just keep living long enough you're gonna find out that everyday Satan anoints and assigns somebody to offend you every day somebody wakes up to burden you with bitterness and blind you from the blessings I like I can't preach the that ain't real I need some folk that know that if you keep on living somebody gonna get on your last nerve if if you keep on living somebody's gonna lie on you and they don't even know you from Adam if you keep on living somebody's gonna throw you under the bus if you keep on living somebody's gonna say something at the side of their neck and you don't want to slap him on general principle because people are assigned to burden you with bitterness if you know it's difficult to forgive folk and the next time you get there I want you to hang out at the cross and here with Jesus others with the first words out of his lips you must understand that in order to speak dr. Charles while being crucified required even more agony one had to lift one selfs up on the inhales and breathe in with a beaten and battered back and expand the diaphragm to pull in air in order to utter work this was not easy for Jesus to say but the point of the matters Jesus wants you to know no matter how bad it is hurt you no matter how deeply it cut you no matter how much you've been wounded the many you have been offended forgiveness has to be your gold I know you didn't come to hear that you want me to shout you own something else but when Satan has allowed somebody to offend you and you are carrying around the bitterness the very first thing Christ teaches us is that you've got to reach a point where you realize I have to forgive them so here's a Jesus who has told us to forgive and now he's gonna teach us to forgive notice how Jesus teaches us to forgive he cries out Father forgive them they need let you pause this bothers me dr. Bryant because Jesus has told us we got to forgive for he told the disciples 70 times 7 and then he gave a quid pro quo in the Lord's Prayer and said if you don't forgive others God can't forgive you even Jesus has looked at others who have sinned against God and said your sins be forgiven thee but when he's dying on the cross and it has happened to him he does not say I forgive you he says Father forgive them I'm not ready to talk to y'all just yet I can't deal with the folk that put me up here right now so before I say anything to you I need you to know that I need to talk to God because this is something that I need God to do can I just tell you that that's where true forgiveness begins not when you throw yourself in front of the Negros that did you wrong but when you can look at him a ball to a ball and tell them I'm not ready to talk to you yet but I'm praying about it I haven't let it go yet but I'm praying about it I'm not trying to get hooked up with you again but I'm praying about it and if you just give me a moment to pray and get right with God and put it in the hands of God then I'll be able to deal with you I come by to tell you sometimes this thing is so hard that you need God to help you do it my my oldest son had some homework the other day a large homework assignment and I sent him upstairs to do his homework after a little while I went to check on him went upstairs and he was playing on the Xbox but that my said son you got homework to do why are you playing on xbox he said daddy the homework was too hard so I gave up and got on the Xbox I said son when it's too hard you don't give up you call on your daddy to come help you and when folk have done you that wrong and is hard to let it go it hard to forgive them and hard to let them off the hook God says don't give up you call on me and I will be able to help you do what I told you to do to forget I cannot push this thing he says Father forgive them that word forgive literally means hold back some things lord I know there's some things that ought to be happening but hold it back and it's not now see the reason you don't shop coz you don't remember what Jesus could be praying go back to the Garden of Gethsemane when they arrest Jesus and Peter cuts off Malchus ear and Jesus looks appear subpoena you ain't get to do that no no no you ain't got to cut him cuz if I wanted to I could pray to God right now and I got 12 legions of angels on standby that are ready to descend and wipe this thing out when Jesus prays Father forgive them this is an essence what'd he say you ought to be glad coz there's some other things I could release on you right now there's some destruction I could bring your way right now huh that's what you ought to let some folk know when they've done you so wrong in life you got them to listen I may not be ready to let you go right now but you ought to thank God that I didn't do what I could have done in response to your offense I need to preacher somebody Knight there knows you better be glad I didn't call my cousin's you better be glad I didn't send that email you better be glad I didn't drive by your crib and bust out your windows cuz what you did to me I could have done something else [Music] says he says hold it back and the reason I've got to pray that for you is because that's what Jesus prayed for me that that you're not the only guilty offender in the room I've done so wrong and if the Lord didn't hold some stuff back from me I wouldn't be hittin I need some real Saints who can acknowledge that when you look at the dirt you've done the wrong you did the evil you crept up in you ought to be glad that God held some stuff back Father forgive them for they know not what they do yet I did not come telling me you didn't you knew good and daggone well what she was doing why does Jesus say they don't know what they're doing it is not because he's sweeping it under the rug it's not because he's just letting it go at the drop of a dime but Jesus understands that their greatest crime was ignorance not of their actions but ignorance of the one they were doing it to they didn't know that I was the Savior they didn't know that I was the one that would usher them into eternity they didn't know that I was the one that would die that they might live abundantly they don't know who I am I've got to leave you but I come by to tell you that in the root of every bitter heart of a saint that won't forgive is someone who really doesn't understand who they are cuz when you really know who you are and know the gift that you are and know the blessings that you have and know how good God's been to you and know how the Lord has blessed your life when folk do you wrong you don't get mad at them you feel sad for them cuz you really don't know who you just missed you don't know the blessing they just walked out of your life you don't know what God just snatched away from you about what you did to me goodbye Saints may the Lord bless you real good but here's your homework assignment the next time somebody does you wrong don't get mad go down to the drugstore find the hallmark section that's where the cards are find the bereavement section that's where the death cards are find a card that on the front says sorry for your loss and send it to everybody that did you know everybody that broke your heart everybody let's vote against you I'm sorry for your loss [Applause] you the Book of Luke the Gospel of Luke the 23rd chapter if you will indulge me to read at the 39th verses where I shall begin Luke 23 I will begin at the 39 verse and I'm going to read a familiar translation amen I know Bethany is high church amen so I don't have the King James right now but the new King James is that okay the new King begins at the 39th verse it says then one by the criminals who were hanged blaspheme him saying if you are the Christ save yourself and us but the other answering rebuked him saying do you not even fear God seeing you are under the same condemnation we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man has done nothing wrong then he said to Jesus Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom and jesus answered him assuredly I say to you today you will be with me in paradise and those be a little bit further I just want to read the message translation we don't hear that too often I like the way it reads it says one of the criminals hanging alongside cursed him or custom some Messiah you are save yourself save us but the other one made him shut up have you no fear of God you're getting the same as him we deserve this but not him he did nothing to deserve this then he said Jesus remember me when you enter your kingdom jesus said don't worry I will today you will join me in paradise you may have your seats but the other one made him shut up have you no fear of God you're getting the same as him we deserve this but not him he did nothing to deserve this he said Jesus remember me when you enter your kingdom jesus said don't worry I will today you'll join me in paradise very quickly you want to speak to you my new friends from the subject get real or get left get real or get left dr. lacy approximately five years ago that I went through withdrawal symptoms because I did not have my television could not understand how in this day and age I could go without TV but I was gonna period of sacrifice I needed to make sure that some things were happening in my life in the life of my ministry so I decided to go without television I don't mean just keep but I need television without TV but when the Lord blessed me with the gift of electronic images and sounds transmitted through a screen encased in a frame into my wall suppose those that know me real [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] she survived [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] because he [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] well if John calls our attention chapter 19 verses 25 through 27 and it reads near the cross of Jesus stood his mother his mother's sister Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene when Jesus saw his mother there in the disciple whom he loved standing nearby he said to his mother dear woman here is your son and to the disciple here is your mother from that time on the disciple took her into his home I want to talk about provision in the midst of pain provision in the midst of pain beloved I believe many of us have discovered that life offers many opportunities to experience great heights of joy and it likewise offers many opportunities to experience great depths of pain from the joy of that first step to the pain of that first fall someone knows you haven't really lived until you've both laughed and cried for while pain is unwelcome unpleasant uncomfortable it is also unavoidable which is why if we