Pastor Henry Wright "Imprisoned"

well good afternoon traffic memorial that was a pitiful response I said good afternoon praise God thank you pastor for allowing me to stand in this sacred spot where you usually stand the prison ministry team with Toby he's been trying to get me to preach for a event like this for a number of years and I am not worthy of his patience and persistence but I'm glad that he has done so and of course to all my many friends and folk were here thank you sister Pam for Pama spammies family Pamela on our family for me and Carol thank you for those kind kind words what just meet someone well he slipped out his brother once more rest till here Arius there is when you've been in the ministry for as long as I have and you've preached as long as I have you develop series and materials and so forth and so I've trusted this young man about five years ago all my sermons in series are now in his hands he's the president of pan de vida and my sermons and my series that I've done three years he now handles for me and he lives here in the area and came out you'll be here this evening to share some of the materials that he's developed for me but I want you to know this young man I really trust him and he's doing a good job for me so give him a hand he goes with me overseas this place in that place and we've been able to extend the ministry that the Lord has given me now all over the world through the works of panda Vita so thank you one for being here today let us let us pray thank you Lord that we can open now the sacred book and see what you have for us there today what is the word from the Lord today today if you hear my voice harden not your heart so you've gathered us here as the pastor has so eloquently prayed we have been brought here by your will and so this sermon Lord you have given me is their sermon knowing before anyone in this room was born they would hear this sermon today it's their sermon may no one miss the word you have for them to this end we pray and trust you in Jesus name Amen go with me to the book of John the fifth chapter and rather lacy what I'd like to do before I preach is read the word settle right let's read the word of the park we're good to see you man you're looking good I don't know what you're drinking but cell it doesn't go well it looks good looks good after this listen now listen now this is this is this is the Word of God through the Holy Spirit the disciple John after this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem every word in the Bible has significance it's a feast now and Christ has gone up the Jerusalem now there is at Jerusalem by the Sheep gate a pool which is called in the Hebrew Bethesda having five porches death house des des porch the house of porches in these there lay a great multitude of sick people now the scene is being set now by the Holy Ghost in these that is these five porches around this pool lay a great multitude of sick people blind lame paralyzed waiting for the moving of the water now I'm reading from the New King James Version I don't particularly like their use of the word sick folk because the Greek actually says impotent folk what we have there is now a group of powerless people impotency is presence without power Cadillac with no engine are you listening to me impotent people people who have legs that don't work eyes that don't see hands that can't pick up ears that do not hear important the parts are there but the power is not there are you with me paralyzed waiting for the moving of the water where an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water then whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made well of whatever disease he had now the scene is painful because we have these important people wrestling against one another seller against sinner come on stay awake oh the adultery against the liar aah rustling for help in competition for salvation now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty eight years verse five when Jesus saw him somebody ought to praise God that Jesus sees us I told you there's no word in the Bible that wastes time wrong I'm delighted to know right now today that Jesus sees me y'all too quiet for me I said Jesus sees you ain't got no money but he sees you come on that pours Jose turkey but he sees you mad and upset but he sees you huh car won't start on Monday morning but he sees you in your car huh I'm not preaching yet just reflecting on what I see here when Jesus saw him lying there he knew that he already had been in that condition he knew trying to stay calm about this thing he knew the man's condition the young lady he knows your condition knows what you worried about huh knows the headache you had last night aspirin did not work excedrin didn't do it huh but the Bible says here that he knew his condition now you got a wrestle with that God knows your condition but it's not yet decided yet to fix your condition so that's your problem you really believe that God knows but he hadn't done anything that's what's bothering you're gonna say man you upset with it cuz you done prayed and fasted that all the things that Pastor Reed said do ain't nothin happen that put it on you pastor not only knows the condition but he's not doing anything been there a long time and then he says