(Breath of Life Theme Music)
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Sermon #B658 -
Drafted for a Dream Job
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Dr. Byrd: Mark 15:15 quickly.
"And so Pilate, willing to
content the people,
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released Barabas unto them and
delivered Jesus, when he had
scourged them to be crucified.
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And the soldiers led him away
unto the hall called Praetorium,
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and they called together the
whole band. And they clothed him
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with purple, and platted a crown
of thorns and put it about his
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head and began to salute
him, Hail, King of the Jews.
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And they smote him on the head
with a reed and did spit upon
him and bowing their knees,
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worshiped him, and when they had
mocked him, they took off the
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purple from him, and put his own
clothes on him and led him out
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to crucify him." Verse 21, "And
they compel one Simon, a
Cyrenian who passed by,
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coming out of the country, the
father of Alexander and Rufus,
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to bear his cross drafted for a
dream job." Spirit of the living
God, fall afresh on us.
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Make us, mold us, speak through
me today to speak to your
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people. Forgive me of my sins
and when the appeal comes, Lord,
move in this place.
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In Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen. [Congregation: Amen.]
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Drafted for a dream job, quickly
now. It's Passover season in the
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text. Jews have come from all
over the then known world to
Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.
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Passover, as you will remember,
commemorated the deliverance of
the children of Israel
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from the hand of
mean old Pharaoh in Egypt.
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After the plague of blood and
after the plague of frogs and
lice and livestock and flies,
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hail, locusts and darkness,
there would be a specific night
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in Egypt where the death
angel would make a midnight ride
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through Egypt and the firstborn
son of every home would be
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killed if lambs' blood were
not sprinkled on the doorpost.
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But if blood were on your
doorpost, the death angel would
pass over your house.
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Do I have a
witness in the place?
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And so Jews came from all over
the world to Jerusalem to
celebrate Passover.
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Now, the world
teaches that one such visitor
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who went to Jerusalem
for Passover was a black man.
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A man from North Africa,
present-day Libya. The bible
says his name was Simon of
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Cyrene. Now, you should also
know that back in Simon's day,
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every God-fearing Jew desire to
celebrate Passover in Jerusalem
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at least once in
his or her lifetime.
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And so it was highly probable
that Simon had been saving all
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his money, all his life to
go to Jerusalem for Passover to
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fulfill his dream. Now you also
need to understand that at this
time in earth's history,
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Palestine was an occupied
territory which meant that
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Palestine was a territory under
the authority and control of a
belligerent armed Roman force,
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which meant that at any time a
man could've been drafted into
Roman service for any task.
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There were no questions to
be asked. There was no dialog to
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follow. A Roman
centurion could compel or draft
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whomever he chose into service
to perform a specific task.
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The sign of this drafting was a
tap on the shoulder with the
flat of a Roman spear.
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"Hey you. Come here.
I need you to do this.
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And you dare not
object or give an excuse."
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It was kinda like growing up as
a child in your parents' house,
40 or so years ago.
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I know things have become modern
but back in the day, young
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people, you did what you were
told. There was, back in my day
when I was growing up, no
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discussion. My daddy is here
today and he'll tell you, he
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used to tell us, "I'm the daddy
and you're going to do what I
say", "Well, why?",
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"Because I'm the daddy."
Are you hearing what I'm saying?
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There was no debate, there were
no questions, there were no
options like there are today.
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You did what you were told and
you did it without complaining
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because if you did
complain or you didn't do it,
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you had wished you had done it
because there always seemed to
be a belt, a switch
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- somebody knows what I'm
talking about. [Congregation:
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Amen] Or a swift hand
that back slap coming your way
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because the belief when I was
growing up was a hard head made
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a soft bottom, do I have a
witness in this place?
[Congregation: Applause]
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So here is Simon of Cyrene, a
black man from North Africa,
who's minding his own business,
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who had come all the way from
North Africa to attend the
Passover feast in Jerusalem
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when all of a sudden, he feels a
tap on his shoulder and he's now
drafted into service.
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Now being drafted into service,
you need to understand, was not
just a Roman thing.
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Because some of you know that
back in the day right here in
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the United States, if you were
18 years old and you were
drafted into the military, you
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had to go. Things have changed a
bit but I remember 30 years ago
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when I turned 18, that I had to
register into what we call the
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selective service. Anybody
know what I'm talking about?
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It didn't mean that you
were going to the military
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but you had to be
registered for the military
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because if and when the
government needed you and you
were drafted, you had to go.
