Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
A Black Adventist Conference Celebrates its 70th Anniversary at Campmeeting, and a Sermon about Gethsemane
The South Atlantic Conference Campmeeting
The 6/18/2016 Sabbath sermon at Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church, Atlanta, was a remote broadcast from the 2016 South Atlantic Campmeeting. The speaker was Pastor Gregory Nelson, current leader of Madison Mission Seventh-day Adventist Church in Madison, Alabama [the church is promoting a new building on these links, and is attempting to generate enthusiasm through the use of one of the most elaborate computer animations I have ever seen]. In addition to being a preacher, Pastor Nelson is also a musician, and his sermon was concluded with a highly musical delivery style that defies description. It can only be experienced. Here is a very incomplete link to the ENTIRE SERVICE. The beginning of the remote transmission from the campmeeting, held in Orangeburg, South Carolina is at time marker 51:50. unfortunately, this broadcast is not included in the YouTube video of the June 18 services at Berean. The campmeeting sermon is not lost to posterity, but is temporarily lost to me. For a mere $9.99 a month, you can listen firsthand via Churchpond Ministries.
Despite the fact that Pastor Nelson’s style defies description, a brief summary of some of the content of the sermon will nevertheless be provided. This discursive and flawed text summary follows a few notes about the creation of the South Atlantic Conference.
Here are four sentences from the South Atlantic Conference Website:
On December 4, 1945, at 10:00 a.m., the General Conference and Southern Union Conference met at the Berean SDA Church on Ashby Street to organize a black conference.
Elder H. D. Singleton became the first President of the South Atlantic Conference… Elder W. L. Winston became the eighth president of the great South Atlantic Conference.
Our conference center / campground facility, River Oaks Convention Center, is located in Orangeburg, SC, with a 4,100 seat facility, youth pavilion with a gym that can seat 1100 and 5 smaller conference rooms.
“ANGELS IN EBONY” CHAPTER 5: “REGIONAL CONFERENCES”
Events in 1943 constituted a reaction to the internal segregation that characterized Adventism, and were centered around the Ephesus SDA Church in Washington DC. James O. Montgomery stood at the end of a service and wondered aloud why it was that he could not send his kids to an Adventist college, nor be served in an Adventist cafeteria. He then related a third outrage. He had taken his light-skinned wife to an Adventist hospital. She was admitted, but when the paperwork was filled out, they discovered that she was “colored,” so she was ejected to the hallway. She was eventually admitted to Freedman’s Hospital, but died of Pneumonia shortly thereafter. White Australian General Conference President W.G. Turner was sent to placate the distraught congregation of Ephesus. He cited Peter 4:12: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial…” James O. Montgomery replied to the assembly, in so many words, that this citation by the president did not cut the mustard. A committee was formed at Ephesus to attempt to improve the position of black Adventists.
The first head of the North American Negro Department (in 1908) was a white man, J.W. Christian. It would be 9 years before a black man, W.H. Green, would head the department. This was a result of an improved racial climate following WWI, according to “Angel in Ebony” author Jacob Justiss. W.H. Green was selected, in part, because he had previously argued a case before the Supreme Court (just like Thurgood Marshall had done for the NAACP). Green was not allotted office space at the denomination’s Washington headquarters.
Alma J. Scott and J.T and Willie Dodson were the leaders of the Ephesus action committee (soon supplemented by A.V. Pinkney). Mr. Dodson and Mr. Pinkney paid their own train fare to Chicago to present their agenda to the 1944 General Conference. The grievances were assembled into a petition titled “Shall the Four Freedoms Function Among Seventh-day Adventists?” With the assistance of GC President James Lamar McElhany, the case for independent black conferences was made. The initially proposed alternate, integration, would have (in a “majority rule” context) diluted, rather than enhanced, the ability of blacks to take charge of their own affairs.
On April 10, 1944, the General Conference approved the formation of “black” conferences, under black leadership. The borders of these new districts did not have to duplicate those of existing conferences. President McElhaney then asked Mr. Dodson to disband his successful little lobbying team. Dodson reluctantly agreed to this request. It may be that the GC was somewhat fearful of the power and efficacy of the temporary combine. The make-up of the new conference organizational charts would be hammered out at the regional, and not the national level. The first of these new entities was born in New York. The organization of the South Atlantic Conference, in Atlanta, at Berean SDA Church in 1946 was mentioned at the beginning of this post in the quotations from the South Atlantic Conference website. It will soon be elaborated upon.
After the General Conference in 1944, a survey committee was formed which included GC President McElhaney and NAD Colored Department Secretary G.E. Peters. The formation of two Southern Union black conferences was recommended, provided they received some financial help from the GC. The General Conference replied that they were strapped for cash, and requested that the formations be postponed until 1945. At that time, two separate groups of delegates met to organize the new conferences.
On December 4, 1945, about 300 delegates from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida met at Berean SDA Church in Atlanta. A report on these proceedings by Southern Union President E.F. Hackman notes that “the meeting was characterized by a beautiful spirit of unity and harmony.” The original conference, according to Jacob Justiss, was composed of 3,300 members [conferences sources cite alternate totals of either 3,523 or 3,614}, and 70 churches [62, says the SAC]. As an example of the described “unity” of the gathering, all of the new officers were elected unanimously.
The second southern black conference, South Central, covered Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The delegates met in Birmingham, and the conference originally included 2,300 members and 40 churches.
The official launch of these entities was slated for January 1, 1946. The president of the Southern Union wrote the following benediction a few weeks before the startup:
“…we wish for them and their leaders God’s richest blessing. The way before will not always be smooth, but as they keep close to their Great Leader and keep in step with the remnant church who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus, there is before them a bright and glorious future.”