to him it's a ridiculous question do you want to be made well again I'm not satisfied with the NKJV but the the reading really is do you want to behold now understand the question y'all he's not just asking him do you want your legs next that's obvious that's an obvious thing why would you ask a man who can't walk does he want his legs here that's almost an insulting question that's like after the poor man do you want some money I mean why why you asked that question course he wants some money ain't got none the word is whole and we'll come back to it the sick man answered sir I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up but while I am coming another steps down before me now Jesus is standing there he's looking for a man so you're looking to the banker to fix your money come on now you want the doctor to fix your body come on now Jesus is standing there huh maybe somebody else a man in a minute jesus said to him rise rise take up your bed and walk he's asked for help from a man you get to the water Jesus skips over the water you see it young fella he's smiling now because he sees where I'm going it's all right yeah I'm not concerned the pool is a temporary fix when Jesus fix it fixes you it's forever let's forget the water do you want to get up and immediately the man was made well to come back to that took up his bed walked in that day with the Sabbath that used therefore said to him it is the Sabbath it is not lawful for you to carry your bed I tell you dealing with these seventh-day Adventists is really a problem always got their mind on the wrong thing yeah lord help us yeah we've gotta get in the trouble Arthur didn't in trouble the Jew said to the man who cured you it's the Sabbath shouldn't be carrying your bed he answered he said unto him i man's made me well told me take up the bed and walk then they asked him who was the man who said to you take up your bed and walk but the one who was healed did not know it was who it was for Jesus had Jesus had withdrawn a multitude being in that place afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him see you have been made well sin no more that's the worst thing come upon you the word there is Hades unless you catch more hell it's all right add Venice it's okay if they descend the Bible the word the word the word Hades is in the Bible hell is all you can say hell in church the man departed and told the Jews that was Jesus who made him well John's gospel is the gospel of all I let me just do some teaching for a minute the gospel of all there's four Gospels Matthew he writes his gospel to the Jews that's why he starts with the genealogy of Jesus he wants them to know the Messiah came from Abraham Mark's Gospel is laced together with one word immediately in Mark's Gospel he just wants us to know that if you need help Jesus will do it right now if you need help right now now remember right now is God's right now not your right now okay but God moves fast if it's near necessary that's Mark Luke Jesus has painted as the ideal man the one who can relate to anybody and everybody Lucas a Greek only non Jew to write a book in the Bible and and and and so and then Luke's Gospel women are lifted and and and and non-jews are lifted it's it's it it's in Luke's Gospel we find the the parable of the prodigal son and and various parables you don't find all the places in Luke's Gospel he's trying to get people to know that Christ is that ideal man who relates everybody that's Luke's Gospel but John's Gospel is the gospel of awwe what does that spell all in John's Gospel there is this amazement that God would even deal with us are you listening to me John is writing to the Gnostics who've marginalized Jesus and said that he was creative was not really God and so John begins his gospel with those words in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God all things were made by him and without him was not anything made which was made John sets it straight at the very beginning Christ is in fact God on earth and then verse 14 of chapter 1 and then he says and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us of the Greek says the word built its house and our neighborhood and lived amongst us and so for the rest of the book John is just shocked David he's shocked that God would stoop to live in our ghetto cannot believe it so in the book of John we have these amazing personal stories in Chapter two the wedding in Chapter three Nicodemus and chapter four the woman by the well I'll talk about her this afternoon and then and then in this this fifth chapter this man by the well and and Johnna telling us that that Jesus takes personal time with you he'll stop by your house if necessary to your wedding he'll come to your rooftop at night and talk to you about your need to be converted he'll you'll stop at your well and offer you water that will never ever lead that you'll never have to drink again and he'll stop at your pool where you lie on your mess and offer you wholeness my subject is imprisoned everybody is imprisoned Adobe you don't have to go down to the county jail to find people locked up I said you do not have to go to the county jail to find people locked up somebody sitting here right now is locked up in Hayden locked up and sphere and locked up and doubt and locked