10/31/2021 | Trinity UCC Worship Sermon Only | Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III

0:21 When you discover what does not belong, I ask that you would remove it and cast it into the sea of forgetfulness. I am not worthy to preach your word. and I simply ask that you would send the angel of grace and mercy to flank this pulpit on this day.

0:45 We need you every hour. So let the words of my mouth and meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight. O Lord, you are my strength and without a doubt you are certainly my redeemer. holy spirit do thy will do thy will holy spirit in the mighty magnificent awesome majestic powerful and saving name of jesus we collectively pray and the people of god who love god may say amen amen i want to invite you to turn with me to the gospel according to mark the gospel according to Mark chapter 5. Mark chapter 5. I'm going to read selected verses in your own personal devotion time. I would invite you to read Mark chapter 5, and certainly 1 through 20, which will be a part of our lesson today.

1:53 But we begin this way. I read from two different translations. We'll start with the NIV translation. And it reads this way. They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with a troubled spirit came from the tombs to meet him. A man with a troubled and impure, one translation says unclean, another is a possessed spirit, came from the tombs to meet him. the man lived in the tombs the man lived in the community that had no economic development he lived in a place of death and no one could bind him anymore not even with a chain for he had often been chained but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet.

3:14 Another translation, for he was often incarcerated. He tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills, he would cry out and cut himself with stones. When Jesus, when he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, what do you want with me, Jesus, son of the most high God? In God's name, don't torture me. There's another translation from Greek that says, Rabbi, what do you want with me?

4:13 Do not torture me, Rabbi. For Jesus had said to him, come out of this man, you impure spirit. Then Jesus asked him, what is your name? My name is Legion, he replied, for we are many. Another translation, my name is Legion, because I got a whole lot of problems. My name is Legion, for we are many. But I draw your attention to verse 15.

5:07 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, dressed, and in his right mind, they were afraid. When they saw him sitting, dressed, and in his right mind, they were afraid. What is your name? My name is Legion. For I've got so many problems, and I'm not okay. May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of God's holy word. I simply want to place a tag here on this text that we might engage this word today and continue in our series, I am not okay.

6:21 We have looked at in this series a preacher who says, I am not okay, a leader who says, I am not okay, a daughter who says, I am not okay. And we want to move to this moment about a son who says, I am not okay. I am not okay. And Jesus said, what is your name, son? And he replied, we are Legion. our name is legion for there's a whole lot of stuff going on inside of me Beloved, hell may be living the story other people wrote for you.

7:29 it's difficult to find God when you are living in someone else's skin. and trying to satisfy other people's expectations. the greatest battle we shall fight will simply be the battle of trying to accept who you are and not listen to the voices people who are trying to tell you who you are supposed to be but learn how to accept who you are.

8:27 Our spiritual and mental health is rooted in our ongoing battle for authenticity and acceptance, confronting the demons of the inauthentic and the spirit of lies masquerading as truth. You see, the gospel is an encounter with vulnerability and authenticity. You see, no healing can take place until you are willing to admit you're not okay. As long as you say, I'm okay, then God will take you at your stated word and pass by since you've already stated that you don't have any issues.

9:34 So why should energy be spent attempting to heal those who don't need healing? It is the sick who need a doctor and not those who claim to be well. And Jesus is a Savior who unmasks the false self and invites us to be authentic and vulnerable. that every time you are looking at someone who is healed in the gospel, most of the time they are willing to admit everything is not all right in my house. So therefore, I need you to show up in order to correct what is out of balance.

10:38 And this is a peculiar story, one that is often spiritualized, not because we are not able to see the present day implications, that Jesus is going to a region known as Decapolis. It is a region of ten cities controlled by Rome. He goes across the sea on a boat with his crew, but they do not stop at some port where you have people of wealth and means. He stops off where they are near the tombs, the place of the dead. A place where some would even say that a rabbi should not go because he would be spending too much time around bodies and people and smells that were unclean. Do not think that we are talking about the graveyards that you think of today, where people are buried six feet underground.

11:52 Think about caves and crevices where bodies are placed in, where you have the opportunity to live in those crevices as this man does with rotting bodies and other things. And Jesus goes into this community, and before even Jesus says anything, the man recognizes it's Jesus. that here is someone who has authority, who is a religious or ecclesiastical figure.

