Latest / Koinonia Christian Center / Committed to Our Covenant Connection Part 3 | Faith to Forgive | Bishop Rosie S. O’neal

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Committed to Our Covenant Connection Part 3 | Faith to Forgive | Bishop Rosie S. O’neal · Koinonia Christian Center

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Lift up your Bible. Say, "This is my
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Bible. This is my It is God's word. It
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is God's word. It reveals to me reveals
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to me God's will. God's will. Therefore,
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it is the final authority. It is the
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final authority to which I submit to
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which I submit to settle all the issues
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all the issues of my life." of my life.
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It is the standard It is the standard of
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my conduct of my conduct and the basis
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the basis of all my expectations. of all
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my expectations. Shout it out. I am. I
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am what it says I am. what it says I am.
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I possess I possess what it says I
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possess. What it says I And I can do I
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can do absolutely everything. Absolutely
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everything it says I can do. It says I
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can. Turn and tell your neighbor, I know
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that's right. I know that's right. Amen.
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We thank God. Children's Sunday. Amen.
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We saw our young people in here giving
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God the glory.
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Oh, they were all up front laid out.
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I saw him in between tissue
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cuz I just, you know, it's funny how you
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sing the songs and then he reminds you
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in that moment. No. Yeah. What you've
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been going through, I'm using that to
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work something in you.
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And you know, it just wow. Um, we had a
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phenomenal chop it up on on uh Amen. Who
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was anybody get a chance to listen if
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you didn't see Chop It Up? because you
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know Wednesday y'all stared me down. It
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was okay, but I knew God was saying
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something too important to just let it
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drop. So, please go back and you uh to
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watch that. And of course, you know,
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we're super excited that um Father's Day
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is coming. Yeah, it was yesterday
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morning, Saturday morning. It was 8:00.
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So, those of y'all that were up 8:00 on
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Saturday,
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you were up.
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You made a See, that's when you know
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folk ain't usually up that early. They
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make sure they make a comment that day.
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They want folk I'm just missing. Well,
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turn in your Bibles with me as we have
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something very, very important to
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minister on today. And we are still
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focused on the fact that we have to be
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committed to kingdom, excuse me, to
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connection. We have to have a commitment
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to our covenant connections. Amen. Huh.
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Amen. And there are certain hindrances.
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Okay, we saw from Wednesday and Saturday
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sometimes seeing the success of others,
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right?
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Can really be a challenge, okay?
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Especially if you feel as if you have
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offered the same thing to God and it
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doesn't look like it has been accepted.
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Okay, I just leave that for you. So
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here's something else today uh that is
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very vital. We will all need
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this and it is this issue of
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unforgiveness.
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Yeah. Yeah. So the scripture in Luke 17
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talks about
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forgiveness. So I want to encourage us
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from this faith to forgive.
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faith to forgive. We're always blown
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away at stories where people have
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forgiven these huge debts. We're always
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blown away by it. And we read it. We
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look at Joseph and his brothers, how
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they did him wrong. He forgave them.
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Amazing story, right? We look at the
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prodal son. Dad, I know you ain't dead,
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but I'mma pretend. Can I have my stuff
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early?
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Then you go waste it. and the father
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forgives and we generally are always
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crying. We love it. We see Esau and
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Jacob where Jacob tricked Esau out of
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his stuff. Esau had a weak character as
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did as did Jacob. But uh Jacob was
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sneaky
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and he tricked him out and Esau forgave
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him because he realized you don't have
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to hurt the people that hurt you.
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Uhhuh. Yeah. Nelson Mandela was captured
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for 27 years and came out not asking
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people to be resentful
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because he understood. See, when you are
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resentful, it's like you drinking poison
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and waiting for them to die.
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Yeah. He said, "No, we need we need to
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release it and move forward." Tyler
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Perry, we all are very much aware of him
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and how he tells of how his father was
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so very abusive and the dark roads it
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led him down, but he forgave and we just
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Oh, that's amazing. When you look at
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those I never forget reading about those
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ladies that had been held for a decade.
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you going to kidnap and rape
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continually people for a
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decade. And the girl got out and forgave
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him because she recognized if I do not
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forgive, I am chaining myself to an
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incident that hurt me.
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So by the time we get to Luke 17, we
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ought to be motivated just hearing this,
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we ought to be motivated to forgive. And
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let us not forget one of the hallmark
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teachings that God has given us here uh
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from the story where Jesus is talking
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about the swer sewing the word and he
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sowed some in you know y'all remember
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stony ground and all that other but then
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it said he sowed the good word the good
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seed into good ground but it brought
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forth some 30 some okay y'all sleep you
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remember the story got to work with me
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and push your neighbor in in case they
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still up under the glory
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cloud. It brought forth some 30, some
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60, and some 100fold. And we've talked
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about over the years, you can be a good
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soil kind of person and have left some
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rocks and weeds in you
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and you will not produce on the level
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that you should. And you say, "Well, 30
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is better than nothing." But what what
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of value is in the other 70? I can't
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hold something against somebody no
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matter how agitated, irritated, hurt, or
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mad I may be. Because that thing that
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they did to me is not nearly as
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destructive as what I do to myself if I
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hold it. Because now I'm not just
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dealing with the past. I'm shutting down
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the potential of my future.
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And I'll be dog, you might have got me
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then, but I'm not going to let you get
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me for the rest of my life.
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[Applause]
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But I also recognized that being willing
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to forgive is different from being
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postured in forgiveness.
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Read, read, read, read for us, Re
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Angela, read for us. Luke 17:1. Y'all
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went down off that one. See, because let
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me go and tell you why. They mad. They
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don't they not they done shut down.
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Being willing, you know, it makes it
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seem like on a case-byase basis, you
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going to make a judgment.
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I'm willing to for No, no, no, no. Jesus
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wants us postured in forgiveness. I'm
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going to talk about it. Read the verse.
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I just wanted to go on, you know, while
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we fighting. Then said he unto the
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disciples. Uhuh. And don't do that. I
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saw that look. I saw y'all. Don't look
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up here like I don't know nothing about
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this.
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Like I haven't been portrayed
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and hung up in front of people with lies
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thrown on me to to be Don't do it. Don't
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Don't act like I don't know what it is
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to have been molested by somebody. Oh no
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no no. Don't get quiet and start trying
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to smile at me. No. Let's talk.
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Oh no. Let's talk. You You almost can't
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come up with a scenario. I've not been
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through.
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So, I'm both up here and in the pew,
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too.
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Okay. Now, let's read together as a
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family. I hear you, Dr. Alicia. Come on.
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Let's read. Luke 17. Then said he unto
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the disciples. Yeah. It is impossible,
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but that offenses will come. Yes. Junk
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don't happen. Come on. But woe unto him.
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You make sure you ain't the one doing
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it. I'm sorry. Read. Through whom they
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come. Yeah. It were better for him that
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a milestone were hanged about his neck.
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Yeah. And that he cast into the sea.
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Throw him in the sea. That then that he
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should offend one of the little ones.
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Yeah. So take heed to yourself. Now
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let's just stop there for a second.
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So the statement being willing to
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forgive is different from being postured
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in forgiveness.
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When I say forgiveness, this is some of
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the stuff I'm talking about. It mean uh
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Dr. Claire was talking with the teens
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and she asked me, she said, "Bishop, do
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you have a definition for
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forgiveness and I said, I don't have one
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that I have quote unquote made popular
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or tried to set out as like a Rosie
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O'Neal definition or whatever." I said,
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"But it for me means before time I give
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space for the shortcoming and flaws of
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others."