up and worried and locked up in problems a lot of in fact let me make it play everybody sitting in this church today is in jail I read my Bible all have sinned and come short of the glory of God did you not read that does not the Bible proclaim all of us in jail Bryson trying to give me my next text all right I'll use it he says in Luke 4:16 just shut up and let me breathe he says in Luke Luke he says in Luke 4 I came to set the captives free he was talking about all of us so so what's so ripping to me in chapter 5 is the various prisons that these folks are in see it's the Sheep pool it's already a smelly place the sheep that are going to be slaughtered in the temple or block there they defecate as they walk in sheep retire they're sweating and oily is this putrid smell but as Jesus comes toward this sheep gate he smells a stink greater than the stink of animals it's the stink of broken people people with sores using pus with beds that have not been washed with bodies that have not been showered that have not known deodorant with hair that has not been cleaned and and combed all these people are there and the sight of it touches the heart of the creator who breathes in two nostrils but Adams nostrils the breath of life hold and perfect without blemish and one of the things that Satan does all the years that Christ is on this planet is to make him sorry that he made mankind how could these be the sons of Adam how could these be the daughters of Eve how could this mess around this fool look Jesus what you came down here for pack up your bags go back to glory they're not worth saving I will show you them crippled I will show you them blind I'll show you them without sight I'll show you them who cannot hear I'll show you them who cannot walk I'll show you them wrapped in dirt and smell and ugliness let me look at them do you really think Jesus that you can set these people free every day that you're alive young man the devil talks to Christ about you look at him look at what he's done look at how he's thinking look where she's been look what she eats look what he smokes look at the things he thinks wise in that how'd you think you're going to save him you're right what makes you think you can bring him to glory give up on him and I hear my Jesus say my blood is sufficient for this man you better be thankful today for an undiscovered Savior there are times when you're wallowing in your mess that the devil has so much evidence against you that Jesus counted up the evidence you could not be saved but he turns of the father and says I cover right with my righteousness and so God does not see me God sees Jesus there they are smelly and messed up and torn up and unworthy blind the Bible describes them blind and hoped and paralyzed and lame and impotent powerless powerless that's a terrible feeling powerless you ever needed money and couldn't get no money that's a power of the stealing come home now we just don't my rent money and trying to buy though management's wanna pay my rent in my apartment my two room apartments all I want to do and ain't got that powerless huh I just want to get up in the morning and go to work but my back is aching so bad from the yesterday's work and I take all the pills I know to take and I'm still hurting powerless been married to the negro for 55 years and it's getting worse and worse and worse but the church tells me that divorce is not right if I hadn't caught him in bed but somebody else got to stay by and so they're a powerless impotent it means no answers it means that your problem has gotten beyond solutions listen to me this text describes the condition of the human race see think about it the simplest thing for God to have done wants Adam and Eve sinned is just two of them just wipe out two people come on y'all simple man just wipe out two people start fresh you God can't nobody question you can nobody argue against you can nobody stop just wipe them two fools out walking around in them big bodies with them aprons on their rear end stick it out just wipe them out and start fresh come on somebody simple thing to do but the God we serve has answers that we don't think of I'm saying wipe them out God says no save them how you gonna say them I will become them I will take on their sins where their sins myself and then die for their sins and then I will remain their brother and sister for eternity always related to the human race now what kind of a plan is that it's the plan of someone who loves beyond expression good be glad I wasn't God none of all would have been here just remake him set tulu people in he's taken thousands of years he waited for you to be born accepting thinking about that thing Pam he could have showed up in 1900 I was born in 42 yo he waited around for me come on pastor this is the God we serve this is I'm building up to something this is the stretch that he makes for you don't ever let the devil tell you you not worth anything God stretches himself for you you should have died this past week in your sins Wow you were sitting God kept breath in your body Wow you were coming to the wrong place God kept you from having an accident that's the god I serve and when the devil said I got him the Lord said no you don't so you lived through your sinning this week and walked in Church coat