I may be an optimist speaking way too soon, but I don’t think so. I believe that in the United States, where race has defined so much for so long, change is on the way—where the issues that need to be tackled in our country are not just Black issues or White issues or Asian issues or Hispanic issues, but American issues. The issues and challenges we face are mostly common to us all.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS FROM ORANGEBURG
The congregation of Berean SDA Church joined the remote Campmeeting broadcast just as the offering was about to be collected. The speaker that introduced this collection was South Atlantic Conference Treasurer Dr. Larry E. Johnson. He put the attendees at their ease with a humorous tale. I am reluctant to replicate it, as I can no more do justice to it than I can to the dynamic preaching style of the featured speaker, Pastor Greg Nelson. But here goes…
The Breath of Life Quartet (now in business for over 40 years) sang an arrangement of “For the Beauty of the Earth” in the interim between the offering and the sermon. Also in the interim, a recital of Psalm 122:1: “… I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord” by Pastor Carl Rogers. The sermon was introduced by South Atlantic Conference President William L. Winston. All words that are to follow are rough approximations of the words actually spoken.
Elder Winston thanked the previous speakers and singers. Treasurer Johnson had earlier noted that, when South Atlantic was formed, there were those who expressed doubts that African Americans would be capable of handling the kind of money that it takes to operate a conference. Elder Winston provided news of the result of this dire forecast by revealing that, last year, South Atlantic brought in more that 26 million dollars. Elder Winston recognized all of the pastors and pastor’s wives that were in attendance. Today’s speaker was from nearby South Central Conference, as was the guest choir. This was remarkable, President Winston said, as South Central was holding their Campmeeting simultaneously with South Atlantic this year.
Elder Winston attested that pastor Greg Nelson was an exceptional Man of God. For those who neglected to follow the link to Pastor Nelson’s bio at the beginning of this post, here is paste from it describing the speaker’s wide ranging gifts [I feel compelled to drag in the name of Uriah Smith, another Adventist jack-of-all-trades, every time a similar SDA polymath swims into my ken]:
In 2013, Pastor Nelson … took up the post he currently occupies as the Senior Pastor of the Madison Mission Church in Madison, AL. In addition to his pastoral functions, Pastor Nelson is a much sought after, multi-faceted minister, internationally recognized as worship leader, motivational/seminar speaker, preacher and evangelist. Pastor Nelson has also demonstrated proficiency as a writer, choir director, producer, concert promoter, conference organizer and chaplain.
THE SERMON BY PASTOR NELSON: “HE’S STILL GOT IT!”
The sermon opened with variations on the key lyrics of the song that had just been presented. “I’ve got so much to thank God for,” Pastor Nelson said. “That’s why I praise you, and for this I give you praise!” The pastor praised God for waking him up this morning. The speaker broke the ice with a confrontational, but nevertheless good-natured remark:
“Some of you are looking at me, wondering what’s wrong with me. And I’m looking at you, wondering what’s wrong with you!”
“The spirit of the Lord is in this place!”
Pastor Nelson expressed his regrets that his wife Carla was not with him this Sabbath in Orangeburg. He revealed that the musicians of his home church, Madison Mission, had just released an album, but that he was reluctant to promote it on the seventh day of the week. He related that his church planned to use monies raised by album sales to help finance their proposed new church building.
” I am not going to cover the [Adventist 28] Fundamental Beliefs. I am going to cover the Fundamental Belief” [singular]. Pastor Nelson recited a brief litany of the world’s woes. He also mentioned the increasing vilification and ostracism of Christians both domestically and abroad. What is the Fundamental Belief? Jesus, of course. And, despite all of the trauma that this is a hallmark of our current age, Pastor Nelson was anxious to communicate this fact about Jesus: “He’s still got it!”
Some may be mystified by the events surrounding the arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane [this episode was the subject of the Scripture that formed the launching pad for the preacher’s remarks]. “Jesus has all of the power,” the speaker said, “but still allows Himself to be captured, tortured, and killed” The topic of tribulation was applied to the Campmeeting congregation: “Is there anyone out there willing to confess, it’s hard to be a saint?”
“There are times when you will be frustrated. Being a believer does not mean that God will work things out for you in your timeframe, or in the way that you desire.” This remark served relate the transcendent agony of Jesus at Gethsemane, to the relatively insignificant agonies that we, as believers, are sometimes subject to. As Elder Jynean Palmer-Reid said a few weeks back at Berean, God doles out our measure of suffering to us in a “sippy cup.”
Jesus was very much alone in the garden when He commenced his prayer. The disciples that accompanied Him were “miserable comforters,” to borrow a line from Job. A touch of rhyme graced the pastor’s next statements. The “prayer warriors” had let their master down; but when things were bleakest, and Jesus was at His weakest, “He is still God,” Pastor Nelson proclaimed.
Point number one described the REPUTATION of Jesus. A description of the scenario that night in the garden was restated: “How many soldiers does it take to arrest one man?” The speaker revealed that scholars estimate that there were between 300 and 600 soldiers in the group delegated to apprehend Christ. In addition, religious authorities came along for the collar. The soldiers were outfitted with their full combat regalia. “Why?” The pastor answered his rhetorical question: “Because they were intimidated by the power of His reputation.” A generous number of examples of the power of Jesus, as revealed in Scripture, were described, enough to set up an old-school rhythm for this short portion of the sermon. A typical example is “He could lift up people who had been lying on their back for 38 years!” [This long-term vacillation by the paralytic has served as both the main subject, and as a subsidiary subject for several recent Berean sermons, including this creatively named Sabbath presentation: “You Got to Have to Want to.”]
Pastor Nelson now made a transition from the first to the second of five facets of Jesus that belied the superficial appearance of weakness that He preseted at Gethsemane on that fateful evening. “I’m telling you, there’s power in reputation! There is also power in DECLARATION!”
Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he…
Pastor Nelson informed the congregation that “I am he” was rendered as “eimi,” or more picturesquely, “εἰμι.” in the original Greek. This Wikipedia LINK reveals that the concept of “deity” is implicit in this word, which the Gospel of John frequently utilizes. A connection to God’s identification of Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14 is an obvious one:.
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
This is the Hebrew word “’eh-yeh,” or more picturesquely, “אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה”
The invocation of this mighty name literally knocks Jesus’ adversaries out. John 18:6 reads “As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.” Pastor Nelson now made the transition from attribute two to attribute three: “Not only is their power in reputation, and declaration; there is power in MEDIATION!”