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To forgive is to give space before it's
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needed. That's right. Recognizing that
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people have shortcomings and they have
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flaws so that everything that occurs
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does not put the relationship in
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jeopardy.
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I'll say that again.
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It is to give forgive to what? Forgive.
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So be this just the way I you understand
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it to before the need. Yes. I've already
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given space
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that for the flaws and and and
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shortcomings of others so that every
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action does not now put the relationship
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in jeopardy.
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Some of us are like string when we ought
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to be like rubber bands.
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It's a good thing you preached on that
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offering cuz they get tighter and
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tighter as we sit here
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string. If if I just take a little thin
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piece and I imagine the thread or
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something and and you you put it in
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there, it's small. You just get you a
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little circle. You ain't getting but so
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much in there cuz it doesn't have give
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built into it. That's why we don't have
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long-term relationships many times cuz
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we don't have give built into us. People
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aren't. Oh, we're where We're I I know
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you don't know. Look at the person
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beside you. Say, it's hard for me to
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believe, but you're not perfect. I
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can't. It's shocking. I just Oh my god,
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it's shocking. I'm just Let me check to
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be sure. Darn. He even got a metal on
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his neck. You It's
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shocking. But
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mother, we're
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not. We're not. If you if you come into
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a relationship with no give. Wow.
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You come into it say, "Well, we going to
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go on and get married." But I'm telling
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you now, see, oh Lord,
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oh Lord, you you ain't even got into
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rel. I'm telling you now.
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You letting me know you thish.
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Ain't no flexibility in you. I'm need
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I'm needing I'm need you. You you can't
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you can't be married 40 and 50 years.
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12 years now. That same thing is 12 now.
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40 back in the day was 12. You can't not
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with not without some flexibility. You
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can't be friends for any period of time.
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That's why people change friendships
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like draws because they don't they're
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thread. Come on.
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They're threads. You don't have anybody
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in your life been there for over four
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years cuz that's generally where your
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thread gets spilled up. You need some
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flexibility. You need the ability to get
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upset and say, "But you know what? I
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decided a long time ago we going to hang
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on in there." Oh
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[Applause]
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god. I was thinking about the rubber
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band. I was going to sing this. No.
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Okay.
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Forgi being postured in forgiveness.
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means to give space for the hurt,
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even offenses, errors,
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weakness,
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and sometimes wickedness
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before it is needed. Here's here comes
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the slap on this one, Remy
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Cindy. Out of my faith and submission to
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God,
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let me say it again. Being postured in
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forgiveness is different from just you
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know just I'm willing to no that means
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you think you get the right to decide
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whether or not in this case
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but real forgiveness is what Jesus is
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talking about is posture to give space
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for these things before it is needed out
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of our faith or submission to God to be
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postured in the flexibility. This
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another I'm just working through it.
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Y'all know you going to be able to go
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back and watch it now. So, just pay
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attention. To be postured in the
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flexibility of love that offers space
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for the inevitable clashes and
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pain where you refuse to let
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everything be a make it or break it to
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the relationship.
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Go to Romans
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5. Go to Romans 5.
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Yeah. Romans
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5 verse 20. And this is not foreign. If
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if you have a heart to hear what God is
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saying, there's a dance in this.
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Although it's a painful one. It's kind
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of like I when I dressed up to go to
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that gayla, I was dressed up. I look
14:26
good, but it was painful to me. The
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shoes left me limping for the next day.
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Yeah. So there's there's a there's a joy
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in this
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that bites on the end.
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Romans 5. Because this is the way. Like
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it or not, folks. This is the way. You
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shout over it when it's between you and
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God. But we want to cuss over it when
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it's between us and folk.
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God with his holy self
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is yet flexible with us.
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And that is why he is
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unwilling. Now he will go thread like in
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a heartbeat when he sees that you
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disrespect his flexibility by refusing
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to have any.
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Let's read Bible. Let's just read Bible.
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Romans 5:20.
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Moreover, the law entered. Yeah. That
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the offense might abound. So in other
15:30
words, God let there be rules. Remember
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we talked about the law sets up to show
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the holiness of God and his general
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desire. But it also reveals our own
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weakness. So the law came in so that
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everybody could see how much foolishness
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they were doing. Come on. But where sin
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Amen. Because they may shout you down. I
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don't want you to get hit in the back of
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the head. Miss Phillips over there. And
15:51
she might have her camera. She might
15:52
accident jump up and hit you because
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this is a powerful verse. Read this line
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that you get ready to read. But where
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sin abounded, I feel a dance. Grace did
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much more abound.
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We don't even have to interpret that.
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All we did was read it. Where sin
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abounded.
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Grace. Hallelujah.
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Grace.
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Lord.
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This don't fit. It don't fit. But
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because grace has
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[Music]
16:34
[Applause]
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So where sin abound, grace did much
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more. Huh? Not trick. Come on. Where
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grace abounded, sin, where sin abounded,
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grace did much more. What? It spread.
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[Music]
16:52
He said, "But now I need you to have a
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right understanding about how I want us
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to flow with this." Read 61.
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Yeah, that's it. Pastor Trev said, "Talk
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Bible." Romans 6:1. What shall we say
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then? Uh-huh. Shall we continue in sin
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that grace may abound? He said, "So then
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what should we be saying about this?
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Should we continue in sin just because
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there's some flexibility?" No.
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Uh-uh. Wait a minute. Everybody didn't
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say that. No. Practice it. No. He said
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just because I'm flexible doesn't mean
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you ought to play me.
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[Applause]
17:37
But your dance ought to be that much
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more enhanced because you do know that I
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is flexible that I am willing that I am
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working with you that I have chosen
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before the need to give you space. I
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know your frame that you are dust. Oh,
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I'm preaching.
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[Applause]
17:58
So with that in mind, folks, we have a
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very serious call of God
18:06
on how we're going to function.
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Luke 17 begins. You go back. It begins
18:14
with this
18:15
understanding that junk is going to
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happen to us all. Yes. Yes. Whether it's
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being raped, whether it's being lied and
18:27
vilified, lied upon, whether it is
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whether it is people stealing and taking
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from you, whether it is being overlooked
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or there's I mean there's a million ways
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in which offenses can come. But hear me
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when I tell you they're going to come.
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Don't be shocked. Amen. They're going to
18:50
come. That baby that you love more than
18:53
life itself, you prayed for 108 years to
18:56
get it. You were older than Sarah times
18:59
two when it came. But when I tell you
19:02
that is the happiest thing in your life.
19:05
Keep living
19:06
[Applause]
19:08
and they're going to bring you to with
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an inch. That's not even an inch. That's
19:12
a quarter of an inch.
19:15
because offenses are going to come
19:17
through people you love and through
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people you don't know.
19:20
[Applause]
19:22
But now Jesus is very clear. We're just
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going to go verse by verse. Is that all
19:26
right? But Jesus is very clear in verse
19:29
one. Don't you be the person though.
19:34
See, I'm going to show you that what he
19:36
is doing is a
19:39
major mental paradigm shift for them.
19:44
He He's trying to correct some stuff.