tie red tie backs a little thing up their fight shirt and shiny shoes much in the china-australia well looking go ahead as the pastor and Jesus let's me have reputation and status and presence and covers my sins with his righteousness come on somebody yes sir and when the devil starts reading my list of sins the Dead Lord says I didn't blot in this he prayed for him last night they ain't no record and the devil says wait I was there when he did it sorry look in the book all I see is pages covered by the blood of Jesus Christ not bad cannot find any evidence against this man ah so here they are I know where I am I'm in John 5 I'm in John 5 here they are it's a mess it's a mess now verse 3 verse 4 lets us know we waste our time a lot of times with the rumors notice what it says for an angel with down at a certain time into the pool and sort of the water then whoever stepped in first after the stirring the water was made well whatever disease he had I checked on this in the book desire of Ages and white says it was a rumor nobody had ever seen anybody get well see if I smoke this pot just marijuana going I'm gonna feel better they're not quiet in this place if I drink just liquor it'll take the stress away problem is over the years nobody has any record of anybody really getting better from that are you listening to me try discipline didn't work so I'm Mary discipline maybe a little work but the stats that this marital counselor has found is that eighty four fifty percent of first marriages don't work eighty percent of second ones don't work eighty percent azar hikers you know you walk down the aisle and you say I do to eighty eighty percent chance of not making it I mean that's a--that's a lot of nerve now somebody's upset with me now because they've been married the second time it's alright it's okay okay it's okay maybe you in the twenty percent god bless you god bless you my point is there are false remedies out there that's all patches trying to say they're things that people are telling you that work they don't work and they're scufflin and it was pitiful the blind and all their scuffling can you imagine a bunch of what why wouldn't a blind who can hear good guide the death to the water and why wouldn't the death who can see help the Xoom saying why are the adulterous in the church talking about the liars in the church book both are going the hell where did we get this hierarchy of sins where one thing somebody does is worse than something else somebody else does where do we get this idea that we can divide one another by sins big sins little says I never read that where's the text about big sins show it to me I read this text all have sinned and come short of the glory of God I read that text the blind and the halt and the lame and the death in most traffic memorial need to stop fighting one another let's all help each other get to the glory well let's get to it so here comes Jesus Ellen White says that there was so many there Christ was actually concerned that if he healed them all it would stir up the Pharisees and cut short his ministry that's the reason why he didn't heal them all so he went to the worst case I'm trying to encourage if you've got the worst case here today then you got Jesus attention if you the worst sinner in church today just stay by the pool yes sir 38 years they walks up to him you want to be made whole it is the word in the Greek for creation well done need help to preach this this is just too good for me ah he done just ask him you want to walk would you like to be recreated did somebody just shout Jesus name Jesus I did not come just to make you walk you got problems in your head and in your heart as well your leg so let's just cut through it rather than just fixing legs let's just recreate you let's just remake you let's just fix everything that was wrong Ellen White says when Jesus got done with him not only couldn't walk he could see better he could hear better ha ha ha his heart was pumping better his circulation was better I'm just going to recreate this broken man right here by this pool so your prayers are too small you asked him for money he wants to save you you want somebody to marry he wants to save you you want a brand-new house he's got a mansion for you your prayers are too small stop asking for little stuff ask for recreation I want to be made all over again fix me turn me around upside down fix me you want to be recreated you want to be recreated do you want to be recreated Park route oh I'm just fixing some of me I want him to fix all to me recreate me because I'm imprisoned I'm locked up jacked up and messed up and I keep trying act like I'm something that I'm not walking in church on sabbath morning calling myself elder this and deacon that and Deaconess that and treasurer that and quite remember that everybody in heaven knows I ain't worth squat the members might be deceived and the pastor might be calling me by very precious names but I know and God knows it's not real it's a fake and I'm tired of being that way and so I don't care what the saints say I don't care what they think I'm gonna get fixed if I gotta go back to the pool and get baptized all over again why I don't care what you think I only care what he thinks fix me Lord recreate me I can't think straight I can't talk