A word by word transcription of the speaker’s remarks is not the intent of this summary, but the transition to the fourth attribute of Jesus at Gethsemane conveniently recapped the preceding three points, and thus looked both backwards and forward at once: “Not only is their power in reputation. Not only is their power in declaration. Not only is their power in mediation. I want you to know that in Gethsemane, when He appeared weakest, He also had he power of ASSOCIATION.”
Here is a digression by myself on the topic of numbers and Roman soldiers. The origin of the term “to decimate” comes from the Latin word for “ten.” With reference to quantities of Roman soldiers, the term Decimation was used to describe a means of punishing a large group of warriors, all of whom shared the guilt for an infraction. One tenth of a group would be chosen by lot for execution. The remaining ninety percent were charged with killing the chosen tenth. This left 9 out of 10 soldiers alive, so the unit would preserve most of its fighting strength. This trivia would form a very suspicious, but relevant (in a most curious manner) kind of analogy, were one composing a sermon on the subject of “tithing.”
Of the attributes that Jesus possessed, sub rosa, in the course of his Gethsemane experience, a firm determination to fulfil His mission was not only a source of strength to the Son of God Himself, it was also unbelievably important to every member of the human race. Jesus was the power of God unto SALVATION.
Pastor Nelson refreshed everyone’s memories about the horrible ordeal that Jesus endured subsequent to His arrest that night. The people that He had come to save had become His executioners. And it was not simply physical pain that our Savior endured. The pastor stated that “He bore the wrath of God” [Hebrews 10:31 proclaims that “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”]. “Jesus was treated like a scapegoat,” the speaker asserted.
“God will punish sin, even when it is in His own Son!” Second Corinthians 5:21 had been previously quoted. It reveals the enormity of the spiritual anguish that Jesus experienced in the course of this unmerited punishment: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” The wages of sin is death, so “…he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). The speaker now made the kind of incendiary proclamation he had warned us about: “I am not just another preacher who talks around sin, and not about sin!” [This comment could be construed as a breach of professional courtesy by Pastor Nelson’s peers, as it insinuates that other preachers are falling short of the mark (and despite the speaker’s next sentence), perhaps even a few who profess to also be Seventh-day Adventists.]
“I an proud to be an Adventist, because we are not afraid to talk about sin! The word of God does not change. Sin is still sin! If He did not spare His own Son, He will not spare us either!” The pastor appended a footnote to the great truth that he had just proclaimed. “I don’t care if they take away my credentials” [His credentials are probably safe, but you can be sure that nothing provokes the fierce animosity and opposition of Satan as quickly as a discussion of the topic of sin does].
The pastor provided a list of features that distinguished the position of Jesus on Friday evening, in the garden, from the wee hours of Saturday after His apprehension. A half dozen of these contrasts served to establish another one of those rhetorical “rhythms” previously noted as being distinctive of, but not necessarily exclusive to, the African American clergy. Everything about Jesus appeared as normal on Friday, but Pastor Nelson noted that “On Saturday He was victimized and traumatized.” Jesus bore the imprint of the corporeal punishment He had been through. He appeared to be thoroughly defeated. Pastor Nelson observed that “It looked like Hell had the power to hold Him.” The repetitive sequence of contrasts was terminated by extending the time-frame all the way into a magnificent Sunday morning.
“On Saturday He was in the grave. BUT…”
“Early on Sunday he is alive and animated, deified, magnified, glorified!” The speaker now provided several examples of his own “magnifications” that described the joy and glory of Christ’s resurrection. This newest rhythmical sequence was briefly interrupted by an important theology lesson: “Because He met the standard of heaven, he is able to save sinners. My burdens are lifted! My sins have been forgiven!” Several more magnifications followed this important revelation by Pastor Nelson. Pastor Russell has described to the preceding few sentences as “Christianity in a nutshell.”
“Here’s some good news, before I take my seat,” said the pastor. “After 2,000 years, He’s still got the power! He’s a shelter in the time of storm!” Several minutes of additional metaphorical descriptions of Jesus were provided. They passed by too rapidly to record precisely, but they were all comfortably familiar. There has got to exist some technical term for a protracted series of varied metaphorical descriptions of a single subject ( such as the power of Jesus, for example). The televangelist John Hagee must carry a library of hundreds of poetically composed descriptions of Jesus around in his head, as he can, in the course of his sermons, insert a sequence of 20 or 30 effortlessly. He is a controversial figure, but is nevertheless an accomplished orator. Below are eight statements by Hagee, delivered in less than 30 second during a sermon aired 9/7/2106 that are illustrative of the omniscience of Jesus the Creator of Earth. In addition to being a sequence of “variations on a theme,” it is also yet another sermon extract that exhibits the compositional device known as Anaphora, albeit in a very attenuated manner, as the only common denominator of these sentences is the word “he.”
He knows where the last nugget of gold can be located.
He knows where every ounce of silver can be found.
He knows the value of every ruby, every sapphire, every pearl, every diamond, every emerald.
He knows the value of the earth to the last dime and dollar.
He knows where the last drop of oil is going to be found.
He knows where there are undiscovered treasures so vast; it would stagger the mind of man to be able to find it.
Pastor Nelson embellished his own list with the following conclusive, and extremely comprehensive statement about Jesus: “He is everybody, everywhere, and everything.”
Pastor Nelson is not only an accomplished speaker. He is also a creative writer. In the final, climactic phases of his sermon he leavened his lofty expository material with some complimentary, but also contrasting “low comedy.” References to advertising songs and slogans were drafted as references to the nature of Christ. They were representative of two aspects of all great comedy: familiarity, and surprise. The pastor observed that…
“Jesus is like UPS– ‘He Delivers!'”
“Jesus is like Ajax– ‘He is Stronger than Dirt!”
“Jesus is like Timex-‘He Takes a Licking and Keeps on Ticking!'”
“Jesus is like Lexus– ‘He is Engineering the Impossible!'”
“Jesus is like IBM– ‘He has Solutions for a Small Planet!'”
