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

Lift up your Bible. Say, "This is my

Bible. This is my It is God's word. It

is God's word. It reveals to me reveals

to me God's will. God's will. Therefore,

it is the final authority. It is the

final authority to which I submit to

which I submit to settle all the issues

all the issues of my life." of my life.

It is the standard It is the standard of

my conduct of my conduct and the basis

the basis of all my expectations. of all

my expectations. Shout it out. I am. I

am what it says I am. what it says I am.

I possess I possess what it says I

possess. What it says I And I can do I

can do absolutely everything. Absolutely

everything it says I can do. It says I

can. Turn and tell your neighbor, I know

that's right. I know that's right. Amen.

We thank God. Children's Sunday. Amen.

We saw our young people in here giving

God the glory.

Oh, they were all up front laid out.

I saw him in between tissue

cuz I just, you know, it's funny how you

sing the songs and then he reminds you

in that moment. No. Yeah. What you've

been going through, I'm using that to

work something in you.

And you know, it just wow. Um, we had a

phenomenal chop it up on on uh Amen. Who

was anybody get a chance to listen if

you didn't see Chop It Up? because you

know Wednesday y'all stared me down. It

was okay, but I knew God was saying

something too important to just let it

drop. So, please go back and you uh to

watch that. And of course, you know,

we're super excited that um Father's Day

is coming. Yeah, it was yesterday

morning, Saturday morning. It was 8:00.

So, those of y'all that were up 8:00 on

Saturday,

you were up.

You made a See, that's when you know

folk ain't usually up that early. They

make sure they make a comment that day.

They want folk I'm just missing. Well,

turn in your Bibles with me as we have

something very, very important to

minister on today. And we are still

focused on the fact that we have to be

committed to kingdom, excuse me, to

connection. We have to have a commitment

to our covenant connections. Amen. Huh.

Amen. And there are certain hindrances.

Okay, we saw from Wednesday and Saturday

sometimes seeing the success of others,

right?

Can really be a challenge, okay?

Especially if you feel as if you have

offered the same thing to God and it

doesn't look like it has been accepted.

Okay, I just leave that for you. So

here's something else today uh that is

very vital. We will all need

this and it is this issue of

unforgiveness.

Yeah. Yeah. So the scripture in Luke 17

talks about

forgiveness. So I want to encourage us

from this faith to forgive.

faith to forgive. We're always blown

away at stories where people have

forgiven these huge debts. We're always

blown away by it. And we read it. We

look at Joseph and his brothers, how

they did him wrong. He forgave them.

Amazing story, right? We look at the

prodal son. Dad, I know you ain't dead,

but I'mma pretend. Can I have my stuff

early?

Then you go waste it. and the father

forgives and we generally are always

crying. We love it. We see Esau and

Jacob where Jacob tricked Esau out of

his stuff. Esau had a weak character as

did as did Jacob. But uh Jacob was

sneaky

and he tricked him out and Esau forgave

him because he realized you don't have

to hurt the people that hurt you.

Uhhuh. Yeah. Nelson Mandela was captured

for 27 years and came out not asking

people to be resentful

because he understood. See, when you are

resentful, it's like you drinking poison

and waiting for them to die.

Yeah. He said, "No, we need we need to

release it and move forward." Tyler

Perry, we all are very much aware of him

and how he tells of how his father was

so very abusive and the dark roads it

led him down, but he forgave and we just

Oh, that's amazing. When you look at

those I never forget reading about those

ladies that had been held for a decade.

you going to kidnap and rape

continually people for a

decade. And the girl got out and forgave

him because she recognized if I do not

forgive, I am chaining myself to an

incident that hurt me.

So by the time we get to Luke 17, we

ought to be motivated just hearing this,

we ought to be motivated to forgive. And

let us not forget one of the hallmark

teachings that God has given us here uh

from the story where Jesus is talking

about the swer sewing the word and he

sowed some in you know y'all remember

stony ground and all that other but then

it said he sowed the good word the good

seed into good ground but it brought

forth some 30 some okay y'all sleep you

remember the story got to work with me

and push your neighbor in in case they

still up under the glory

cloud. It brought forth some 30, some

60, and some 100fold. And we've talked

about over the years, you can be a good

soil kind of person and have left some

rocks and weeds in you

and you will not produce on the level

that you should. And you say, "Well, 30

is better than nothing." But what what

of value is in the other 70? I can't

hold something against somebody no

matter how agitated, irritated, hurt, or

mad I may be. Because that thing that

they did to me is not nearly as

destructive as what I do to myself if I

hold it. Because now I'm not just

dealing with the past. I'm shutting down

the potential of my future.

And I'll be dog, you might have got me

then, but I'm not going to let you get

me for the rest of my life.

[Applause]

But I also recognized that being willing

to forgive is different from being

postured in forgiveness.

Read, read, read, read for us, Re

Angela, read for us. Luke 17:1. Y'all

Luke 17:1

went down off that one. See, because let

me go and tell you why. They mad. They

don't they not they done shut down.

Being willing, you know, it makes it

seem like on a case-byase basis, you

going to make a judgment.

I'm willing to for No, no, no, no. Jesus

wants us postured in forgiveness. I'm

going to talk about it. Read the verse.

I just wanted to go on, you know, while

we fighting. Then said he unto the

disciples. Uhuh. And don't do that. I

saw that look. I saw y'all. Don't look

up here like I don't know nothing about

this.

Like I haven't been portrayed

and hung up in front of people with lies

thrown on me to to be Don't do it. Don't

Don't act like I don't know what it is

to have been molested by somebody. Oh no

no no. Don't get quiet and start trying

to smile at me. No. Let's talk.

Oh no. Let's talk. You You almost can't

come up with a scenario. I've not been

through.

So, I'm both up here and in the pew,

too.