12:47 He is a rabbi. One translation, it's rabbi. It does not say son of God. Rabbi, don't torture me. Now, often when this thing is looked at, from the pulpit, the preacher will say, the man recognized the glory of God and the demons were speaking. But if you translate it from Greek into English, the man says, rabbi, don't torture me. In other words, religious figure, don't torture me. The question must be raised, how did he know he was a rabbi? Did he know that he was a rabbi because he saw the light around his continents? No.

13:48 He had already had an encounter with other ecclesiastical figures before. And there was an expectation that if I've already encountered two others before, you are going to treat me the same.

14:13 So let me give you this. our religion often makes our conditions worse until we find authentic faith. Because there are some who are religious but have no relationship.

14:36 They know when to stand and when to sit. They have memorized scripture and they use religion as a means to harm, to hurt, to bruise, and to break God's people. And this man is raising a question. I got some stuff in me, and I want to be free from the stuff. But every time I run into people who claim to be holy, they're hurting me before they're helping me. I don't want someone who's going to act like all of the other religious folk I encountered. and the smoothness of Jesus is that Jesus doesn't respond to the man saying that I've been tortured.

15:46 He had an encounter with religion absent of compassion and everyone who is to be healed, hear this, has to be honest enough to say I'm not okay. If you want God to stop by your house stop acting as if your household is holy. Holy means pure without any blemish. And if your household is so pure and without blemish, you do not need to have any connectivity with our God.

16:49 Because if Jesus is on the right hand, then you can sit on the left. if you're that pure. But for the rest of us, who got some issues, for the rest of us who have some bruises, we want God to stop by.

17:20 This man, do not torture me. do not do not in any way shape or form don't treat me like everybody else but here is the crux I'm about done of everything is the smoothness of what Jesus does because Jesus acts like a brother and heals like a brother because most people would freak out if they saw a man who was half naked and bloody running directly at them,

17:59 Jesus doesn't flinch. This man who was homeless, this man who was jobless, a man who was incarcerated, and a man who had a variety of issues, But no one thought to take him to a doctor. The first thing they decided was put him in chains. Hmm. Instead of health care, they put him in a system of incarceration. Hmm. Instead of offering a mental health clinic, they put him in incarceration and and so this man who has been screaming during the day and yelling at night sees this rabbi the son of the most high and he does not want to be treated the way in which other ecclesiastical figures have treated him And so the smoothness of Jesus, Jesus does not flinch.

19:20 The man rolls up on him, falls on his knees, and he answers like a brother, What's your name? that's a brotherly answer. He said, let me know who you are. I need to know who I'm dealing with. I want to know your name. But it's the answer that's so peculiar.

19:52 Because there's been debate down through the years, Reverend Tyrone, of who Jesus is talking to. if he's talking to the man, the man should answer. If he's talking to the demons, the demons should answer. But either way, Jesus asked the question of the name, and all of his issues answered.

20:24 You'll get it in a moment. that sometimes God is looking for our authenticity, but we will let the names everyone else has given us to answer for us, and we are wondering why we have not experienced any healing is because the issues answered and not us. what is your name? Not the name that other people gave you. Not the name that the person who could not stand you gave you. No, no, no. What is your name? Not the name society gave you. What is your name? And the Spirit's answer said, we are legion, for we are many.

21:30 Hmm, legion. Mark could have used any other term, any other term within the vocabulary of Greek. But he says legion. Legion is a military term, which means 10,000.

21:58 So the answer was, I've got 10,000 demons, issues in me. He uses a Greek military term signifying a legion, a Roman legion, a battalion of 10,000. There is another term for 10,000, but he did not use that term. And specifically, Mark is making an indictment to say that what I'm possessed by was constructed by Rome. I've got 10,000 Roman names, Roman policies that have put me into this position. And I don't even know who I am.

22:55 Some say I'm a thug. Others call me an ex-con. Others say I'm homeless and uneducated. Some say I'm not a father to my children. Some say I'm no good. Some even use an N-word to describe who I am. I've got so many names, I do not know who I am. My name is Legion. And the reality is that when we walk across the landscape of our own nation and our community, part of the challenge in our community and in this nation is people do not know who they are.

23:50 They are operating out of the definitions that other people have written for them. And when you live out someone else's script, it means you are under the direction of someone else's power. Because as long as you follow the script written by people who don't even care about you, then the end of your story will always be a tragedy. But until you accept your name, the name that God has given you. And here is the thing that one must know. The power of naming the demon is a weapon at your disposal. The moment you have enough courage to name the demon holding you is the day that you can exercise some stuff out of your life. You're still missing me.