“Jesus is like McDonalds– ‘I’m Lovin’ It!'”
[I feel the need to add Scrubbing Bubbles– “He Works Hard so You Don’t Have To!”]
THE LAST ACT, A PRELUDE TO AN ALTAR CALL
The lion’s share (a very apt figure of speech) of the sermon had been dedicated to revealing just how great our Savior is. The remainder of the sermon would focus on the benefits of establishing a personal relationship with Jesus, accompanied by a short tribute to the success and prosperity of the seventy year history of the South Atlantic Conference.
It is almost impossible to believe that the being that the pastor had been describing, a being so incontrovertibly superior to us, would condescend so far as to become flesh, to die in order to atone for our sins, and to rise from the grave, thus proving to us that we, too, can be resurrected. An even more incredible fact is that He wants to be friends with us, for we are all most assuredly unworthy of this honor.
Pastor Nelson did not promise that Jesus offers an easy road for those who want to walk with Him. Some remarks on the strength of the opposition, and the higher purposes of God were provided. The speaker compared God to a playwright. The play has alternate conclusions. The ending can be a happy one, or the ending can be tragic.
“The God that we serve has a PhD in drama. God often sets things up in such a way that He gets the glory. In Exodus, there was a direct way [from Egypt] to Canaan. But God heightens the drama.” There was a forty year build-up to the dramatic entry of the Hebrews into the Promised Land. This “grand entrance” had very much in common with the passage through the Red Sea which marked the commencement of the journey.
Good drama has good guys, and bad guys. Satan is, of course, archenemy number one. His minions, such as Pharaoh, are onstage frequently, throughout the entire script (meaning the Bible, of course). Pastor Nelson captured the attitude of God, and His worthy minion Moses, toward the King of Egypt by making a statement that reflected the attitude of the good guys: “Pharaoh, you’re a punk!” The irresolute, protracted, and adversarial relationship between Pharaoh and the Hebrews prior to their flight augmented the dramatic tension that built up to Israel’s escape from bondage. The long meander through the Wilderness likewise made crossing the Jordan an equally cathartic scene.
“Sometimes, when God will deliver you,” the pastor observed, “He gives your enemy the power to try to stop you” [Theologically considered, this is more about God’s permission, than His complicity. Here, again, is a link to Elder Jynean Palmer-Reid’s SERMON on the spiritual benefits of trials, adversity, and suffering]. There by the Red Sea, the “punk” Pharaoh was about to meet his comeuppance. Pastor Nelson proclaimed that “two million immigrants walked on dry land because He had the power!” The tale of the flight from Egypt may legitimately be described as perhaps the most important theme for the African American church in America, and its inclusion in a sermon at a campmeeting celebrating South Atlantic was very appropriate.
Adversity does befall us. In those moments, we are like “Job in his season,” Pastor Nelson said. Our temporary inability to grasp God’s higher purposes was intimated by the speaker (as it was also mentioned by Elder Palmer-Reid during her remarks, as we without doubt “see through a glass darkly”). We would do well to emulate the patience and stoicism of Job. Pastor Nelson quoted Job 1:21: “…the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Black Adventists endured much before the formation of the black conferences. Pioneers like Lewis C. Sheafe and J.K. Humphrey contributed a lot to the denomination, but eventually, having stood for as much as they could possibly stand, chose to separate themselves from the home office. The later creation of the conferences served to empower black Adventists by giving them stewardship over their own affairs, but blacks, as a race, continued (and sad to report, still continue) to suffer oppression as a people for a period after the creation of the conferences. Thing got better, at least from a legal standpoint, during the Civil Rights era. But even though laws can be changed, people’s attitudes are much harder to change. Jesus Christ, however, is perfectly able to perform this difficult task. The following statements represent an extreme paraphrase of Pastor Greg Nelson’s closing comments.
The awesomeness of God was once again emphasized by a rendition of the Charles Jenkins song “My God is Awesome.”
[As it is not currently the Sabbath, here is a mercenary LINK (but mercenary for a noble purpose) to some of the Madison Mission Mass Choir’s musical offerings.]
Prominently featured in the “appeal” that followed this song was the statement duplicated below. A repetition of the sermon’s title at the close of Pastor Nelson’s remarks provided a nice set of bookends for the presentation.
“Make your way down to the altar today, and declare “God… I think You’ve Still Got It!”
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Monday, June 20, 2016
Elder Dorothy Mants has been "In His Service" for 56 years now. Here is what she has learned.
Elder Mants on Packing Your Spiritual “Luggage”
When Elder Dorothy Mants was baptized back in 1960, she had had plenty of company, as 215 others souls were also baptized that day. There was some kind of major revival effort by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the southern states back at the dawn of the highly significant 1960’s. It was called “Operation Dixie,” but whether this drive was responsible for harvesting young Dorothy Mants for Berean SDA Church, or whether she was simply drawn in by the ubiquitous and omnipresent evangelical net of H.L. Cleveland, she nevertheless made a commitment, at that time, that she has faithfully honored ever since; to serve God, and to be diligently about her Father’s business.
J.H. Wagner was the second president of the South Atlantic Conference. He was at the helm from 1954 until his death in 1962. Intermittently, he would compose reports on conference happenings for the Southern Union magazine “Southern Tidings.” He was a very outgoing individual, and did not feel the need to repress his ebullient personality when writing. He had gotten in on the ground floor of the formation of the “Negro” conferences back in the early forties, acting as secretary for the Columbia Union Conference. The following is a segment of the President’s comments from the August 31, 1960 edition of “Southern Tidings,” regarding events at Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church:
Here in Atlanta the Lord is seemingly doing something unusual. Really the attendance and interests have been spectacular and tremendous. H.L. Cleveland and his corps of workers together with the membership of Berean are earnestly expecting a great success with many souls coming into the church. The problem will be where to house the many new recruits coming to the army of prince Emmanuel.
The short sermon she delivered to the 6/15/2016 Wednesday evening “War Room” prayer meeting was among the last of a series of ten presentations by church elders. A summary of remarks delivered on 6/8/2016 by Elder Brad Brod is pending.
