Sabbath Worship Experience Feb. 17, 2018 | Speaker Dr. Carlton Byrd

[Music] if you're happy and you know it say Amen happy Sabbath everyone let's stand to our feet as we begin our worship experience for today looking for the rate and of what little essing everyone come before this presence and it [Music] every thankful [Music] and he's worthy [Applause] his presence [Music] an answer to schools with praise [Music] anyone painful space thankful unto Him [Music] he's worthy of very wise [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] like you need [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] let us be frank [Music] the [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] happy Sabbath Oakwood this is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it today's charge comes from Psalms 150 praise ye the Lord praise God in His sanctuary praise Him in the firmament of his power praising in his mighty acts praise him according to his excellent greatness praise him with the sound of the trumpet praise him with the psaltery of harp praise him with the trembling dance praise him with the string instruments and organs praise him upon the loud simmers praise him upon the high sound cymbals let everything that hath breath let everything that hath breath I said let everything that hath breath praise the Lord praise ye the Lord think of all these things as we have this whole amen let everything that hath breath praise the Lord let's see it we have a hope it burns within our heart it's [Music] everyone singing we we have this whole [Music] with the coming home [Music] and we have displayed we have [Applause] [Music] how many people believe today we believe [Music] relations [Music] we [Music] hallelujah let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for bringing us to this day God because that means that you brought us throughout the week that we had god I thank you for allowing us to be here today I thank you for allowing us to be able to worship with our family God I thank you for allowing us to be able to have all five of our senses God I ask that you would please help us to enjoy the service I accept you to send your angels to sing with everyone that sings today I said she would speak through everyone that speaks today God and I said she would be with us as we receive your word and your name I pray and believe amen please remain standing as the ailment [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] fixing [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] couple praise God amen praise God today for the Oh quick university aliens come on say amen amen you may be seen the presence of God this could be the house of God what do you say everybody it's raining outside but God's inside what do you say I was glad when they said unto me let us do what everybody come on let us do what everybody let us go into the house of the Lord praise God from whom all blessings flow one more time let's praise God for the okra University aioli ins amen amen amen we are grateful to be in the house of God and see all your faces today is a special day as we are continuing with our black history month long celebration Amen everybody and so we have another number of individuals visiting with us today that we're gonna acknowledge in just a minute but before we do that we want to take this opportunity to acknowledge some church members who are having some birthdays what do you say I tell you I thought that April was the best month but it appears that most and many of our members were born in the month of February everybody say February February is the love month pepper is the what everybody it is the love month and I want to begin from the youngest and I will work my way up where I don't know if she's here because she's been a little sick I see her dad is here but brother Troy is little rain here today where is rain is rain here she's been ill I don't know I don't know I don't see her but rain is celebrating a birthday and we want to wish her a very very happy birthday I believe she is turning 4 years young come on say Amen then we have anastasiya love one of our teenagers and thalia shocked one of our teenagers come on say Amen and then I'm looking I thought I saw her come through the balcony yes I did sister Katharine Goodrich daughter of pastored mrs. Paul Goodrich it is her birthday come on say Amen amen and then I'm working my way up and I see one of our new members sister Judy did I got the word that's right that's right you're looking good happy birthday happy birthday god bless you god bless you I'm looking for sister wheeler that's right you can't hide you on the second row it is your birthday today come on say Amen happy birthday to you to you to you now I'm looking I'm still looking where systeme Benford is she had Beacon us today no she's not but I am looking for there she is she's putting their hands up like this hallelujah you're better happy birthday then I'm looking where is she yes well where's my daughter Oh in the balcony Christian is 17 lord have mercy I told you the other savage she has her driver's license lord have mercy but she is 17 baby happy birthday Amen everybody can you say Amen everybody can you put those hands together everybody Amen now let me get to our Sears a sister clora a young Ward I'm looking I don't see her in her spot I don't know she's here the floor arrangement in the front of the podium today is in her honor she is celebrating her 94th birthday come on say Amen and then even today we are excited we were trying to get in the church today but he was saying no no knowing when you're this young you can say no no no when you want to we want to acknowledge on Valentine's Day the 14th elder George Earl celebrated his 100th birthday come all say Amen and so with that we were trying to get him the church today because we want to do something special where is brother Jacques but the shock come on out where is brother Jacques brother pastor Earl is probably watching we want to make sure he's watching but we have a gift where is brother Jacques where is brother Jacques we have to give can someone call brother Jacques Allah here going once going twice get him all right let's get it let's get him because we have something that we want to give and show you today that we are going to give elder Earl when you can celebrate your hundredth birthday I think that we ought to give him some is that all right everybody someone said well what do you give a hundred year old I don't know but you have to give him to let him know that his church family appreciates him while they're getting brother Jacques with a gift for elder Earl I want to acknowledge our special guests who are here today we're gonna introduce our honoree oh here he is okay come on brother Jacques you know we got a new custom look I don't call it windbreaker but if elder Earl is looking let's put the camera deep and let's zoom in if you will praise God zoom in some more zoom in some more all right so we have his own elder George Earl Oakwood University Church let's turn around his little jacket celebrating 100 years of life February 17 2018 amen amen amen thank your brother Jack I was looking for you alright alright praise be to God so we wish you a very happy birthday elder Earl we have several guests who are with us today and we want to acknowledge these individuals these are community leaders these are social activists these are politicians these are pastors and we want to take this opportunity this Sabbath to acknowledge their presence today I'm gonna ask all those from North Alabama from Huntsville Madison and Madison County limestone County that are here are community leaders if you would stand at this time we want to give them a big big big big round of applause come on church since the Sam's ICU I was gonna call you out when you're at the funeral this week as I saw you sitting right there so it's good to see you on the third row today now they're standing and I must take the opportunity to do this we are grateful that today dr. Reverend my colleague and friend brother will Boyd a pastor boy wave your hand wave it like you mean it all right pastor Boyd he frequents our church often he is the only Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor come on say Amen and so we want to let you know that our thoughts and our prayers are with you today can you say Amen everybody he is the only one so that way I can kind of you know say that he is the only one the only one I can't you know jeopardize the status of the 501c3 but he is the only candidate and so we want to acknowledge you today brother Greene god bless you he is also a candidate give him a round of applause running for state representative today and we are thankful that he is here I want to move on to this side you may be seated we are grateful that our City Councilman who is also a regular at the Oakwood church councilman will Culver is here give him a round of applause everybody and we want to recognize she was with us this week as well we did call her name our state representative Laura Hall is with us again today god bless you we are glad you are here today it appears that everyone got the memo to wear your red and you know black you know what not so we we praise God let's give our elect officials I'm sorry let's give our electrofisher is a big round of applause everybody amen amen we are glad you are here and a little later on when we recognize our honorees we're gonna ask dr. Pollard councilman Culver and representative Laura Hall to join us as we make the proper presentations and we have representation from the n-double-a-cp to-day amen all right we've done all that now turn to your neighbor and say neighbor I'm glad you're here come on say I'm glad you're here Oh before I do that I gotta recommend NIH's the lady who helps make this happen sister Beryl stand up iris I got you now she is running I'm gonna get this right for state sinner I got it I got it she's a seventh-day Adventist Christian come on say Amen and a graduate of Oakwood come on saying man all right I want to get that right I'm going through my notes and I don't forget charge to my head not a heart god bless you we appreciate you I mean that we appreciate you I mean man all right I want you all right god bless you all right turn your neighbors say I'm glad you're here today say it like you mean it say I'm glad you're here today something's raining outside but God is cool come on say like you're mean and say god is good alright now I was in the Bahamas last Sabbath I'm not gonna rub it in but it was eighty degrees it wasn't raining okay so I didn't have peas and rice because when you go to Jamaica you say peas and rice when you go to the Bahamas you say rice and peas do I have a witness at his place all right so I had some rice and peas last weekend they fed me coach they fed me good I I drank some nice lemonade and I had some nice food had a wonderful time the Sun was shining they got me a nice room I said glory to God it made me preached harder what do you say everybody but it's nothing like being at home what do you say it's nothing like being with my wife and our three children is nothing like being at my church and so I'm so glad to be in Oakland today I'm so glad to be in the house of God today and I don't know about you but I've come to praise His name I'm expecting the great today I'm expecting God to do exceeding abundantly above all we could ever ask or feet up and so before we see that and welcome each other I want to work recognize and welcome our visiting friends who are with us today if you're visiting I want to invite you to stand by Stanley you're gonna receive a little gift card and in that gift card if you turn it in at the end of worship you're gonna receive a complimentary DVD of worship here at the Oak Creek University