Okay. Now, let's read together as a

family. I hear you, Dr. Alicia. Come on.

Let's read. Luke 17. Then said he unto

the disciples. Yeah. It is impossible,

but that offenses will come. Yes. Junk

don't happen. Come on. But woe unto him.

You make sure you ain't the one doing

it. I'm sorry. Read. Through whom they

come. Yeah. It were better for him that

a milestone were hanged about his neck.

Yeah. And that he cast into the sea.

Throw him in the sea. That then that he

should offend one of the little ones.

Yeah. So take heed to yourself. Now

let's just stop there for a second.

So the statement being willing to

forgive is different from being postured

in forgiveness.

When I say forgiveness, this is some of

the stuff I'm talking about. It mean uh

Dr. Claire was talking with the teens

and she asked me, she said, "Bishop, do

you have a definition for

forgiveness and I said, I don't have one

that I have quote unquote made popular

or tried to set out as like a Rosie

O'Neal definition or whatever." I said,

"But it for me means before time I give

space for the shortcoming and flaws of

others."

To forgive is to give space before it's

needed. That's right. Recognizing that

people have shortcomings and they have

flaws so that everything that occurs

does not put the relationship in

jeopardy.

I'll say that again.

It is to give forgive to what? Forgive.

So be this just the way I you understand

it to before the need. Yes. I've already

given space

that for the flaws and and and

shortcomings of others so that every

action does not now put the relationship

in jeopardy.

Some of us are like string when we ought

to be like rubber bands.

It's a good thing you preached on that

offering cuz they get tighter and

tighter as we sit here

string. If if I just take a little thin

piece and I imagine the thread or

something and and you you put it in

there, it's small. You just get you a

little circle. You ain't getting but so

much in there cuz it doesn't have give

built into it. That's why we don't have

long-term relationships many times cuz

we don't have give built into us. People

aren't. Oh, we're where We're I I know

you don't know. Look at the person

beside you. Say, it's hard for me to

believe, but you're not perfect. I

can't. It's shocking. I just Oh my god,

it's shocking. I'm just Let me check to

be sure. Darn. He even got a metal on

his neck. You It's

shocking. But

mother, we're

not. We're not. If you if you come into

a relationship with no give. Wow.

You come into it say, "Well, we going to

go on and get married." But I'm telling

you now, see, oh Lord,

oh Lord, you you ain't even got into

rel. I'm telling you now.

You letting me know you thish.

Ain't no flexibility in you. I'm need

I'm needing I'm need you. You you can't

you can't be married 40 and 50 years.

12 years now. That same thing is 12 now.

40 back in the day was 12. You can't not

with not without some flexibility. You

can't be friends for any period of time.

That's why people change friendships

like draws because they don't they're

thread. Come on.

They're threads. You don't have anybody

in your life been there for over four

years cuz that's generally where your

thread gets spilled up. You need some

flexibility. You need the ability to get

upset and say, "But you know what? I

decided a long time ago we going to hang

on in there." Oh

[Applause]

god. I was thinking about the rubber

band. I was going to sing this. No.

Okay.

Forgi being postured in forgiveness.

means to give space for the hurt,

even offenses, errors,

weakness,

and sometimes wickedness

before it is needed. Here's here comes

the slap on this one, Remy

Cindy. Out of my faith and submission to

God,

let me say it again. Being postured in

forgiveness is different from just you

know just I'm willing to no that means

you think you get the right to decide

whether or not in this case

but real forgiveness is what Jesus is

talking about is posture to give space

for these things before it is needed out

of our faith or submission to God to be

postured in the flexibility. This

another I'm just working through it.

Y'all know you going to be able to go

back and watch it now. So, just pay

attention. To be postured in the

flexibility of love that offers space

for the inevitable clashes and

pain where you refuse to let

everything be a make it or break it to

the relationship.

Go to Romans

5. Go to Romans 5.

Yeah. Romans

Romans 5:20

5 verse 20. And this is not foreign. If

if you have a heart to hear what God is

saying, there's a dance in this.

Although it's a painful one. It's kind

of like I when I dressed up to go to

that gayla, I was dressed up. I look

good, but it was painful to me. The

shoes left me limping for the next day.

Yeah. So there's there's a there's a joy

in this

that bites on the end.

Romans 5. Because this is the way. Like

it or not, folks. This is the way. You

shout over it when it's between you and

God. But we want to cuss over it when

it's between us and folk.

God with his holy self

is yet flexible with us.

And that is why he is

unwilling. Now he will go thread like in

a heartbeat when he sees that you

disrespect his flexibility by refusing

to have any.

Let's read Bible. Let's just read Bible.

Romans 5:20.

Romans 5:20

Moreover, the law entered. Yeah. That

the offense might abound. So in other

words, God let there be rules. Remember

we talked about the law sets up to show

the holiness of God and his general

desire. But it also reveals our own

weakness. So the law came in so that

everybody could see how much foolishness

they were doing. Come on. But where sin

Amen. Because they may shout you down. I

don't want you to get hit in the back of

the head. Miss Phillips over there. And

she might have her camera. She might

accident jump up and hit you because

this is a powerful verse. Read this line

that you get ready to read. But where

sin abounded, I feel a dance. Grace did

much more abound.

We don't even have to interpret that.

All we did was read it. Where sin

abounded.

Grace. Hallelujah.

Grace.

Lord.

This don't fit. It don't fit. But

because grace has

[Music]

[Applause]

So where sin abound, grace did much

more. Huh? Not trick. Come on. Where

grace abounded, sin, where sin abounded,

grace did much more. What? It spread.

[Music]

He said, "But now I need you to have a

right understanding about how I want us

to flow with this." Read 61.