straight every time I pray my prayers are like ropes of sand nothing has changed and come on God take hold of me and fix me recreate me now what I like about Jesus was he got right to the issue he didn't ask him would you like to be a better Sabbath keeper would you like me to loosen your hands so you grab a tithe when you want to grab your time you notice that would you like me to help you overcome your taste for Kentucky Fried Chicken and get you on veggie links often in this listen to me often in the seventh-day Adventist Church we offer people sidebars don't get me wrong okay somebody thinks gets pastor right then lost his faith I believe that the seventh day is the Sabbath yes and I believe we are not eating ate pork pigs feet and things of that nature I believe that I believe with all my heart the tithe ought to come in but brothers and sisters if the heart is not fixed and the tithe is coming in it's an abomination vigilance carrot juice and all that stuff long dresses nice makes you look heavenly means the devil make you look heavenly we're fixed listen to me we're fixing the wrong thing so the Lord had to fix his heart because if he hadn't then those legs would have healed and kept taking him to the wrong places you got to fix the heart before you fix the legs you got to give them Jesus before you give them Sabbath you got to clean up their attitude before you change the way they spend their money let's start we're going to be starting with Jesus change my heart then you can change my day of worship you want to get up want to be recreated not like what happened next he gives this pitiful thing about no man you notice that Jesus ignores that completely Bryson there's no discussion about the man because Jesus didn't ask him about a man do you want to get out well I just need a business from the deacon when discussing the Deacon Deacon could visit himself you want to get up you want to get up the next expose my mind before the man answers rise take up your bed and walk now this was a movie the lights would go low come on me and the drums will start rolling dududududududududu end up a spotlight would be on the brother right on the poop do you see it is your mind with me that's up to him now it's up to him get up or shut up you see it come on y'all I want y'all to get in the sermon with me this is this is the moment rise take up your bed it's all about what's in his head now he can say well I never want what you're asking is impossible he acted on the word of Jesus he acted on the word of Jesus in are we when are we gonna learn to just do what Jesus says be not unequally yoked with unbelievers well now Lord I know is not in the church but he's nice be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers and he works hard he treats me nice be believed and he's coming to church now be let the brother get wet in the pool I didn't make a commitment to Jesus first amens a bit weakened elder but I ain't backing up on this one trust God 10% of 10% 10% don't try to bribe God with no 9% he can add he knows what your cheque looks like 10% lots and offering God knows God knows I gotta pay the rent you ain't never paid no rent he's been paying the rent just do what he says do what God says my wife and I are going to buy a trundle bed trundle bed no my wife leaves him praying about everything losing the keys run on the house honey can't find the keys did you ask God if she makes me feel so you know I'm the pet I'm the pastor I'm the pastor of 52 years experience Jessica well hey I don't have to turn the beds gone by trundle beds get there they're on sale now all the beds gone that's a well sweetie you know this one the Lord's will let's go on home she looked to me she said we need a trundle bed a precious the beds are gone that's going home now goes wakes mother some other sales him we get in the car go home I don't know she's she's she's eyes as closure get to the house this week everything all right he's only s gonna be fine should I just talk to the Lord just somebody's gonna bring wonder bits back that's that precious the beds are gone they on sale ain't nobody bringing them beds back now I'm the pastor now hadn't been passing with usually about about four years then she said you believe in God so I'm going in folk that you can't make this stuff up this is the truth I'm done I've taken God at His Word ask it shall be knock I'm sitting down watching TV phone rings for cellphones phone rings landline don't y'all not here saying okay thank you we'll be right there so I didn't want to be outdone Pam so when she walks in I said somebody brought one of the beds back in there she said yes Henry right somebody brought one of the beds back let's go get the bed do you believe that God can do the impossible for you had we live it on the last days folk it's going to be rough out there it's already rough out there it's gonna get worse out there and God's people to stand are going to have to begin to believe that God really can do anything and can do it right now if he has to oh you got to do is just ask him stop coming to him with whimpering prayers take God's promises hold them in his face you said you said I'm going to talk to God like that I take my Bible and hope you you wrote this God I need you to do this and he does it my son came back