church and so I want to invite you to stand at this time all of our visiting friends can we give our visitors a big round of applause everybody all right now it's time for everybody else just stand up shake your neighbors hand tell them to see ya [Music] and in truth as the great [Music] altogether say [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] yah [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Oh [Music] thank you if you believe he's able say Amen and let's that's all feet going old-school again this week the month of Berber this has been different with these cameras are I see different people clapping hands and stomping feet one week we had a tambourine anybody for the tone right now hold to his hand besides in spite of all the vicissitudes of life we know he could hold his hand hey go first one time his field [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] amen to the storm and through the rain hold to God's unchanging hand as we were remaining to stand today we prepare our hearts now for prayer there's time to talk to God first it's time to thank him thank him that through it all we've held onto his unchanging hand [Music] praise God he'd never let us go never let us go for the past almost 40 days tomorrow it will culminate our permanency stream has been having a period of prayer and fasting for 40 days and yesterday I had the privilege of speaking for the service send I came from Matthew chapter 7 acts and it shall be given seek ye shall find knock the door shall be opened when you study carefully you study that these are three imperative verbs ask seek knock and with it being three imperative verbs the noun is understood so you don't see Carlton or dr. Pollard or pastor Goodrich it just says ask seek knock so it's understood then what Jesus is saying is you ask you see and you knock looking also with these three imperative verbs understand that they are in the present imperative tense by that it means you don't ask one time but it's continuous action which means you asked and you got to keep on asking you got to see and you got to keep on seeking must not and that you must keep on knocking and then the Bible says that the door shall be opened unto you there's somebody gonna Dan you're saying I've been asking the Lord where the Lord's gonna tell you to ask and keep on asking so you can keep on seeking knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened unto you today we lift up the miry family or the client miry his brother past and the memorial service will be held this Friday the 23rd at 11 in the Mosely chapel we want you to remember the entire miry family in your sincere prayers not only that brother Francis Hughes employee here at Oakwood also formerly one of our hit deacons his brother Andrew Hughes passed this week the funeral will be also upcoming Friday at 11:00 in Indianapolis Indiana we were saddened Willie being Vaughn the mother of being Woodrow Vaughn Dean over at Everett Hall his mother really being gone passed this week the funeral will be held tomorrow at the Ephesus Church in Birmingham we want to remember the Vaughn Pratt family in prayer you will remember not too long ago Ben Vaughn lost his father now he loses his mother and so we want to remember them in prayer our very own brother deacon Lloyd I see this funeral be Sunday March 4th over and Mosley Chapel as well the time will be announced and so we want you to remember the plasti family in prayer we lift up Irene Chester today she beats our prayers today we lift up Mandy Andrews in prayer Erma Davis suffered a stroke this week and then just got word this morning the sister Beverly Claybrooks is in Huntsville ICU and she's in very critical condition and so we want to ask the church to lift these individuals in prayer but then I'm saddened because there's a parent in South Florida right now [Music] who's lost their son lost the daughter now you all know my background parkland Florida is a suburb of Fort Lauderdale Florida Fort Lauderdale Florida is where I grew up and so you need to understand that the Parkland area is a suburb near Coral Springs Florida now probably you have read or heard that this is probably one of the most prefer preferred scuse me areas to live in in the United States what transpired this week at that school first of all it's not supposed to happen but it's definitely not supposed to happen in that area if you ever visit South Florida you go to Parkland you understand what I'm talking about but what you also need to be reminded today of is that Satan does not care all he wants to do is steal kill and destroy are you hearing what I'm saying so for you it may not have been your son or your daughter at that school but I need you to know that Satan is trying to steal your child kill your child and destroy your child but in the name of Jesus we are gonna pray God's power down on our children our grandchildren recognising the angel of the lord encamps around about know lord you can't have no satan you can't have one you can't have that are you hearing what I'm saying in fact somebody needs to say in the name of Jesus I'm taking back my child I'm taking back everything the devil has stolen from me [Music] God can heal God can mend God can't deliver because God is able are you hearing what I'm saying my doctor is here today dr. Michael Johnson he's been sick for the past couple of weeks with flu he's in church I saw you doc when we were singing he's able just lifting your hands they may not understand but we understand God is able I hear what I'm saying today if you ever need if you have a burden if you have a prayer requests meet me up y'all to today and by your cover you're saying lord I need you I know you're able but I'm asking I'm seeking and I'm knocking Lord I need you and I'm taking back in the name of Jesus everything the devil has stolen as we sing our hymn of intercession as they come God can heal [Music] [Music] [Music] soon again everybody caught [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] god of our weary years god of our silent tears' you alone O Lord who has brought us thus far along the way Lord we turn to you we live in a sense sick and wicked world we live in a world where threats of violence threats of nuclear destruction fear of oppression as a rife we live in a world where the enemy of souls is out to steal kill and destroy but Lord we are thankful that despite our circumstances you still call everyone that has breath to praise the law and so Lord become praising your holy name we come praising for you're worthy of our highest praise Lord we want to commit ourselves to your unchanging hands thankful that in every circumstance you can be to us a shelter in the time of storm you can be to us a mighty rock in a weary land you can be to us exactly what we stand in need of so Lord we come to ask and keep on asking Lord becomes seeking and keep on seeking Lord become knocking and keep on knocking because we know that with you our future is sure we know that with you all things are possible Lord we want to pray for the leaders in our country we want to pray for every leader from the highest office to the lowest because we know we are standing in the need of prayer Lord our hearts go out to our political leaders we pray law that you who establish Thrones you who establish every office or authority you who can bring every office down you can be to us a shouter a guide a leading hand so bless our political leaders bless him with your presence with your power and with your amazing grace Lord we pray not only for the national leaders but we pray law that you will come to Huntsville Alabama and that here in the city you will bless we pray Lord that your guidance and your blessing will be poured out upon all your people we want to pray especially for the children Lord we we heard of care and concern a pastor expressed for the children of our nation because the enemy of souls wants to shorten their probation the enemy of souls wants to kill the enemy of soul want to destroy Lord we pray for your special grace your amazing blessing we want to come near near to where we are right now around this altar Lord those who have come forward you know exactly the reason they came forward some have come for themselves because they recognize that they are standing in the need of prayer some have come for family member loved one some have come for a mother a father a son or a daughter some have come for somebody close to them but Lord we pray that everyone here bow before your throne of grace will feel the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will feel the one who knows everything about everything in our lives the one who gave himself a ransom for us the one who loves us with a perfect love is near and dear to each one of us Lord we pray that you will hear our prayers Lord we pray that the enemy of souls will recognize that he cannot have anyone around us not our children not our parents not our loved ones lot of families nobody now homes we pray Lord that your protection would keep us we pray especially that you will be with those weary families in our myths Lord we pray for those who are sick and shutting we pray for those who whose hearts are burdened of the miry family they used family we pray Lord for the family of brother Lloyd proceed Lord we pray for the born and the Pratt families be with them bless them keep them we pray for the chester family in the Andrews family and we bring before your throne of grace Beverley crate Claybrooks bless O Lord you know everything about your Arthur maker you are her sustainer Redeemer bless according to your riches and glory want to present before your throne of grace our known sick and shut in we pray for seola Austin Preston Calhoun Aaron Chester Louise Kolya Martha Crutchfield Armour Davis army Tagore Brenda hair away and Ginetta Hills James Nathan Mary Mobley joy mas Edward miles Jeanette nurse dullness James pain Lily person Selena's Simon's glory young Ward Ruth Warren violet Wilson Lord we pray that you bless them according to her riches and glory and Lord in this moment during the service and at this hour we want to pray a special blessing on your manservant dr. Carlton peeper we pray Lord that you will use him in a special way as he recognizes special guests we have in our midst as he recognizes the life and service of Martin Luther King the third as he recognizes the life and service of Denis Cleveland Leggett we pray law that you will bless them individually and keep them as they minister to your people but above all Lord bless the word to our hearts speak to our hearts prepare us to receive your word and when we leave the sacred place let it ring in our hearts surely it was good to have been met this is the prayer we pray the name of Jesus and all God's people say as we return to our seats we believe God has done it God has we believe that he's already done it he's already mended [Music] he already gave me a mirror [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] as our private offering is lifted we worship the Lord today let's be mindful faithfulness have you been reading the Sabbath School lesson amen amen praise the Lord God has entrusted us all as stewards now God does not need our money he owns the cattle on a Thousand Hills you do know God spoke something out of nothing but as God's desire because of our love for him though he didn't eat our hands to make this world to use the hands he's made to bless the world and so with that all of our obedience our love for him we return a faithful and honest tithe and offering someone said what if I give God too much he'll always give you change do I have a witness in this place but honor the Lord with your first fruit of your giving I'm gonna talk about a little bit but we're closing up the Family Life Center construction