Yeah, that's it. Pastor Trev said, "Talk

Bible." Romans 6:1. What shall we say

Romans 6:1

then? Uh-huh. Shall we continue in sin

that grace may abound? He said, "So then

what should we be saying about this?

Should we continue in sin just because

there's some flexibility?" No.

Uh-uh. Wait a minute. Everybody didn't

say that. No. Practice it. No. He said

just because I'm flexible doesn't mean

you ought to play me.

[Applause]

But your dance ought to be that much

more enhanced because you do know that I

is flexible that I am willing that I am

working with you that I have chosen

before the need to give you space. I

know your frame that you are dust. Oh,

I'm preaching.

[Applause]

So with that in mind, folks, we have a

very serious call of God

on how we're going to function.

Luke 17 begins. You go back. It begins

with this

understanding that junk is going to

happen to us all. Yes. Yes. Whether it's

being raped, whether it's being lied and

vilified, lied upon, whether it is

whether it is people stealing and taking

from you, whether it is being overlooked

or there's I mean there's a million ways

in which offenses can come. But hear me

when I tell you they're going to come.

Don't be shocked. Amen. They're going to

come. That baby that you love more than

life itself, you prayed for 108 years to

get it. You were older than Sarah times

two when it came. But when I tell you

that is the happiest thing in your life.

Keep living

[Applause]

and they're going to bring you to with

an inch. That's not even an inch. That's

a quarter of an inch.

because offenses are going to come

through people you love and through

people you don't know.

[Applause]

But now Jesus is very clear. We're just

going to go verse by verse. Is that all

right? But Jesus is very clear in verse

one. Don't you be the person though.

See, I'm going to show you that what he

is doing is a

major mental paradigm shift for them.

He He's trying to correct some stuff.

He's going to talk to them about giving

space before he's going to talk to them

about being flexible. But he said, cuz

you know some people like this. Oh,

okay. Well, so you supposed to get See,

some folk will go home and then when you

say, "Wait a minute, babe. You're not

going to holler." Wait a

minute. Where the space at and you

supposed to be giving me space now? What

you Oh, Lord. Did you the country and

the just what you ain't fitting to do

come on is try to take truth and twist

it and throw it back on me. We not f to

do that. Come on. Now for those of you

who are not from the country that means

this is what we are not going to do.

And what Jesus does is says, "No, no,

no. Offenses are going to come, but your

focus needs to be that you're not the

one they come through."

Okay, it's I'll come back to it. I

understand. Keep going. He said,

"Because it would be better for us take

a millstone and you know that a concrete

block that's just going to make it

simple and throw you out into the sea

that drags you to the bottom, you drown.

He said, "That's how seriously I want

you to take it before you get arrogant

and think since they ought to forgive

that you can offend them and try to hurt

people.

Let's let's just come on. Let's just

work through that." He said, "I want you

to understand I'm going to talk about

the flexibility of of of love and

relationship." He said, "But I don't

want you to bring that up when it's you

cutting a fool."

Oh, y'all come on. You're making me work

too hard. And this the easiest part of

the lesson.

Our focus must

be not they got to forgive me, but you

got to forgive. See, first of all, who

would even what kind of

person? But you got to forgive. Got that

great big Bible big as a what you tell

me as big as a cereal box.

It's crazy. Watch this. Jesus says in

verse

two. This is how seriously I

take hurting people,

dogging people, being

unkind, being mean. Yeah,

this is he said this is the picture I

want in your head that if you're going

to be mean and hateful and unkind and

lie and take and and whatever all what

are what are some other things people

do? Violate who? Gossipurse.

Curse it folk and curse folk.

act like they can't ever change or they

this or they that. He said, "This is the

picture I want in your mind." See, he's

really When I tell you he bringing them

in, us in them in

He said, "It would be better for

somebody to put concrete shoes on you

and throw you in the water.

Let's continue reading."

So he says verse three, "Take heed to

yourself."

And that's what this thing like today

hit me. I said, you know, there have

been some things personally and I kind

of, you know, I was kind of feeling that

clap, that clap back kind of thing. And

and and it's hitting this verse too. He

said, look at this picture I'm giving

you,

Rosie. And so when we're singing set a

fire, I'm saying God, I want more of

you. I I I I said, God, and and and I

want you to be the refiner's fire. And

when the man of God said, "Run to that

fire."

He said, "Take heed to yourself."

He says, "I know you're apostles. I got

all of that. Take heed to yourself." I

know you got a Bible big as a cereal

box, but take heed to yourself. You got

a cross on big enough Jesus could have

died, but take heed to yourself.

No. Come on, y'all. Because at the end

of remember what the Bible says and

don't ever forget this. The Bible says

that there is nothing that will give us

boldness in the day of judgment but that

we have walked in perfect love.

He said there's some folk cast out

demons ain't he said I don't know you.

He said take heed to yourself. And then

he goes on and when I tell you he comes

for us, he says, "If your

brother trespasses against

you, go let him know." See, I think a

lot of us get into issue because we want

to be more spiritual than Jesus.

No, we do. We do. Who wants to know what

I mean by that? I'm going to tell you

how. We said, "Well, I ain't going to

say nothing." Okay. But what he said,

rebuke him. So who's right? You or him?

Now you going to go through persecution,

don't you, Lady Tra? Pastor Tracy. Cuz

now Pastor Tracy read this verse many

moons ago and she would come to me if

the Bible say if you have something

against somebody or if somebody did

something, you need to say something to

them. I need to speak with you after

Bible

study and we will forever be laughing.

Me and Za Boy Trace had me hemmed up

under that

staircase. Now, now who is the joke on

now since Jesus said?

No, let's just put it out there. See,

see how see how the laughter dropped off

because see it seems funny. I don't want

you know what I ain't saying nothing.