19:46
He's going to talk to them about giving
19:49
space before he's going to talk to them
19:51
about being flexible. But he said, cuz
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you know some people like this. Oh,
19:55
okay. Well, so you supposed to get See,
19:57
some folk will go home and then when you
19:59
say, "Wait a minute, babe. You're not
20:00
going to holler." Wait a
20:02
minute. Where the space at and you
20:05
supposed to be giving me space now? What
20:08
you Oh, Lord. Did you the country and
20:10
the just what you ain't fitting to do
20:13
come on is try to take truth and twist
20:17
it and throw it back on me. We not f to
20:19
do that. Come on. Now for those of you
20:21
who are not from the country that means
20:24
this is what we are not going to do.
20:28
And what Jesus does is says, "No, no,
20:33
no. Offenses are going to come, but your
20:36
focus needs to be that you're not the
20:39
one they come through."
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Okay, it's I'll come back to it. I
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understand. Keep going. He said,
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"Because it would be better for us take
20:48
a millstone and you know that a concrete
20:50
block that's just going to make it
20:52
simple and throw you out into the sea
20:54
that drags you to the bottom, you drown.
20:57
He said, "That's how seriously I want
20:59
you to take it before you get arrogant
21:01
and think since they ought to forgive
21:04
that you can offend them and try to hurt
21:06
people.
21:09
Let's let's just come on. Let's just
21:10
work through that." He said, "I want you
21:12
to understand I'm going to talk about
21:14
the flexibility of of of love and
21:17
relationship." He said, "But I don't
21:19
want you to bring that up when it's you
21:21
cutting a fool."
21:23
Oh, y'all come on. You're making me work
21:26
too hard. And this the easiest part of
21:27
the lesson.
21:33
Our focus must
21:35
be not they got to forgive me, but you
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got to forgive. See, first of all, who
21:40
would even what kind of
21:44
person? But you got to forgive. Got that
21:48
great big Bible big as a what you tell
21:49
me as big as a cereal box.
21:56
It's crazy. Watch this. Jesus says in
21:59
verse
22:01
two. This is how seriously I
22:04
take hurting people,
22:07
dogging people, being
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unkind, being mean. Yeah,
22:15
this is he said this is the picture I
22:16
want in your head that if you're going
22:19
to be mean and hateful and unkind and
22:22
lie and take and and whatever all what
22:26
are what are some other things people
22:27
do? Violate who? Gossipurse.
22:33
Curse it folk and curse folk.
22:37
act like they can't ever change or they
22:38
this or they that. He said, "This is the
22:41
picture I want in your mind." See, he's
22:43
really When I tell you he bringing them
22:44
in, us in them in
22:48
He said, "It would be better for
22:49
somebody to put concrete shoes on you
22:52
and throw you in the water.
22:55
Let's continue reading."
22:58
So he says verse three, "Take heed to
23:00
yourself."
23:02
And that's what this thing like today
23:04
hit me. I said, you know, there have
23:06
been some things personally and I kind
23:07
of, you know, I was kind of feeling that
23:09
clap, that clap back kind of thing. And
23:11
and and it's hitting this verse too. He
23:13
said, look at this picture I'm giving
23:15
you,
23:16
Rosie. And so when we're singing set a
23:19
fire, I'm saying God, I want more of
23:21
you. I I I I said, God, and and and I
23:23
want you to be the refiner's fire. And
23:25
when the man of God said, "Run to that
23:27
fire."
23:33
He said, "Take heed to yourself."
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He says, "I know you're apostles. I got
23:39
all of that. Take heed to yourself." I
23:43
know you got a Bible big as a cereal
23:45
box, but take heed to yourself. You got
23:48
a cross on big enough Jesus could have
23:50
died, but take heed to yourself.
23:53
No. Come on, y'all. Because at the end
23:55
of remember what the Bible says and
23:56
don't ever forget this. The Bible says
23:58
that there is nothing that will give us
24:00
boldness in the day of judgment but that
24:03
we have walked in perfect love.
24:09
He said there's some folk cast out
24:10
demons ain't he said I don't know you.
24:15
He said take heed to yourself. And then
24:17
he goes on and when I tell you he comes
24:20
for us, he says, "If your
24:25
brother trespasses against
24:28
you, go let him know." See, I think a
24:31
lot of us get into issue because we want
24:35
to be more spiritual than Jesus.
24:39
No, we do. We do. Who wants to know what
24:42
I mean by that? I'm going to tell you
24:44
how. We said, "Well, I ain't going to
24:45
say nothing." Okay. But what he said,
24:47
rebuke him. So who's right? You or him?
24:57
Now you going to go through persecution,
24:59
don't you, Lady Tra? Pastor Tracy. Cuz
25:01
now Pastor Tracy read this verse many
25:03
moons ago and she would come to me if
25:06
the Bible say if you have something
25:08
against somebody or if somebody did
25:09
something, you need to say something to
25:10
them. I need to speak with you after
25:13
Bible
25:14
study and we will forever be laughing.
25:17
Me and Za Boy Trace had me hemmed up
25:18
under that
25:20
staircase. Now, now who is the joke on
25:23
now since Jesus said?
25:26
No, let's just put it out there. See,
25:28
see how see how the laughter dropped off
25:31
because see it seems funny. I don't want
25:33
you know what I ain't saying nothing.
25:34
That's what I see. That's why I ain't
25:35
even said. Okay. So, who is more
25:38
spiritual? Who is right? Jesus said, "I
25:43
wish I had some saved people." Jesus
25:46
said, "If your brother," And don't It
25:50
was a girl. Shut up. You know what I'm
25:51
The Bible talking about y'all be trying
25:53
to play them games. If somebody,
26:01
rebuke them. And that doesn't mean try
26:02
to embarrass them. It says, "Make it
26:04
clear this was not okay."
26:08
What' I say? Make it clear. clear this.
26:11
You don't have to be ugly and say, "Oh,
26:13
no, no, no, no. We're not going to do
26:15
that. That's not okay. You can't.
26:17
I'm no. Okay, you can stop right there.
26:21
We're good. I'm gone." No, no, no, no.
26:24
Cuz um you're not going to stand here
26:25
and cuss me out.
26:29
No, let me go and get my keys, go drive
26:32
down the street, get me a Dr. Pepper
26:34
Zero, and pray in the Holy Ghost.
26:38
not going to do that.
26:40
Let's read the Bible. Come on.
26:43
Says, "If your brother trespass against
26:44
thee, rebuke him. And if he said, you
26:46
know what, I'm sorry." Then the Bible
26:49
says, "Forgive him."
26:52
And then, but wait a minute. Then it got
26:54
even worse. Verse four. Y'all upsetting
26:57
that baby? And if he trusts, they said,
27:00
"Now, you knew I was going to need some
27:01
crackers." Why you ain't bring I'm just
27:03
playing. I'm just messing with you. My
27:06
boys used to do the same thing. Watch
27:08
this. And if he what? And if he
27:11
trespassed against thee seven times, cuz
27:14
see, wait a minute. See? Okay. Wait.
27:16
Wait.
27:19
Yes, pastor. No. I done told I told you.
27:22
Don't holl at me.
27:26
Now we an hour later.
27:28
And the decibb have gone back up. Come
27:31
on
27:35
[Music]
27:41
now. What are we doing here? Because you
27:44
doing the same best.
27:48
But Jesus said, I don't think we can I
27:52
don't think we that see I can tell that
27:54
we don't understand the purpose of our
27:55
faith. Y'all help me. that Jesus said,
27:59
even if they do it seven times in a day,
28:02
right? They got it.
28:05
Forgive them. Forgive them.