could develop the faith produced by painful experiences without actually going through those experiences we most certainly would avoid them at any cost if we could learn the lessons taught by painful experiences without actually having to live out those experiences we would most certainly avoid them at any cost if we could gain the invaluable insights gathered from life's painful experiences without actually happening to experience those experience I believe we would most certainly avoid them at every cost but the reality is its it's those experiences that take us through the most hell that end up assuring us to the highest heights Scottish historian an essayist Thomas Carlisle observed that adversity is the diamond dust with which heaven polishes its jewels someone's testimony tonight is that it was adversity that made you who you are you would have never known how strong you are had it not been for adversity you would have never discovered how resilient you are had it not been for adversity someone knows you would not be as stable as you are today had it not been for adversity had life not knocked you down had you never had to hold your head up in spite of had sorrow not suck the breath out of you had you not been forced to survive in spite of a storm it was a painful experience which made David declare the Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear it was a painful experience that made Joseph say you meant this for evil but God meant it for my good it was a painful experience that made Jobe declared though he slay me yet will I trust him it was a painful experience that made Paul declare all things work together for our good and someone in this house knows that when you look back over your life you know that the reason you made it through what you've been through is God it was God who took care of you when no one else could it was God who did for you what no one else would it was God who consoled you when you could not be consoled it was God who made a way for you when there was no way to be made who picked you up when life knocks you down it was nobody but God who took care of you when you were broken battered bleeding and bruised it was nobody but that who kept you in your trials covers you in the rain wiped away your tears and brought you through your pain somebody Harlan nobody but God and if you have yet to be introduced to the adverse part of life called pain taps Bobby tell him just keep on living just keep on living because the truth is you're either on your way into such an experience coming out of a painful experience or you're in the midst of a painful experience right now beloved this is exactly where we find Mary and John as they stand at the foot of the cross tonight in the midst of one of the most painful experiences they've ever had in life with no idea how they're gonna make it to the other side how do you get up tomorrow after what you've had to go through today how will you face life tomorrow after everything you've had to experience today how will you go on tomorrow when life as you know it will now never be the same understand beloved Jesus in the midst of his own painful experience helps his mother and this disciple whom he loves get through their pain watch this first of all by forcing them to accept the aftermath see in order to survive a painful experience you must acknowledge that there will be an after to your experience tell your neighbor I know it looks bad right now I know it's a hard pull right now but trouble really does not last always tell them there will be an after to all of this I declare into your life right now that your after will be better that you're after will be brighter and in your after you will be bigger in your after you will be wiser in your after you will be stronger in your after you will be better Jesus looks down upon his mother and his friend in this third utterance beloved and forces them to look beyond their present pain into the aftermath of this painful experience and I'm talking to somebody tonight who needs to stop stressing over the strain and pain of your current situation and start focusing on setting up your future so what you lost the job get out there and go get you a better one so so what the car broke down get out me and get you a better one so what that brother that sister walked out of your life go out they ain't get you a better one you must maximize a painful moment by using it to prepare for your next move tell your neighbor this moment is not the end of me but I do have another move Jesus says woman here is your son disciple here is your mother because if you're going to survive a painful experience you must not only acknowledge that there will be an aftermath but understand beloved you must accept a new level of accountability I wish I had somebody right here who understands there is a purpose to your pain pain will push you into your purpose understand that pain will place you on the path to your destiny pain will reposition you for a new realm of responsibility and I can't get a witness right here but somebody knows you wouldn't be where you are today if pain had not pushed you there if that teacher had never told you you'd never be anything you would have never gone through school if that job hadn't let you go you would have never started your own business if you had never gone through what some of the things you've been through you would have never found your purpose you would have never embraced God's mandate for your life you would have never said yes to the calling of God you would have never come into agreement with God about where he's taking you and what he's doing in your life Davis said it was good that I was afflicted it was good that I had to go through this it was good then I had to experience this because it's this experience that assured me into my destiny he says woman here's your son to the disciple here's your mother because if you're gonna survive a painful experience you not only have to acknowledge that there will be an aftermath and accept a higher level of accountability but understand beloved you must understand that you are the answer to someone's problem I wonder am I talking anybody who's ever found your own healing by helping someone else have you ever found the balm for your own wound by beyond blessing to someone else I believe I'm talking to somebody right here who understands that you aren't just going through what you're going through for you but you're going through so that you can help somebody else but what's the point of having wounds if you are gonna show them to anybody what's the point in having a testimony if you're not gonna tell it to anybody what's the point and going through hell if you're not gonna go back and help anybody beloved I came to tell you you're not just gonna come through this but I declare tonight that you're coming out with company huh you can't give up now because you are the answer to somebody's problem you can't give up now because you have a comfort for somebody's crisis you are the one that God is gonna use to save somebody from committing suicide you are the one that God is gonna use to snatch somebody I mean from the grips of self-destruction you are God's provision for somebody else's pain woman here is your son disciple here is your mother and I wish you would slap your neighbor right about now and tell him you sat in the right seat tonight because my first name is problem and my last name is solver to be a blessing I am appointed up top [Laughter] [Laughter] somebody you should search Ronnie you won't make you a blessing to be a blessing somebody shout glory somebody shine you Gospel of Matthew chapter 27 verse 46 [Music] says in about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice Eloi Eloi Lama sabachthani my God my God why has thou forsaken me for just a few minutes to talk about this is too much there are several words from the cross that cause me consternation the first word where Jesus has the nerve to ask God to forgive this crowd messes with me the fifth word where they give him vinegar to constrict his throat instead of Lucy's throat messes with me I don't think any word messes with me from the cross like the one I posit for our consideration this evening because here in this cry of dereliction Jesus is feeling abandoned by the very one that sent him as a matter of fact what Jesus calls him in that moment gives us a peek into his psyche Eloy is a hebrew derivative of the Hebrew word Elohim if you understand Jewish and Old Testament theology they only use the word God or Elohim when they were describing the delivering nature of Yahweh so he calls him deliverer in the same breath he calls him abandoner it's a struggle for Jesus because what Jesus is suggesting by calling him God and by saying you left me is that your actions to seem to be contradicting your nature that what I'm going through doesn't match who I know you to be I've called you Jehovah Jireh but my bills aren't paid I've called you Jehovah Rapha but I'm still taking medicine I called you Jehovah Shalom but I still can't get a good night's sleep Jesus suggests to us that there are moments in your life where your context will contradict the very nature of who you know God to be and at this moment Jesus feels more alone than he has ever felt and and and I'm struggling with this word because he has done this thing for God and doing his assignment has not only caused him pain and suffering but now he feels like the one who sent him on the assignment has left him by himself to deal with the worst part of the assignment if I can really be honest I just want to argue for a few minutes he's not just mad with God he's mad with himself because this was not an assignment he was demanded to do this was an assignment he decided to do and something he chose to do is giving him difficulty in his own decision and at that moment he begins to look at what he decided to do and the hell he's catching because he made a decision and that is a deliverer that has left him and he says this is too much and I must admit because I don't have much time I'm glad that Jesus had this moment because in a real sense it helps me and you and everybody watching on the word network to know that your anointing does not dismantle your humanity I think I just said something that that I don't care how anointed you call I don't care how saved you are life can bring a twist that will give you our human moment I'm not talking everybody just three people in your section have you ever been there you do all you're supposed to do you follow God's plan with obedience and your obedience has led to such pain and agony that you feel