from that first Gulf War all messed up at his head it was a Marine my second son who's now dead messed up messed up he had messed up battling with liquor and so forth past your son he'd leave the house at night we just pray we knew David he wasn't doing right came summer house one night I had to say to him son that that's not acceptable dad luck is not acceptable won't happen again dad but then he started staying out all night we just praying just praying Lord you said you said you said the Sabbath of communion every more me get up we go in the church son you live with us came home couldn't live by himself he'd been hit in the head he'd have spells so forth and so on we got up one morning he was standing dressed he was dressed yo he was trashed my son was dressed mom and dad we gone to church today we going to church today got the church his dad preached the call was made rise take up your bed stop mumbling stop pleading stuff but to stop being weak minded and afraid hold on to God's unchanging hand believe God then he got up and he walked out of prison set free by the blood of Jesus your heads are bowed and then priest enough your eyes are closed Passman auto gentle savior with organist softly here mom will cry he's visiting pools today he sees your brokenness today and mine he's got a question for you you just want to give up the cigarettes you just want to give up the phonography online you want to just stop the sexting or do you want to be made whole you want to go for the whole ball of wax today no more excuses no more almost fixed you want to leave that smelly bit of your past father we've been imprisoned our own thoughts our own tendencies our own habits our own struggles we've gotten so used to being in jail we forgotten what it means to be free but maybe somebody here today I don't know who it is as the courage to say to the pastor into the church free me Lord just free me so my first call is simple it's not a call to come forward not yet you just need prayer you tar the land by the pool of your own messy life and you need prayer you want me in the pastor to pray for you if that's you would you stand right now you just need prayer you just need prayer second appeal standing is not enough for you maybe you've been visiting this church you've been thinking about coming forward becoming a part signing up for the pastor's Bible study class or you need to make the fresh start see what I didn't tell you was the desire of Aegeus says that the man was in this mess because of his own mistakes he used to be a faithful member of the church his legs were crippled because his mind was crippled before that that's why Jesus had to fix his head first then he could fix his legs you need to make a fresh start you need to come to Christ maybe a young person you've been thinking about it would you just come forward here move we are just come forward you're making your decision you're going to come you're going to come please please please today if you hear his voice come on come on pray Church just break his brain I don't take Appeals personally god bless you brother god bless you brother somebody else somebody else come on come on you won't feel more like it than you feel right now come and sit beside this brother who's led the way who else will come pray Church just pray pray pray pray pray somebody's responding they want to be made whole they want recreation are you here just acquire a leader get that bar singing past monado gentle saving the first verse take the first verse help them sing a church Oh while on others saying it Saints oh there's the mark ball me mee-mah somebody else will come please come to be sing this course lift up the name you say you're here Oh hallelujah Jesus there is down art Oh over not pass me the course in the course again all Jesus one more time everybody are you going to come one more you come I'm going to pray now the pastor's yet watching you can slip up if you want to notice I said if you want to God wants you to if you want to father thank you for stopping by the pool setting that brother out of prison but Jesus thank you for stopping by my pool getting me out of prison bless our do one who has come shower this brother with grace merciful merciful grace toward that person who should have moved and did not thank you for a ministry in the church dedicated to setting people free from prison not just the prison of bars but the prison of self less for the dhobi that's the ministry in this church faithful prison workers all over this world who represent the Adventist Church let your hand fall upon them afresh today and thank you for this worship in Jesus name and all the people said amen you

Channel: Straford Memorial SDA Church

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Keywords: Straford, Christianity (Religion), Religion (Literary Genre), Christian (Adherents), Sermon (Literature Subject), Pastor (Religious Leadership Title), Memorial, Stratford, jesus, joy, hope, Marlon Reid, Straford Memorial Sda Church, Chicago (City/Town/Village), 500 W 119th Chicago IL, love, Day, holy, god, Peace, Truth, Chicago IL, SDA, Pastor Marlon Reid, Memorial;, Pastor, Reid;, Marlon, Reid, oakwood, christian, character, Henry, Wright

Id: rz7IV09DxH0

Length: 54min 15sec (3255 seconds)

Published: Sat May 14 2016