hallelujah and there's still some more gifts in this sanctuary there's more gifts online persons watching on television that you need to remit that we might finish God's Word so we can get to God's kingdom so I'll encourage you even with restoration 40 that we make this final push as we bless God through our giving but the Bernard come now as we are challenged to give to the Lord Abbas our best church happy Sabbath church I've come to find a new appreciation for the Sabbath when you go to school and deal with the stresses of teachers and go to work all week it's just time for arresting but in all the service I take appreciation for every single part of it and that includes the offering there is one thing I'd be confused about though and is the verse Malachi 3:8 we've all heard it well a man Rob God yet you have robbed me but you say in what way have we robbed you entice and offering how is it possible for one to rob a God who owns everything and created everyone when you look a little deeper you see it is possible to rob God you see when you rob God we aren't robbing him and just in tighten offering in the physical sense but we are robbing God of the opportunity to get the glory I'll say it again when we rob God we are robbing him and tighten offering in just the physical sense but also robbing him of an opportunity to get the glory now I'm in my fourth year at Oakwood and what you'll quickly realize is that being here for four years doesn't necessarily mean you'll be out in four years it seems I have a witness in this place and that's all right so when you come to Oakland early you're given some kind of scholarship package and I received one as well and I was ok and it made clearance for that first year really simple but then the second year began and clearing became extremely difficult so my mother and I would pray and and try to exercise our faith for clearance and and we we always would pray on it really hard and my mom would never forget to pay that tight even in that time and I got to speaking to her and she said something to this effect when you refuse to give tithe out of fear you won't be taken care of it is one of the most disrespectful things you can do to God because that means you don't trust that he's gonna take care of you when you give that up will a man Rob God remember I said clearing had become extremely difficult over the years but God has been good to me I do mine Bobby your testimony but as sure as mine God has been good to me you see just last month I submitted my graduation application for approval [Music] now do you want better just last week I received my confirmation email telling me that my cap and gown is on the way God will take care of you so give freely this is a beautiful congregation the mineral dapper in their suits and the women look all elegant and we don't look like what we've been going through but I think it's time for a reality check are you ready so here it is see the clothes on your back God provided the shoes on your feet God provided the haircut you got last week God provided the food on your table God provided the gas in your tank God provided that bus passes argot God provided the roof over your head God provided the bills getting paid God provided the finance so clearance God provided the healing from sickness God providing the defeat of depression God divided the conquering of sin God provided God will take care of you as the Deacons to come up let's pray father God thank you for always providing for us even when we have not been faithful to you you have to remain constant in our lives actually please be with those who may have been a little fearful to give but God reassure them that you will take care of them let them not give out of fear but out of reassurance that you will show up and show out and do things they've never seen before bless this congregation fill this place up with the Holy Spirit bless the Speaker of the hour the devil is attacking so please be with your man serving guide us and keep us today this is in the name of your son Jesus I pray amen [Music] just see the face [Music] my simple childlike [Music] just [Music] we're almost [Music] Oh [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] strong [Music] apart [Music] more simple carpet you see the son of God if you would choose to what if you [Music] but nothing in return how am i Kingham will make [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] testing happy Sabbath Church it is indeed to be back as a former student here in the 1980s it's great to be back here at Oakwood University I want to thank our Lord and Savior for allowing me to be here I want to thank dr. Byrd for allowing me to speak and greetings to mr. King dr. King was speaking encouraging and motivating his congregation to be the best at whatever God had given them to do to be the best and that's for us today to be our best whatever God has given us we need to honor him by giving our best and it went a little bit like this the greatest challenge that we face is to be read it into these doors when they open Ralph Waldo Emerson said in a lecture back in 1871 if a man can write a better book preach a better son and I'll make a better mousetrap than his neighbor even as she builds his house in the woods world will make a beaten path to his door this will become increasingly true that means we're gonna have to work hard we're gonna have to learn to burn the midnight oil sometime take advantages of new opportunities we must not seek merely to do a good Negro job if he was setting out to be me good Negro doctor are good Negro lawyer are good Negro preacher good Negro teacher organic grow baba good Negro skilled labor good Negro beautician then you have already flunked your matriculation exam for entrance into the university of integration we must get ready we must set out to do our life's work so well that nobody can do it better we must set out to do a good job and to do that job so well that's the living the dead of the unborn couldn't do it better so I've said so often if it floors your lot to be a street sweeper call out and sweet streets like Michelangelo cars model sweet streets like Raphael painted pictures sweep streets like Bates holding compose music and like Shakespeare wrote poetry sweep street so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say here live the world's best street sweeper who swept his job well this is it whoa if you can't be applying on the top of her hair being scrub in the valley but be the best little scrub on the side of that wheel can't be a tree the bush can't be a highway just be a trail if you can't be the Sun be a star though it isn't by size that you win or you fail you be the best that whatever you are god bless you thank you [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God in the beginning it was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] amen I want to thank brother Jeremy Winston brother Winston stand up for the people amen brother Winston is the director of this Central State University choir but he's also an alumnus of Oakwood University a lab we thank the choir for their ministry we thank our very own a öhlins and dr. Ferdinand on tomorrow and three o'clock what time everybody we will have the biannual Festival of spirituals right here at the University Church at 3 o'clock and we're grateful that the Oakwood aliens the Oakwood University voices Central State University choir Alabama A&M University choir and Claflin University choir from Orangeburg South Carolina they will all be here at 3 o'clock tomorrow we want you to be encouraged to join us as we have a great time listening to those old good spirituals what do you say everybody this month has been a great month we started off the month with special recognition and acknowledgement to the governor-general of Jamaica serve Patrick Allen come all say Amen and the second Sabbath last week we had our students leading out and I'm told we had a word from brother Khalil Clark our United student movement religious vice president today we will continue and then next Sabbath we're gonna culminate what do you say everybody next Sabbath we've a colonnade and the Earvin Magic Johnson family will be here amen amen amen and we are gonna cut the ribbon on our long waited much anticipated 22,000 square foot Family Life Center and so we want to encourage you to be here next seven our music is gonna be brought to us by the Alabama A&M University concert choir and then we're gonna also have a mass choir with Alabama A&M University choir and one of our choirs from our church voices of inspiration and sister Grace Dorsey Landy from Atlanta will come and she will bless us so you're gonna want to make sure you are here next Sabbath then at 5:00 p.m. Cookie Johnson wife of Irvin Magic Johnson she will have a conversation and tell her story her story when she discovered and learned of her husband's diagnosis and bring their children some challenges that she experienced but yet she was determined as I've shared earlier to keep her family together and so next week at five o'clock what time everybody five o'clock you're gonna make sure you are here for that and then we'll have a book signing and sale after that so next Sabbath to our visiting friends as well as our church members we're looking forward to everyone being here and we will encourage you to invite and bring someone with you today we are grateful for two special honorees both hailing from the city of Atlanta Georgia which has often been called the mecca if you will of civil rights with specificity to black people and we are grateful that they both can be here today for our first presentation I would like to invite our university president dr. leslie pollard if he would join me at this time i would also like to ask our city councilman and will Culver if you two would join and also representative Laura Hall if you would join me at this time for our first presentation but the Phillip Leslie who is responsible for our all the students that they've done a good job on the platform today what do you say everybody these are our pre-law and political science / history students let's give a round of applause everybody did a good job Marvin I don't know I mean you've done the offertory before and I said it to you before and I'm say to you again I know you're in history I know you're in law you can be lawyer and whatnot and remember past a bird I'm pro bono come on say a man but I hope you're not missing your calling I say that all the time to you now to preach and go get paid like the lawyer but what God has for you it is for you Philip once you come represent the history and political science students at this time as we have our first presentation and I'm gonna invite an honoree in himself the Bible says be careful because angels could attend you and you be unaware in our congregation in our church membership most recently moved from Maryland we have our own icon in that of brother elder Elton Leicester Esquire brother Lester sits among us every Sabbath but brother Lester put in 48 years of service to the United States government specifically the Department of Housing and Urban Development in fact just before retiring I'm moving to Huntsville uniting with our church brother Lester elder Lester dr. Lester served as the deputy general counsel for HUD and so with this first presentation I think it's only fitting that we acknowledge him and I asked him to join me at this time in this special presentation where you put your hands together for brother Alton Lester [Applause] amen deputy general counsel for housing projects for HUD we would now like for our immediate team to prepare to show us our first honoree and they are biographical video introduction [Music] a graduate of Boston University School of Law in Boston Massachusetts with