That's what I see. That's why I ain't

even said. Okay. So, who is more

spiritual? Who is right? Jesus said, "I

wish I had some saved people." Jesus

said, "If your brother," And don't It

was a girl. Shut up. You know what I'm

The Bible talking about y'all be trying

to play them games. If somebody,

rebuke them. And that doesn't mean try

to embarrass them. It says, "Make it

clear this was not okay."

What' I say? Make it clear. clear this.

You don't have to be ugly and say, "Oh,

no, no, no, no. We're not going to do

that. That's not okay. You can't.

I'm no. Okay, you can stop right there.

We're good. I'm gone." No, no, no, no.

Cuz um you're not going to stand here

and cuss me out.

No, let me go and get my keys, go drive

down the street, get me a Dr. Pepper

Zero, and pray in the Holy Ghost.

not going to do that.

Let's read the Bible. Come on.

Says, "If your brother trespass against

thee, rebuke him. And if he said, you

know what, I'm sorry." Then the Bible

says, "Forgive him."

And then, but wait a minute. Then it got

even worse. Verse four. Y'all upsetting

that baby? And if he trusts, they said,

"Now, you knew I was going to need some

crackers." Why you ain't bring I'm just

playing. I'm just messing with you. My

boys used to do the same thing. Watch

this. And if he what? And if he

trespassed against thee seven times, cuz

see, wait a minute. See? Okay. Wait.

Wait.

Yes, pastor. No. I done told I told you.

Don't holl at me.

Now we an hour later.

And the decibb have gone back up. Come

on

[Music]

now. What are we doing here? Because you

doing the same best.

But Jesus said, I don't think we can I

don't think we that see I can tell that

we don't understand the purpose of our

faith. Y'all help me. that Jesus said,

even if they do it seven times in a day,

right? They got it.

Forgive them. Forgive them.

And then in Matthew 18, I'm not going to

even have you turn because I know half

of y'all probably would get up and walk

out. In Matthew 18, Peter, you know,

Peter heard all of this. He remembers

this. And then he called himself going

to try to just, you know, check this. So

now Jesus, how many times you say we

supposed to forgive? Up to seven times.

And Jesus Jesus don't play. Jesus said,

"Pe who you what is this? What are we

doing?" He said, "Okay, then even if

they do it seven times 70, that's why I

know there's a difference between being

willing to forgive and postured in

forgiveness.

I ain't even got time to review 490

offenses. I have to already have

flexibility built in.

I know. I know. The relationship must

have intentional gracebased space for

imperfections and painful interactions.

So he says you have to forgive. Now

watch this verse five. This is where

many of us are.

We love this verse. Read it before we're

done. And the apostle said unto the

Lord, the deep people said what?

Increase your faith. How many feel that

way right there? The Lord increase our

favor. I got to forgive them over and

over again. You going to have to do

something for me, Jesus. And we come in

church like that, don't we? We'll get in

praise. You I'm You better sing Demar,

you your wife, your whole family, bring

your children cuz somebody better do

something cuz I'm telling you if I got

to go back

home because we have developed a love

for anger. Our country is addicted to

the showcasing of arrogance and anger.

It fuels many of our political leaders.

And the apostles, Lord, you're going to

have to do something. And this is the

thing. This is the thing. The apostles

thought they needed more to be able to

do it.

We need more faith. And Jesus said, "You

don't need nothing else.

You can't be punkish and follow him."

Cuz he is Jesus. This is what I always

say in these streets. Jesus not playing

in these streets, honey. Listen to what

he says. They said, "Lord, increase our

faith." They trying to be spiritual and

trying to make it out on a very subtle

way that if it's going to get done, you

the invisible God got to do something.

So that way if he don't do it, then I'm

trying.

Then I have an excuse if I act like I

need to learn how to do

it.

Help us. Jesus said in verse six, "And

the Lord said, uhhuh, if ye have faith

as a grain of a mustard seed, ye might

say unto this sycamine tree, come on. Be

thou plucked into by be thou plucked up

by the root." Yeah. And be thou planted

into the sea, and it shall obey thee.

Now watch, watch, y'all. Wait. He says,

"If you have faith,

even a just a touch of it." See, that

says to me that our understanding of

faith has been very, very narrow and

maybe one-dimensional.

Because to us, we think faith is the

ability to get God to move. But at its

core, faith is the belief that I have in

Jesus as Lord and the control that his

belief has on my decision making. So the

greatest expression of faith is not that

I can move God, but my faith moves me.

Have a good day. May the Lord watch

between me and thee. See, that's the

faith we don't want to preach about

because that faith ain't about getting a

car. That faith ain't about getting a

new house. It doesn't have anything to

do with my gold or anything. It is about

if I say I have faith, then my faith

ought to be able to move me to obey God.

And I ain't got to have a lot if it's

real faith.

And then he goes on in verse 7 through

10

to give us another slap on it.

He said, "Cuz which one of y'all got

servants to plow, feeding cattle,

whatever, and then you say to him

eventually when he come in, go sit down

to eat." He said, "No, you ain't f to do

that." Y'all okay with the O'Neal

paraphrase? I'm in verse eight. He said,

"You're not f to do that. What you going

to say to him is get my food together so

I can eat and then, you know, take care

of me. Then after I'm good, then you go

ahead and enjoy. Then he says in verse

n, he said, "You think he going to thank

that servant because he did the things

that were commanded?"

Watch this. He said, "No, I don't think

so." Verse 10. So likewise, when you

have done all the things which were

commanded, your posture is we're

unprofitable cuz all we've done is our

duty.

See, faith has lost its core for us.

Because if Jesus is Lord, then whatever

I'm told to do is my duty.

I don't need anything else to fulfill my

duty. Come on. And I have been charged

by my savior

to forgive.

I don't get a choice.