Elder Mants’s sermon was structured like a single proverb, The first half was a warning as to what NOT to do, The second half was an exhortation of what we SHOULD do. The Bible is very clear about how we should live our lives. The speaker was not necessarily addressing her remarks to those outside of the church, but the message she imparted was a universally applicable one. She was seeking to motivate lukewarm Christians to dial up the heat a few notches. Elder Dorothy Mants was attempting to get through to the “religious” folk who attend services every Sabbath, and faithfully remit their tithes, but do little beyond this to further the Kingdom. It is unfortunate that the very people she was trying to reach seldom attend Wednesday prayer meetings. Somebody ought to get the word out to them. They are behaving like Laodiceans, and are in danger of being spewed out.
WHAT ARE YOU CARRYING AROUND IN YOUR LUGGAGE?
“I want to thank each one of you for being here,” Elder Mants declared. “Tonight I am going to take you on a journey that won’t take long. I want to tell you that I am just a servant. I am thankful that God has given me all these years to serve Him.” A brief prayer followed this brief introduction.
“I like to travel,” the elder proclaimed. She said that she was not entirely sure of where she was traveling to or from when she once found herself seated beside a foreigner. The stranger remarked to Elder Mants “I can always tell an American by their luggage!” The foreign lady was on a ten day trip, and was only carrying a couple of small suitcases. Elder Mants, in contrast, was on a five day trip, but was carrying around an excessive quantity of luggage. This anecdote served to introduce the theme of the sermon, which was “Luggage.” What are you carrying around with you, on your journey through life? Is it what you really need? Or is it excess baggage that is not merely superfluous, but downright harmful?
A slight diversion was made in the direction of the topic of “Identification.” What we carry in our spiritual luggage serves to identify what kind person we are. Are we “religious?” The elder described this type as being attentive to the forms of worship, such as church attendance, and faithfully forking over a tithe. She contrasted this formalism with substantive “Christianity,” which requires a total surrender, and a total commitment. As noted, the sermon was split into Biblical descriptions of both the wrong way to live (the first half of the talk) and the right way to live (the second half of the talk, which, as noted, also happens to be the structure of most of the verses in Proverbs). Each point the elder made was illustrated by a projection of the key words on the church’s video screens. This made it easier for the congregation to follow the extremely fast-paced presentation.
First, the negative. These are attributes that we should all be on our guard against. Many of the “religious” types, though professing to be Christians, nevertheless still display these bad characteristics. Bad characteristics should be totally excluded from our spiritual baggage. You will not get your luggage cleared through Customs, should you be lugging around this kind of stuff come Judgment Day:
ENVY, JEALOUSY, AND STRIFE
James 3:15: For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. (NLT)
IDLENESS
Proverbs 19:15: Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger. (KJV) Elder Mants advised anyone who intended to read the Bible through to start with the Book of Proverbs.
UNHOLY THOUGHTS
Matthew 15:19: For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies… (KJV) [I fera that this is not the exact verse the elder provided, but it should suffice.]
NEGATIVE PEOPLE
Second Corinthians 6:14: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (KJV) [again, this particular citation is only conjectural, as they may have been another verse provided, or perhaps none at all.] Elder Mants furnished the following commentary on negativity: “If you surround yourself with negative people, you will be negative. Some people that you meet are all negative. I’m sure we all know someone like that.”
Proverbs 15:1: A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. (KJV) The speaker observed that these days you can’t be to careful about what you say in front of others. Some people are just waiting for an opportunity to go off of their rocker [not the elder’s exact terminology]. “You have got to be careful in the grocery store to keep your buggy straight!” [This statement is very similar to the frequently employed Scriptural admonition to “turn neither to the right hand, nor the left hand.”]
STUBBORNNESS
Psalm 78:7-8: So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands. Then they will not be like their ancestors- stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God. (NLT)
UNFORGIVENESS
Colossians 3:13: Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. (KJV) “If you can’t forgive, the Lord can’t forgive you.” Elder Mants reminded us that this sentiment was expressed in the Lord’s Prayer. She related a tale of two aging church members who held a nearly lifelong grudge against one another, yet continued to assert that they were Christians.
PREOCCUPIED BY THE CARES OF LIFE
Luke 21:34: And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. (KJV) [Luke 8:14 is a good one, too: And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. (KJV)]
Colossians 3: 9: Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds. (KJV) Elder Mants was very outspoken about this character flaw: “God hates a liar, and I do too!”
WORLDLINESS
Romans 12:2: And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (KJV) [This point is similar to the “Cares of Life” point.]
GOSSIPING (AKA “TALEBEARING”)
Proverbs 20:19: He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. (KJV)
UNCLEAN LIPS {OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT]
Colossians 3:8: But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. (KJV)
PRIDE
Proverbs 16:18: Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (KJV) [I am not certain that this is the verse that the elder quoted, but it will do quite nicely for now.]
Romans 8:12-13: Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. (NLT)
HATRED
Proverbs 10:18: He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. (KJV) [Here is one that relates to the elder’s commentary on this point. It is Jesus speaking in John 15:25: But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. (KJV)] The elder illustrated this point by remarking that she had once known a lady in church, one to whom she had caused no harm at all. Yet this lady came up to Elder Mants and stated that she hated her. She “hated her guts.” The elder never did find out why.
Thus concluded the litany of negative attributes which may continue to distinguish, and perhaps even be cherished by “religious” people; the Sabbath worshippers, and the tithers, who nevertheless fall dreadfully short of God’s standards. These follies encumber the fool. The genuine Christian, in contrast, packs his or her luggage with apparel and accessories that are well-pleasing to God. Were the entire sermon indeed a single Proverb, the edifying second half had now been reached, and the spiritual content that fills the suitcases of the prudent was listed. The rhetorical scale was, heretofore, badly drooping in the negative direction. The scales were about to be thoroughly tipped back in the direction of virtue, just as good will surely triumph over evil with the coming of our Lord. What follows is the good stuff:
Jude 1:24-25: Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. (KJV: these are the words that immediately precede the Book of Revelation.) Elder Mants stated that “When you follow Jesus, He gives you joy inside.” If somebody comes up and gives you $40, you may be happy. This is a transient and superficial emotion. “But joy comes from the heart,” the speaker testified. She seemed to imply that joy was light-years in advance of mere happiness [the topic of “happiness” would get revisited, however].