like God has left you to navigate through the darkest moments by yourself you feel disconnected from the one you need to be connected to in order to get through how many of y'all tonight can say I'm saved I'm sanctified with the Holy Ghost I speak in tongues but life can bring me some situations who where I have a human moment I wish I had so real for suffering we'll put you in touch with your humanity y'all don't talk to me in here tonight in a real sense in the historical context this crucifixion is the result of a domination political system that gives an in just mother and how many y'all know that much of what we see today a portcullis thugs and they wanna say we're out of control but what they don't understand is that injustice who will give you a human moment that's why y'all shut down Camden Yards does injustice who will give you our human moment y'all they talking to me Trayvon dying and Zimmerman getting free will give you a human moment diagnose life will give you a human moment say that I ain't got my six minutes um he's struggling in this moment Bishop bloomer because of the darkness in a theological sense we know that the darkness is the sign that the weight of the sin of the world has only shoulders but walk with me few minutes if you can let me do a parabolic exegesis of this moment um it's dark and Jesus is feeling forsaken abandoned effed by himself which means there will be moments where you have to do ministry even when you don't feel God come here y'all is trying to talk to me God's can seem conspicuously silent and strangely absence and sometimes you will be forced to work for God when you ain't hearing nothing from God I'm about to get in trouble so much for the modern-day prophet that gets over a revelation every day from God by the modern-day preacher that's got a periscope every hour about some there are moments when you pray and God don't tell you your breakthrough is coming in six days you'll see then go give you nothing he is silent sometimes you can call on him and give nothing back in response but let me help somebody tonight his seeming absence is never an excuse to abort the assignment on your life I'm gonna come get you sometimes you got to sing and you don't feel it you got to preach and you don't feel it you got to uh sure and you don't be you got to worship and you don't feel it there will be some days you feel like God is not there he does tell you tonight the praise that scares the devil ain't you Church sanctified praise but the praise that scares the devil as a praise when you in the darkness because he thinks he's the Prince and you got the nerve to be shouting oh territory thanks below somebody in the dark gonna shout real quick and show the devil you can shout even in the a minute wait a minute and the text the text tells us how you do it because what he quotes is the scripture you missed it right there was too easy he doesn't just speak some emotion he goes to something his mama taught him when he was a little Jewish boy the twenty-second song see when you're in the middle of the darkness sometimes you'll see ain't gonna work but if you got a word in your mouth I'm looking for the words look real quick huh that's why I love what he says on that cross we missed this thing he doesn't just say God why did you forsake me he said not God and sometimes you just got to remind yourself I'm broke but he's still my god I'm unemployed I can't find a job but he's still my god don't you ever forget he stare oh hello then it hit me it hit me God doesn't always answer prayers by what he say is sometimes he answers prayers by what he does y'all didn't get it he answers the prayer of Jesus by giving him endurance hold on I got 45 seconds a hears nothing miss me up this is the middle of the day and darkness comes Jesus darkness is assigned tonight but sometimes when you're walking in purpose darkness has a way of hitting your life at the wrong time yep now they trying to get me but here it is well it's the wrong time to you it's the right time to God because the darkness had to come no matter how painful it was because the darkness was the symbolism of judgment in biblical terminology and at that moment God was judging our sins and Rome's a system which meant it was the wrong time of day but it was the right time in Providence because Jesus had to be forsaken that so that I could be forgiven I just want free y'all tonight shouting over my money I shall know my job I shouting over my car shouting because I I'm done I'm done he quotes y'all hang there I'm coming in five minutes he quotes Psalm 22 hum but here's what we miss Psalm 22 is what's on his mind which means Bluma it ain't just that one verse that's all it's the whole song so you gotta know the whole song to really know the mindset Jesus is in that song starts off one way Jesus but it ends another way it starts off with victimization but it ends in validation even in the dockyard let me come get you um some of y'all know I was an opera major in college I was an opera major I was an alma mater I remember my freshman year a group of friends of mine who had a humanities class had to do a report and so they were going to do a report on the Opera that I was in LA bohème so they came to LA bohème and uh at the end of the night I called him and said man hides all enjoy deals like man we couldn't do the report and I said why couldn't you'll do the report they said cause y'all were doing all that singing and everything was going good and then the lights went out and the curtain came down and we got up and left because we thought that was the end of the show I had to explain to them Jesus that when the shifting of the acts come they have to darken the stage and put down the curtain so the folk in charge can shift the stage [Applause] shifting yo cha [Applause] holy fight so metals body make your enemies a footstool gonna give your joy and sorrow won't he give you hope for tomorrow won't eat won't because I know my story isn't Obama shout in the dark because I know he's not done with me I can say weeping may endure for a night but she comes and is there anybody in a dark suit then throw your hands up throw your head back and give God a praise a fool because he has not forgotten he has not left you your story is not over lord have mercy if I can just get about a hundred people over [Music] we come to celebrate like for you look at John the nineteenth chapter verse 28 John 19 and 28 as we continue in these seven last words the fifth word you'll find these words after this Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished that scripture might be fulfilled saith I thirst I want to stop right there won't you help me put a tag on this text just look at your neighbors say neighbor I won't quit that's what I want to talk about I want to talk to somebody from the subject I won't quit I won't quit you know I don't know what it was about my father and his generation but one of the worst things you could be according to my father was a quitter I mean I mean my father I don't know what it was it was almost it was almost fanatical around this issue of quitting in fact one time I had a job I had a job I guess I was around I was around 15 and I worked at a Woolworths yeah I remember Woolworths and I worked I was you know all we could do is I was a stock boy can take care of the fish in the sections you know do all that kind of stuff and I decided I got it in my craw that I didn't like the job and I got it you know you've about 15 you're beginning to have a little piece of social life and I'm sort of trying to balance between work and you know playing sports have a little social life I got it in my head I don't like the job I think my manager done like me you know I'm fixing the scenario I'm thinking I'm gonna quit I know enough about job you know stuff you don't want to get fired you want to quit you know that makes sense so I decide I'm gonna quit and so I didn't quit but I told my parents I was going quick so I was kind of trying to get permission fill them out so I made it sound like you know I quit see what they were saying because if they were cool with it then I was gonna quit the next day so I made it sound like I quit and my father blew a gasket he blew a I mean scared me so much I was glad it wasn't true you know so I made it so I had to in order not to sound like I was lying I just had to mix it well I can get it back I can get it back you know but then in my arguing for a little while I was like but I might get fired and I'd rather no you do not quit I mean my father looked at me he do not quit I went back and didn't quit I'd stayed when and sure enough one more week came by I got fired and I'm sitting thinking to myself now dad what you gonna do you know I'm thinking I'm messing up my career don't nobody know about Woolworths or that job at this point but then he wanted to sit down now after being fired he wanted to sit down with me and talk about my work ethic on the top okay so what you learned from this being fired is not the worst thing in the world you gonna learn what did you learn from this alley and he wanted to talk about my work ethic he wanted to talk about what I was doing but he was very crystal clear you do not quit you may not go back you know sometimes some of us will join something and then or let our children join then the child comes home talking about I don't want to do it anymore and then we will fold and let them stop well well my parents ever like you don't have to do it again but you're gonna finish this commitment so you you joined this year you joined this year you you playing the oboe this year you may not like the oboe next year and you don't have to play it again next year but you gonna finish this year or you you know you play you play on the team and then you find out you ride the bench and you want to quit the team oh no you're gonna ride the bench this year and I'm not going up there and fighting the coach for you well I wish I had time to talk to some parents but this this whole issue for my father was you do not quit my father would rather deal with that he says you know failing is not as bad as quitting because at least you tried but when you quit you don't even know what you could have done and so for my father and his generation quitting is not an option and you may be wondering where I'm going and what that has to do with Jesus talking about he's thirsty because when you really dig up underneath what Jesus was doing when you understand what Jesus was talking about I thirst in a very real sense Jesus was saying I'm not gonna quit when we get to this point Jesus is well into his sacrifice he's now been on