28:07
And then in Matthew 18, I'm not going to
28:09
even have you turn because I know half
28:11
of y'all probably would get up and walk
28:12
out. In Matthew 18, Peter, you know,
28:16
Peter heard all of this. He remembers
28:17
this. And then he called himself going
28:19
to try to just, you know, check this. So
28:22
now Jesus, how many times you say we
28:23
supposed to forgive? Up to seven times.
28:26
And Jesus Jesus don't play. Jesus said,
28:28
"Pe who you what is this? What are we
28:30
doing?" He said, "Okay, then even if
28:33
they do it seven times 70, that's why I
28:37
know there's a difference between being
28:39
willing to forgive and postured in
28:42
forgiveness.
28:45
I ain't even got time to review 490
28:48
offenses. I have to already have
28:51
flexibility built in.
28:55
I know. I know. The relationship must
28:58
have intentional gracebased space for
29:02
imperfections and painful interactions.
29:06
So he says you have to forgive. Now
29:08
watch this verse five. This is where
29:11
many of us are.
29:14
We love this verse. Read it before we're
29:15
done. And the apostle said unto the
29:17
Lord, the deep people said what?
29:20
Increase your faith. How many feel that
29:23
way right there? The Lord increase our
29:24
favor. I got to forgive them over and
29:26
over again. You going to have to do
29:27
something for me, Jesus. And we come in
29:30
church like that, don't we? We'll get in
29:32
praise. You I'm You better sing Demar,
29:36
you your wife, your whole family, bring
29:38
your children cuz somebody better do
29:40
something cuz I'm telling you if I got
29:42
to go back
29:44
home because we have developed a love
29:48
for anger. Our country is addicted to
29:52
the showcasing of arrogance and anger.
29:58
It fuels many of our political leaders.
30:03
And the apostles, Lord, you're going to
30:05
have to do something. And this is the
30:07
thing. This is the thing. The apostles
30:10
thought they needed more to be able to
30:13
do it.
30:16
We need more faith. And Jesus said, "You
30:19
don't need nothing else.
30:25
You can't be punkish and follow him."
30:28
Cuz he is Jesus. This is what I always
30:30
say in these streets. Jesus not playing
30:31
in these streets, honey. Listen to what
30:33
he says. They said, "Lord, increase our
30:36
faith." They trying to be spiritual and
30:38
trying to make it out on a very subtle
30:41
way that if it's going to get done, you
30:45
the invisible God got to do something.
30:47
So that way if he don't do it, then I'm
30:50
trying.
30:55
Then I have an excuse if I act like I
30:58
need to learn how to do
31:02
it.
31:05
Help us. Jesus said in verse six, "And
31:10
the Lord said, uhhuh, if ye have faith
31:13
as a grain of a mustard seed, ye might
31:16
say unto this sycamine tree, come on. Be
31:19
thou plucked into by be thou plucked up
31:23
by the root." Yeah. And be thou planted
31:25
into the sea, and it shall obey thee.
31:28
Now watch, watch, y'all. Wait. He says,
31:31
"If you have faith,
31:34
even a just a touch of it." See, that
31:38
says to me that our understanding of
31:41
faith has been very, very narrow and
31:44
maybe one-dimensional.
31:48
Because to us, we think faith is the
31:52
ability to get God to move. But at its
31:56
core, faith is the belief that I have in
31:59
Jesus as Lord and the control that his
32:02
belief has on my decision making. So the
32:06
greatest expression of faith is not that
32:08
I can move God, but my faith moves me.
32:14
Have a good day. May the Lord watch
32:17
between me and thee. See, that's the
32:18
faith we don't want to preach about
32:20
because that faith ain't about getting a
32:22
car. That faith ain't about getting a
32:24
new house. It doesn't have anything to
32:25
do with my gold or anything. It is about
32:28
if I say I have faith, then my faith
32:31
ought to be able to move me to obey God.
32:33
And I ain't got to have a lot if it's
32:35
real faith.
32:45
And then he goes on in verse 7 through
32:47
10
32:49
to give us another slap on it.
32:57
He said, "Cuz which one of y'all got
33:00
servants to plow, feeding cattle,
33:02
whatever, and then you say to him
33:04
eventually when he come in, go sit down
33:06
to eat." He said, "No, you ain't f to do
33:08
that." Y'all okay with the O'Neal
33:10
paraphrase? I'm in verse eight. He said,
33:13
"You're not f to do that. What you going
33:15
to say to him is get my food together so
33:18
I can eat and then, you know, take care
33:21
of me. Then after I'm good, then you go
33:23
ahead and enjoy. Then he says in verse
33:25
n, he said, "You think he going to thank
33:27
that servant because he did the things
33:29
that were commanded?"
33:33
Watch this. He said, "No, I don't think
33:36
so." Verse 10. So likewise, when you
33:40
have done all the things which were
33:43
commanded, your posture is we're
33:46
unprofitable cuz all we've done is our
33:50
duty.
33:55
See, faith has lost its core for us.
34:01
Because if Jesus is Lord, then whatever
34:06
I'm told to do is my duty.
34:10
I don't need anything else to fulfill my
34:14
duty. Come on. And I have been charged
34:18
by my savior
34:20
to forgive.
34:24
I don't get a choice.
34:31
See, they were trying to act like they
34:33
needed something
34:35
else. The reality is we have everything
34:38
we need to forgive. Now, I know that's
34:41
why I told him to take the clock off cuz
34:43
I do want to explain. There are a few
34:44
things that can help you with the
34:46
process of it.
34:49
But if your mind is not if if you have
34:51
real faith that means he is Lord. It
34:54
don't just mean I believe in a God.
34:57
It means I have made Jesus my God. So
35:01
then what he says I do it doesn't matter
35:03
how I feel or think about it. Amen.
35:08
See I couldn't be a coach on a team
35:10
where they standing there fussing with
35:11
me. Yeah. Amen. I'm the coach. What What
35:15
are we doing here now? What?
35:18
I said I said run the oneonone. That
35:21
looked like a uh Well, but we felt like
35:25
uh all I hear won
35:29
bench. That's what I hear. Because if
35:32
you had something to say, you discussed
35:33
that with me. But once I make a
35:36
statement of what we're doing, that's
35:37
what we're doing. Right. Right. Right.
35:42
Generals don't say, "Man, what you think
35:44
I was going to? If you ain't got nothing
35:45
else to do, could you?" Generals don't
35:47
talk like that.
35:49
Who is Jesus to you? Right? He said,
35:52
"Cuz if you have
35:55
faith, not just the way it can move
35:57
stuff in the earth, but if you have
35:59
faith, it moves you first."
36:02
So when they have done when you somebody
36:04
died in the family and then the two or
36:06
three of them came behind your back,
36:08
stole everything, they left you with the
36:10
program.
36:12
Don't act like this stuff don't happen.
36:14
Y'all be writing me and stuff. Don't
36:15
even do
36:17
it. And you like, you know what? I ain't
36:20
got nothing to say to
36:21
them. Well, he got something to say to
36:23
you.
36:26
So now you knew y'all wrong for stealing
36:27
like that, but I love you.
36:32
Amen. Well, let us continue.
36:38
They said, "Lord, we need more faith."
36:39
He said, "You do not. You need to
36:42
understand the relationship that we have
36:45
and that there are some things I do not
36:47
play about at all and forgiveness is one
36:50
of them." Amen. See, if you think you
36:54
need something else, let me tell you
36:55
what you already have. You have God's
36:58
expectation. Number one, you already
37:01
have his expectation that you would do
37:03
it. His command.