PEACE
Isaiah 26:3: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (KJV)
First Corinthians 14:23: For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. (KJV)
TRUST
Proverbs 3:5: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (KJV)
HOPE
Hebrews 6:18-19: So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. (NLT)
I missed this one, but here, as a stopgap, is Ecclesiastes 2:26: To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. (NIV, and the KJV concludes with This also is vanity and vexation of spirit. I hope the Preacher is not referring to “wisdom, knowledge and happiness” as vanity! But he just may be.)
POSITIVE PEOPLE
As the pace of the sermon was accelerating, the verse relevant to this concept also slipped right by me. Positive people, such as Elder Mants, are frequently to be discovered at church. Here is First Corinthians 14:26, a description of those who are imbued with positive attitudes: How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. (KJV)
CONTENTMENT
Philippians 4:11: Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (KJV- Here is verse 12, an elaboratin of verse 11: I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.)
WISDOM
Elder Dorothy Mants’s previous recommendation of the entire Book of Proverbs was here restated [Its wisdom is “Proverbial”].
This “better angel” of the nature of the previously cited topic of “unforgiveness” was described by Mark 11:26 (which is very much in the same vein as Colossians 3:13, an earlier reference): But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses. [The first move is up to you!]
The most important articles that should be packed in your spiritual “luggage” were mentioned at the end of the sermon, but when you are packing your baggage, you may wish to remember to throw these things in your suitcase first.
PRAYER
Wednesday night prayer meetings at Berean are all about prayer. In the series of ten guest sermons by church elders, I cannot recall that any of them neglected to include a reference to the significance of, and the utility of prayer. It was now Elder Mants’s turn.
First Thessalonians 5:17: Pray without ceasing. (KJV- short but sweet!) Elder Mants told a short story that proposed the question, “What if God had an answering machine?” Several humorous points were made in the course of her description of this fantasy scenario. An example: “Your call will be answered in the order that it was received.” Various options, depending on the nature of one’s request to God were provided: “To speak to Gabriel, press one; to speck to Michael, press two; for all other inquiries, press three” [Here is a link to Ray Reeves: Phone Call From God, a comedic monologue, but not the original, compact version].
“You can’t call Him too often,” Elder Mants continued. “Because of Jesus, you will never get a busy signal! He is the great ‘I am.'”
FAITH
The next to the last citation by Elder Mants was not from the Bible, but it was most assuredly inspired by the Bible. Its source may be found on Page 78 of the compilation of Ellen G. White writings known as “Faith and Works.”
You have to talk faith, you have to live faith, you have to act faith, that you may have an increase of faith. Exercising that living faith, you will grow to strong men and women in Christ Jesus.
The Elder mentioned Second Peter, Chapter 1, and the list of virtues contained therein that are the result of strong faith. Here is a lengthy excerpt from that chapter, including verses 4-7 :
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity [love].
The many articles that a genuine Christian packs for life’s journey are all just aspects of that overarching commodity: love. The last verse that Elder Dorothy Mants quoted was written by “the disciple that Christ loved.”
First John 4:7: Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. (KJV)
“God bless you! Thank you for listening!”
Saturday, June 18, 2016
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Chaplain Jynean Palmer Reid, a cancer survivor, can speak with authority on the subject of "Suffering"
Elder Jynean Palmer-Reid’s Sermon-“Why?”
ELDER, EDUCATOR, MOTHER, CHAPLAIN, CANCER PATIENT
“Mrs. Reid,” as the students at Greater Atlanta Adventist Academy call her, has been operating under a serious handicap recently, as she was diagnosed with colon cancer, and has undergone lengthy and painful treatment for this condition. Her remarks to the congregation of Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church on 6/11/2016 were recorded by the media ministry, and were placed in YouTube Sabbath evening. By the time I got around to reviewing it on Sunday, an ominous message greeted me as I attempted to watch the service. This marked the second occasion in the last month that YouTube had displayed this message in relation to a Berean service. The usual link to the ENTIRE SERVICE, a traditional fixture of these posts, is now becoming a rarity! The copyright police are on the warpath. Satan’s involvement has been hypothesized by several people I have spoken to regarding this frightening trend. In the old days, full-time church musicians like Bach used to cook up original material for worship services on a regular basis. This could represent one way of dealing with a future that permits zero-tolerance for copyright infringement. Songs written before 1923 are safe. The hymnal is full of these, but many others (“How Great Thou Art,” for example), while probably relatively safe to simply sing in church, are not legal when included in a video. It is a very curious thing, this recent crackdown!
Elder Jynean Palmer-Reid was the featured speaker at a recent Federated King’s Daughters Breakfast held in the fellowship hall at Berean SDA Church, Atlanta. I did not attend this event with the intention of summarizing her remarks, but a few paragraphs concerning them may be discovered in the middle of this POST. The speech was delivered just a day or two after the death of Ralph David Abernathy III, who had succumbed to the same type of cancer that the elder was, and is, engaged in a heroic battle against. The strong recommendations by the speaker, at that time, that all take urgent steps in order to modify their unhealthy lifestyles were not present in this Sabbath’s sermon, as the emphasis was on spiritual, and not corporeal matters. The cancer she endures, and the suffering that is a byproduct of it, have taught Elder Jynean Palmer-Reid some valuable lessons on how to best bear hardship, lessons she was anxious to share with the congregation.