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And if you didn't go, it
was punishable by jail time.
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Does anybody know what I'm
talking about? [Congregation:
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Yes] In fact, even today, all
young men within 30 days of
their 18th birthday,
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you're still supposed to
register with the selective
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service. But let's move it
from the military to sports now.
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When you're drafted by an NBA
team and you're drafted by an
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NFL team, or drafted by a
major league baseball team,
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you have to go to that team even
if you don't want to go to that
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team. You have to go unless
you're traded to another team
because when you're drafted,
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somebody else has rights to you.
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Simon is at Passover but while
there, he is unexpectedly
drafted into service.
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He's assigned
to help King Jesus.
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Jesus has just been indicted in
Pilate's judgment hall at the
request of the crowd
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and he must now
suffer from crucifixion.
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Interestingly enough, the same
people who shouted Hosanna at
the beginning of the week
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are now the same people who
shout crucify him at the end of
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the week. That's why you better
not put your trust in people,
are you hearing what I'm saying?
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The bible says that
Jesus has been scourged.
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Everybody say scourged.
[Congregation: Scourged]
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Which meant, he had been
stripped of his clothes, tied to
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a wooden pole. He's beaten with
a device the Romans called a
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flagrum which was an instrument
of torture that had a wooden
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handle with several strips
of leather extending from it.
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Jesus is beaten, he's covered
with blood from head to toe.
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In this moment of great agnity,
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Jesus is forced to carry his
own cross to his crucifixion.
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Now, the longest route to
the crucifixion site was always
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selected. Why? The government
wanted onlookers to be able to
see the indicted criminal
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and be struck with fear so they
would think twice before
committing a crime themselves.
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Jesus was weak from the
beatings he has received,
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stumbles and falls between the
weight of his cross that weighs
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nearly 150 pounds. It's at this
point that Simon receives a tap
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on his shoulder. This tap
is from a flat Roman spear.
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He's drafted into helping
Jesus carry Jesus' cross.
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Now, out of all the people who
were watching Jesus carry the
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cross, why did the Roman soldier
touch Simon's shoulder? Why was
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Simon singled out? Why was Simon
drafted for the job? Was it
because he was black?
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Was it because he was a
victim of racial profiling?
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Because in those days, Simon's
brown skin color was a badge of
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inferiority and servitude
in the minds of Roman soldiers.
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The bible says that there's
nothing new under the sun,
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because even sadly today,
one's skin color is a badge to
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somebody else. A badge of hate,
a badge of subordination, a
badge of subservience.
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You don't believe me?
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Why are some of our black men
followed at the grocery store in
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the mall when they're just
simply trying to buy food or buy
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some clothes? Why are some black
men profiled just because they
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wear a nice suit, they have some
nice shoes, they are driving a
nice car in a nice neighborhood?
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It's because of the labels that
have been put on us by others.
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Labels that suggest we're no
good, labels that suggest we're
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not smart, labels that suggest
that all we can do is sing,
preach, and play basketball.
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But you better tell somebody,
don't buy into those labels
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because I would have you to know
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that we can also perform
open-heart surgery, see Dr.
David Hale Williams.
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We also invented a blood
bank, see Dr. Charles Drew.
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We also can pilot and command
a space shuttle mission, see
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Frederick Gregory. We also can
put a black woman in space,
check with Mae Jemison.
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We can be president of an Ivy
League educational institution,
see Dr. Ruth Simmons,
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president of Brown
University at one time.
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We can play basketball but we
can also play tennis, see Serena
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Williams and notice she's
retiring now or getting off the
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scene but another one is
being raised in Coco Gauff.
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We can serve as the joint chief
of staff and the secretary of
state, see Colin Powell.
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But we can also present
articles of impeachment,
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see Congressman Hakeem Jeffries.
[Congregation: Applause]
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But not only that, we can
win a United States presidential
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election and run the most
powerful nation of the free
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world, can somebody see
President Barack Obama?
[Congregation: Applause]
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Don't let people label
you. I'm not a badge of hate.
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I'm not a badge of inferiority.
I'm not a badge of ignorance.
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I'm a badge of strength.
I'm a badge of courage.
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I'm a badge of power. Let
me just tell it like I feel it.
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I get concerned when I hear
people say, "If you're white, if
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you're all right. If you're
yellow, you're mellow. If you're
brown, stick around.
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But if you're black, get back."
I don't have to get back for
anybody. I am somebody.
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God made me in God's image after
His own likeness, don't you let
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people label you. Do I have a
witness in this place?