the cross for about six hours he has done all of the things that he went to the cross to do he stood up he's already said Father forgive them before they know not what they do he is already pardoned the man on his left he's already taking care of his mother and John he has already done the stuff now he turns and says I'm thirsty when he says I'm thirsty now the early writers would have understood that that part of why John includes this in his book is because John is trying to get his early writers to know that Jesus is yes the son of God yes he is also God but he is also Jesus is human this is why it is so important that John writes it because John is the gospel writer that wanted us to know that he's also divine as early as the church has existed there's always been tension your grandson wasn't the first one to struggle with the Trinity and the concept that he is both Son of God and God and fully human so when John writes this he's trying to help us to understand that he is the son of God but he is also a human being that gets tired and feels like giving up but when he says I'm thirsty in this moment in the text he said I'm almost through and I'm running out of energy but I still got some more to say I'm here because I am thirsty not just for water but I am thirsty for souls I am thirsty to get God's will done and I'm fainting here I need you to give me something to help me make it because I got a few more things to do on this cross before I give up the ghost I thirst but I want everybody to understand I will not quit and I guess what I'm trying to get somebody to understand in here this morning that if God has given you something to do if you know that the thing that is before you is from God in your life no matter how hard it is no matter how difficult it is you've got to learn how to not quit a couple of things come up in the text and I'm gonna get out of your way to help you not quit the first thing is if you're going to not quit you've got to make sure that you've got purpose you know at the end of the day you got to make sure that whatever you do is more than just a whim in your life because I can give up on a whim in a minute but like Jesus Jesus is on the cross and as he is on the cross you need to understand it's not the nails that keep him on the cross he is there prophetically there's something from his past in his history that is pushing him but there's also something in his future that is pulling him he has purpose on the cross in fact the Bible says in Romans 12 and 1 to us wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame is set down at the right hand of the throne of God touch your neighbor said baby shout is coming here the way that Jesus was able to endure all this was not because he enjoyed what he was going through he had a high on what was coming next and he understood that if I just make it through this there is a joy on the other side I need some older people in here with some gray hair no matter what color it is right now that will help some of these young folk know some of your best blessings come through some of your worst times but you got to hold on through the middle of it and if you hold on here there's a blessing on the other side of through am I talking to anybody here and I don't know about you but for me I can't do anything if I can't see down the road on it let me see if I can make plane I was talking about Reverend Leroy miles this morning my partner in crime and working out and all that now unlike Leroy Leroy can work out just to work out Leroy he thinks working out is a good idea just in general it's just a good idea that ain't where I am I work out because I got a goal tell me I got a way something at October 27th or tell me we're gonna go you know attack somebody on October 28th or tell me we gonna play against some young boys in basketball and I will work towards that date but just to get up to work out because it's a good know that ain't me I got to have a goal up there and I'm just telling you the truth as long as I see something up there then I can work out with the best amount put it in I'll put the time in because I see something up front that's called vision you're looking but you're not listening in everything you do you got to make sure you got vision for there to be some daily illogical purpose behind what you got involved in there far too many of us who do things because somebody else is doing them or follow in other folks footsteps as opposed to hooking up with the purpose that God has in your life and then you begin to keep your eyes on the prize and if you keep your eyes on the prize then when it gets tough when it gets difficult you'll know that I know that God has something for me on the other side of this if I was a better preacher you'd be throwing something at me right now but that's alright we'll catch up later the reality is you've got to have purpose if you're not gonna quit well let me see if I can dig deeper in here not only do you have to have purpose but you've got to be willing to stay in the present see if I can unpack this is this is an interesting text because there are actually two wine tastings if you will for Jesus at the cross the first wine tasting if you will every person that was crucified would be given wine mixed with gall or myrrh on the front end of it and what wine mixed with gall or myrrh it was like a very potent wine with a drug in it and it was given for the purpose of sort of numbing the body so would put you out of your ministry put you out of your misery quicker you'll read about that it's that Bible says that they offered it to him in Matthew 27 and they offered it to him in mark 15 but Jesus didn't take it now that this was like a this was I guess the best way I could put it is it wasn't just normal beer wasn't just normal wine it was wine that had been doctored up kind of like malt liquor in our community you know you find you find only or st. IDEs up in our community that you can't get out in Montgomery County you're gonna wait on me for a while just so so they were trying to give him a 40-ounce ollie on his way to the cross to get him real liquored up but Jesus would not take that but here on the cross here on the cross when he says I'm thirsty they gave him something called paska it was a drink that the Roman soldiers it was a vinegar now once wine has turned to vinegar there's no alcohol content so when they offered him the power scuff it is something that they would drink out there and they were drinking because the soldiers had to stay out there till everybody was dead and this was a very long experience the first thing they offered him that he would not drink was something like a malt liquor the second thing he asked for was something like a real nasty Gatorade now you're gonna catch up touch your neighbor say it's gonna blow your mind you're on the front end they tried to give him something that would alleviate the pain something that would take him out of the moment something that would cause him not to suffer so long but he said no I can't avoid this I got to go through it so you're not gonna let me get drunk through this and miss out on what I'm supposed to go through but on the other end when he was getting tired and when he was ready to give up and he knew he still had something else to do he said give me some of that Gatorade something cuz I still got a few more things I got to say and I don't want to miss a thing y'all looking at me like I'm crazy the stuff they gave him to try to get him out the moment he rejected but the stuff they gave him that would help him stay and finish the job he took it he said because I'm going to be in the moment I'm not gonna miss one piece of this even if it hurts me I know that when I come out of it I come out as pure gold can I keep pushing it one of the problems that many of us face is that we will quit even though we don't leave some of us have quit and we're still in it but y'all looking at me like I'm crazy let me see if I can make this thing clean I never will forget when I stopped playing football I will tell you when I stopped playing football it was in the middle of the game again Shaw High School in the tenth grade let me tell you about why I stopped playing football I can tell you when I stopped now I play I finished the game my father wasn't gonna let me the father wasn't gonna let me quit the team I already explained that to you but I quit in here in the middle of the game I'll tell you what happened when I played football I started out just like anybody else playing flag football all of us were little boys and we were all the same size and I played quarterback and I was good against boys all my same size and then when I got to the seventh grade I played quarterback and I played football and I was good with boys my same size I was even the starting quarterback of Woodberry junior high school junior high school football and I played foot I was the quarterback and I was good and we got to Shaker Heights high school that summer everybody grew fella started getting bigger and I weighed all of 100 pounds in the 10th grade I wrestled 103 and I will never forget we were back on the kickoff and my friend B know who is now the actually the head coach at Shaker Heights High School went on to play football at Syracuse but I will never forget we were back on the kickoff Beno caught the ball and Beno ran Beno got tackled and Beno broke his leg I saw his leg break I saw it it looked like Joe Theismann remember that I saw the leg break I was out there maybe if I'd been blocking maybe his leg wouldn't get broken I don't know all I know is I was on the field I saw his leg break and when his leg went like that something inside my head said this is not the sport for you on the wrestling mat the other guy is your same size and you are very good wrestler I was a very good wrestler I was okay at football for the rest of that game I had left the game oh I was still in the game but there was nothing about me that said I was playing for real I would hike the ball hike I was throwing it to anybody get this ball away from me time can run out as fast that's right I was screaming when he came in I quit while I was still on the field y'all looking at me like I'm crazy but that's what's wrong with some of your marriages y'all still in it but you quit that's what's wrong with some of your still in ain't nobody left the house but ain't no love very any longer you're still in there you still come to church but you ain't lifting up your hands you're still on the team but you're not really pulling they're a whole lot of folk who claim to still be there but they quit a long time ago the reality