See, they were trying to act like they

needed something

else. The reality is we have everything

we need to forgive. Now, I know that's

why I told him to take the clock off cuz

I do want to explain. There are a few

things that can help you with the

process of it.

But if your mind is not if if you have

real faith that means he is Lord. It

don't just mean I believe in a God.

It means I have made Jesus my God. So

then what he says I do it doesn't matter

how I feel or think about it. Amen.

See I couldn't be a coach on a team

where they standing there fussing with

me. Yeah. Amen. I'm the coach. What What

are we doing here now? What?

I said I said run the oneonone. That

looked like a uh Well, but we felt like

uh all I hear won

bench. That's what I hear. Because if

you had something to say, you discussed

that with me. But once I make a

statement of what we're doing, that's

what we're doing. Right. Right. Right.

Generals don't say, "Man, what you think

I was going to? If you ain't got nothing

else to do, could you?" Generals don't

talk like that.

Who is Jesus to you? Right? He said,

"Cuz if you have

faith, not just the way it can move

stuff in the earth, but if you have

faith, it moves you first."

So when they have done when you somebody

died in the family and then the two or

three of them came behind your back,

stole everything, they left you with the

program.

Don't act like this stuff don't happen.

Y'all be writing me and stuff. Don't

even do

it. And you like, you know what? I ain't

got nothing to say to

them. Well, he got something to say to

you.

So now you knew y'all wrong for stealing

like that, but I love you.

Amen. Well, let us continue.

They said, "Lord, we need more faith."

He said, "You do not. You need to

understand the relationship that we have

and that there are some things I do not

play about at all and forgiveness is one

of them." Amen. See, if you think you

need something else, let me tell you

what you already have. You have God's

expectation. Number one, you already

have his expectation that you would do

it. His command.

Okay. Number two, you have your

experience of having been forgiven.

See, this is the reason he ain't he he

ain't playing in these streets.

He said because what's Colossians 3 say?

Look down in Colossians. Forbearing one

another. 3:13. It do what? forbearing

one another and forgiving one another.

Yeah. Cutting each other some general

slack and putting space there before it.

He said that's your posture. Come on. If

any man have quarreled against any, you

got to do what about this thing? Even as

Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Amen.

See, when Peter ran up on Jesus with

that game in Matthew 18 and talking

about how, you know, how many times? And

Jesus went on to say, uh, not seven up

to seven times, 70* 70. Peter was like,

this is crazy right here. This crazy.

And Jesus said, you know, let me tell

you a story. And he goes up and he

brings up the story about the man that

owes somebody $50. Y'all, let me bring

it up today. Somebody borrow 50, man. We

get not even $50. We getting ready to

eat. Me and Trace go. We're somewhere at

the lounge. And Trace said, "Dog, going

to I left my wallet." No, I said dog.

Cuz I generally be the one to forget it.

I left my money. Trace, you got me. Cuz

I was just ask you got I'm hungry. $20

you got for

20. And then Trace, no. Let me go. I

supposed to go big, ain't I? I supposed

to go big first. Trace says, "I'm ready

to retire, Bishop. I'm ready to retire."

And uh me and Rev need something and

something something. Is there any way?

Trace, don't ask me this. I don't have

it. Is there any way? Cuz I was putting

it seemed like I was getting almost into

a flow. I don't want to be in that real

flow. It's an

example. Right. But she said, "Pastor,

we getting ready to try trying to get if

I just had another $100,000 that thing

would just set me straight. I could just

I could exhale. You understand?" And I

said, "Trace, I got you. I got you." And

I It's a what? Example, right? And so so

she says that and then then her, Darlene

and Shindy go out and they go to one of

these prayer things. They go out, they

be laid out on the floor for a couple

days. They love that kind of rolling

just for whoa God just going

in. And and and and Shindy goes, I ain't

bring my

wallet. And she asked for $10 from

Trace. Now I said, "Trace, I'm gonna let

you hold on to that $100,000 I got and

you can hold on to it for a little bit."

I said, "I'm gonna need my money." She

come back. She said, "Bishop, I thought

I was going to be able to pay you, but

like so many things begin to happen."

And so I'm just, you know, really, it

would be better if I could just, you

know, how do you feel about that? And I

said, "Okay, Trace, don't worry about

hold on to the 100,000. We good. You

don't owe it to me no more." And so she

are you sure? After she done asked,

right? I think, yeah, really, I mean, I

don't want to be thinking about it

later. So, Trace, we're good. And then

she she sees she she she sees Reverend

Shindy about four weeks

later and Sha get ready to get up to

presside

and she say, "I I have a word. I have a

problem with people, you know, who would

stand up and act so spiritual, but they

don't even

and put a business down the road. M

God said that's what it feels like.

That's what it looks like to him

when we won't forgive no matter what it

is. Because no matter what has been done

to us, it's just the same kind of stuff

that we do. It is choosing

against God and God's way. He said, "Now

I have forgiven every single thing you

ever did. I have forgiven stuff you did.

I've forgiven stuff you were supposed to

do that you didn't. I done had so much

flexibility. He said, I've been

stretched. In fact, he stretched so you

you heard it, didn't you, preacher? You

heard it, didn't you, preacher? He said,

I've been stretched so Yes, sir. Until

that's the way I had to die. One hand on

your life. You know that's how he said I

stretch that much and you mean to tell

me

that you won't forgive that you won't

let it go that you still talking about

it. You are literally keeping something

alive and keeping it fresh in your mind

and the mind of others after I told you

that I have forgotten your sins and and

buried them in the sea of forgetfulness.

So you cannot be like me.

I mean, I'm just we're reading

and there's some there's some strange

stuff that's been done. The tipping in

the bedroom of a kid's room. That ain't

no joke.