[Congregation: Applause]
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The text says Simon was
compelled, forced, drafted to
carry the cross of Christ.
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Not drafted by a sports team but
drafted by the Romans to carry
the cross of Christ.
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There are few things that
I've learned from this drafting.
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Number one, there are
some things in life we have no
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control over. We are
just compelled to do them.
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As a child, we are compelled to
learn how to walk regardless of
how many times we fall.
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We're compelled to honor
our parents regardless of their
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imperfections. We are compelled
to love our neighbors as we love
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ourselves, regardless of
the injustices and inequities of
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life. We're compelled to study
and learn in order to realize
our potential and develop our
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gifts, regardless of the
limitations of our educational
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institutions. We're compelled to
recognize that while God is
good, life is not always fair.
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We're compelled to realize that
in this life, we are going to
have tests and trials,
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we are going to have
troubles and tribulations,
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we are going to have temptations
regardless of how much we pray.
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We're compelled to realize
that Rome isn't built in a day
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and that patience is a virtue to
be learned regardless of how bad
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we want something. Simon didn't
come to Jerusalem to carry the
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cross of Christ. Simon may not
have even wanted to carry the
cross but Simon was drafted
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and he was compelled to carry
the cross of Christ and he had
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no other options. He had no
other alternatives but
sometimes, a man has got to do
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what a man has got to do.
And that's a word for somebody
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today. We must teach our
children that there are very few
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options, very few alternatives
and you got to do what you've
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got to do. Entitlement and
privilege had become the norms
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of the day. When I was a kid,
expectations and mandates were
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clearly defined. You see, when
I was a child, we were compelled
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to see education as a necessary
vehicle for getting ahead.
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We were compelled to
honor and respect our adults.
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We were compelled you better
never talk back to an adult
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because if you
talk back to an adult,
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my parents told us that they had
the freedom to whoop me and then
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when I got home, I got another
whooping, are you hearing what
I'm saying? [Congregation:
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Applause] We were compelled to
open doors and pull out chairs
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for young ladies. We were
compelled to go to church, do
chores and bring home good
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grades. Words such as options
and alternatives were foreign in
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my vocabulary when it came to
the rules and regulations of my
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youth. If I didn't do what was
expected, there were problems.
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Are you hearing what I'm
saying? [Congregation: Amen]
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In life, sometimes,
your options are limited.
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Sometimes, there are no
alternatives but you got to
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press on. Sometimes, you might
feel like giving up but you got
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to press on. Sometimes, you
might feel like throwing in the
towel but you've got to press
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on. You may not have everything
everybody else haves but you got
to use what you do have.
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Now, don't misunderstand
me and misquote Pastor Byrd.
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I'm not saying let people treat
any kind of way. People treat
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you how let them. I'm not saying
live the label that has been
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placed on you. I'm not saying
roll over and play dead. No. You
better not do that.
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But what I am saying is in life,
don't give up. Don't throw in
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the towel. There are certain
things you have no control over
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but you still have to press
on and do what you have to do.
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You still have to work for the
better to get better so others
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can have better. Martin King
knew he was hated but he still
had to do what he had to do.
00:17:59.74\00:18:06.41
John Lewis knew that Boe Connor
and George Wallace were after
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him but he still had to go the
Edmund Pettus Bridge and do what
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he had to do. Everyday,
Congressman Jeffries has no
control over the outcome of
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congressional decisions but that
doesn't stop him. He still has
to do what he has to do.
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Speaking of doing
what you have to do,
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I'm reminded of a great story
told about the great preacher
Dr. Gardner Taylor.
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Dr. Taylor, some of you
knew him at the end of his life
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as the great pastor of the
Concord Baptist Church in
Brooklyn, New York.
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But Dr. Taylor didn't start out
as the dean of black preachers.
00:18:46.99\00:18:53.43
He was considered by many to
be the greatest black preacher.
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I would dare to say some have
considered him to be the
greatest preacher of all time.
00:18:57.47\00:19:02.44
But he didn't
start out that way.
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Dr. Taylor told a story when
he was preaching early in his
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ministry about preaching in a
small church in Louisiana during
the great depression.
00:19:08.21\00:19:13.55
He said electricity
was coming into that part,
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just then at that part of
that country and he was out in a
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rural black church with that
just one little light bulb
hanging from the ceiling to
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light up the entire church. He
said one night, he was preaching
hard, doing revival
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and all of a sudden in the
middle of his service, the
electricity went out.