is Jesus said no I'm not going to allow I'm not gonna allow you to get me drunk and there's some of us in here today that are missing out on life because life has gotten too hard for you so you'll choose alcohol or you'll choose your addiction or you'll choose something to get you out of there but the problem is it only gets you out for a little while and when you come back you've now have compound interest on the problem you are trying to avoid if you just stayed there then you could stay there and handle it because is there anybody that knows if you stay in it and call God to it instead of you running from it then God has a way of jumping in your situation so you've got to stay present but you need to stay present because you don't want to miss the scenes okay let's see if it let's see if I can make this play you don't want to miss the scenes Thursday night Thursday night we were down and I've been thinking about this with Morgan I went down Thursday night to baltimore morgan has joined another church that's what she's supposed to do she's grown but it dawned on me Thursday night as I watched her receive the right hand of fellowship at the new psalmist church I'm not her pastor anymore we're driving back and I'm thinking Erica doesn't live in the house anymore and as much as I joke about it the reality is a scene is gone I started having flashbacks I started thinking about when they were little girls and then I start trying to remember some some good times and I start I start thinking about stuff and I begin I've not never thought I'd get this old and say where did the time am I talking to anybody else in here where did the go they're grown and you and you kind of don't tell nobody I said this but you kind of miss them as much as I talk about they out the house you kind of miss the little girls that were used to be there and then you wish for a senior wish that you'd been more present you wish that you could remember some things y'all looking at me like I'm crazy you ought to take every day and smell every bit of every rose you ought to take don't take for granted is when you get somebody in front of you saying that they love you make don't don't take for granted that you ought to say you love your back oh can I stay there for a while that's why you came wait til somebody dies and then want to dive in the casket on the day of the funeral because of the guilt that you feel enough it would not be in the present while they were alive instead of waiting for them to die why don't you go and call them the day and tell them let's spend some time together let me be present in the moment but can I keep pushing a little further there's another because the reality is the reality is you got to stay present even not only in the good times but you got to stay present in the bad times because if you stay present in the bad times then your shout will really make sense let me see if I can make it plain does anybody in here have a shout right now because you remember how bad it was you didn't run away for you remember what you had to cry you remember the heartaches if you remember the late nights you remember the heaviness and you remember how God brought you through it that's why when you come into his presence your humble yourself lift up both yeah and you begin to pray how many of you thank God then last night you didn't have to go through the weeping that endures for a night because you've already been there who bought the t-shirt that designed the heads but you're here to tell about it somebody asked me how come I stand on furniture even how come I throw things you don't know what I've been through you don't know where God has brought me from and when I think of the goodness of Jesus and all that is done for me I was there when I was losing my mind I was there when I felt like giving up but I held on and now I'm here to give God the craziest plays I could ever give him because he's being good come on touch your neighbor say you got to stay present you got to stay present in it don't don't leave out of the relationship you gotta stay present don't miss out on the good times but don't run out on the bad times either next time you're going through a bad time just say to yourself this is just material from my testimony yeah that's right every night man with somebody getting on your nerves just look at them just say you just material for my testimony huh there right now I don't feel good but you're gonna be in chapter 4 I promise you because when this thing is over [Applause] yeah you got to come in if you don't make it through you've got to have purpose if you're going to not quit you've got to stay in the present but then then if you go not quit you have to make sure that you have a proper perspective it's in the Texas in the text my you know it blows my mind how much my father's worldview was so much a part of that generations worldview they just believed in don't give up everything about the culture said don't give up don't throw in the towel don't throw it away we were raised by people who who fixed our clothes you got holes in your jeans you ain't throw them away you fix them putting a little patch in there you walk around looking like the Tin Man hey man and your mother bought jeans that were just a little too big when she bought them for you and then you told her let you remember them you have cuffs that just kept getting let out and the bottom of your the bottom of your thing look Lyons from how you been growing y'all know I'm telling the truth cuz you fixed stuff and you stuck with it because you did not give up but there's another thing you got to have a perspective on where you are some of us give up just too soon see if I can show you in the text it's interesting reading this text because he's been on the cross now for six hours and when you read John 1928 it begs you to go on to 29 because 1928 says that they gave him the they gave him the vinegar and then 29 cents and when he had received the vinegar he says then he says it is finished now but wait a minute it is finish is the word for next week and so that I'm struggling this week in the context of the sermon because I'm saying now this really goes with this sermon but it's next week's word it's so close it is finished is so close to our thirst that you almost need to do them at the same time but they really are two different words but but they're so close I mean as soon as he says I first then it's time for it's finished if I was a better preacher you'd be throwing something at me see some of us don't realize how close our first is to it's finished some of us don't realize if you just hold on I mean you've been up there for six hours this ain't the time to quit now I mean you've been going through it this long this ain't the time to quit now I mean if you weren't going quit you should at least quit at the beginning but now that you've been through all this after all these tears after all this trouble after all this six hours and I thirst is right next to it's finished if I was a better preacher I think I'd be doing a better job but I'm stopped by to tell somebody that you're right on the cusp of a blessing I know it doesn't feel like it but you can't quit now if God was going to give up on you he could have gave up on you back in 1979 but after all that and you're still here look at your neighbor said I ain't quit now I've come too far he's been too good he's brought me too far when I look back over my life and when I think things over I can truly say that I've been blessed because the Lord has brought me from a mighty mighty long way is there anybody in here that can say if it had not been so the Lord on your side is there anybody in here that can say the Lord has brought me from a mighty long way I shall not give up Hebrew says that we are not of those who shrink back of this but we are opposed hold on to God's unchanging hand any all right any all right what I'm bout to be done just grab your neighbor for me huh yes a name you've come too far you cry too much of you you pray too much to give up yeah hold on the help is on the way God will see you through in me all right I've got a witness say yes say yes say yes God has been good to me he's opened doors I could not see her so I won't complain I won't quit I will not quit I will not quit listen I don't know who I'm talking to but I know there's some folk in here and I'm not playing with this right now but if you came in here knowing you had quit on your mind on whatever the situation was but you know that God is saying you got to hold on you can't throw this one in the towel if I'm talking to you this is not an invitation to join the church you can join the church at any point but if you came in here with quit on the mind I want you to join me at this altar this is not a general call this is for a very specific call you came in here saying I'm ready to throw this thing in I want you to join me right now we're praying for strength we praying for resolve for commitment we turning this thing around come on come on come on come on come on come on come on come on come on yes come on come on come on come on we can't quit we can't quit we can't quit I won't quit I won't quit come on while we're coming [Applause] yeah yeah yeah come on come on [Music] yeah yeah come on we not we not quitting the day we're not look around can we not think things over all of my good days out we all my my bad days ah I won't complain sometimes my clouds hang low I can hardly see the road I asked the question Lord Wow [Applause] why so much pain but gee Jesus knows what's best for me even though my weary eyes they cannot see so I'll just say thank you Oh I won't complain Peugeot has been good to me yes he's been good to me more than this world could he ever be he's been good he's been real good he's been good to me he draw my tears away turns my Midnight's into T so I'll just say thank you lord even though I cry sometimes Thank You the Lord even though I bear my borders in the heat of the day thank you thank you lord thank you lord Oh Oh God God some of us at this altar we are at the end of the not in the room God we're here with no answer we're here with nothing but trust in you God some of us came in here saying if you don't do it it can't get done if you don't answer it it will not be answered we have nothing we know nothing but God we know we don't have to know as long as we know you so god we're here just trusting you empty trust law just believing you didn't bring me this far to leave me right here you didn't bring me to this moment for me to throw in the towel God and just like you on the cross we're willing to do what you had to do