37:07
Okay. Number two, you have your
37:10
experience of having been forgiven.
37:15
See, this is the reason he ain't he he
37:17
ain't playing in these streets.
37:21
He said because what's Colossians 3 say?
37:23
Look down in Colossians. Forbearing one
37:26
another. 3:13. It do what? forbearing
37:29
one another and forgiving one another.
37:31
Yeah. Cutting each other some general
37:32
slack and putting space there before it.
37:34
He said that's your posture. Come on. If
37:36
any man have quarreled against any, you
37:39
got to do what about this thing? Even as
37:41
Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Amen.
37:46
See, when Peter ran up on Jesus with
37:49
that game in Matthew 18 and talking
37:51
about how, you know, how many times? And
37:53
Jesus went on to say, uh, not seven up
37:56
to seven times, 70* 70. Peter was like,
37:59
this is crazy right here. This crazy.
38:02
And Jesus said, you know, let me tell
38:04
you a story. And he goes up and he
38:07
brings up the story about the man that
38:09
owes somebody $50. Y'all, let me bring
38:11
it up today. Somebody borrow 50, man. We
38:13
get not even $50. We getting ready to
38:15
eat. Me and Trace go. We're somewhere at
38:17
the lounge. And Trace said, "Dog, going
38:18
to I left my wallet." No, I said dog.
38:21
Cuz I generally be the one to forget it.
38:22
I left my money. Trace, you got me. Cuz
38:24
I was just ask you got I'm hungry. $20
38:26
you got for
38:28
20. And then Trace, no. Let me go. I
38:31
supposed to go big, ain't I? I supposed
38:32
to go big first. Trace says, "I'm ready
38:35
to retire, Bishop. I'm ready to retire."
38:37
And uh me and Rev need something and
38:39
something something. Is there any way?
38:41
Trace, don't ask me this. I don't have
38:42
it. Is there any way? Cuz I was putting
38:45
it seemed like I was getting almost into
38:46
a flow. I don't want to be in that real
38:48
flow. It's an
38:49
example. Right. But she said, "Pastor,
38:51
we getting ready to try trying to get if
38:53
I just had another $100,000 that thing
38:55
would just set me straight. I could just
38:57
I could exhale. You understand?" And I
38:59
said, "Trace, I got you. I got you." And
39:02
I It's a what? Example, right? And so so
39:07
she says that and then then her, Darlene
39:10
and Shindy go out and they go to one of
39:12
these prayer things. They go out, they
39:14
be laid out on the floor for a couple
39:15
days. They love that kind of rolling
39:17
just for whoa God just going
39:20
in. And and and and Shindy goes, I ain't
39:24
bring my
39:26
wallet. And she asked for $10 from
39:30
Trace. Now I said, "Trace, I'm gonna let
39:33
you hold on to that $100,000 I got and
39:35
you can hold on to it for a little bit."
39:37
I said, "I'm gonna need my money." She
39:38
come back. She said, "Bishop, I thought
39:40
I was going to be able to pay you, but
39:42
like so many things begin to happen."
39:44
And so I'm just, you know, really, it
39:46
would be better if I could just, you
39:48
know, how do you feel about that? And I
39:51
said, "Okay, Trace, don't worry about
39:53
hold on to the 100,000. We good. You
39:55
don't owe it to me no more." And so she
39:58
are you sure? After she done asked,
40:00
right? I think, yeah, really, I mean, I
40:03
don't want to be thinking about it
40:04
later. So, Trace, we're good. And then
40:07
she she sees she she she sees Reverend
40:10
Shindy about four weeks
40:11
later and Sha get ready to get up to
40:14
presside
40:16
and she say, "I I have a word. I have a
40:19
problem with people, you know, who would
40:22
stand up and act so spiritual, but they
40:24
don't even
40:28
and put a business down the road. M
40:32
God said that's what it feels like.
40:35
That's what it looks like to him
40:38
when we won't forgive no matter what it
40:40
is. Because no matter what has been done
40:43
to us, it's just the same kind of stuff
40:46
that we do. It is choosing
40:50
against God and God's way. He said, "Now
40:53
I have forgiven every single thing you
40:56
ever did. I have forgiven stuff you did.
41:00
I've forgiven stuff you were supposed to
41:02
do that you didn't. I done had so much
41:05
flexibility. He said, I've been
41:07
stretched. In fact, he stretched so you
41:09
you heard it, didn't you, preacher? You
41:10
heard it, didn't you, preacher? He said,
41:12
I've been stretched so Yes, sir. Until
41:15
that's the way I had to die. One hand on
41:18
your life. You know that's how he said I
41:21
stretch that much and you mean to tell
41:24
me
41:26
that you won't forgive that you won't
41:28
let it go that you still talking about
41:31
it. You are literally keeping something
41:34
alive and keeping it fresh in your mind
41:37
and the mind of others after I told you
41:40
that I have forgotten your sins and and
41:42
buried them in the sea of forgetfulness.
41:45
So you cannot be like me.
41:52
I mean, I'm just we're reading
41:56
and there's some there's some strange
41:58
stuff that's been done. The tipping in
42:01
the bedroom of a kid's room. That ain't
42:04
no joke.
42:07
But Jesus said,
42:10
"Forgive." We have God's expectation,
42:13
number one. We have our own experience
42:16
of forgiveness. Number
42:20
two, there's a quote that I I wanted to
42:25
share with you. It was so It says,
42:31
"Forgiveness
42:33
is
42:35
releasing someone from the
42:38
offense, unlocking their their door, and
42:42
realizing you were the one that was the
42:44
prisoner.
42:46
That's good.
42:49
Understand this y'all. It's more than
42:51
releasing just letting yourself go. It's
42:54
getting bitterness out of you. It
42:57
doesn't mean you excuse what's been
42:59
done.
43:03
Whoever that them first two claps you
43:05
were trying to start it off. It was a
43:06
good clap.
43:09
It was a good clap because me forgiving
43:12
does not mean what you did was okay.
43:15
That's right.
43:16
That's right. It's not okay. And if you
43:18
bring it up, I'm going to tell you
43:19
again. It wasn't okay.
43:22
And I will reset boundaries if I am at
43:26
risk of you trying to do it again.
43:30
But what I'm not going to do is give you
43:32
the side eye for the rest of my life.
43:34
I'm not going to be talking about it. I
43:37
am not holding it in my heart. I have to
43:39
chalk it up to the sin nature in you
43:42
because I share the same nature.
43:50
So I have number one, God's expectation.
43:52
Number two, my own experience. Number
43:54
three, I have the
43:56
realization that it's not excusing the
44:00
deed.
44:02
That's right. And let me make this
44:04
statement. I know we're we're late.
44:09
There is a difference between weakness
44:11
and wickedness.
44:14
Come on, talk to me. There is a
44:17
difference between weakness and
44:20
wickedness.
44:21
I remember her she we were in school.
44:24
Her name is Tracy Easter. Love Trace.
44:27
And funny girl. Good gracious. Played
44:30
basketball. Just really funny. And uh
44:33
she was going with this guy. I can't
44:34
think of his name. Anyway, he was a cute
44:38
fella.
44:40
And you know, how real can we go today?
44:46
When Oh, boy. I don't know if I want to
44:48
go that real. It's been a minute since I
44:50
really felt that.