24:57 You will never break an addiction until you say, I got an addiction. But there's no way that the addiction can leave by positive thinking until you say, I've got something on me and I've got to name it. And the one time that you name it, it loosens its grip on you. because now I know your name. I can exercise you out of my life. Ah, you still missed it. Within the ancient tradition, it was believed that if you want a spirit to leave, you got to find its name. And the moment you find its name, it ceases to have power because you are fearful of that which you don't know. But the moment that you know what it is, it doesn't have power in your life.

25:57 And there's someone here that you need to go home and start naming some stuff and exercising some things out of your household and out of your life. And some of the things you name will not be things that are solely external but will also be internal. insecurity, name it. You just mean, name it. You got issues and from dysfunction, you've got to name it. You've got to name the things that are in us that are keeping us from having the connectivity that God desires. You've got to name it. The power, the power of naming is the weapon at your disposal. Speak the truth of what possesses you if you want to be free.

27:03 I'm reminded of a very poignant moment in my own life. I've shared the story many times of my sister and her challenges. For most of the time growing up that my sister never wanted to ever utter that there was something going on in her life, in her body, in her mind. And I'll never forget the time when I sat next to her and asked her what was going on was the first time with tears in her eyes. But as a big sister, the only way that a big sister can communicate, she said, she said, little brother, I want you to know that there are some challenges that I have. Everything is not all right in my body and in my mind. Some of the chemicals are out of balance. And when they're out of balance, sometimes I hear things. But I've got a doctor now. And that doctor is helping me work through. I don't want you to worry. I don't want you to be afraid, but now I know what's going on. I can exercise some things out of my life.

28:15 The moment she took that step was the moment that she witnessed triumph in her life as she was able to struggle and deal with the issues that she was dealing with in terms of her mental health. And those are moments that we are so deeply afraid of. Afraid of the fact to be able to admit, ah, that healing comes when we are willing and able to say that I am not okay. This path of healing, at some point we must speak the truth. and know that no matter what you are dealing with, that you are a survivor. Let me explain it this way. The man in this text has 10,000 issues, spirits, demons. He has been thrown in jail.

29:13 He has had chains around his wrist and around his ankles. He has been screaming during the day, yelling at the night. But yet, he's still here. It says he's so strong that nobody can bind him. You missed this. Even with all of his issues, he still maintains his strength. and somebody needs to remind you with all that you have witnessed and all that you have seen with all that you have gone through with all the hurt you have experienced you are still here. You woke up this morning.

30:09 The enemy tried to hold you down but guess what? You put your feet on the ground. And the enemy started cussing at that moment because the enemy thought that the enemy had you last night. But here you are. You impressed your way in a pandemic to show up in church with a mask on, to find your way to turn on the virtual virtual worship. And here you are. The mere fact that you are here is a testimony to the fact that God's grace is still functioning in your life. And every once in a while, you ought to pat yourself on the back. With all the mess I've been through, with all the hell I've had to fight, with all the ditches that were dug for my demise and all the eulogies that people wrote for me, But guess what? I'm still here.

31:10 And if I am still here, it means that God has something for me. If I'm still here, it means that God is still using me. If I'm still here, it means that blessings still abound, that the windows of heaven are still open, that doors are about to be unlocked. And I'm not sure there's someone in this space that has the authority and audacity to say, I've been through much, but I'm still here. I'm here. I'm here.

31:51 I was on an interview for a podcast not too long ago. People were talking about all the issues that are going on in the nation. They were talking about Black Lives Matter. They were talking about the challenges that are happening in this nation. The person was going on and on and on about all these negative things and the challenges that we face over and over and over again. And the person said, well, how do you, where is the hope? Reverend, how do you have hope? All this stuff that's going on in the community. And I said, I'm black. And the person didn't understand it. I said, what do you mean? I said, I'm black. If I'm black and I woke up this morning in America? you missed your shout. I embody hope.

32:45 I live hope because if I wake up, I know with all that my ancestors have been through that I know there is a God somewhere. That even when you name the demon, that it is a weapon at your disposal. And so the demon was named. and as a result, the demons are exercised from the man and the demons jump into a bunch of pigs. You all know the story. There's a herd of 2,000 pigs. The man had 10,000 demons. There's 2,000 pigs. I'm not great at math, but there's probably five demons per pig now.

33:29 So the man had 10,000 and just one little pig had five. soon as the demons jump in the pigs, the pigs say, they jump over a cliff and commit pigicide at that moment. All the pork was gone. No more pork chops. No more bacon. Everything is gone.