her juris doctorate in 1984 and a proud alumna of Oakwood College in Huntsville Alabama graduating in 1981 with her bachelor's degree dr. Cleveland Leggett spent more than 30 years of extensive legal experience in the public and private sectors and was actively involved as a business and community leader in Atlanta she also assisted in resolving and defending matters regarding antitrust and employment law including cases of discrimination Cleveland Leggett has served on the Georgia Commission for women the Georgia state Ethics Commission the Georgia State Personnel oversight Commission and the council for the hearing-impaired legal clinic she has additionally served on several nonprofit boards and was appointed board chair of literacy Action Incorporated impressed with her brilliant mind and keen interest in housing dr. ben Carson Secretary for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development also known as HUD appointed dr. Denise Cleveland Leggett as HUDs Region four administrator on July 19 2017 in this capacity Cleveland Leggett leads HUDs southeast operations in the states of Alabama Florida Georgia Kentucky Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands Cleveland Leggett is a member of the American Bar Association American Health Lawyers Association Georgia State Bar Association and the National Employment Lawyers Association additionally she was honored with the 2000 nine state bar of Georgia's Justice Robert Benham award for community service Cleveland Leggett has most recently received the coveted standard-bearer award for public stewardship from the Rainbow PUSH coalition she is married to renowned cardiologist dr. Christopher J WB Leggett and they are the proud parents of two wonderful children today we welcome to the Oakwood University Church Denise Cleveland like it will you join me and rise to your feet as we celebrate one of our own Oakwood alumna seven day Adventist Christian doctor Denyce Cleveland legged let's give her a round of applause I'm gonna ask her husband come on up here okay okay sister legate's mother is here today a member of this church sister Elizabeth Cleveland just wave your hand Church give her a round of applause today and also you heard her sister her her sister sister Michelle Cleveland blessed us during the offertory give her a round of applause our lease is here as well god bless you god bless you Denise I don't want to get too emotional but my only regret is that your father the late great elder HL Cleveland could not be here today and to see you and what you have become and as you serve our country I need you to understand yes this is my friend but this is also the Regional Director region for for the United States Department of Housing and Urban development's I introduced to some present to others our first honoree 2018 aqua university church black history achievement award recipient dr. Denise Cleveland legged [Music] presented to Denis Cleveland Leggett Oakwood University Church Huntsville Alabama dr. Carl tepee Byrd senior pastor February 17 2018 this is our black history achievement award one more time a round of applause [Music] hello Oakwood um I feel like I'm back at home Benny I spent many a day in the audience where you all are sitting and I feel like I'm truly back at home I want to thank pastor bird for this opportunity and for this award Pastor Bob Byrd was my pastor for many years and you know you have a good pastor when your children want to come to church and I want to thank him for his continued leadership and his innovation he he reminded me so much of my father my father was an innovator he was a strong man of God and and so I think pastor bird for his leadership Martin King I want to congratulate you today [Music] I have the opportunity as I told you to spend some time with Bernice your sister during the ecumenical service and with your a few days ago with your cousin alveta but your father and through his leadership is the reason why we are all standing here today [Music] [Applause] so I want to thank you and thank your family for your continued leadership I just have a couple of comments you know I can't pass up the opportunity I come from a long line of ministers so I'll try and make it short but I know that I serve an awesome god [Music] [Applause] I love the song today holding on to his unchanging hand if any of you have lived in this life you know that it is through the grace of God that any of us are making it wherever we are so I thank God for for so many things I thank him for giving me good parents I thank him for giving my father who was a strong leader who showed me how to lead who demonstrated what it took to lead effectively I thank God for my mother who was not just a wife but a partner with my father it's one thing to just stand by someone's side but it's another thing to be a partner in that relationship and I want to thank my mother for giving me the guidance of showing me what it means to be an independent but strong but supportive woman and and I thank her for that [Applause] I thank my siblings Michelle thank you for singing today you know I always love to hear you sing and my niece and and I also want to give a special thank you to the love of my life and the man who has stood by my side for 33 years we'll celebrate our 34th in June but my husband is well known in his own right he's a well world-renowned interventional cardiologist he's he stood many times getting awards but I the thing that I appreciate about him that he stands behind me whatever I do I practice law for 30 years he was there I've been appointed to this position he's there and he's I'll come home and I'll tell him you know about some of the things that I'm doing you know say I'm so proud of you for those women who are out there trying to make it you know what it's like or wood or the need to have a supportive system you have a man who is willing to stand beside you who's strong enough and secure enough in his own right [Music] where he doesn't feel diminished by giving you your props and so I thank my husband for being my best friend 30 years ago he walked into Johns Hopkins Hospital to do training and he met dr. Benjamin Carson dr. Carson became a mentor became a friend we spent many Sabbath afternoon at his home for Sabbath dinners and it was a true blessing but that's why you know that God is a God that builds building blocks but he doesn't allow things to happen just for no reason who would have known 30 years ago when I met secretary Carson that 30 years later he would ask me to serve in this capacity and so I think God for the opportunity to serve a few days ago my husband and I had the opportunity to go to the White House and I went it was for Black History Month and there were a few people who were invited one of which was your cousin Evita and several other leaders from across the country but when I walked into the White House I didn't walk into the White House for me I walked into the White House to represent my parents the sacrifices that they made that they that they made for me to be where I am today yes they were graduates of Oakland college but there but in his leadership my father endured many sacrifices and I want to thank them for that but walking into the White House I walked with my back straight because I was representing more than just me my husband went and he was representing his parents his father Willy legged and his mother Ethel legged his father had had a eighth-grade education and his mother a twelfth grade education but through the grace of God they graduated two sons from Princeton University one of the most prestigious schools in the country and and because of their faith that was a possibility and so he walked through the White House not representing himself but representing Ethel and Willie I also represented the many slaves that built the White House [Music] because it was by their hands that I was able to stand there and I represent the people that I serve the underserved population across this country the people on section 8 the people who are striving to make a difference in their lives those are the people who I was representing when I stood in the White House three days ago and I just want to leave you all with this there are students who are here as I told you I've sat in in your shoes but if you put your hand in God's unchanging hand whatever your dreams are they are possibilities whatever your hopes are their possibilities don't be discouraged when you coming up up against obstacles and things that seem impossible God is a God of possibility not impossibility so put your hand in his unchanging hand I want to talk to the people who are middle aged individuals and you wonder well you know is my life over you know I've I've come this far and and is there any hope for me yes there is hope as long as there is a God with his hand in your hand and his his unchanging hand there's hope for everyone so whatever your dreams are don't don't allow them to dissipate because you feel like you're middle age and for individuals who are on the twilight of urine lives live your life tilt it to the fullest and know that God is there and he has his unchanging hand in yours one last thing I want to leave with you Deuteronomy 31 8 says he is the one who goes before you he will be with you he will not leave you nor forsake you do not fear nor be dismayed keep your hand in his unchanging hand thank you oh good [Music] I'm gonna have our city officials and our university president make brief remarks following all the presentations today so they will respond to dr. Cleveland Leggett as well as mr. King at one time we are now ready to introduce our second honoree and we're going to ask our media team if they would at this time prepare the video biography [Music] Martin Luther King the third the second child of dr. Martin Luther King jr. and Coretta Scott King has motivated audiences around the world with his insightful message of hope and civility he has taken up the torch of his parents and continued the quest for equality and justice for all people he has travelled extensively around the globe spreading the message of non-violence and its role in resolving global international and cross-cultural conflicts a human rights advocate social activists and political leader mr. King has been actively involved in significant policy initiatives to maintain the fair and equitable treatment of all people at home and abroad his missions have taken him to numerous nations throughout Africa Europe the Middle East and Asia his messages and initiatives are all rooted within the tenets of non-violent social change and conflict resolution his current work is through the drum major Institute an organization originally co-founded by his father and recently reorganized by mr. King and worgen Wachtel in addition to public service as an elected Commissioner of Fulton County Georgia mr. King has served as the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference also co-founded by his father and the Martin Luther King jr. center for nonviolent social change founded by his mother after the assassination of his father himself co-founded several organizations including realizing the dream a non-profit non-governmental organization that fosters nonviolent peace and development strategies mr. King graduated from his father's alma mater Morehouse College in Atlanta Georgia where he earned the BA degree in political science he is the husband of Andreea waters and together they have one daughter Yolanda Renee King today we welcome Martin Luther King the third to the Oakwood University church join me in welcoming our second honoree mr. Martin Luther King [Music] now if you would brother Jacques in place black history achievement award is presented to mr. Martin Luther King the third Oakwood University