44:55
That's wrong. He talking about tell it
44:57
all. Tell yours.
44:59
Don't
45:02
just Okay. when you and some of y'all
45:06
won't be able to identify with this.
45:07
When you maybe have been bigger or
45:09
something all your life
45:12
and not really considered I mean I think
45:16
I'm cute but that's now I look a lot
45:20
better now than I did then growing up.
45:25
I took the long road,
45:28
Doc. And to have somebody put a lot of
45:32
attention on
45:33
me, even today, I get
45:37
nervous. I don't like, "Oh, Ber, it just
45:40
makes me so
45:43
nervous." Okay, can I put pause? Men,
45:47
where you at?
45:49
[Applause]
45:50
Guys are born hunters. Right? You follow
45:54
it. Guys know how to become what that
45:57
lady wants. If he's trying, if he's
46:00
trying to win her and he finds out that
46:02
she likes, you know, this kind of
46:05
attention, that will morph like the
46:08
Terminator came up from that silver
46:12
listen. But if you want to see him in a
46:15
mess, let the hunt change. Uhhuh.
46:20
He don't know what to do, right?
46:23
What?
46:25
No. No. They don't know what to do. I've
46:28
been talking with folk. I told my my
46:30
pastor sons coming up. I said, "Let me
46:31
tell you something. Y'all are committed
46:34
to your spouses. I know that." I said,
46:36
"But when I'm trying to tell you to be
46:38
careful of certain things, it's because
46:40
you don't know how to handle some stuff
46:43
because you ain't been through it." How
46:46
real do I tell you? You you did you say
46:48
tell you didn't say you weren't trying
46:49
to get me to put all my that was him so
46:52
you don't want me to throw you out.
46:54
Okay. Well, you know, so PT grew up
47:02
narrow. The chocolate's always pretty,
47:04
but I'm saying it may not have been
47:06
where you came from.
47:08
So what do you do if you weren't
47:10
considered a
47:11
fine find and then somebody walks up to
47:15
you look like a darn contestant in
47:18
something and say you know what I would
47:21
love to wear you
47:24
out you don't know how you don't know
47:26
how to handle
47:28
that y'all ain't see I don't even know
47:30
why y'all come here go to another church
47:32
another Sunday I'm tired of y'all you
47:35
know what I'm Man, Shandelle all now
47:38
you're a good-looking man. What was the
47:39
guy? Dwayne Wayne. Everybody thought
47:40
that that's who they thought you were.
47:41
You always you smart as a whip every
47:43
nerd. I'm sure that's what they thought.
47:45
Now you buscular and business all that
47:47
kind of stuff. I don't know if you were
47:48
that way growing up. But what I know is
47:52
what happens when you get to a certain
47:54
stature in life
47:56
and then somebody that you ain't never
47:58
thought would look in your direction.
48:00
That's right. That's right. They become
48:04
KFC right in front of you.
48:06
Now, either you know what that means or
48:08
you don't. I'm not going into it.
48:11
Huh? Oh, this is a Tuesday night.
48:15
So, here here I am. Back to me.
48:20
I was never really considered. I was
48:22
already friendly and sweet. I wasn't
48:26
considered pretty like that.
48:29
And when my friend Tracy's friend came
48:33
at
48:35
me, before I knew
48:46
it, and what I
48:50
did was weakness. It wasn't wickedness,
48:54
right? I didn't I would never have meant
48:57
to hurt Tracy.
49:00
It still hurt her though.
49:07
But I didn't mean to. Right. It caught
49:09
me. I didn't think nobody thought that
49:11
of me. And when they went to blinking
49:14
and grinning at me like that
49:17
and in your mind you go, you think I'm
49:20
cute? Really? Yeah. Right. Right. You
49:24
know, I got a low voice. I got I'm
49:26
hairy. And of course, thank God he had
49:28
more hair on his face than me. But I was
49:31
like, uh-uh. See, that's why
49:34
I'm You know, it take a lot to get up
49:38
here and put your stuff
49:40
out. Y'all don't appreciate nothing. Uh
49:42
uh y'all. But I mean what I'm trying to
49:45
get you to see is wickedness and
49:47
weakness are different, but they both
49:51
still hurt.
49:55
So I have to
49:58
remember the weakness and wickedness in
50:02
us all. Yes.
50:05
And when I recognize that, I posture
50:09
more easily in forgiveness.
50:13
So, here is the story. I've told y'all
50:14
for 35 years. Here it is again. I'm
50:18
going to have to let you go cuz I can't
50:21
finish. I told you the story. Actually
50:24
learned it from Max
50:25
Lukeo, but I lived it later on. Max Lo
50:30
was telling the story about he had this
50:33
one member and wherever he would go if
50:36
that member was there they would be they
50:39
would turn it out. It was always a
50:41
scene. Oh, they just were loud and if
50:44
you said anything to him they went to
50:46
crying and it would people be staring at
50:49
him and you know he's a preacher. He's a
50:51
well-known he's a writer. Everybody's
50:52
looking and one day it just got so bad.
50:54
The person got so upset they had fallen
50:56
all out and done all this other kind of
50:58
stuff and threw up on it.
51:05
And he said, "But in spite of it all, it
51:08
was his favorite member cuz it was his
51:11
nine-month old baby." Okay. Uh-uh.
51:14
Uh-uh. That R, that R, that R is point
51:18
number four. M that awe is
51:23
understanding.
51:26
Now, I had the same thing. Here's my
51:29
here was my part of it. When I was in
51:31
college, right over there in between
51:33
Green and White
51:34
Hall, somebody spit in my face.
51:40
I'm I was a preacher already
51:44
and I listen sh listen. And I started
51:48
crying. I was so mad cuz y'all know I
51:51
had that murderous
51:53
tendency and see that wasn't even a joke
51:55
and they laughed. I don't know what
51:57
y'all are some funny folk. So in my
52:00
mind and I'm and I'm sad about it
52:03
because that's so not the nature of
52:05
Jesus. And yet here I am with great big
52:07
Bibles and all that kind of stuff. And I
52:09
was so angry I wanted to snap their
52:11
neck.
52:14
And I stood there and I cried because I
52:16
knew I couldn't do anything.
52:20
And I literally lit it's on one I didn't
52:23
have a stroke. I turned completely I
52:26
was the second time I was spit on in my
52:29
face.
52:31
I didn't get mad at all.
52:34
Now it was some years in between.
52:37
Not a lot, a couple, but I didn't even
52:40
get mad cuz this time, Scotty, I was
52:43
visiting the hospital where my
52:46
grandfather who had had a stroke was. He
52:49
had a TRA and was sick. So, it was him
52:52
coughing that hit me. One situation I
52:55
was ready to kill. The other one didn't
52:58
anger me at all because I understood the
53:00
state he was in. And when you and I
53:02
remember that people, no matter how
53:05
sweet some of us are, we are all made of
53:08
dust. We are all hanging on by a grace
53:11
thread. We all have a sinful nature in
53:14
us. Y'all ain't talking to me. When you
53:17
remember, it doesn't have to be that.
53:18
When you remember that,
53:22
you all say a
53:25
because you understand they can't do any
53:27
better. That's right. Say, well, he
53:29
could do better. They disappointed
53:31
me. If I brought If I brought somebody
53:35
with severe special needs up here, my to
53:39
shoot a basketball and it barely got out
53:41
of their hand. Where am I?