33:57 And it raises a fundamental question. this is Jesus who is a Jew and Jews don't eat pork but there was a herd of 2,000 pigs of illicit activity somebody was selling something in the community that was not good for the community but when the man got released all of a sudden the economy changed, you missed your shout. That when you are released, it's not just for you. It will turn the world upside down and shift the economic structure within the community. So now the pigs are gone. Nobody can sell any more bacon or pork chops or chitlins or nothing.

34:56 It's all gone. That's right. Breakfast is going to be different. The man has messed up the economy, and the people who were tending the pigs went and told everybody that there's a guy in town named Jesus who has messed up the economy. but this is the thing that that shouts me in the text it says the people show up to find out what's going on with Jesus and this man and they see the man sitting and clothed in his right mind and they were afraid wait a minute he's sitting in a teaching position.

35:54 Clothed. Got some new clothes on. And now he's in his right mind. I know who I am. And the people are afraid. Now what has always bothered me that if you're going to be fearful it would seem that if you saw a half naked man who had chains on his arms and was bleeding left and right because he had been cutting himself, you would be afraid. But they were not afraid until he was clothed and in his right mind. No one fears you when you don't know who you are. But the moment you figure out and know who you are and whose you are, there will be people who will be afraid of you because you are about to turn the world upside down because they're thinking if this man gets free, there are some other men and women who might get free. And if they get free, we no longer can exploit them nor exploit their community because now they're clothed and in their right mind. No one fears you as long as you running around thinking what they have told you you're supposed to be, as long as you are trying to be the thug, as long as you are trying to live out the script that somebody else wrote for you, no one is fearful. But the moment you put on the right clothes, the moment you put on God's armor, the moment you know you are a child of God, the moment you know the power of your ancestors, the moment that you know that you are created in the image of God and clothed and in your right mind, people will be afraid. They will be afraid. They will be scared of you.

38:00 So people are afraid, and this is the only time in all of scripture, Reverend Stacey, where a group comes to Jesus and said, will you please leave? There was no other time in scripture where an entire community say leave to Jesus because Jesus is messing up the economic order, Kevin. So please leave. But the people really don't understand what's happened. Jesus doesn't have to stay physically because he's already left his residue. because the genetic spiritual imprint that jesus has given to the man is now going to enter into the community and this is the thing that fascinates me is that the man who has been healed the man who has been released the man who was not okay runs after jesus read the text runs after Jesus. Say, hey, Jesus, hey, man, let me roll with you.

39:03 Because in this community, people have been hating on me ever since I was little. I've had issues all my life. Let me go with you. I want to see you heal the sick. I want to see the lame walk. I want to be your disciple unlike any other disciple. Because you released me, I tell you, I will be as loyal as they come. I'm your ride or die I know you think Peter is but I'm your ride or die because I know what you've done for me I had 10,000 demons in me now I've been set free let me roll with you Jesus let me go with you then Jesus says no I want you to go back home to your own community and I can imagine in my sanctified imagination why Jesus did this.

39:58 Because I can see Jesus saying, hey, bro, if you come with me, people will always think you were clothed and in your right mind. But if you go back home, people will say, isn't that pookie? I remember when he was screaming left and right, when he was involved in all kind of illicit activity, what happened to him? He seems to be in his right mind. He's a father. to his children he's a husband to his wife he's now working to ensure that other people don't go down the same path that he went to in other words i want you to go back home because i want people to see you but actually to see me because they'll see me when they see you because i don't want you you to take credit. Don't you say I did it all by myself. I had some positive thinking. I want you when they ask you what happened to you. I want you to say it with authority. In the words of one comedian, say it with your chest. I want you to say I met a man by the name of Jesus. He called out my name and all of the demons had to run. I met a man named Jesus. I used to cut myself, but I met a man by the name of Jesus. I was homeless, but I met a man by the name of Jesus. And let me tell you what he can do. What he's done for me, he can do for you. Well, I've got to get out of here, but I want to know is there anyone in this house have you ever met a man by the name of jesus one who turns you around who poured blessings into your life who opened doors that no one can shut who blessed you with healing and lifted you when you were at your lowest is there anyone in this space Do you know someone by the name of Jesus?

42:02 If you're unashamed and unapologetic about the God we serve, then somebody ought to open up their mouth and say yes. Give glory to God. Because we serve a God who can remove you from the gutter and place you on solid ground. Good day. May the Lord bless you real good. Is there anybody in this space? Do you know someone by the name of Jesus? Do you know one who has healed you? Do you know one who has blessed you? Do you know one who has lifted you? If God has moved in your life, this may be the last time that you have an opportunity to give God praise. So lift your hands, clap your hands, stomp your feet, do a little dance.