The speaker was introduced by Berean Lead Pastor Fredrick Russell, who revealed that he had known Elder Palmer-Reid “way back in the last century.” He and the elder were among a group of 30 African-Americans (out of a total student body that numbered about 400) at Forest Lake Academy (I pray I have linked the correct one). Elder Palmer-Reid was one of a trio of coeds representing Berean Church, and the pastor noted that she and her compatriots “did an excellent job” of maintaining the honor of the institution. The pastor respected her seriousness, evident even in her youth, and felt that she was “headed for the pastorate.” He mentioned her husband of 25 years, James Reid (who would soon join his wife at the front of the sanctuary), and also praised her son Jyremy Reid, who is a product of both GAAA and Oakwood. He is now in school in California. Peripatetic Pastor Russell was about to head that way for the upcoming graduation at Linda Linda, and hoped he might run into Jyremy. Without further ado, GAAA Chaplain, and uber-Adventist Elder Jynean Palmer-Reid commenced her remarks.
“WHY?”
“I talked to God last night, and He told me to tell you, even if you don’t believe it, He’s coming again!” A reference to the speaker’s catastrophic health dilemma was provided at the outset. “In my darkest moments, when nobody else was up, Jesus was. I am not supposed to be here.” She noted that prayer has a language that is all its own. “Since I have taken a class called ‘sickness,’ as have many of you, I understand that language.” We were about to enter into prayer, in an earnest manner, and the elder had some prayer requests she wished to share with us.
- “Pray that one person will come to know Christ.” She mentioned the world fame of recently departed Muhammad Ali (who perhaps did not know Christ), and the less known, but well respected by those who did know him, C.D. Brooks, who baptized 15,000 people in the course of his 60 year ministry (and who also died recently, of pancreatic cancer, perhaps the biggest “C” of them all).
- “Pray for the church school. It is not perfect, but it is God’s school.” She mentioned her son’s experiences in California, alluding to an incident so potentially traumatic, that I suspect every Berean except myself had some prior knowledge of it: “I pray for my son. When that gun was in his face, the ACT and the SAT did not matter.” (This INCIDENT may been a contributor to her son’s duress.)
- “Pray for yourself. Lots of things are going on right now. You need to talk to God, in this night of our existence.”
Second Corinthians 4:16-18 was referred to, the primary inspiration for the sermon to follow. It had been read at the beginning of the service by a pair of elders
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
“The title of my massage to you today is “Why?” “Why?”
The elder was recently watching a service online. She heard the preacher state the following in the course of a prayer: “And Lord, please be with us who are still breathing.” The preacher had just lost his wife. Something irretrievable was lost to Elder Palmer-Reid when she learned of her cancer. “I asked the Lord why,” she confided.
In the Book of Mark, Chapter 9, Jesus asks three of His closest associates to climb a mountain with Him. After a long day of work, this represent a significant demand. Mountain climbing takes a lot of energy. When they reached their elevated destination, the disciples lay down and fell asleep. The radiance of heaven filled the scene, as Moses and Elijah descended to take their stations beside Jesus. Some references were made by the elder to Ellen White’s description of this scene in “Desire of Ages” [here is a LINK to Chapter 46 of the book, one entitled “He was Transfigured.” The speaker borrowed liberally from this chapter in preparing her remarks]. The elder stated that the presence of Moses and Elijah was on account of their concern for the souls of those who had not yet found God. Here is a line by Ellen White: “Moses and Elijah had been co-laborers with Christ. They had shared His longing for the salvation of men.” The elder applied this concern to her listeners: “Today I am burdened by the soul of those for whom church is just a social club.” An analysis of Moses, one derived from another Ellen White work, “Patriarchs and Prophets,” was supplied. The elder revealed that, had Moses been able to maintain his composure, and had he been unfailingly faithful to God, he would have entered the Promised Land, and ultimately been “translated,” just like Elijah and Enoch had been.
The “transfiguration” complete, the disciples were surprised to discover that they were, once again, “alone with Jesus.” The speaker made a revelation. “That’s what I am, in my illness: alone with Jesus.”
Christ “debriefs” His companions in the wake of His transfiguration. As He had previously done to demons, Jesus warned the disciples to “tell no one” of what has just transpired until after the resurrection. Elder Palmer-Reid declared that the disciples may have been taken aback just by considering the information the Jesus would die. Mark 9:10 reads “And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.” The glory of God had been present on the mountain. What transpired the next day, at the base of the mountain, was transcendently anticlimactic. “The Devil was waiting” for the return of Jesus, Elder Palmer-Reid related, but the difficulties he presented to Jesus were overcome easily enough. They had, however, presented an insurmountable obstacle to the disciples who were left behind. The particulars are noted in Mark, Chapter 9. The crowd was in some perplexity, and appeared restless upon the arrival of the Lord. Here is the narrative, as worded in the NLT:
“What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked. One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” (Mark 9:16-19)
Back to the story. An exasperated Jesus made short work of the exorcism. Elder Palmer-Reid mentioned that He had previously delegated much authority to the very disciples who had been unable to cure the boy in His absence. But faith is something they would have to contribute to the healing process on their own. The faith of the father of the afflicted boy was described by the elder. In verse 22, the boy’s father asks Jesus to help, “if He can.” Jesus was taken slightly aback by these last three words. “What do you mean, ‘If I can?'” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes,” reads verse 23. The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
The big “Why,” the title of the sermon, was revealed to pertain to the question “Why do we suffer?” The speaker asserted that “we bring a lot of suffering upon ourselves. We like to play ‘spiritual Russian roulette.'” We have all been to places that we had no business going to. By the grace of God, we are now out. Sin opens the door to suffering. But, Elder Palmer-Reid added, “there are those who have done nothing to deserve the suffering that they endure.” Children who are born with AIDS was provided as an example of this. The Bible, at this juncture, provides only partial answers as to why the innocent suffer [for we see through a glass darkly]. The sermon returned its attention to those that may be experiencing suffering as a corrective measure. Proverbs 3:12 was quoted: “For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” Revelation 3:9 was also cited: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” The speaker admitted that she does not have all of the answers on the topic of suffering, but she did assert that there was a real difference between the suffering of the godly (duress as a positive force) and the suffering of the unrepentant (duress as divine punishment). Some thought upon this matter by Charles Spurgeon were provided [a very “old school” way of embellishing a sermon].
