Transcription
Well, to God be the glory for the great things our God has done. Our God is great and greatly to be praised. And on this fourth Sunday of the month of September, where we gather to celebrate both God and God's servant to this place called Alfred Street, we may as well give God the glory that is due unto our God's name. Amen.
What a joy it is to be back at Alfred Street. And it is my great delight to celebrate with you, Alfred Street, the gift that has been given to you in the person of my beloved brother and friend, Dr. Howard John Wesley. I do celebrate you, sir, and I honor you for who you are, all that you mean to the body of Christ worldwide and to all humanity who benefits from your selfless service. I'm grateful to be here uh with these great preachers of the gospel and this great music ministry that didn't get to show it. And uh to all those and to all those who have planned for this very special uh e uh event and service for your pastor. I do thank God for our brother from Chicago, uh, Brother Jonathan McMinnows, and for his music ministry today. I thank God for the members of the Wheeler Avenue Church who stayed over from the CBC and came to church this morning. I'm impressed. I'm impressed. That's pretty good. I thank God for all of you. I see your smiling faces and I praise God for you.
Pastor has said at least 15 times, we're in a hurry. So now my 40 minute sermon has to be 16 minutes. But if you have your Bibles, I invite your attention to the New Testament book of Acts. The New Testament book of Acts. Dr. Sujay, it's good to see you as always. We thank God for you, ambassador. Book of Acts at chapter 12. New Testament book of Acts is the fifth of the New Testament books. Acts chapter 12 beginning at verse 5. I'm reading today from the New International Version of the Holy Word of God. >> And this is what it says. So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. That's enough. Amen. Praise God for his holy word. Amen. You may be seated. In the presence of the Lord. You know how I roll.
So Peter was kept in prison. But the church was earnestly praying to God for him. For the time of his share together this Sunday morning, I want to talk from the subject, don't you worry about a thing. [Applause] Don't you worry about >> a thing. This may be a stretch, Alfred Street, but have you ever seen a preacher get in trouble with the government? [Applause] I suspect your answer is yes. Well, let me go with the second question. Have you ever experienced a narcissistic, egoomaniacal, governmental official who is insecure >> about everybody beyond himself? >> Yeah. Well, if if that's a yes, I need to ask a third question. Have you ever seen a church >> that was so spiritfilled >> that they committed themselves to prayer >> despite what the circumstances of life might present? If you can answer in the affirmative to all of those questions, then you pretty much know Acts chapter 12 already. That's the story of Acts chapter 12 in kind of a nutshell. There's this preacher who's been preaching powerfully and profoundly. And as a consequence, there's this leader who has gotten insecure all out of sorts because the preacher's been preaching so powerfully and profoundly. But despite the ignomaniacal ways of that narcissistic leader, there's a church that refuses to stop praying. >> I'm intrigued. I'm I'm intrigued by the reality of it all. This this intelligent preacher, this this spiritfilled preacher, this this preacher who literally can read and pronounce acettophen. This what what this this intelligent articulate preacher has had quite a bit of success. J. >> As a matter of fact, if you read this story of this preacher from the beginning of his ministry, even to this day, that preacher has had effectiveness communicating the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm intrigued. I'm enthralled by this this special preacher, this this anointed man of God. Now, I know that many of you are wondering, who am I talking about? Yes, I could be talking about Howard John Wesley, >> but Acts chapter 12 tells us about another preacher just like that. >> His name is Peter. >> Peter's been quite effective since the beginnings of his ministry. Oh yes, Peter was called by the Lord Jesus. He had a little rocky three-year journey there because although he was sold out to Jesus, he still had a little hood in him. loves the Lord. Oh, that's undisputable. But he cusses every now and then. [Applause] >> He's committed to Jesus. But earlier he talked about a switchblade. and a switchblade can be found among his possessions. By the time you get to Acts, however, the Bible says he's been filled with the Holy Ghost. And when he preaches one sermon, in chapter 2, 3,000 souls get saved. By the time you keep on reading in chapter 3, he's he's come in contact with a man who was lame. He speaks over him the name of Jesus Christ. That man starts leaping and jumping and praising God. By the time you get chapter four, he is standing before the Sanhedrin, these who are so so legalistic that they can barely understand what it means to truly worship God. >> And he says to them, listen, let's be clear. I I know what it means to be in love with Jesus Christ. I know what it means to have the power of the Lord. And so, in the name of the Lord Jesus, I do what I do and I stand on it. I like a brother like this. He's He must be from the southside or wherever he came from because this brother understands that there is no way that he can shrink or sherk from the responsibilities that the Lord has given to him.