to make it through god we're standing at this altar saying if you do it we're going to be alright so god I'm not telling you how to fix it I'm not even here to ask it for anything just lord help me make it through Lord helped me to get my mind together lord help me to get my heart together lord help me to get my praise back Lord even if you're gonna leave me in it for a little while longer let me get a sip from your God that I can keep on standing and holding up the banner God for God I know you brought me from a mighty long way and for that I am grateful so god as I get ready to leave this altar I'm leaving it with a renewed energy I'm leaving it understanding that you're standing right by me thank you for goodness and mercy lord thank you for your power thank you for your provision thank you for your protection thank you for another chance God in the name of Jesus and right now god I thank you for helping me to forgive Who I need to forgive I thank you for giving me another chants gotta and I'm walking out of here knowing that I am the head and not the tail above and not beneath I thank you God for restoring my joy I think you're happy for restoring the peace I thank you that no weapon formed against me shall ultimately prosper in every lying tongue shall see sir now move by your spirit er and before I leave this altar God don't only bless me bless the paper right next to me God and even if my blessing uh doesn't come tonight I pray that you bless my neighbor for even as you bless my neighbor it's a reminder to me that you're in the neighborhood that is moving right on in the name of Jesus I want to say thank you hallelujah yeah in the name of Jesus I can't turn I tell me dead I call it turn I call it turn in the name of Jesus now may the love of God the sweet communion of the Holy Spirit restroom and abide with each of us until we meet again we ask it in the matchless marvelous and majestic name of Jesus to Christ and for his sake we do pray that ever her say amen amen the name man amen amen amen amen amen hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah it's done God [Applause] and and after Jesus had taken the vinegar he said it is finished about his head and gave up the ghost one thing that really bothers me about Holy Week particularly about Good Friday is that we spend a lot of imaginative energy trying to reclaim and reimagine Calvary as we turn a blind eye to the state-sponsored violence that happens all around us what I love about Good Friday is that it is a time where people who seemingly don't have power get to put power in its place and hear Jesus our teacher our Savior Jesus on the cross not dying an ordinary death but Jesus being executed by the hands of the Empire and this was a time for the Empire to show all the Jews that you don't have power and you ought to stay in your place and I have discovered that power only bothers itself with people who are perceived to be powerless when people who are powerless actually threaten power and this is what I love about Jesus because Jesus even on the cross Jesus even being swallowed up by death is a threat to power and we have found out in this country that what they do the threats is they warehouse threats in prisons they warehouse threats in in failing schools they warehouse threats in places where they do not be is there anybody in here today that can say America knows how to handle threats they put threats in ghettos they put threats in low-performing neighborhoods they put threats in places where the zip codes determine the funding for education but I'm so glad that what they do to me does not tell me who I am but it shows me that they're afraid of me and is there anybody in here today I can say that's who I am they could talk about me they can malign me they could racially profile me and they can follow me in their cars but at the end of the day the only reason why they're after me is because I'm powerful and I wish there were at least ten powerful people in the other day that can say I know my words I know I'm powerful because power better get out the way when I show up and this is Jesus Jesus on the underside of power Jesus being humiliated by the Empire because that is what crucifixion was it was a time to humiliate people who got out of place it was a time to humiliate people who didn't follow the orders this is similar to shooting an unarmed boy and leaving him in the street for four hours this is like our own camera choking out a person trying to make a living because of nonsensical tax codes in this country this is an act of humiliation and for those of you all who think that you'll beyond the reach of a evil empire like America they will also lynch your dreams and they will assassinate your aspirations they will terminate your self-confidence you better be careful about how you bow to pseudo power but here's Jesus Jesus he I love him because Jesus he pursues possibilities in the midst of death I love the way our brother said it that he gropes for life in the midst of death and he does it because the Bible says in order to fulfill the scripture that that that in order for scripture to be fulfilled he had to imbibe the bitterness of the vinegar the bitterness of the wine and this is for all of us who believe that God is calling us and pulling us into assignment and pulling us into work that you better be also clear that your assignment may have pain connected to it because just because God calls you does not mean it's going to be safe it's not means it's going to be easy does not mean it's going to be neat and so some of us need to turn off the television and stop imbibing some of this cotton candy theology that tells us if we have enough faith we'll have enough money if you borrow me a jet then you'll have some favor but you need to know he he takes the line he he imbibes the bitter substance in order to fulfill the scriptures and someone should know that sometimes your wounds become the womb for your wisdom I may need to say that again cuz somebody may want wheat that that your wounds can become the womb of your wisdom because there's some things you learn on crosses that you never learn on the mountaintop there's some lessons you learn about yourself in pain that you will never learn in pleasure I love this cuz Nietzsche says Nietzsche says if you know the why of your life then you can handle the how of your life and this is Jesus drinking the bitter wine but he's also in darkness my grandmother's generation used to say the Sun refused to shine it's dark Jesus is it's bruised he's beaten he's battered he's bleeding he's taking in bitterness but he's also staring in darkness and I know that some of us suffer from Nyctophobia that that means you're afraid of the dark and some of us thought we outgrew the darkness some of us think we outgrew the fear of darkness but that's not a child's reality but there's some of us who do not know how to handle the darkness that life presents us but you know what I've discovered about the darkness I got this from Zora Neale Hurston that sometimes you have to stare in the darkness and when you stare in the darkness your eyes are really watching God is there anybody in here today that can say I have found myself in darkness I have find myself in moments where I could not see God where I could not see wait but I went through the Bible and I discovered that God does some of his best work in the dark you do remember when God created the world he created the world out of darkness so maybe your dark situation does not mean God is absent but that means God is getting ready to kick in his artistic mode and start creating some new things in your life be careful child of God of being afraid of the dark because God does great things in that that's what I'm trying to say some of us have nipped Oh phobic theology because we're too busy trying to chase the light and we miss that God can live in darkness and some of us have little phobic theology that whenever we find ourselves in darkness we start reaching for night lights you know what I mean when we reach for night lights when we seek validation from people who have never been where we've been that's a night light when you start rehearsing your arrogance as a facade for your low aid that's a night light when you start depending on people who train you instead of builds you up that's a night light when you come to worship and you want to get a feel good experience and go out of the church and not serve anybody that's a night light but I'm so glad I don't need a night light because God told me I am the light in dark places is there anybody in here today that says life will be tough but I can handle the darkness that's God made me in the dark in order to fulfill the Scriptures I'm taking too long in order to fulfill the scripture I have learned that God didn't simply give me the Bible but God also writes words on my heart in the Greek I know Jesus didn't speak Greek but in the Greek it says in order to fulfill Scripture in order to fulfill that which has been inscribed that's what it really means the inscription because god yes gives you the Bible but God also writes words on your heart which means that you don't have to always celebrate Moses sometimes you need to celebrate your own courage you don't simply need to celebrate Sarah and Rachel and Rachel and Rebecca but sometimes you have to celebrate what God is doing through you if we shouldn't sit around and celebrate people in the Bible why would he have called you to do what he wants you to do in the first place God will write a word on your heart that you have to learn how to externalize in your life God will write a word on your heart that you have to learn how to live with your body and you know I have to say this past because I don't like church folk either cuz church folk can quote the Bible but they can't live the Bible church folk know all 66 books but they don't know how to be who God is calling them to be God will write the words on your heart he took the line in order to fulfill scripture writing the words on his heart I remember there's this Hasidic story probably Jesus knew this growing up but they but a rabbi used to always say but uh God will write the words on your heart read the scriptures in order to write the words on your heart and some young precocious kid came up to the rabbi and said why do you tell us that that we write the scriptures on our hearts instead of writing them in our hearts and the rub I said well the only reason why I say write it on your heart and not in your heart is because only God can write scriptures in your heart and so you have to learn to write them on your heart because