Church Huntsville Alabama dr. Carlton Byrd senior pastor February 17 2018 let's again give him a round of applause [Music] let me first thank God for bringing all of us safely here today and as the late Dick Gregory used to always say I hope and pray that I returns after this worship service back to our destinations will be equally as safe dr. Pollard that bird until and to also the very very special honoree dr. Denise Cleveland Leggett to this these incredible musicians my goodness this music has been something else all of the different choirs that are here your own choir as well as central state and to the members and friends of Oakwood University Church [Music] often first of all I'm grateful and thankful for awards any award but I always will Erie you know when you get start getting a lot of wars that tells you that you maybe your time is moving on but I also think that it is wonderful to be recognized in a nation and world with many difficult problems and challenges certainly my father and my mother taught us that it only takes a few good women and men to bring about change they devoted their lives to this movement and while we are not there yet and while it looks bleak this moment we got to remember from where we come now in this state where I was born in Montgomery three significant civil rights victories were won in 1955 when Rosa Parks sat on the bus 385 days black people chose not to ride buses 60% of the ridership so black people our community transformed that bus system in 1963 over 3,000 children were arrested in the city of Birmingham which later created the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in 1965 people marched over the Edmund Pettus Bridge John Lewis and Hosea Williams were the two who led that Bloody Sunday March that day but some maybe even here when the ultimate final march from Selma to Montgomery so don't ever forget your history you see a people that do not remember their history are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past so we can't forget who we've been nor who we are and while we're going through turbulent waters we know that there's only one that's just on the throne there's only one eye we know that our God is able and has delivered us so so far and while we're not there yet we're gonna get there now this is the fiftieth year of the assassination of my father it's hard to believe that 50 years has gone by I was 10 years old in 1968 when I learned of the tragic news of losing my father my mother lost two husband my siblings and I lost our father but you know what in that lost our nation and world leave a message and an understanding of a movement that transformed this world and so as I'm in thought about this 50th anniversary what it means how far we've come how far we still have to go always I'm hopeful because no matter what is taking place in our nation just this a few days ago we saw another tragic shooting as fast as stated earlier and you know there's something wrong with a nation that is infatuated with guns so much and particularly particularly assault weapons we can and we must do better a nation is judged by how it treats its most precious resource certainly our most precious resource is our children and if someone was to come here from another planet and raise the question how are we treating our young people they would have to say we are not yet making the mark we can and we must and we will do better so in this 50th year I am really very hopeful I am hopeful because I know that the best steel is yet to come it may not appear that way this particular moment but the best is yet to come there are young people and I mean who maybe in second or third grade today or fourth grade who are going to emerge and become leaders to take our nation to the next height God has created that and seen to that all we've got to do is to reach out and support them and let me close with these few words as a kid I was taken to my mother's undergraduate school Antioch College at that college there's a statue of the educator Horace Mann and under that statues and inscription and I might add that later on this year when we get toward April we are working on a brand new global initiative to teach people how to use non-violence as an alternative to the conflicts that we are navigating through you see we we live in a society that immerses us with violence a culture of violence has been created that's what helps to create this climate of so much violence but when we create a culture of non-violence the results becomes different and so I'm joining with one of the members of the Gandhi family and one of the members of the Mandela family to launch a global initiative around non-violence you will be hearing about that [Music] [Applause] [Music] now underneath that inscription of Horace man's at any L College were the words I was 14 years old when I first saw him be ashamed to die until you've won a victory for Humanity and at 14 I read them I said my god of something else but I ran them again be ashamed to die until you've won a victory for Humanity I said my god how do you do that and I start breaking that thing down a little bit you see we can win victories in our neighborhood we can win victory certainly in our schools we can win victories in our places of worship some of us may win victories in our cities some may win victories in our States some may win victories in our nation and yet some may win victories in our world now with those words basically mean our be ashamed to die until you've done a little something to make the world in which we all must live a little better than it was when you arrived thank you for this honor dr. Byrd and thank you Oakwood University Church and may God continue to bless each and every one of you always [Music] [Music] let's give this shot and then we're gonna have dr. Pollard speak to our honorees [Music] [Music] I will keep my remarks very brief this is one of the moments when I am so grateful to be a member of the HBCU community to be in a place and a space where our history is celebrated and not simply tolerated and so today we in the Oakwood University community are honored to have these two honorees among us every year when our Black History Month planning committee meets together both church and University we have one simple goal to inspire the next generation of young people to go out and not make a dollar but to make a difference and what we have seen today is what that difference looks like could you put your hands together one more time everyone [Music] both to mr. King and to dr. Cleveland Leggett we say congratulations in mr. King it was on March 19 1962 that your father came to Huntsville Alabama and because Alabama A&M was a state school and there was pressure from the governor to not allow him to speak there he spoke at Oakwood University dr. Mervyn Warren if he's here today is our local historian he's out of town but we have the recordings of your father's presentation and we have listened to them we'll make sure that you get copies of them for the King Center in dr. Cleveland legged may God bless you all of us who loved and knew your father see the gifts that he had in you thank you for your strength for your service thank you for your fidelity and thank you for your ferocity showing young women and young men especially how to be leaders with humility Grace and power thank you very much in dr. Byrd thank you so much for your contributions we never say it enough but we thank you we love your leadership and we are blessed by what you represent let's put our hands together [Music] thank you from our state we now have state representative Laura Hall thank you so much thank you what an honor it is to be here we've had a great morning and I want to say on behalf of the citizens of house district 19 but the state of Alabama how honored I am to be a part of this program today and to say to dr. Cleveland legged and to Martin Luther King the third that we are grateful and I say thank you on behalf of the grandmothers the teachers the Mamas and the daddies the uncles and the aunts for your family and for your leg your legacy to miss Cleveland Leggett I want to say thank you on behalf of the opportunity of having to get to know your father the most candid individual I know I'll just share this story I was here during a town hall meeting and in that town hall meeting it was about taxes and increase in taxes and he allowed me to go through the whole process and that the as it was over they actually had asked many question and doctor Cleveland said to me sister Hall I can't be with you on this one in front of all of these people I said oh this thing is dead already and you know what it was dead cause it did not pass but so I say thank you for that legacy and having an opportunity to share with you on this day I am honored thank you I would like to begin by saying happy Sabbath to everyone happy Sabbath to dr. Pollard and dr. Byrd and to our honorees and to the Oakwood University Church and faculty here at Oakwood University it is indeed an honor and a privilege for me to be here to participate in this very very auspicious occasion I'll be very brief I won't belabor you I do have a resolution that I want to present to Martin Luther King the third and my apology to doctor Leggett somehow we didn't get the email but what representative Laura Hall and I have concluded is that we're gonna get this resolution and we're gonna drive to Atlanta and we're gonna deliver it to you and I want to welcome you to the city of Huntsville Alabama and on behalf of the mayor mr. Martin Luther King the third on behalf of the mayor and the City Council and all 2000 residents here in Huntsville Alabama we present this resolution to you for your accomplishments and you have made a difference in the lives of many people and we're just so thankful to you for that thank you [Music] and dr. Leggett you are the epitome of what we expose here in hospital when we talk about those things that go to enhancing the quality of life for all people we just want to say we thank you and your family for being here for all you have done all that you're doing and all that you're going to continue to do for the people in this great country thank you so that we're clear my colleague did not mean 2,000 residents he meant 200,000 residents a man in this city and also a metropolitan area before we received the hymn of meditation by central state university choir and hear the word and I told my wife I said no we were gonna have a lengthy day so I'm not gonna be long we want to ask the n-double-a-cp if they would come at this time and they have a presentation they would like to make good good good evening good morning how y'all doing this is my first time going to church on Saturday it is my last novel a but I want to present this to dr. King the third you know I got a name you know I had to build a legacy but you got one that you got to maintain and you've you've done it real well on behalf of the Decatur Morgan County n-double-a-cp represent to you this humanitarian [Music] [Music] amen [Music] let the church say Amen again young people now close with this we have Giants among us today Giants and today we take this time to celebrate these Giants and I hope as the afternoon after church would have ended and there's time for fellowship or whatnot that young people you take advantage of these giants take advantage of the Giants that are among us because if the Lord delays his coming I just believe that one of you in the balcony one of you on the main floor you're gonna stand where these Giants currently stand may God bless you we celebrate you we praise God for you [Music] [Music] [Music] what we in she [Music] our sins and griefs to bear [Music] me too [Music] and [Music] [Music] [Music] briefly to God in a prayer [Music] [Music] [Music] in [Music] Oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] we sure are [Music] that's [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] you need to [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] amen what a friend we have in Jesus take it to the Lord of Prayer thank you brother Winston and our young people central state university amen I see brother Winston's parents god bless you as a pastor Berean Atlanta and we see you here today god bless you and sister seola Austin it's good to see you in your place today ain't man give a round of applause everybody she's been ill but let's see let's quickly go to the word go to the Book of Luke chapter 10 Luke chapter 10 and we're going to verse 25 Luke chapter 10 verse number 25 quickly a familiar passage Luke chapter 10 verse 25 the Word of God says in Luke 10:25 you have it let me hear you say Amen Luke chapter 10 verse 25 and behold a certain lawyer stood up tempted him saying master what shall I do to inherit eternal life said unto him what is written in the law how a reed is bow and the answering said thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy what everybody and with all that what and with all thy strength above all thy mind as thy neighbor as thy what and he said unto Him thou has answered right this doing thou shalt live but he willing to justify himself said to Jesus and who is my neighbor jesus answering said a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves which stripped him of his reign men wounded him and departed leaving him half dead by chance there came down a certain priest a twin when he saw him he passed by on the other side likewise a Levite when he was at the police came and looked on him and passed by on the other side but a search Samaritan as he journeyed came where he was and when he saw him he had compassion everybody say compassion had compassion on him and he went to him and bound up his wounds pouring in oil and wine and set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him and on the morrow when he departed he took out two pence and gave them to the host and said unto him take care of him and whatsoever thou spendest more when I come again I will repay thee which now these three thinkest I was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves he said he that showed mercy betty's say on him and then he said unto jesus then jesus said to him go and do likewise love thy neighbor love thy neighbor father bless us now as we go into your word make it become alive and make it become real and practical for your people hide it behind your cross forgive me of my sins in Jesus name Amen all right so I love the story I've told this before and I love the story so I'll tell it again repetition deepens the impression I love the story of the little white first-grade girl who on her first day of school went to a newly integrated school at the height of the segregation era a jusen nervous all day long the little girl's mother met her daughter at the door when the little girl came home from school and the little girl's mother asked her little daughter honey how did everything go today Oh mother you know what says another girl a little black girl sat next to me expecting the worst the mother then tried to respond and asked calmly and baby what happened little girl said oh we were both so scared that we held hands all day long when I share this little story I'm able to acknowledge the fact that the Lord has blessed us the God has brought us a body long way we may not be where we should be in terms of race relations but praise God we're not where we used to be do I have a witness at his place you see there was a time when we couldn't vote there was a time we couldn't eat in certain restaurants we couldn't drink from certain water fountains we couldn't ride in the front of the bus we could live in certain neighborhoods but now we've come this far by faith leaning on the Lord is somebody know what I'm talking about today but even as far as God has brought us we still have a long way to go while we may have bought many months that the tensions and racial tensions of the 60s were behind us and that we entered a post-racial era with the election of President Barack Obama as the first black president of the United States that Jim Crow was over and that the segregated south was done think again racism still runs rampant in America's workforce in our schools in our communities and society at large segregation continues in many schools urban schools are understaffed and underfunded blacks are often underemployed and underpaid the penal system the judicial system education system economic system and a whole bunch of other systems overtly and covertly contribute to the in justices in our society today now I don't know if you've been watching CNN this week but I've been watching and just this week CNN reported that in a private Instagram group private Instagram group chat that Nicholas Cruz the shooter at the Florida High School in parkland floor repeatedly promoted racists and anti-semitic views and some of you don't hear about that but let me tell you in one part of the group chat crews wrote that he hated Jews the n-word I dare not repeating the bull bit and immigrants Cruz talked about killing Mexicans keeping black people in Chains and cutting their necks Cruz said he hated black people simply because they were black kun said he hated Jews simply because he believed they wanted to destroy the world and white women also drew Cruz's hatred specifically those in interracial relationships because he called them traitors don't be deceived racism still exists just this week I had to make a quick trip to Atlanta quick trip quick trip those who let them know what quick trip is quick trip to Atlanta and I had to make a quick trip to Atlanta and on the way home I was stopped twice lord help me twice so the first time stops put my hands on the steering wheel you know the drill cut all the interior lights y'all don't hear what I got to say cut all the interior lights put my hands on the wheel and the officer comes up to me and he looks at me and I can begin to detect there's something in his look cuz there I am in my Hugo Boss suit I can't get a witness in this place my shoes are signed I mean my white shirt and my bones are in my black Mercedes pills and he looks at me as if I'm not supposed to be driving this car I'll say yeah this is mine and my wife got one - do I have a witness in his place this is your car yes yes listen let me humble myself I need a warning do I ready to witness in his place let me see your registration and your insurance and your driver's license he looks at it sir is your car it is my car it goes back to his car for a minute comes back your okay mr. bird just just slow down I wasn't speeding well you ran the red light you don't even know why you stopped me I go 30 minutes more again I see the light twice in an hour I'm coming down that hill you know doc Guntersville somebody knows what I'm talking about you've been stopped there - come on say anybody and I'm coming down that hill in Guntersville and sure enough I see the light pull over right at that Windham resort right after you come off the lake somebody knows when I'm talking to look at they know what I'm talking about put my hands on the steering wheel cut the interior lights on and there comes the police officer sir Timo I stopped you sir no sir well you were going 70 coming down that hill and the speed limit is 50 is this your car I said yes it's my car now that I looked at his name badge and the last name said it Bradford I said brother Bradford [Applause] can we cut through the chase brother Bradford this is my car brother Bradford you were waiting on me brother Bradford you're trying to entrap me brother Bradford let's tell the truth I'm the pastor of the Oakwood University Church I'm a pastor I would not tell the on the truth and I made sure while I was talking to him I put my jacket over the warning I had just received y'all don't hear what I'm saying I said brother Bradford I'm a good guy the husband of one wife three children I passed her and oh I'm trying to make it back dancer I a good guy this is my car let me go brother Bradford as he's now laughing at me looks at my license you are Carlton Byrd I said I am he said just go and slow down I said thank you as I'm driving off I'm saying Lord thank you twice tonight I promise I won't do anything now begin to drive and I begin to think about what they asked me first is this my the problems facing black America are still there 27% of all African Americans live before the blow the poverty line 72% of African American babies are born to unwed mothers one in three black males is in jail under some form of police scrutiny blacks we comprise 13% of the United States population but we make up 35% of drug arrests 53% of drug convictions 74% of drug prisoners and commit 55% of all robberies but don't be deceived it's not just us just as it is for blacks it is for whites it's either not either or in reference to blacks and whites but it's both and because white men are also in trouble what about talking about their a few white being in college and graduate program per capita today than there were ten years ago in the United States especially in the fields of math and science and engineering which is why we always hear all this talk about stem programs science technology engineering and math America's on readiness to deal with the oil shortage and global warming the definite deterioration of the United States and industrial confidence the loss of market share the automobiles still in textile industry the other lack of non-belligerent imagination when it comes to solving world crisis and the painful lack of initiative in dealing with the budget crisis the job crisis the drug crisis are just a few of the moral it's alleged decline indicators of the white American male so as dr. King said it we gonna either learn to love each other learn how to hang together like brothers and sisters husbands and wives boyfriends and girlfriends or we gonna surely hang and die tragically like fools let me be clear with you today there's a conspiracy led by the devil to destroy the black man the white man the red man the yellow man the white woman the black woman the red and the yellow woman Satan is trying to limit we're trying to eliminate each other but the devil is trying to eliminate us all so this isn't a revolution of black against white White's against Blacks this is a revolution of right against wrong and so today I'm not gonna be long we've just got to get 28 minutes in for the television show come on say man but the cry from this preacher today is love thy neighbor love thy black neighbor love my white neighbor love thy red neighbor love thy yellow net love my Jewish neighbor love my Muslim neighbor love my Catholic neighbor love thy Baptist neighbor love by Christian neighbor love by a theist neighbor love thy poor neighbor love thy rich neighbor love thy Jamaican neighbor love thy bohemian neighbor love our Trinidadian neighbor lot by African neighbor love by Black American neighbor and stop all this foolish girl at racism we're all neighbors we're all black we were all slaves we just got dropped off on different Shores I wish I had a witness at his Blake's neighbor the gradual love thy neighbor should have just surprised us after all loving my neighbor's won the Drake great two laws in the Bible remember the Old Testament Deuteronomy 6:5 loved I the LORD thy God with all thy what everybody heart with all thy soul and with all thy would might the second is like unto it livid against 19:8 love thy neighbor as thy one Jesus then in Matthew chapter 22 repeats the same thing he says there are two great Commandments a lawyer is trying to tempt him what is the law love