Now to be sure when that happens there are those who get insecure because there is expansion. Did I mention that every time he preaches there's expansion? Every time he preaches, souls get saved. Every time he preaches, lives gets transformed. And as a consequence of that, there is some insecurity. Expansion breds breeds rather insecurity. >> There are always some people who won't hate on you >> when you start rising. >> There's always somebody who remembers you win and always want to keep you there. There's always somebody who can who wants to bring you down because God keeps lifting you up. >> And so your Bible says by the time we get to chapter 12 that there's an egoomaniacal leader named Herod who decides to put Peter in prison. There's been the expansion of the Lord's church. The expansion has been so great it has moved just not just from the Jews but into the gentile community. Cornelius in chapter 10 has found out that there's a man named Jesus who will love him beyond what others may say about him. And there he finds himself, Peter does, now kept in prison. Did Did you hear it when I read it to you? Peter is kept in prison. It It pleased Herod that the Jews were pleased that James had been killed. When you read all of chapter 12, you'll find out he had already taken out one leader. Because when you don't agree with this egoomaniacal, narcissistic leader, he'll get the DOJ to persecute you and prosecute you. If you don't agree with him, he'll find any way to come after you. That's what happens. He killed He killed James and now he's got Peter in prison. Peter is kept in prison. But your Bible says that prayer was earnestly made of the church for him.
I'm intrigued by this. But prayer that that those two words speak volumes to me, Dr. Wesley. But prayer, because many of us have have begun to reduce the value and worth of prayer. Because of our academic acumen and all of our experiences, we begin to belittle the supernatural power of prayer. But there's some folk on your row right now who can testify prayer does change things. Yeah. Yeah. Prayer prayer changes things. There there's some people sitting close to you right now who still believe in the power of prayer. And I want to suggest that what happens in Acts chapter 12 is that we see if you watch the movements of the text, we see what I call the church's priority. These who are the church, these who are the saints of the living God, the people of God, the sons and daughters of the living God have found out that their leader, their their their their pastor, their friend, their brother has now been been put on on lockdown. And now that he's been put on lockdown, the church has to make a decision. What is we going to do? >> That what are we going to do? Yeah. And and after they after they make this decision, I like what they do. They cut they commit themselves to it. They they are not just praying. Your Bible says they are earnestly praying. Don't miss the details of the text. They just might bless you. They're earnestly praying with everything that is within them. They are going before the great God of glory. And they have made this priority. I'm I'm sure there's somebody else in the sanctuary, somebody in the overflow spaces, somebody around the world watching us this morning who can testify that you have made up in your mind that despite whatever comes or goes, despite whatever happens in this thing called life, you've committed yourself to having constant communication with the creator cuz you recognize that God still hears and answers prayer. All right, that was about 35% of the room. I need to preach it till everybody gets it. I said there's somebody who's listening to my voice on this Sunday morning who has tried God for yourself. And you can testify on this Sunday that we serve a God who both hears and answers prayer. That was pretty good. That's 65% of the room. I'm going to preach it till everybody gets it. They tell me the third time is the charm. I said, "Somebody in this church can testify. If it hadn't been for some praying people in my life, I don't know where in the world I would be, but I came to church as a living, breathing testimony that God still hears and God answers prayer." I heard you, Dr. Wesley, when you cited that beloved hymn of the church. I love that hymn just like you do. Do you remember that that that powerful line that goes like this? Oh, what peace >> we often forfeit. >> Oh, what needless pains we bear all because we do not carry >> everything to God in prayer. That's what these saints do. They make it priority to go to God in prayer. Your pastor has told you he's about to leave now for a time of respit and sabbatical. And only three things have been requested of you. And the first was that you would be prayerful. And I