But Jesus said,

"Forgive." We have God's expectation,

number one. We have our own experience

of forgiveness. Number

two, there's a quote that I I wanted to

share with you. It was so It says,

"Forgiveness

is

releasing someone from the

offense, unlocking their their door, and

realizing you were the one that was the

prisoner.

That's good.

Understand this y'all. It's more than

releasing just letting yourself go. It's

getting bitterness out of you. It

doesn't mean you excuse what's been

done.

Whoever that them first two claps you

were trying to start it off. It was a

good clap.

It was a good clap because me forgiving

does not mean what you did was okay.

That's right.

That's right. It's not okay. And if you

bring it up, I'm going to tell you

again. It wasn't okay.

And I will reset boundaries if I am at

risk of you trying to do it again.

But what I'm not going to do is give you

the side eye for the rest of my life.

I'm not going to be talking about it. I

am not holding it in my heart. I have to

chalk it up to the sin nature in you

because I share the same nature.

So I have number one, God's expectation.

Number two, my own experience. Number

three, I have the

realization that it's not excusing the

deed.

That's right. And let me make this

statement. I know we're we're late.

There is a difference between weakness

and wickedness.

Come on, talk to me. There is a

difference between weakness and

wickedness.

I remember her she we were in school.

Her name is Tracy Easter. Love Trace.

And funny girl. Good gracious. Played

basketball. Just really funny. And uh

she was going with this guy. I can't

think of his name. Anyway, he was a cute

fella.

And you know, how real can we go today?

When Oh, boy. I don't know if I want to

go that real. It's been a minute since I

really felt that.

That's wrong. He talking about tell it

all. Tell yours.

Don't

just Okay. when you and some of y'all

won't be able to identify with this.

When you maybe have been bigger or

something all your life

and not really considered I mean I think

I'm cute but that's now I look a lot

better now than I did then growing up.

I took the long road,

Doc. And to have somebody put a lot of

attention on

me, even today, I get

nervous. I don't like, "Oh, Ber, it just

makes me so

nervous." Okay, can I put pause? Men,

where you at?

[Applause]

Guys are born hunters. Right? You follow

it. Guys know how to become what that

lady wants. If he's trying, if he's

trying to win her and he finds out that

she likes, you know, this kind of

attention, that will morph like the

Terminator came up from that silver

listen. But if you want to see him in a

mess, let the hunt change. Uhhuh.

He don't know what to do, right?

What?

No. No. They don't know what to do. I've

been talking with folk. I told my my

pastor sons coming up. I said, "Let me

tell you something. Y'all are committed

to your spouses. I know that." I said,

"But when I'm trying to tell you to be

careful of certain things, it's because

you don't know how to handle some stuff

because you ain't been through it." How

real do I tell you? You you did you say

tell you didn't say you weren't trying

to get me to put all my that was him so

you don't want me to throw you out.

Okay. Well, you know, so PT grew up

narrow. The chocolate's always pretty,

but I'm saying it may not have been

where you came from.

So what do you do if you weren't

considered a

fine find and then somebody walks up to

you look like a darn contestant in

something and say you know what I would

love to wear you

out you don't know how you don't know

how to handle

that y'all ain't see I don't even know

why y'all come here go to another church

another Sunday I'm tired of y'all you

know what I'm Man, Shandelle all now

you're a good-looking man. What was the

guy? Dwayne Wayne. Everybody thought

that that's who they thought you were.

You always you smart as a whip every

nerd. I'm sure that's what they thought.

Now you buscular and business all that

kind of stuff. I don't know if you were

that way growing up. But what I know is

what happens when you get to a certain

stature in life

and then somebody that you ain't never

thought would look in your direction.

That's right. That's right. They become

KFC right in front of you.

Now, either you know what that means or

you don't. I'm not going into it.

Huh? Oh, this is a Tuesday night.

So, here here I am. Back to me.

I was never really considered. I was

already friendly and sweet. I wasn't

considered pretty like that.

And when my friend Tracy's friend came

at

me, before I knew

it, and what I

did was weakness. It wasn't wickedness,

right? I didn't I would never have meant

to hurt Tracy.

It still hurt her though.

But I didn't mean to. Right. It caught

me. I didn't think nobody thought that

of me. And when they went to blinking

and grinning at me like that

and in your mind you go, you think I'm

cute? Really? Yeah. Right. Right. You

know, I got a low voice. I got I'm

hairy. And of course, thank God he had

more hair on his face than me. But I was

like, uh-uh. See, that's why

I'm You know, it take a lot to get up

here and put your stuff

out. Y'all don't appreciate nothing. Uh

uh y'all. But I mean what I'm trying to

get you to see is wickedness and

weakness are different, but they both

still hurt.

So I have to

remember the weakness and wickedness in

us all. Yes.

And when I recognize that, I posture

more easily in forgiveness.

So, here is the story. I've told y'all

for 35 years. Here it is again. I'm

going to have to let you go cuz I can't

finish. I told you the story. Actually

learned it from Max

Lukeo, but I lived it later on. Max Lo

was telling the story about he had this

one member and wherever he would go if

that member was there they would be they

would turn it out. It was always a

scene. Oh, they just were loud and if

you said anything to him they went to

crying and it would people be staring at

him and you know he's a preacher. He's a

well-known he's a writer. Everybody's

looking and one day it just got so bad.

The person got so upset they had fallen

all out and done all this other kind of

stuff and threw up on it.

And he said, "But in spite of it all, it

was his favorite member cuz it was his

nine-month old baby." Okay. Uh-uh.

Uh-uh. That R, that R, that R is point

number four. M that awe is

understanding.

Now, I had the same thing. Here's my

here was my part of it. When I was in

college, right over there in between

Green and White

Hall, somebody spit in my face.