when your heart breaks the word falls in and I have a feeling that there's some heartbroken people in here today who found out when their heart was broken greater is He that is in me than he that's in the world when your heart was broken weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning when your heart was broken God will tell you he's yeah I got push on I gotta push on in order to fulfill the Scriptures he he took on the wine he had he pursued possibilities but he also had a paradox of perception because he says it is finished and I know this is cheap this is easy but he did not say I am finished but he said it is finished he did not say I am over but he says it is over I love him because they thought that they had checkmate on him but he says I still have stuff up my sleeves they thought that it was done but he says I've been here too long and there's too much God in me for the Empire they think that they can control me I wish there were some free people in here today because if you free you better be careful because there's a cross somewhere for you because people with power don't know how to handle free people because three people don't back down on anything free people in anything some might say I'm powerful somebody I'm adaptable somebody say I'm unshakable because I'm free Jesus says Jesus says Jesus says Jesus says you don't control my narrative I love this before he died he says no one takes my life but I lay down my life that Jesus says you may think you're in control but you're not really in control and I have a funny feeling that some of you all need to go to work on Monday some of y'all need to go home tonight and let some people know you think you can control me but you don't really control me cuz nobody takes my life but I lay my life down I have to go I have to go this a little more I won't stay right there we got to go you you you have to have a paradox the prayer the paradox in your perception because I know they think they can write your story but sometimes you have to take the pin back and show them that they don't write with ink but they write with pencil and so everybody who thought they wrote my story you ain't seen the great eraser in my life because I'm steel yeah okay alright pursue possibilities he pursued possibilities he had a paradoxical perception but he also had a posture of persistence a posture position because it says he gave up the ghost bow the head now you have to understand the situating of the cross that the default posture will a bowed head but Jesus had to spend three hours refusing to bow his head too soon and so it took strength and energy in order for Jesus to keep his head up the only reason you were able to hear him say Father forgive me mother behold thy son my God my God why have you forsaken me it's because he did not bow his head too soon and that is the tragedy of so many of us who God has called up we don't know how to follow through on anything at the moment we get too tough we want to throw in the towel and there's some people in here today who are singing the coulda woulda shoulda if I only stuck it out maybe I have a degree right now if I only kept on going maybe I'll feel better about myself right now but God says as long as you aren't pressing your body there's still time for you to reclaim what you think you lost you better keep your head up do it all Jesus did not bow until it was over is there anybody in here today that can say all God wants me to do is be faithful church people want me to be perfect but God says be faithful Church people think they can hold me on their strings but God says just be faithful me and they say anybody in here today like I say I may not have a lot of money but I'm still faithful I may not have a lot that people things going on but I'm still faithful because God wants me to be faithful it is Jesus he holds on because Jesus refuses to live a half-baked life Jesus decides not to be a mediocrity a monument of mediocrity Jesus decides that I'm not going to be half-baked because you do know that we live in a country that celebrates unfinished things you all know Mount Rushmore with all those heads are the presidents that was supposed to be full bodies of presidents but they quit the project too soon and do we go around celebrating something that is half finished but I'm glad today that every child of God says I'm gonna be like Jesus I'm just gonna finish it I'm just gonna keep going I'm not gonna allow the to cause me to turn around because God is calling me to finish anybody glad Jesus didn't give up too soon anybody glad Jesus didn't I was head too soon he transformed water in the wine but that didn't make him bow too soon he gave his best sermon to a Pharisee that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but he didn't bow his head too soon he told a woman at a well I know you've been using your body as currency for validation but there's more to life than where you've been he gave a lunch to a multitude of people but he didn't power his head too soon he kept on going cuz he said I know I've done great things but they're greater things for me in here today I can't give up now in my life but I can't be in here today I'm learning because my God my God because weeping may endure for a night but sure in the morning God in the name of the Lord I'm not sure it's over but I'm still here sealed in the Gospel of Luke 23rd chapter the 46 verse declares that God then says father into your hands I commend my spirit I want to preach for a little while tonight using it as a subject the campaign is suspended the campaign is suspended for eight years Francois the Republican Party has been strategizing on how to undermine the presidency of Barack Obama attempts at stale meeting universal health care was met with no success blocking reentry to Cuba was a colossal failure stifling the economy and thwarting job creation went bust so they assembled a motley crew of candidates to lambast his legacy larger than any presidential pool in history have hazards kept jumping in the blueprint of the enemy is that after attempting to assassinate your ideas he will raise up individuals who will attempt to assault your identity have a final count 17 people submitted themselves to fight the legacy of one man he only know how powerful you are based off of how many people don't like you [Applause] the presumed favorite at the outstart was Jeb Bush the former governor of Florida who had both a father and brother who formerly occupied the White House he had the seeming pedigree and blessing of the party and Rudi it's reminiscent of when Samuel went to Jesse's house to anoint a successor to Saul he thought it would surely be the oldest son simply by what he looked like but God said he's not the one and after spending a hundred and thirty million dollars dragging his mother how to overtime bringing his brother out of obscurity with tear-stained cheeks he had to tell his small retinue of followers I regret to tell you I suspend the campaign reaching into the same region was 44 year-old Marco Rubio an excellent public speaker a rising senator son of Cuban immigrants yet stern against immigration accusing the sitting commander-in-chief of being failing to lead his youthful presence and conservative views were a short mass appeal but he failed to deliver his home state and in a number of these bridges that tell you to be hard to win the world when you lose your home and so after he lost his home he got up and made the announcement as I spin my campaign burped out of Baltimore's Johns Hopkins University 63 year old neurosurgeon ben Carson the ultra conservative neurosurgeon who successfully separated conjoined twins found his way to New York Times for his book gifted hands only to reveal he had a contaminated heart as a doctor taking the old fee had the nerve to say that health care was a privilege and not a right and further went down the plank and declared that universal health care was worse than slavery the Bible that Mohnish was long before his announcement that you should have clean hands and a pure heart and that's why in this season of your life you can't just let anybody lay hands on you he was the selected melanin for the season and even after it is that he had the affirmation of people who really did not appreciate his intellect prostituted his naivety he had to stand up and make the announcement I suspend my campaign standing on the evangelical values coming from the great state of Texas Ted Cruz who said that he was the moral candidate somehow another can't be found near microphone today within a few short days I expect an announcement a suspended campaign simply means they are no longer vying for the position they were in original hopes of obtaining they thought they had a chance but he becomes clear that there's no path towards victory they're not dropping down they're just fading away for the last three years the enemy has been mounting a campaign trying to get victory over your body for the last three years he has been on the campaign trail going after to your sanity over the last three years he's been campaigning hard to reduce the value of your humanity for the last three years he's been trying to get boosters and sponsors to help him pay for the campaign to stop your destiny but on this good friday night unlike dr. Adolf I don't invite you to a fight I invite you to a press conference because Satan wants to in all humility stand at the bottom of your coffees Hill and make the announcement now that he sees Jesus breathing his last breath but he turned from you that the campaign has just been suspended I can tell that you really don't understand the value the weight and the gravity of what that means but for Satan to say that he has suspended his campaign means he knows there's no way he can win he's counted up all of his delegates he sees who's on his side but he sees that there is something on your destiny that is stronger than his defense and the campaign just ended it might hit you when you roll over tonight that the pain that you've been feeling in your body they were supposed to immobilize you and keep you strapped in somehow has fled you while you were sleeping because everything that was supposed to render you in Hospice somehow has seeped out of your pores because the campaign just ended you don't even know why you've been feeling heaviest stress wearied and overwhelmed with anxiety how but you woke up not feeling a care in the world because the attack against your mind has just come to an end I'm sorry I might as well push it to somebody to rolls behind you because they don't even understand what I'm saying what I'm trying to