believe there's somebody in here who still believe that when you call on Jesus, he will answer prayer. That's what the old saints saying. That's what the old saints saying. And I like this pastor. This is not just supplication. This here is what we call intercession. >> Now, that that may not bless you like it blesses me, but when you've been in a space where you couldn't get yourself out, couldn't work your way through it, but you knew you had some people back at the house praying for you. Oh, child of God, when you know you got some folk interceding for you, it affects how you live. It affects how you walk and talk through life. I need somebody in here who can testify. You so grateful that some people in your history have prayed for you. The only reason you are where you are, know what you know, do what you do, and have what you have. Is cuz when you weren't even thinking about God, somebody was back there saying, "Lord, bless my baby. Lord, Lord, keep her. Lord, hold him. Don't let him go too far. I need somebody to thank God for the intercession of the saints. Come here. Can I go further? I want to suggest that there are those of us in here who ought to get happy every time we recognize the lot in life that we now possess. Because many of us right now, >> that's what I said, right now are are the beneficiaries of dead folks prayers. Oh, come on. Let's talk for a little while. I need somebody to go ahead and get happy that there are some folk who are with the Lord right now, but you live it off their prayers on this Sunday morning. Somebody ought to thank God for a mama, a daddy, a grandparent, a teacher, a pastor, a leader who made sure that they prayed for you. And now look at you as goodlooking as you are, doing wife as well as you are, somebody ought to thank God that before they crossed over, they prayed for you. >> It's intercession. It's intercession. And these folk are praying. praying for Peter. It's the church's priority. Oh church, we got praying to do. >> Uh-oh, you missed it. Oh church, >> we got some praying to do. >> With all the injustices running rampant in our streets, we got some praying to do with the racism and sexism and the challenges that we face every single day. We've got some praying to do. I I said we got some praying to do. But I got some good news cuz God says, "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then God says, I'll hear from heaven." Woo! I'll hear forgive their sin and heal their land. Is there anybody in here who's still grateful that God hears and answers prayer? We got to hurry up. But I just thought I'd let you know a little something about the church's priority.
But can I show you just a bit about the clergyman's reality? >> Watch the movements of the text. I begin with the church's priority. But I continue with the clergyman's reality. Y'all remember his name, don't you? His name is Peter. Y'all about to say, "Howard John?" His name is Peter. His name is Peter in Acts chapter 12. Thank you, pastor, for giving them the answer. His name is Peter. And the Bible says that the church is earnestly praying to God for him. >> That's good news. And the church is earnestly praying to God for Peter. But if you keep reading chapter 12, you'll find out Peter's in prison. And he's locked up on lock down. And while he's in prison, watch on death row. While he's there, >> your Bible says Peter got the nerve >> to be sleep. I like it. I like it. I like Oh, it didn't hit right. It didn't hit right. Somebody missed it. He said, "What'd he say? What'd he say?" I said, "Peter is in prison on death row." And Herod, the egoomaniacal, narcissistic one, ain't playing. He had already killed James. And the Bible says he's going to take old Peter out next. But the saints are praying. Thank you. >> And while the saints are praying, Peter is sleeping. >> Okay. It it doesn't it doesn't hit you like it should. Um how would you be uh uh walking around dealing with your life if your life was in jeopardy and it was to be taken in the very next few hours? What would be your reality? What what would you be doing? How would you be responding? Very few of us would be sleep. >> I know you spiritual. I know you love the Lord. I know you got a big old Bible in your lap app on your phone. I know you pray three times a day toward the east. However, if it had been your reality, few of us would be asleep. So you got to ask the question, h how is it >> that old Peter can sleep >> while all this drama is circulating around him? >> How is he in repose? How is he resting with all this foolishness all around him? I want to suggest first of all that he's resting because he got relationships. >> And uh when when you got relationships, it be really begins to affect how you move through this thing called