What are the reasons that we suffer? Some partial answers had already been provided. A more formalized, tripartite answer was now furnished.
- “We suffer so that we will be able to show others how to get through it.” The elder noted that when we suffer, we are not the first to have ever done so, and will not be the last. A “cloud of witnesses” is looking on. A story about a mother who lost her child was told. The loss had caused the mother, ultimately, to embrace Christianity. When a second mother lost their child, the first mother, having experienced an identical loss, was well equipped to comfort the second in her hour of need. “It will be OK,” says the first mother. “How do you know?” asks the second. “Because I have been there,” responds the first. Another, similar story was also related.
- “Sometimes we suffer in order to build our character.” There is a Psalm wherein David thanks God for the afflictions that he endures. A mother dealing with the loss of a child may fatalistically and hopelessly question, “Why has God made me this way?” The elder revealed that it is never a question of what God has made you, but of what God is making you.
- “Sometimes we suffer to give God glory” Some references to the Book of Job were provided. Job 13:15: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Job 19:25: “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.” Elder Palmer-Reid said that Jesus did not ordain that this would be a murmuring world, but it seems, nevertheless, that all we ever do is complain!
Some remarks about the awesome love that Jesus has for us all were provided. “To bring this all together, let’s go back to the original text,” the elder said. The crux of this text is this: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” The speaker noted that suffering changes us. “Sometimes you have marks. I have the marks from surgery. But remember; Jesus has marks that he will bear throughout eternity!” We were to let God do his perfect work in developing our characters. The crosses that we are bearing are nowhere near the size of the one that Jesus had to bear. “Bear your cross,” Elder Palmer-Reid admonished us. “He did not ask you to drink His cup,” she added. A heartwarming, and thoroughly domestic anecdote was provided by the elder to illustrate the point she was tying to make. She remembered a time when she was caring for very small children. She would take some of whatever she happened to be drinking, and pour some into a child’s “sippy cup.” The elder stated that our problems are in a “sippy cup.” This notion served to put our sufferings in perspective, apportioned as they are by a loving Father. A allusion to the verse containing Christ’s instructions for us to become “as little children” was appended.
- Cancer for just a moment. We can endure…
- Bad Marriages for just a moment. We can endure…
- Wayward Children for just a moment. We can endure…
- Bad Jobs for just a moment,” [A few more transitory cares were appended to this list.]
Read the Bible. The elder stated that the Bible holds over 3,000 promises. It is good for whatever may be ailing you. The Spirit of Prophecy was recommended as a wonderful supplement to te Word. A quick refresher course in the nature of the Spirit of Prophecy was offered by the speaker. Revelation 12:17 states “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Subsequently, Revelation 19:10 reads “And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” How can we be sure Ellen White is a prophet? Elder Palmer-Reid noted that “the proof is in the reading.”
Pray. The disciples had failed to cast the demon out of the boy, but Jesus succeeded. They wished to know the secret of His success, and asked: “…Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting” (Mark 28-29: the “fasting” part is pretty much exclusive to the KJV). The elder related a story of a recent visit to California to see her son, who is in college there. Her son (Jyremy) had just lost his I.D., and was in some distress. “When a person is going through a trial,” Elder Palmer-Reid stated, “they don’t want a lot of bad advice, as was the case with Job and his friends. They just need you to pray with them.” [It is assumed that a prayer was offered up in regard to the missing I.D.] A professor soon arrived, in a golf cart, at the location where the elder and her son were standing. He was a noted scholar, and had in his possession young Mr. Reid’s I.D. Not only did he get back what he had lost; Elder Palmer-Reid now had the opportunity to make his acquaintance.
The speaker provided a statement that tied in to her academic life. The commencement of some background music by Luther Washington II signaled that the sermon was approaching its conclusion. “Anyone who has gone to school knows that it is hard to finish. Sometimes you are by yourself, and there is nobody but you and Jesus.” During the elder’s King’s Daughters sermon, she had related some circumstances surrounding the discovery of her cancer. There existed an extended period of not feeling right, and she struggled to persevere with her teaching duties while fast deteriorating as a result of her yet to be diagnosed condition. She now referred to the period after her diagnosis, wherein she strove to continue to teach, despite undergoing various surgeries and many extremely unpleasant courses of chemotherapy. In the still of the night, she was often awake, beset with pain, alone but for the presence of the Lord. She tried to maintain her routine most evenings, grading the papers of her students, but it was extremely difficult to do so. She prayed a desperate prayer: “Let me die! Let me go to sleep!”
An answer came to her from on high. “I did not send cancer to kill you. I sent it to get your attention.” It had certainly managed to do this. The elder asked a question” “Have you ever felt so bad, you have forgotten how it is to feel good?” She was quick to offer the best remedy. “That’s when you pray!” A quick recitation of some of the traumatic events that have afflicted those who are close to her was inserted, here at the end of the sermon, but the greatest of traumas was exclusive to the speaker herself. Her frequent, and continuing heartfelt prayer is “Lord, help me to endure.” In her previous, King’s Daughters sermon she related that her cancer was under control, but was nevertheless omnipresent. The elder now closed her remarks with a few of the same statements that she had opened with. The key scripture for this sermon was also brought to the congregation’s remembrance. Here, again, are the relevant verses from Second Corinthians:
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
“I came here to today to tell you that Jesus loves you, and is coming again, soon.” The speaker produced a blank notebook, and invited everyone in attendance who was facing their own trials to enter their names into it. Elder Palmer-Reid stated that she intended, whenever her own trials started to overwhelm her, to take up the notebook containing the names of her comrades in affliction. She would mitigate her own troubles by praying for the troubles of others, the “names in the book.” She concluded the main body of her sermon with this sentence: “I did not come here to entertain you, I came to talk about Jesus.”
An appeal would follow the concluding song, as rendered by Roscille Angela Phillips (another Oakwood University musical prodigy, and a graduate of GAAA, Elder Palmer-Reid’s employer). The Appeal Song was “Come Unto Jesus (He will give you rest)” (link is to an amateur video of the GAAA choir, under the direction of Jarret Roseborough).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)