I'm I was a preacher already

and I listen sh listen. And I started

crying. I was so mad cuz y'all know I

had that murderous

tendency and see that wasn't even a joke

and they laughed. I don't know what

y'all are some funny folk. So in my

mind and I'm and I'm sad about it

because that's so not the nature of

Jesus. And yet here I am with great big

Bibles and all that kind of stuff. And I

was so angry I wanted to snap their

neck.

And I stood there and I cried because I

knew I couldn't do anything.

And I literally lit it's on one I didn't

have a stroke. I turned completely I

was the second time I was spit on in my

face.

I didn't get mad at all.

Now it was some years in between.

Not a lot, a couple, but I didn't even

get mad cuz this time, Scotty, I was

visiting the hospital where my

grandfather who had had a stroke was. He

had a TRA and was sick. So, it was him

coughing that hit me. One situation I

was ready to kill. The other one didn't

anger me at all because I understood the

state he was in. And when you and I

remember that people, no matter how

sweet some of us are, we are all made of

dust. We are all hanging on by a grace

thread. We all have a sinful nature in

us. Y'all ain't talking to me. When you

remember, it doesn't have to be that.

When you remember that,

you all say a

because you understand they can't do any

better. That's right. Say, well, he

could do better. They disappointed

me. If I brought If I brought somebody

with severe special needs up here, my to

shoot a basketball and it barely got out

of their hand. Where am I?

If I got I told him I said try to throw

it. I'm trying to throw at the wheel and

if I have special needs and I

go and that's as far as it goes. You

say, "Oh, that's okay, baby. That's

okay. That was a good try. Yeah. Then I

get up, it ain't no problem.

Why do we why do we cut that slack?

Because we understand there limitations

there.

Now, can I tell you, God, y'all get

wonder? Can I get up here? Let me see.

Hold my hand. I want to get up. Three,

two, believe God for the chairs to hold.

Okay.

Every last one of us is special needs in

here.

You just can't see everybody's.

Some of us like right now I don't see

that well because I have I have contacts

though. Some other people they they have

issues. They got issues just as big as

if as as if I mean they maybe they were

raped.

And it created a real issue in them and

you can't look at them and tell but if

you put them in certain situations then

all of a sudden it shows up. So my thing

is the way Jesus is explaining this, why

don't we all be aware that outside of

God in my flesh dwells no good thing

that I am just all of us everybody from

the pope to the pimp everybody in

between. All of us need grace. All of us

need forgiveness. All of us need help.

All of us are messed up to a degree. So

what we need to do is try not to hurt

people. And when we get hurt, Jesus

said, "It's your duty to forgive."

That's the end of

it. And that's the end of it.

No choice.

That's it.

You forgive. Period. If them women could

forgive them that people that went in

there and killed all them little Amish

kids in that school,

that's right. Now, how you going to let

them out forgive? You know why they

forgave? Cuz that Jesus told them to.

We don't have that option. We must

forgive.

So today

the guy that molested me under a church

pew,

I had to forgive him.

Jesus didn't give me any options on

that.

I said Jesus didn't give me any options

on that.

But if I understand his command,

his expectations here, I got to. Yeah.

If I remember my experience, yeah, I dog

on ought to.

But if I understand that we all have

weakness and wickedness, that we are all

flawed,

how can I do anything but

forgive?

So

today it's time

let it go.

Let it

go. You but why? It ain't going to ne

you can't make sense of crazy.

Ain't no sense of going back over it.

But see my thing, it ain't about you.

Forgive. It was

wrong. I ain't going to let it happen

again. But I'm not going to hold you in

a posture like you can't change. Cuz if

God could save me, he can save anybody.

[Applause]

So now let me ask this. I know cuz we

you know we usually out of church

now but we had planned to have

communion. I told pastor I said I ain't

sure if we'll be ready.

Remember I said I I don't know doc this

may be but I also understand forgiveness

ain't something I get time to work

through. I can work through the feelings

after I've done it. Yeah, that's right.

Yeah.

A divorce. Now, we're not trying to get

you a divorce, but a divor once you sign

that paper, that's done. But that don't

mean the feelings are done. So, now you

got to work through the feelings. But

now, I need to go ahead and be done if I

need to be done. You understand what I'm

saying? So, if I sign the paper for the

house, it's bought. I still got to deal.

Oh, Lord, I got to start making them

payments. But that's done. We forgive.

I'm not holding this. I'm not repeating

this. I'm not going to sit up every day

and go back over. I'm not doing that

anymore. So the next time this thought

comes, I am putting my mouth. God, thank

you how you forgave me for those times I

used to do so. Thank you. Oh my God,

Lord, your blood is amazing. Thank you

for how you kept me. And the devil said,

but they didn't have to do. And then

they they lied. And you know what, Lord?

I thank you. You know what? You have

forgiven so many of my lie. Oh my God.

Thank you that you've washed me now that

I don't lie. Now that I can speak truth

in Uhhuh.

it's time to forgive

cuz we can't. We faith to forgive, power

to forgive, whatever you want to call

it.

But it's our

duty my and it's our worship.

God, it's our worship.

You got a lot of people that have done

you wrong. Let them go. Yeah. Just let

them go. Just say, "You know what? Cuz

watch this. I still made it."

They say, "But they walked out and left

me. Must not have had to have them cuz

you still here.

The only time you really need to go to

pieces if the Lord ain't there." My God.

You think they ready? I don't know. I

can't be sure. I let this be your call.

You don't even make it my call till

December, ain't you? You so trifle. Come

on,

Deacons. But I forgive

you. Thank you,

Lord. Forgiveness has caused more

sickness than probably most things.

Unforgiveness, rather, unforgiveness has

caused more sickness and

illness, mental illness, stress,

arthritis, all kinds of things.

Now you forgive in Jesus name. Y'all

here you forgive what?