53:45
If I got I told him I said try to throw
53:47
it. I'm trying to throw at the wheel and
53:49
if I have special needs and I
53:51
go and that's as far as it goes. You
53:55
say, "Oh, that's okay, baby. That's
53:57
okay. That was a good try. Yeah. Then I
54:01
get up, it ain't no problem.
54:05
Why do we why do we cut that slack?
54:07
Because we understand there limitations
54:09
there.
54:11
Now, can I tell you, God, y'all get
54:14
wonder? Can I get up here? Let me see.
54:16
Hold my hand. I want to get up. Three,
54:18
two, believe God for the chairs to hold.
54:20
Okay.
54:22
Every last one of us is special needs in
54:24
here.
54:26
You just can't see everybody's.
54:29
Some of us like right now I don't see
54:31
that well because I have I have contacts
54:33
though. Some other people they they have
54:36
issues. They got issues just as big as
54:38
if as as if I mean they maybe they were
54:41
raped.
54:42
And it created a real issue in them and
54:46
you can't look at them and tell but if
54:48
you put them in certain situations then
54:50
all of a sudden it shows up. So my thing
54:52
is the way Jesus is explaining this, why
54:55
don't we all be aware that outside of
54:58
God in my flesh dwells no good thing
55:02
that I am just all of us everybody from
55:05
the pope to the pimp everybody in
55:08
between. All of us need grace. All of us
55:11
need forgiveness. All of us need help.
55:13
All of us are messed up to a degree. So
55:16
what we need to do is try not to hurt
55:18
people. And when we get hurt, Jesus
55:21
said, "It's your duty to forgive."
55:26
That's the end of
55:28
it. And that's the end of it.
55:31
No choice.
55:33
That's it.
55:35
You forgive. Period. If them women could
55:39
forgive them that people that went in
55:41
there and killed all them little Amish
55:42
kids in that school,
55:45
that's right. Now, how you going to let
55:46
them out forgive? You know why they
55:48
forgave? Cuz that Jesus told them to.
55:53
We don't have that option. We must
55:57
forgive.
55:59
So today
56:07
the guy that molested me under a church
56:09
pew,
56:10
I had to forgive him.
56:13
Jesus didn't give me any options on
56:15
that.
56:17
I said Jesus didn't give me any options
56:18
on that.
56:23
But if I understand his command,
56:27
his expectations here, I got to. Yeah.
56:30
If I remember my experience, yeah, I dog
56:33
on ought to.
56:36
But if I understand that we all have
56:39
weakness and wickedness, that we are all
56:42
flawed,
56:44
how can I do anything but
56:47
forgive?
56:49
So
56:50
today it's time
56:53
let it go.
56:57
Let it
56:59
go. You but why? It ain't going to ne
57:03
you can't make sense of crazy.
57:06
Ain't no sense of going back over it.
57:08
But see my thing, it ain't about you.
57:11
Forgive. It was
57:14
wrong. I ain't going to let it happen
57:16
again. But I'm not going to hold you in
57:20
a posture like you can't change. Cuz if
57:22
God could save me, he can save anybody.
57:26
[Applause]
57:30
So now let me ask this. I know cuz we
57:33
you know we usually out of church
57:35
now but we had planned to have
57:38
communion. I told pastor I said I ain't
57:40
sure if we'll be ready.
57:43
Remember I said I I don't know doc this
57:45
may be but I also understand forgiveness
57:48
ain't something I get time to work
57:50
through. I can work through the feelings
57:54
after I've done it. Yeah, that's right.
57:57
Yeah.
57:59
A divorce. Now, we're not trying to get
58:01
you a divorce, but a divor once you sign
58:03
that paper, that's done. But that don't
58:05
mean the feelings are done. So, now you
58:08
got to work through the feelings. But
58:10
now, I need to go ahead and be done if I
58:12
need to be done. You understand what I'm
58:13
saying? So, if I sign the paper for the
58:15
house, it's bought. I still got to deal.
58:18
Oh, Lord, I got to start making them
58:20
payments. But that's done. We forgive.
58:25
I'm not holding this. I'm not repeating
58:28
this. I'm not going to sit up every day
58:31
and go back over. I'm not doing that
58:33
anymore. So the next time this thought
58:35
comes, I am putting my mouth. God, thank
58:37
you how you forgave me for those times I
58:40
used to do so. Thank you. Oh my God,
58:42
Lord, your blood is amazing. Thank you
58:44
for how you kept me. And the devil said,
58:46
but they didn't have to do. And then
58:48
they they lied. And you know what, Lord?
58:50
I thank you. You know what? You have
58:52
forgiven so many of my lie. Oh my God.
58:55
Thank you that you've washed me now that
58:57
I don't lie. Now that I can speak truth
58:59
in Uhhuh.
59:02
it's time to forgive
59:04
cuz we can't. We faith to forgive, power
59:07
to forgive, whatever you want to call
59:08
it.
59:10
But it's our
59:12
duty my and it's our worship.
59:17
God, it's our worship.
59:20
You got a lot of people that have done
59:22
you wrong. Let them go. Yeah. Just let
59:25
them go. Just say, "You know what? Cuz
59:27
watch this. I still made it."
59:31
They say, "But they walked out and left
59:33
me. Must not have had to have them cuz
59:34
you still here.
59:37
The only time you really need to go to
59:39
pieces if the Lord ain't there." My God.
59:44
You think they ready? I don't know. I
59:46
can't be sure. I let this be your call.
59:49
You don't even make it my call till
59:51
December, ain't you? You so trifle. Come
59:53
on,
59:55
Deacons. But I forgive
59:58
you. Thank you,
1:00:00
Lord. Forgiveness has caused more
1:00:02
sickness than probably most things.
1:00:05
Unforgiveness, rather, unforgiveness has
1:00:08
caused more sickness and
1:00:10
illness, mental illness, stress,
1:00:13
arthritis, all kinds of things.
1:00:15
Now you forgive in Jesus name. Y'all
1:00:19
here you forgive what?
1:00:23
You let it go out of worship to Jesus.
1:00:26
Now you may need to go to a counselor to
1:00:29
work through the emotions
1:00:32
to help you see that forgiving it didn't
1:00:34
excuse it.
1:00:37
It's not straight. You got to keep going
1:00:39
a little bit. Stop. Okay.
1:00:43
Father, we consecrate these
1:00:45
elements because Lord, whenever there
1:00:47
was a time for a covenant to be cut,
1:00:49
there was blood and then you showed us
1:00:51
in the New Testament where they ate and
1:00:54
drank.
1:00:56
Father, we're cutting covenant with you
1:00:59
today to remember your expectation, to
1:01:02
remember our experience of forgiveness,
1:01:05
to remember that we have a shared sinful
1:01:08
nature, but also God, that we're not
1:01:12
excusing it away, but we're refusing to
1:01:15
chain oursel to it. We are not going to
1:01:18
be rethinking. We're putting our mind
1:01:21
back into fertile things to think
1:01:24
about. and we let them go, Lord, the
1:01:26
same way you let us go. Thank you that
1:01:29
you still let us breathe with as many
1:01:31
times as we failed you. You still let us
1:01:34
enjoy sunshine with as many times as we
1:01:37
have done sinful things. May we stop
1:01:41
trying to wish away the sun for those
1:01:44
we've considered an enemy. Father, give
1:01:47
us a heart like yours to pray for their
1:01:50
sunshine as well.