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The building was pitch black and
Dr. Taylor was a young man then,
00:19:38.44\00:19:44.41
he didn't know what to say.
00:19:44.45\00:19:46.18
He stumbled around in his sermon
until one of the elderly deacons
00:19:46.21\00:19:50.75
sitting in the back of the
church hollered out, "Preach on,
00:19:50.79\00:19:55.22
preacher. We can still see Jesus
in the dark and sometimes,
that's the only time we can see
00:19:55.26\00:20:05.17
him. It's in the dark but the
good news of the gospel is that
00:20:05.20\00:20:10.31
whether we can see him or not in
the dark, Jesus can always see
00:20:10.34\00:20:16.28
us." I wish I had a witness in
this place. And sometimes, we
have no other options.
00:20:16.31\00:20:22.18
No other alternatives but we
got to just keep on keeping on.
00:20:22.22\00:20:27.22
We have to stay the course, we
have to do what we have to do,
00:20:27.26\00:20:30.43
and so everyday when I come to
church and I get in my office, I
pray the serenity prayer.
00:20:30.46\00:20:35.83
God, grant me the serenity
to change the things I can't,
00:20:35.86\00:20:42.44
accept the things I cannot
change and give me the wisdom to
know the difference.
00:20:42.47\00:20:50.81
I'm getting older now and I'm
learning that every hill is not
00:20:50.85\00:20:55.32
calvary. Some things, you have
to fight for and some things,
you have to pray for.
00:20:55.35\00:21:00.66
I must fight for equality
but I must pray for the racists
00:21:00.69\00:21:05.69
whose views inequality and move
on. [Congregation: Applause]
00:21:05.73\00:21:10.40
In the time and the
culture to which Simon lived,
00:21:10.43\00:21:14.20
Simon knew that he could not
rebel against the Roman guard.
00:21:14.24\00:21:18.97
The Roman guard had
authority and artillery.
00:21:19.01\00:21:22.98
So at the time, Simon had
no control over his situation,
00:21:23.01\00:21:27.52
but Simon had to do
what Simon had to do.
00:21:27.55\00:21:34.26
He had to grit his teeth, show
some restraint which was, my
00:21:34.29\00:21:43.00
friends, in actuality showing
some strength and do what he was
00:21:43.03\00:21:49.54
compelled to do so that he could
live and see his children who
are mentioned in the text
00:21:49.57\00:21:56.28
and tell them of the job
that he was drafted to do,
00:21:56.31\00:22:01.38
which means strength might mean
being quiet when you really want
to tell somebody off.
00:22:01.42\00:22:09.29
Strength might mean walking
away from an argument before
00:22:09.32\00:22:14.93
continuing it. Strength might
also means speaking up when
others are around you hold their
00:22:14.96\00:22:22.70
peace. I'm learning; getting
older. When I came here I didn't
00:22:22.74\00:22:27.54
have gray hair but
I've got some gray hair now.
00:22:27.58\00:22:30.25
But I'm learning that sometimes
you've got to laugh when you're
00:22:30.28\00:22:35.12
not tickled. You've got to
scratch when you're not itching,
00:22:35.15\00:22:38.32
but you've got to stay
focus on what you've got to do.
00:22:38.35\00:22:41.82
You have to stay focus on
what you've been called to do.
00:22:41.86\00:22:44.33
Simon realized that he
were going to see his sons,
00:22:44.36\00:22:49.46
he would have to
carry the cross of Jesus.
00:22:49.50\00:22:53.34
Simon was drafted for a
job but not just any old job.
00:22:53.37\00:22:59.91
He was drafted to
carry the cross of Christ.
00:22:59.94\00:23:04.68
It may not have seemed like much
then but Simon was drafted for a
00:23:04.71\00:23:12.92
dream job. A job that allowed
him to see Jesus up close and
personal and because of that,
00:23:12.95\00:23:21.10
when he finished
carrying the cross,
00:23:21.13\00:23:23.87
he went back to Cyrene a
different man than how he came.
00:23:23.90\00:23:28.14
Simon went back home convinced
that Jesus was the Christ.
00:23:28.17\00:23:34.34
He had heard Jesus say, "Father,
forgive them for they know not
00:23:34.38\00:23:39.95
what they do." He had heard
Jesus say, "It is finished."
00:23:39.98\00:23:43.89
He had heard Jesus say, "Father,
into your hands, I commit my
00:23:43.92\00:23:48.99
spirit." Simon, when he got
back to Cyrene, he told his sons
00:23:49.02\00:23:57.40
about Jesus. Now,
quickly, I'm almost done.