You let it go out of worship to Jesus.

Now you may need to go to a counselor to

work through the emotions

to help you see that forgiving it didn't

excuse it.

It's not straight. You got to keep going

a little bit. Stop. Okay.

Father, we consecrate these

elements because Lord, whenever there

was a time for a covenant to be cut,

there was blood and then you showed us

in the New Testament where they ate and

drank.

Father, we're cutting covenant with you

today to remember your expectation, to

remember our experience of forgiveness,

to remember that we have a shared sinful

nature, but also God, that we're not

excusing it away, but we're refusing to

chain oursel to it. We are not going to

be rethinking. We're putting our mind

back into fertile things to think

about. and we let them go, Lord, the

same way you let us go. Thank you that

you still let us breathe with as many

times as we failed you. You still let us

enjoy sunshine with as many times as we

have done sinful things. May we stop

trying to wish away the sun for those

we've considered an enemy. Father, give

us a heart like yours to pray for their

sunshine as well.

Father, we thank you that as these

deacons come and serve this precious

bread and juice, Father, let it be a

symbol of your body and your blood. And

Lord, we don't take lightly the

covenant. We don't take lightly our

covenant to forgive and to release

people. Father, for every

misunderstanding that we let tear up a

relationship, we ask your forgiveness.

Father, for every time we've looked back

on a deed done years in the past and

then changed our posture towards

somebody, we ask your forgiveness. We

release them. And Father, we're going to

step into a fresh joy in Jesus' name.

Amen. Deacons, please come quickly and

serve our people.

Quickly, quickly,

quickly. How many needed to hear this

word

[Music]

today? Even though forgiveness will make

your heart more fertile, it'll cause

blessings to abound in your life. All

you got to do is read the Bible.

Forgiveness will make your witness so

much stronger. Forgiveness is going to

open the door to people to be saved that

you thought never would be saved, but

you holding them kept them in a dark

spot. You're going to see all kind of

miraculous things. But let your

forgiveness be your worship and

obedience to

Christ. Let it be because of that,

because he forgave you. Thank you, Lord.

Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord.

Yes. I want him to purify me. How many

know now? Can you see why we had to sing

those songs today? We need the fire of

God to purify us. Thank you, Lord. Thank

you, Lord.

[Music]

Give me grace to obey.

in a

clean heart. I want a clean heart.

Yes, Lord.

You ought to be praising or saying,

"Help me, Jesus." or something. Thank

you, Lord.

Oh, Lord.

[Music]

Yes, sir.

Thank you, Father.

[Music]

People don't like you, let them have

their opinion and love them from a

distance. It's okay. Don't get let it

get in your heart. I want a clean heart.

I said, I want a clean heart.

I don't want him to find wicked ways in

me.

Let it go. Py.

Yeah. Purifying.

Somebody need to just say, I release

them

in the name of Jesus.

I'm not rethinking it. I'm not holding

on. I let it go.

[Music]

Yeah. As they're serving, if there's

someone here today and you've never

asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life,

maybe you didn't know you could be

forgiven. Or maybe you've been holding

people and you've been angry for so

long. In fact, you're even shocked

you're going to church now. You're

shocked because you were so sick of

everything and

everybody. But you were block the enemy

was using it to block out the love and

the warmth of

God. Jesus

died to forgive

you. So if you're here today and you've

never made him the Lord of your life,

and as you can see, it's not an easy

thing because he requires us walking in

a love that is otherworldly.

But if you know he's calling you today

to himself, if that's you, will you

raise one hand? Pastor, I'm not saved,

but I need to give Jesus my life. I need

to be forgiven. I need to be

forgiven.

Okay? And church, do understand that we

forgive because he commanded it. But he

also reminded us if you do not forgive

others, it put it like this. With the

same measure you eat meat, it'll be

measured to you. He said, if you do not

forgive others, I will not forgive you.

After I done brought you into this

knowledge and forgiven everything and

given you all this grace and then you

decide you're not going to do that with

anybody else, he said, I can't I can't

keep what what what are we doing? Help

me to always have a forgiving

heart.

Amen. All right. Would you

stand? A clean

heart that I

may worship

you. If you take that top

off, it'll reveal a little wafer. It's a

symbol. Come on,

deacons. It's a symbol of the body of

the Lord. That wafer and that juice,

it's just juice, but it's a symbol of

the blood of Jesus. You say, "Why do we

do that?" Because our sins cost

him his

life. His body was broken. His blood was

shed. And it became the payment for

sin. So, as you

do, we're going to serve the deacons.

And y'all have Okay.

[Music]

This is some heavy spiritual lifting

this

morning. Creating

me. Yeah.

Yeah. Body and blood of our Lord. Body

and blood of our Lord. Thank you,

Lord. The body and blood of our Lord.

Yes. Purify me.

Thank you, Jesus.

Somebody getting set free this morning.

Yes, Lord. Cuz it's not going to hold

you anymore.

You unlock the door to let them out and

realize the lock was on you. He's

freeing you in Jesus

[Music]

name. Lord, thank

you Lord today.

No

excuses. No, we need something else to

do it. Out of obedience to

you and in awareness of what we've

already

received, our

faith, our submission to you, we release

those that have hurt us, violated us in

any way. We will not hold it. We're not

going to keep it active in our minds.

We are letting it go and choosing to

walk in love and focus on a future with

you in our view. We do so now as we

receive this holy communion. We take and

eat of the body that was broken for us

and we drink of the cup the new

testament in his blood.

[Music]

We're free. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

We're free.

Where sin abounded,

grace did much more abound.

So Lord, today thank you for this time,

this extended

service. But Lord, sometimes our issues

don't fit neatly into 90minute molds.

But Lord, we thank you that love is our

posture

and we choose to give space before the

time of need in Jesus play.