God love whom everybody love God and then the second is like it love thy one and the first for the Ten Commandments we deal with love and God and the final six of the Ten Commandments deal with love in our what everybody neighbor so Jesus is real about this loved our neighbor thing but in our text another lawyer comes up to Jesus and he asks the question what should I do to inherit eternal life again this lawyer asks this question not for the purpose to be instructed but for the purpose of tempting Jesus but Jesus has something something for this man so Jesus doesn't answer them directly but he starts out telling the story the parable about a man on a journey who was mugged beat up and left for dead on the side of the road Jesus says the first person to travel on the same road and see this man was a priest a preacher a minister now you would think that all the people in the world the preacher would help the injured man but when the preacher saw the man he passed by on the other side of the road maybe the priest is afraid to defile himself he saw the man was unsure if the man was dead or alive and according to Jewish law he would have defiled himself if he had touched a dead man so to avoid any inconvenience he goes the Bible says to the other side but isn't it interesting that back in Jesus days just like it is today some church folk care more about policy than people the priest forgot that one of the weightier matters of the law was mercy everybody say mercy even if he would be defiled he should have had compassion and mercy for the injured man but then the Bible goes on Jesus says another man comes for just like the priest this other man is a Levite everybody say Levite Levite and he is a deacon he sees the injured man and passes by the other side of the road now the priest and the Levite should have been the first people most expected to help the injured man after all they are the same race and religion as the half dead brother in the ditch they're both Christian just like the man in the ditch not only are non saying they're both Adventists just like the man in ditch they're both black just like the brother in the ditch they're both religious people they've read the law it's been written a hundreds of times in their minds but they passed this man right on by they know the law but they don't know love they know Commandments but they don't know Christ they're religious but they don't have a relationship they're what I call private sinners but public Saints I wish I had a witness in his life having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof they might feel a little guilty for a couple of minutes but by the time they've gotten around the corner they forgot all about the man in the ditch could somebody relate to this we talk missing we talked evangelism but don't mess up our nice pretty Church which are strange ways don't mess up our nice clean holy church with your ankle bracelets your rings tattoos dreads or urban lifestyle and that's just like some folk in the church this church but other churches they want to keep people out the most who need to church the most but Jesus says then a Samaritan guy comes along he's not Adventist he's not black he's of a different race and religion than the man in the ditch and neither race of people liked each other as a matter of fact they're taught to hate each other they're taught to think of one another as less than human they're not supposed to talk to one another but that doesn't stop this Samaritan from stopping to see about the man he gets off his donkey you do too I thought about calling this sermon but some of y'all would've been mad at me get off your donkey but I said no he gets off his donkey bandages up the man's knees and then the Bible says pours oil and wine on the man then he puts the guy on his own donkey takes him to a hotel where he can be taken care of he goes out of his way and probably misses whatever meeting he was planning to go to he spins his own money for the guide to stay in the hotel even promises has made a hotel manager for any extra expenses even though he probably wasn't particularly wealthy himself but he helps the man he loves his name in the church we talk about love we talk about compassion we talk about mercy but really do we know what it means to love thy neighbor you see when we really get close to those who are hurting it will always cost us something working with other people's wounds it's messy business I wish I had a witness at this place investing in people who are in pain knocks us off our normal schedule it's not convenient it's not pretty it takes a lot of time it means we must deny ourselves it means we must come out of our comfort zones and deal with people who don't look like us who don't dress like us who don't smell like us who don't act like us who are not the same color as us who don't go to the same church like us who are not at the same time a nation like us but Jesus says love thy maid love thy white that white man no that white woman love that drunk man that drug-using woman love that Baptist brother love that Catholic sister love your roommates love your classmates love your co-worker love your boss love thy neighbour love the one who doesn't look like you and smell like you who doesn't come from the same side of town and say love thy neighbor and so there are four things we learn from the Samaritan I'll tell you this now sit down number one he was willing to get involved now we can quote scripture and recite cliches on love and died but until we're willing to get into involved in the lives of others we're only blowing smoke we are only sounding brass and tinkling silver the Samaritan treated and bandaged the man's wounds put the injured man on his donkey took him to a hotel and cared for him throughout the night the Samaritan could have said to himself I give already to the poor fun at my church I regularly tithe I did combine budget I've done my part but the man didn't do that the Bible says he had compassion and acted on it number 2 we can learn from the Good Samaritan he ignored racism now even though he was considered a despised Samaritan he rose above such illness for the care of a fellow human being that's like an American slave showing compassion to a plantation owner or Jewish prisoner demanding and demonstrating concern for an Aussie guardeth during World War two the Good Samaritan ignored racism I longed for the day where there will be no more racism and when we talk about racism listen to me because we always have my race them in the world but let's talk about racism in the corporate Church because in case you didn't know now you know we still have racism in the corporate Church I wish I had a witness of his place time won't let me go there but just know it's true I set up committees you don't sit on I know it's true number three he had a good name now you have to wonder if the Samaritan had been to that hotel before he probably paid for somebody else's stay think about it because why was the hotel owners say it's good it's all right when he told him if he has more charges don't worry cover my time this we do know the in peeper trusted the Samaritan probably because the Samaritan had proven himself to be trustworthy then finally number four we can learn from the Good Samaritan he was generous now remember the Samaritan didn't know how long the injured man would be laid up in the hotel but my eisegesis he does industry exegesis eisegesis my eisegesis leads me to conclude that because the text said that the attack attack left the man half dead that his stay in the hotel was gonna be a prolonged stay are you hearing what I'm saying I wish I had time to elaborate on that but the well-being and welfare of this stranger was more important to the Good Samaritan than whether the costs of the hotel might have been the man was generous so this is the central message of this parable if we are to be good neighbors we need to be more like the Samaritan so Jesus concludes with the admonition go and do likewise in other words do that too that's the message for us today get off your donkey and love your name now the ditch that glows the ditch from Jerusalem to Jericho is a huge one and it's filled with human suffering can you see the child the relative your friend your co-worker the homeless man a woman the Arab the middle Easterner the Muslim the black person the white person the Hispanic the Haitian can you see the stranger in pain can you hear their groans but human pain is so horrible that many of us have learned to close our ears to it it's natural for us to make excuses and simply pass by on the other side but Jesus cuts that called us to live that way Jesus has called us to love thy neighbor let me chase up I know there are some folk who hates you because there are some folk that hate me they hate my guts but in order for you to get a kingdom they got I love me come on save I don't care what you wear I don't care what color you change your hair I don't care how nice you are there are some people that hate you you can give them money you can buy them gifts and they will take them but they still hate you because you're blessed I wish I had a witness in this place but I read somewhere that greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world so let me throw this in in life stop telling people you got lucky lucky and love is for the people who play the numbers you don't play the numbers do you luck is for people who gamble luck is for people who roll the dice I'm not rolling the dice I'm blessed in the city I'm blessed in the fear I'm the last in my going out and my coming in I was blessed before I came in the world the hand of the world Lord was upon me can the Blessed people of God say so are there some blessed people in this place today let me tell you something worship worship provokes the fire of God to fall on the worshiper but it also promotes the hatred of men to come against the worshiper jesus said love your enemies bless those that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute Jesus wants us to follow the example of the Good Samaritan and to be a good neighbor how do we do this number one we got to have vision we got to have what everybody we need eyes to see those that are hurting to be us too many of us have sight but no vision number two we need compassion we need what everybody we need the love of God in our hearts number three we've got to go to the people and do whatever it takes to reach people with God's love I mean isn't that what God did he loved us so he went looking for us God went seeking after us oh you don't believe me let me help somebody we serve a seeking God go with me in your mind to Genesis 3 Adam and Eve have sinned and after they have sinned in the Garden of Eden the Bible says that the voice of the Lord was walking through the cool of the day and God asked Adam where art thou somebody knows what I'm talking about now this question represents the distance that sin brings between man and God but it's God who assumes the responsibility of reconciliation so God after Adam and Eve sin did not stand off in heaven and call Adam toward him but God winds toward yeah are you hearing what I'm saying God went toward Adam representing God's responsibility in the redemptive process oh you don't get it it's not so much my friends that you came to God or that you found the Lord God came to you God found you you said I'll get it tell the truth saying to them you didn't really find the Lord the Lord was never lost [Music] it was you that was lost and God assumed responsibility for your Redemption it was God who said where our dad it was God who was walking in the garden it was God all by himself it wasn't in angel it wasn't the pastor it wasn't an elder it was God a man is walking down the street one day he falls in a ditch he