1:01:53
Father, we thank you that as these
1:01:55
deacons come and serve this precious
1:01:59
bread and juice, Father, let it be a
1:02:02
symbol of your body and your blood. And
1:02:05
Lord, we don't take lightly the
1:02:06
covenant. We don't take lightly our
1:02:09
covenant to forgive and to release
1:02:11
people. Father, for every
1:02:13
misunderstanding that we let tear up a
1:02:16
relationship, we ask your forgiveness.
1:02:18
Father, for every time we've looked back
1:02:21
on a deed done years in the past and
1:02:24
then changed our posture towards
1:02:25
somebody, we ask your forgiveness. We
1:02:28
release them. And Father, we're going to
1:02:31
step into a fresh joy in Jesus' name.
1:02:35
Amen. Deacons, please come quickly and
1:02:38
serve our people.
1:02:42
Quickly, quickly,
1:02:45
quickly. How many needed to hear this
1:02:47
word
1:02:48
[Music]
1:02:51
today? Even though forgiveness will make
1:02:54
your heart more fertile, it'll cause
1:02:56
blessings to abound in your life. All
1:02:59
you got to do is read the Bible.
1:03:00
Forgiveness will make your witness so
1:03:02
much stronger. Forgiveness is going to
1:03:05
open the door to people to be saved that
1:03:08
you thought never would be saved, but
1:03:10
you holding them kept them in a dark
1:03:13
spot. You're going to see all kind of
1:03:15
miraculous things. But let your
1:03:17
forgiveness be your worship and
1:03:20
obedience to
1:03:22
Christ. Let it be because of that,
1:03:26
because he forgave you. Thank you, Lord.
1:03:30
Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord.
1:03:34
Yes. I want him to purify me. How many
1:03:38
know now? Can you see why we had to sing
1:03:39
those songs today? We need the fire of
1:03:42
God to purify us. Thank you, Lord. Thank
1:03:46
you, Lord.
1:03:49
[Music]
1:03:54
Give me grace to obey.
1:03:57
in a
1:03:59
clean heart. I want a clean heart.
1:04:05
Yes, Lord.
1:04:09
You ought to be praising or saying,
1:04:10
"Help me, Jesus." or something. Thank
1:04:12
you, Lord.
1:04:16
Oh, Lord.
1:04:19
[Music]
1:04:22
Yes, sir.
1:04:28
Thank you, Father.
1:04:34
[Music]
1:04:41
People don't like you, let them have
1:04:43
their opinion and love them from a
1:04:46
distance. It's okay. Don't get let it
1:04:49
get in your heart. I want a clean heart.
1:04:53
I said, I want a clean heart.
1:04:56
I don't want him to find wicked ways in
1:04:58
me.
1:05:00
Let it go. Py.
1:05:04
Yeah. Purifying.
1:05:07
Somebody need to just say, I release
1:05:08
them
1:05:10
in the name of Jesus.
1:05:13
I'm not rethinking it. I'm not holding
1:05:15
on. I let it go.
1:05:17
[Music]
1:05:23
Yeah. As they're serving, if there's
1:05:26
someone here today and you've never
1:05:29
asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life,
1:05:30
maybe you didn't know you could be
1:05:33
forgiven. Or maybe you've been holding
1:05:35
people and you've been angry for so
1:05:37
long. In fact, you're even shocked
1:05:39
you're going to church now. You're
1:05:41
shocked because you were so sick of
1:05:43
everything and
1:05:45
everybody. But you were block the enemy
1:05:47
was using it to block out the love and
1:05:50
the warmth of
1:05:52
God. Jesus
1:05:54
died to forgive
1:05:57
you. So if you're here today and you've
1:06:00
never made him the Lord of your life,
1:06:02
and as you can see, it's not an easy
1:06:04
thing because he requires us walking in
1:06:07
a love that is otherworldly.
1:06:10
But if you know he's calling you today
1:06:12
to himself, if that's you, will you
1:06:15
raise one hand? Pastor, I'm not saved,
1:06:17
but I need to give Jesus my life. I need
1:06:20
to be forgiven. I need to be
1:06:24
forgiven.
1:06:25
Okay? And church, do understand that we
1:06:28
forgive because he commanded it. But he
1:06:31
also reminded us if you do not forgive
1:06:36
others, it put it like this. With the
1:06:38
same measure you eat meat, it'll be
1:06:40
measured to you. He said, if you do not
1:06:42
forgive others, I will not forgive you.
1:06:46
After I done brought you into this
1:06:47
knowledge and forgiven everything and
1:06:50
given you all this grace and then you
1:06:52
decide you're not going to do that with
1:06:55
anybody else, he said, I can't I can't
1:06:57
keep what what what are we doing? Help
1:07:00
me to always have a forgiving
1:07:03
heart.
1:07:05
Amen. All right. Would you
1:07:10
stand? A clean
1:07:14
heart that I
1:07:16
may worship
1:07:18
you. If you take that top
1:07:21
off, it'll reveal a little wafer. It's a
1:07:25
symbol. Come on,
1:07:27
deacons. It's a symbol of the body of
1:07:29
the Lord. That wafer and that juice,
1:07:32
it's just juice, but it's a symbol of
1:07:35
the blood of Jesus. You say, "Why do we
1:07:37
do that?" Because our sins cost
1:07:41
him his
1:07:43
life. His body was broken. His blood was
1:07:46
shed. And it became the payment for
1:07:50
sin. So, as you
1:07:53
do, we're going to serve the deacons.
1:07:58
And y'all have Okay.
1:08:04
[Music]
1:08:06
This is some heavy spiritual lifting
1:08:07
this
1:08:09
morning. Creating
1:08:11
me. Yeah.
1:08:15
Yeah. Body and blood of our Lord. Body
1:08:18
and blood of our Lord. Thank you,
1:08:22
Lord. The body and blood of our Lord.
1:08:30
Yes. Purify me.
1:08:33
Thank you, Jesus.
1:08:37
Somebody getting set free this morning.
1:08:39
Yes, Lord. Cuz it's not going to hold
1:08:41
you anymore.
1:08:43
You unlock the door to let them out and
1:08:46
realize the lock was on you. He's
1:08:48
freeing you in Jesus
1:08:50
[Music]
1:08:53
name. Lord, thank
1:08:56
you Lord today.
1:09:00
No
1:09:01
excuses. No, we need something else to
1:09:04
do it. Out of obedience to
1:09:08
you and in awareness of what we've
1:09:10
already
1:09:11
received, our
1:09:14
faith, our submission to you, we release
1:09:18
those that have hurt us, violated us in
1:09:21
any way. We will not hold it. We're not
1:09:25
going to keep it active in our minds.
1:09:28
We are letting it go and choosing to
1:09:32
walk in love and focus on a future with
1:09:36
you in our view. We do so now as we
1:09:39
receive this holy communion. We take and
1:09:42
eat of the body that was broken for us
1:09:46
and we drink of the cup the new
1:09:48
testament in his blood.
1:09:51
[Music]
1:09:55
We're free. Hallelujah.
1:09:58
Hallelujah.
1:10:00
We're free.
1:10:06
Where sin abounded,
1:10:09
grace did much more abound.
1:10:12
So Lord, today thank you for this time,
1:10:15
this extended
1:10:17
service. But Lord, sometimes our issues
1:10:20
don't fit neatly into 90minute molds.
1:10:25
But Lord, we thank you that love is our
1:10:28
posture
1:10:29
and we choose to give space before the
1:10:33
time of need in Jesus play.