life. Relationships. I want to suggest his relationship first is with the Lord. >> That doesn't that doesn't do it for you. I want to suggest that when you know who the Lord is and you know what the Lord is able to do, it affects how you live. Um he has relationship with the Lord. I told you Lord called him way back yonder to there in the gospels and he's been walking with the Lord for more than three years now. He's been moving with the Lord into now what the church is what the church has become and is becoming and he is watching God use him and he's loving the Lord with all his heart. He's got relationship with the Lord. But he doesn't just have relationship with the Lord. He's got relationship with the Lord's people. And when you know something about people praying for you and the Lord's people on your side when they got your back, it'll help you stand out and stand up and speak up with your chest. Yeah. That's that's that's that's what OJ does. He knows he got a of folk back in him. And because he got some folk back in him. He's able to stand flatfooted and say what he says and know that if anybody disagrees, he's got a haven of rest called Alfred Street where he can come and he can be rejuvenated and refreshed by the love and support of the saints. When you know you got backup, when you got relationship, Yes, >> it affects how you live. I want to suggest he's sleeping cuz he got relationships. Can I go farther? >> I want to suggest he's sleeping cuz he got receipts. >> He's got receipts. He's got receipts. He's got receipts. I I want to submit this ain't the first time that old Peter has had to deal with some drama and foolishness. This ain't the first time Peter has had to deal with narcissistic ego maniacal governmental authorities. This ain't the first time Peter has had to go through. As a matter of fact, Peter been in prison before. >> This ain't the first time he's had to go through a prison predicament, a prison experience, but he saw the Lord deliver him before. >> And I just got a funny feeling he started singing, "If he did it before, >> come on and help me preach. He can do it again." Same God right now. Same God back then. And I want to submit that you and I can't get amnesia when we fall upon a circumstance or situation that is unfavorable to what we call progress. I want to suggest this ain't the first time we had to deal with some craziness down the street. This ain't the first time we've had to deal with people trying to roll back our progress. This ain't the first time we had to deal with folk trying to shut down our H.B.CU. But we're still standing as victors and not victims. And if he did it before, is there anybody in here who can help me testify he will do it again? Anybody in here got receipts? Have you seen the Lord pay your bills? Have you seen the Lord heal your body? Have you seen the Lord take care of your family? Have you seen the Lord give you progress? Have you seen the Lord work things out? The Bible says God works all things together for the good of them who love me. And I will call according to his purpose.
Well, pastor said we got to hurry. I'm trying to bring my little 40 minutes down to 25. I got three minutes left. Can I give you one last thing? I want to suggest in the first place that we see the church's priority. >> We're not going to stop praying. We going to be prayerful. >> But I want to suggest in the second place we see the clergyman's reality. He's in prison, but prison ain't stopping him from getting some rest. He's sleeping. And he's sleeping because he got relationships. Sleeping because he got got some receipts. >> Um but can I go a little farther? cuz uh while you read chapter 12, if you keep reading, you'll find out something about the child's insistency. Uh the child's insistency. I tried to tell you a little bit about priority and reality. Now, can I tell you a little bit about the child's insistency? You got to keep on reading cuz if you keep on reading, you'll find out that while they're praying, >> God delivered. 1 2 3 4 Oh, don't try to get in on it now. You should have clapped when I first said it. What's wrong with y'all? >> While the saints are praying, >> the sovereign is providing. >> Your Bible says that he's got soldiers all around him. Peter does. >> But God sends an angel. Thank you, Jesus. And when God sends an angel, he wakes Peter up. Got to shift it. You hit him real hard to shift his predicament. He's sleeping good. He's sleeping good. He's sleeping so good. The angel has to smoke him, strike him, hit him. And when the angel hits him, wakes him up, leads him out the front door. When the angel leads him out the front door, he goes to the home of Sister Mary where a prayer meeting is going on. >> Woo! Thank you, Black Jesus. When he gets there, your