cries out for help for everybody that passes by the first person passing by is a rich man everybody say rich man he decides that he's rich as guz of his wealth he could help this man he walks over to the hole to the ditch he pulls out a $50 bill and he throws the $50 bill down the ditch and he says to the man buy yourself a ladder he then walks on but that didn't get the men I ditched the man can't even get out the ditch to go buy a ladder to get him out to ditch the second person that walks by is a Christian he decides that he's a religious a righteous man of God and that because of that he can help this man so the Christian walks over to the ditch says a prayer and says to the man see you in church and he walks on but that doesn't help the man get out to dish either thank you for the prayer but that it helped him got to ditch finally the man's friend walks by the man in the ditch goes out hey Joe it's me it's Paul can you help me out so Paul's friend Joe walks over to the ditch and jumps down in the ditch two thousand years ago Jesus saw me in a ditch y'all don't hear it I'm saying someone said pastor you weren't even born two thousand years ago but the Bible says before I was even fourth in my mother oh I feel like preaching that today before I was even formed in my mother's belly he knew me he knew I would sing he knew I would mess up he knew I would say some things I shouldn't say do some things I shouldn't do so what did he do he jumped in the ditch and he saved me he came from the bosom of the Father to the bosom of a woman he put on humanity so that I might put on divinity he became the son of man so that we might become the sons of God that's why Jesus came into this world and why Jesus died on a cross so that a transaction could take place he was rejected that we might be accepted he was condemned that we might be forgiven he was punished that we might be pardoned he was hated so that we might be loved he was crucified so that we might be justified he died that we might live when he rose he conquered sin death hell and the grave so that we might be found blames no his love we say Jesus is the ultimate Good Samaritan all of us in here are in the ditch we are all in a ditch of brokenness a ditch of poverty a ditch of despair we have all been mugged and robbed of our true humanity were all of us lying on the road half did and well on our way to the green everybody in this church everybody watching on the internet and television is in a ditch of something but God but God he come and rescue us he that the gift in that ditch with us he could have set a limit on how much he would do for us but Jesus shows that the law of love is bigger than the law of limits God made the decision to come get us get us out of that ditch he didn't pass us by the road to Jericho that Jesus describes in this parable is the road to Calvary it's the road to the cross greater love hath no man in this who would lay down his life for it for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth him should not perish but have everlasting life but I love it let us love one another for lovers of God and every one that loveth his born of God and knoweth God he that loveth not knoweth not God for god is learner so bad I said I'm so glad that Jesus went down in that ditch just for me is there anybody else who's glad that Jesus got in that ditch for you he was wounded for my transgressions bruised for my iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him but by His stripes I'm healed he loves me I love him and he told me I gotta love you he told you you've got to love me love thy neighbour stop hating each other it's not being mean stop passing by on the other side stop talking about folks stop persecuting folks love die and love Jesus I've done my 28-30 he's done but Jesus went to Calvary favorites but you and me [Music] that's [Music] [Music] Jesus [Music] [Music] ow see [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] they stretch [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Lord thank you thank you for loving us when we were unlovable thank you for loving us when we didn't love ourselves and so Lord because you love us you demonstrated your love toward us that while we were yet sinners you died for us today you have commissioned us to love each other to love our neighbors teachers how to love white people black people red people yellow people teach us how to love all people [Music] teachers how to love natives you just how to love immigrants it's not I love everybody this is how to love old people teach us how to love young people teach us how to love everybody teaches how to love our neighbors people live next door to us they get on our nerves teach us how to love it you gotta love our boss somebody right now can't stand their supervisor but in the name of Jesus Lord teach us how to love our boss our tsubasa teach us how to love our co-workers teachers how to love church members [Music] and then Oh Lord teach us how to love our sound and so Lord God because we love ourselves and because we love you because we love ourselves and we love you and we want to spend the rest of our lives with you Lord there are people today that want to give their lives to you because they love you as the lord of the snow so this our forgive me my sins send your people right now there are two pills today appeal number one you got a challenge with loving your neighbor I don't know who your neighbor is but you got a challenge today it could be your husband it could be your wife could be your children your grandchildren a cousin a sister brother a mother a father a boss a co-worker a neighbor a classmate a roommate but you've got a challenge today love and somebody in the name of Jesus God is calling you right now to walk down this aisle give me your hand give Jesus your heart and you're gonna say Lord take away the stony heart take away this heart full of envy and pride and strength Lord I want to love my neighbor in and of myself I don't have the wherewithal to do it but Lord when I place my hand at your hand I couldn't do anything because all things I can do them all through Christ which strengtheneth me so today you know who you are you know your situation I don't need you to tell me your situation you know it diagnose it but today you need to profess to the Lord Lord I need to love my neighbor whoever that neighbor is I want you to get out of your seat come down this out I want to pray for you today whoever wherever however just as you I want to pray for you today Lord I want to love my neighbor I will I love my fellow man my fellow woman I want to love teach me I love if you're here today I want you to come down front right now I'm gonna pray for you today appeal number two you need to love time is out for faith and faking in front you need to love God you're in a ditch and Jesus is trying to get you out the ditch but you got a one in today are you here do my baptism do you want read baptism do you want to surrender your life to the Lord do you want to rededicate your life to him do you want to transfer your membership to Oakwood do you want to join by profession of faith do you need a church home Beauty recovering do you just want to say Lord take my life let it be I want to love you today if that's you I want you to get out of your seat I want you to come down this aisle right now right now those are the two fields today number one you have a challenge with a neighbor you need to love them get on down this out now if you've got it all going on everything's going right in your life that you have no problems with love anyone more power to you but if you know you need God to cover you but you got a challenge that you need to love somebody I dare you to come out of your seat come down this out hallelujah hallelujah I dare you to come out of your seat and come down this out you know if we if we're real today we real we being real today time is off all this fake phony stuff you being real you got some problems with some of your neighbors and you sing Lord take my life I've got to learn how to love [Music] that's appeal number one I feel number two is you need love God you need love God because the reality is you can't love anybody else if you don't love God that's the reality we're gonna close it out but you need to come up here one or two like you bless you god bless you god bless you [Music] you need to love you betta mom I'm gonna be real real good honest the mask is off you need to love each other you need to love [Music] we're gonna see that one more time are you gonna come we're gonna see it one more time for yourself [Music] Jesus preaches to Calvary [Music] like you [Music] to Calvary [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] everybody on their feet there lot of heat about to close out thanks for staying it was worth it today praise God love God love each other love God love each other okay this is what's gonna happen doctor power is gonna pray he's gonna pray and then the praise team you're gonna finish out that song okay dr. powers for the pray after he has prayed you're gonna be seated the praise team you're gonna finish out that song you got me and by the time you finish the song I'm gonna be in the baptismal pool because there's somebody who told me today they gotta be baptized now this is the thing about this individual this is a young lady who's at this school who grew up attending church but never gave their life to the Lord never was baptized but came to Oakwood given their life to the Lord and today they want to be baptized I'm glad my friend dr. Leggett is here today I'm glad mr. king was here today I'm glad Central State was here today but I'm more happy that God was here today because this is what this is all about and how fitty her name is heaven heaven Mitchell so so dr. Pollard is gonna pray and close us out y'all gonna sing out the measure of a song by the time you finish I'm gonna be in the water [Music] a man a man a van well we've been blessed today haven't we everyone let's bow our heads now as we pray father today we've heard your word an invitation to love to love unselfishly and sacrificially and to love indiscriminately and we accept that call today thank you for using your manservant and thank you for speaking to our hearts as we've thought through relationships and friends and loved ones and colleagues whom we can love just a little bit more and we thank you for that and then father we thank you that we've celebrated the history of the heritage today we've been inspired and so now as we turn toward the baptism of this dear soul we ask that your presence would linger with us just a little bit more we know that we've been here a little while but we're grateful father we also know that the day is coming when will not be able to assemble during a time of peace and so we take advantage of these moments bless us today thank you for your word thank you for your worship thank you for the music and again we thank you for Jesus who came as your Samaritan and who decided that he would show compassion to those of us who had fallen in the ditch of life and jumping down and saving us and pulling us up in rescuing us and then saying that he'll come back again and when he comes back he'll reward those he calls his own we're grateful for that now bless us today and as we listen to the Word of God and as we worship just a little bit longer we pray your blessings in Jesus name let everyone say Amen amen amen would you just be seated everyone [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] it's a switch [Music] Jesus [Music] our [Music] [Music] [Music]

Channel: Oakwood University

Views: 7,450

Rating: 4.6363635 out of 5

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Id: AFFlDrseXOU

Length: 185min 45sec (11145 seconds)

Published: Sat Feb 17 2018