tell you please forgive me I'm sorry for trying to preach to you I'm talking to somebody to rolls behind you that attack the enemy launched against your child it just came to an end hallelujah because he realizes whatever he thought he was gonna do to them it is not going to work why because there's a hitch fence a protection around your child's life there's some of y'all that don't know when the shout can I help you real quick you getting ready to be healed right now because there's been a song against your body the everything that was out of order is given ready to line up with his will doll says if you give me glory you won't even know I'm not gonna give you our car I'm gonna give you the blessing of hezekiah imma add 15 years to your life because the enemy meant it for evil but I'm getting ready to work it out for your good you you sitting beside somebody you trying to figure out why they not worship and they not stuck-up they just thinking about how to or gone crazy with everything that's been going on in their mind but something just reminded him he will keep me in perfect peace if I keep my mind stayed on him there ought to be three of y'all just running through the building why because the campaign against your finances just in there hallelujah you ain't gonna bounce another check whatever bills come to your house God said I already gave you the resources for but you forgot I am Jehovah Jireh hallelujah would you be seated right when you are my time is almost up thank you I need to look at your neighbor and tell them you didn't hear what the pastor is preaching about hallelujah that title was too long so let me just yes Palelei that's too long yes that's too long live each other shortly because my time is almost up let me show them the title of it but this sermon is now just called two words it's over hallelujah I don't know who that's for there for some of y'all better me because you ain't been going through nothing but for 500 of you that know the devil just got to feed it would you just shout out loud it's over I know you don't sack to see sermons and and your mind can't take much more but would you just look at whoever sitting around you and tell them I'll know how you sit in that choir but if the last three years of your life will see anything like my last three year but I came to tell the devil you should have killed me in September because I'm still here be seated please I'm coming around the mountain here I come be seated please I'm begging you I just need 50 of you to echo it in the chamber here no matter what I tell you tonight I just need 50 of my designated phrases to just keep shouting out loud you're so various holily I'm waiting the fan with my fifty ah you ain't gotta talk to your neighbour I need you to say it to yourself yes hope the night days that I was away when I was afraid when the phone would ring just fifty y'all shout this over don't matter what the doctor say what the lawyer said what the judge said y'all just shop this house we see them please hallelujah only got two more times to tell you that hallelujah I'm waiting on my fifty y'all supposed to be preaching with me I said no matter what happens just keep saying it it's over hallelujah wearing my fifty holiday I need 50 protesters right through here just cheap shot Lee don't matter what I say you don't matter you blew my thumbs up if we go off the Hat just keep shouting there is hope even when folks think you going crazy I don't need you to say it to your neighbor you sitting in the car yes hope I got to be worried about this yourself be seated hallelujah except for my 50 hallelujah be seated except for the 50 hallelujah God help me to preach it right just 50 y'all I still can't hear ya it's over I need you to be the pastor your Oh tell all them say it's over you've been in this place long enough be seated please will my sister hallelujah I'm waiting on my fifty to help me with the crack that neighbors head and tell them neighbor the crying is over that ain't right name alone that neighbor and that's the last time I let you to do it hallelujah be seated except for my 50 just keep saying it hiss ha I can't find my 50 maybe I can find 500 of you I can't get in the atmosphere no more drama in your house no problems out of yourself [Applause] hallelu hallelu you think I hear 10 of them I'm waiting on the other 40 early I can't hear no money holiday I'm waiting on just 50 y'all that just keeps shouting it out loud Halliday I can't hear you God something is getting ready to break in just 30 seconds I need you to just charge the atmosphere it's home god I can't hi hope you're ready to open up but I need any of you in the room I need neighbors and say neighbor you just the worst season of your life whenever you win through three years three year it's off proceeded he seated Bertram Bertram Jesus was on the campaign trail [Applause] I can't you know honey forget about your name would you just have a private praise moment I'm trying to preach this thing but I feel something in this room believe it Jesus [Music] enters Jesus enters the race on the campaign trail called Villa della Rosa [Applause] and when he mounts the campaign ISM his announcement speech was sung Father forgive them [Applause] god help me hum howler jeez I can't find my 50 break in the midterms he he said I first wear my 50 yes hallelujah but now we at the general election hallelujah and the text tells us he breathes his last breath hallelujah Satan and all of his imps didn't recognize the moss Oh hallelujah they they thought Bertram that was the end hallelujah but he was only speaking at this moment to Pentecostals he breathed his last breath what do you mean by that because right now he's remembered David Sanger let everything that has breath praise the Lord I can tell why y'all been shouting good you ain't shouting good cuz you shout like it ain't your last but I wonder if this was your last night to give him glory how would you open up your mouth if you're new tomorrow wasn't promised I would shop no you were supposed to die [Applause] he now comes in his last word [Applause] ha I've here 39 of you I'm waiting on another 12 to catch up hallelujah [Applause] hallelujah this this side is really feeling that thing I can't wait for y'all to get an order hallelujah if you on this side and you just got confirmation that is over I dare you to just shout in your living room holla right where yeah he's breathing his last breath The Jerusalem Times report is there a correspondent from the wrong Street Journal is on the sing [Applause] and he says into that hand I commend my spirit he's saying my ships the campaign card opening your soul vines Shawn we gotta go my timers on myself but I uh god no Calvin Taylor consider the Dean of black preaching said that no preaching is complete without a practical [Applause] [Music] I need you right where you are Shawn let's go home I am Andy right where you are I need somebody's hand in your hand [Applause] howdy [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] ha [Applause] [Music] I need somebody's hand in your hand [Music] halan he said whatever you been going after whatever you been trying to occur whatever you've been trying to obtain [Music] hallelujah this is now out of your hands I can't get nobody you you ain't in competition with nobody what I got for you is already yours I can't hear nobody you don't need a second interview as soon as they meet you it's already done I can't hear nobody I need somebody's hand in your hand I'll tell you right now I've got your destiny in mind I've got your family in my hands I've got your future in my hands all I need you to do is stop running I need you to just act like it's already yours I don't know where my worshipers are I can't hear nobody but God said if you give me glory whenever you been going after it's getting ready to come for you hallelujah stompin Beast for those of y'all have been dreaming about something though have you got all you wanna me die said if you give me glory let me put it in my hand a new you there's committed to be a sound in Zion there's going to transport us beyond this place even for those of you who are watching online God said I need you to give me glory watch this for gold did you hear what I just said I said give him glory the holes everything you wanna accomplish is getting ready to happen in the next three years hallelujah day to pull on that name hallelujah the business is already yours the house is already your the assignment is already already softly Shannon Hummel Center Careless Whisper hallelujah he's he saying bloom I'm not quitting I'm just gonna stop trying I'm not quitting I'm just gonna stop trying I'm waiting for you to get it huh I'm not quitting but if God want me to have this he go ahead to do this thing god I can't hear no matter some some of y'all have become weary and we'll do it but those of you God promised you something and you ain't there yet and everything around you don't look like what you've been going after God said I need one last ride and if you cry out loud everything that's been fighting your honey yes getting ready to be killed I can't Oh curry tell him to do this battle and he didn't lose that hand right where you are lose that hand could you connect it to somebody who don't know how bad you've been struggling they don't know the last three years of your life but those of you who know this is my last shot if it's gonna happen for me it's gonna happen for me now I don't know how it's not happen but that ain't my business but I trust God for it if I got 50 real worshipers in the room doing it for camera you ain't doing it to be seen but you need God to take it out of your hands and to put it into his head would you lift up that voice would you cry out like it's in his hands and here no works of us I can't hear you so put your foot on the brake let me just hear the sound of worshipers tamasha she cannibal Shia [Applause] oh god I feel them in this room [Applause] hallelujah Sutton is getting ready to break I can't hear nobody he said if you yell again there's a scholarship with your child's name on it he said if you yell again the promotion is already yours if you scream again I'm moving your supervisor to another department your family is about to be reconciled if your stream your relative is about to be healed if you praise him every habit is about to be broken you got a crack from your belly like it's out of your hand [Applause]

Channel: Lisa D Jenkins

Views: 44,304

Rating: 4.75419 out of 5

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Id: h2irK-ovSN8

Length: 147min 59sec (8879 seconds)

Published: Tue Dec 18 2018