Bible says that when he gets there, he knocks on the door. Peter does. >> And when he knocks on the door, here comes a child, a young girl. She's named in the in the scriptures. Her name is Roa. And when Roa hears him knocking, they're back there praying. Don't miss the picture. The saints are praying. Roa hears Peter knocking. She goes to the door. Who that is? Who? Who is it? And uh when she says, "Who is it?" Your Bible says he names himself. It's Peter. It's Peter. And your Bible says she gets so excited. She leaves Peter outside. She runs to where the saints are praying >> and she said, "Hey y'all, y'all can say amen. >> Peter is knocking at the door. It's so good. It's so good. It's It's good to me. I hope it's good to you that God doesn't have to wait till you say, "In the name of Jesus, amen." But while you trying to figure it out, he's already working it out. Is there a witness? >> I'm going to be in Eflat in just a minute, but watch this. Your Bible says, >> your Bible says that she goes and tells the saints. >> And that's good. Y'all did what you were supposed to do. You start rejoicing about that. >> And you can only rejoice up to verse 14. >> Cuz by the time you get to verse 15, we get the worst information >> that chapter 12 has to offer. >> I want to submit, Dr. Wesley, is worse than Peter being on death row. is worse than James being executed. >> The worst news is in verse 15. When you read it, you'll find out that your Bible says they looked at this child Roa and said, "You are out of your mind. >> You don't know what you talking about. >> Leave us alone. We praying." They did not believe >> that the report ROA gave >> was true. >> They didn't believe that this child had the sense that she had >> and the information that she had. >> So they told her, "You are out of your mind. >> Wait a minute. I'm praying >> for Peter to be delivered." [Applause] And when Peter gets delivered, >> I don't believe it. >> The tragedy of the text is there could be some church people >> who are praying for deliverance >> but don't believe that God will deliver. >> Oh, God help us. Maybe it was the report of a child. I don't know. Maybe it was a port of a girl. I don't know. Maybe it was just the fact that they didn't have the kind of faith they needed to believe that God could move while they were still praying. >> But I want to find some people in here who are some faith warriors, who are some some some believers in the power of prayer who can testify. I don't know when he's going to do it. >> I don't know how he's going to do it. I don't know through which means God's going to do it. But I do believe that if I pray, something's going to happen. Now, I'm done. I'm done. But I need to find the people in here who still believe God can move while you praying. I need to find the people who still believe that God can deliver before you get off your knees. Is there anybody who still believe that God can work a miracle while we still in the mess this nation is in? I need to find somebody in here who can open up your mouth and say, "Be moved by God, by your spirit, oh God. Have your way, oh God. Do however you want to do whenever you want to do it, God, because I trust you to make a way out of now way. I need the ride or die believers now who need God to move before September is over. I need somebody who needs something from the Lord before Sunday evening sets in. I need somebody who still believes that God can work a miracle before Monday morning shows up. I need you to open up your mouth and begin to testify any way you bless me. Lord, I'll be satisfied. I got to get in my seat. Church, this service should be over by now, but I need to find some people in here who still believe that God is a prayer hearing and a prayer answering God to begin to testify. I'm going to pray for my pastor. I'm going to pray for my pew partner. I'm going to pray for this nation. And I believe that while I'm praying, God is working. While I'm praying, God is moving. While I'm praying, God is maneuvering uh the circumstances of my life to give me victory over my adversity. Won't he do it? I got to sit down now. But somebody can testify. Our God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think. I'm going to ask you again. what he doing. Somebody can look back over your life and see for every mountain he brought you over and see every trial he pulled you through and for every blessing you ought to shout hallelujah. For this you ought to give God praise. Third and final time. Won't he do it? Somebody shout yeah. Get [Applause] [Music] So I came today to tell you, cast all your cares on him cuz he cares for you. That's Bible way of saying don't you worry about a thing. [Applause] Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Music]