00:23:57.43\00:23:59.77
But remember Rufus and
Alexander, his sons are
mentioned in the text.
00:23:59.80\00:24:08.28
Why is that significant? Why are
they even mentioned? Why is that
00:24:08.31\00:24:14.18
significant? History teach us
that Rufus and Alexander went
on--if you're study the early
00:24:14.22\00:24:20.49
church --they went on to become
prominent figures in the early
00:24:20.52\00:24:23.83
church which means Simon was
drafted to carry Christ's cross
to carry the cross on the
00:24:23.86\00:24:29.10
Messiah and as a
result of this experience,
00:24:29.13\00:24:30.83
he went back and told Alexander
and Rufus what he had done and
00:24:30.87\00:24:35.90
who Jesus was. Alexander and
Rufus then became convinced of
00:24:35.94\00:24:42.34
who Jesus was. They realized He
was the Messiah. They realized
He was God's anointed one.
00:24:42.38\00:24:49.05
They realized that He died on
calvary lay resting on the grave
00:24:49.08\00:24:54.62
on the Sabbath, which means even
in death He was obedient to His
00:24:54.66\00:24:57.79
Lord. But they realized
that on the third appointed day,
00:24:57.83\00:25:01.03
He got up with all power in His
hands through Simon's witness of
00:25:01.06\00:25:06.77
Jesus, he bore witness to his
sons who bore witness to others.
00:25:06.80\00:25:12.57
Today, I've been drafted
and I've got a dream job.
00:25:12.61\00:25:21.98
I told the bible work this week,
I've got the best job in the
00:25:22.02\00:25:26.55
world. I get paid to
tell other people about Jesus.
00:25:26.59\00:25:31.83
You all now hear what I am
saying? [Congregation: Applause]
00:25:31.86\00:25:36.87
I've been drafted in the Lord's
army. Oh, folks, I used to
saying, "I'm a soldier."
00:25:36.90\00:25:45.04
In the army of the
Lord, if I die, let me die.
00:25:45.07\00:25:53.15
In the army of the Lord,
I've got my war clothes on.
00:25:53.18\00:25:59.35
In the army of the
Lord, today I've been drafted.
00:25:59.39\00:26:06.09
Today you've been drafted.
We all have been drafted.
00:26:06.13\00:26:12.33
In the army of the Lord and
I just came by to ask somebody,
00:26:12.37\00:26:19.97
if you are here today,
who don't mind being drafted,
00:26:20.01\00:26:25.98
I want to know if there are some
individuals who don't mind
enlisting in the Lord's army.
00:26:26.01\00:26:35.49
The Lord's my rock. In Him
we have a shelter in the time of
00:26:35.52\00:26:45.73
storm. So I'll say, "Yes, Lord,
yes, to Your will and to Your
way, I'll say, yes Lord, yes.
00:26:45.77\00:26:55.38
I will trust You and obey. When
Your spirit speaks to me, in my
00:26:55.41\00:27:02.98
whole Lord, I'll agree and my
answer will be, yes Lord, yes.
00:27:03.02\00:27:09.92
I've been drafted, I've
got to do what I've got to do
00:27:09.96\00:27:14.00
and I understand there's a
blessing and being in the
presence of the most high God.
00:27:14.00\00:27:19.93
Today, I'm saying,
"Yes". Anybody else say yes.
00:27:19.97\00:27:24.44
[Congregation: Singing]
00:27:24.47\00:27:25.47
[I'll say yes Lord to
Your will and to Your Way.
00:27:25.51\00:27:34.05
I'll say yes Lord, yes,
I will trust You and obey.
00:27:34.08\00:27:42.76
When Your spirit speaks to
me in my whole heart I will be,
00:27:42.79\00:27:51.50
and my answer
will be yes, Lord, yes.
00:27:51.53\00:28:00.41
I'll say yes, Lord, yes
to Your will and to Your way.
00:28:00.44\00:28:08.68
Thank you very much for tuning
in to this week's Breath of Life
00:28:08.72\00:28:12.99
broadcast. We hope and pray that
you've been blessed by Dr.
Byrd's inspirational message.
00:28:13.02\00:28:17.76
If you would like to hear
this sermon in its entirety,
00:28:17.79\00:28:20.23
please feel free to visit
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00:28:20.26\00:28:26.00
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00:28:26.03\00:28:35.34
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00:28:35.38\00:28:50.39