43:04 For the God we serve is worthy to be praised. The God we serve is worthy to be praised. The God we serve is worthy. to be brave.

43:25 The only way that you can reach healing is that you have to be willing to say, I'm not okay. If you want to be released from the issues that are holding you hostage, you have to be willing to name them. There is an allergic reaction we have to authenticity and vulnerability. We break out in spiritual hives because we're afraid what other people are going to say about us. What will people think? Well, let me help you with something. They got issues too. See, there's a new song that I wrote, Byron. Byron, it's simply this. It's not I got shoes, you got shoes.

44:19 It's you got issues, I got issues. All God's children got issues. And until we are willing to acknowledge, that is the only pathway to healing. That's the first step in healing is the acknowledgement that I am not okay. Not to commiserate, but say, I'm not okay. And offer that to God. And then name some of the things that are holding you hostage.

45:00 Don't look for someone else to say, it's you, it's you. No, no, no, no, no. What is it that is holding you hostage? What is it that you are afraid to admit? What is the worst thing that could happen if people know? And here's the funny thing. People know. Your crew already knows. They already know. We just like to act like don't nobody know what's really going on, but everybody really knows, but nobody wants to say it. That's why, as I said in the other message, that's why you need friends and not fans. you need people who love you enough who want to see you whole and are willing to tell the truth to say you've got to name this the day you name that the day you speak it the day you utter it is when you will walk the pathway of healing You've been holding on to it for so long.

46:17 You've been saying it's this, that, and the other. Or better yet, as someone likes to say, oh I'm good, I'm good, I'm good. No, you're not. You're not good. Because after everybody leaves, you find yourself with the weight of what you're struggling with by yourself. willingness to say I'm not okay willingness to admit and speak the name of that which holds you is a powerful thing because it can no longer hold you anymore. And fear is a dangerous thing. When you're so fearful of what might happen but has never happened because you've never crossed that particular river of authenticity and vulnerability, so you always stay on one side of the river because you don't understand.

47:23 man, you know what might happen. So-and-so may have an issue with me. Well, that's fine. But what is really the worst thing that can happen if you are honest with yourself? The best thing that can happen is that God smiles. And when God smiles, it's just like this sun coming through this stained glass window. There'll be new light that will show up in your life. And you won't just have the light you get the heat at the same time so you get light and warm when you were willing to say i'm not okay and there may be someone here today i don't know if you're in this space i don't know if you're virtually with us as we've gone through this particular series where you're willing to admit that you're not okay and it's okay to say that you're not okay but there are things that are holding you that you have not spoken.

48:23 There are fears that you have that you have not spoken. There are particular spirits that keep coming over and over and over and over again in your life because you refuse to confront them. Those spirits only have authority when you refuse to name them. and turn them over to God and begin the pathway to healing. We've said in this message, because this is really one sermon with four different parts for this message, we've said, don't try it by yourself. Turn it over to God and go find a therapist.

49:05 Hello? Don't act like therapy is not of God. Those are three words you need to know. They are pissed. It'll bless your life. Turn it over to God. Find a therapist. And some of us need to find some new friends who are not fans. the journey of healing begins when you say you're not okay the door of the church is open right now smile to me, thank you Brian God has set us free the door is open to you we welcome you right now this is an invitation for you to be a part of Trinity United Church of Christ to be a part of this community of faith we welcome you right at this time whether you are online or whether you are present in this space we invite you to be a part of this community to take that step today The door is open to you.

50:15 We welcome you right now. God has set you free. We welcome you. We welcome you. We welcome you right at this moment. God has set me free The door is open, the door is open to you We welcome you Yes, yes, yes We welcome you Those online and those who are present, we welcome you right now Big Smith. Amen.

51:08 As we prepare for our benediction, we just offer a few very quick instructions, very quick instructions that you can leave your tithe and your offering as you exit the building. For those who are joining us online, we want to let you know that we are expanding the number of people who will be able to participate in our worship experience live. We are opening our balcony next Sunday. We are opening the balcony next Sunday.

51:42 So tonight at 7.30, the registration drops. Tonight at 7.30 Central Time, the registration drops. We are expanding the number of people who will be able to be a part of the live worship experience. We are grateful that we have not had a COVID outbreak here at Trinity United Church of Christ. We have stayed in constant communication with churches all across Chicago, and many that opened up had to close back down because they had an outbreak. But we have been very, very particular about how we do stuff. And I want to thank all of our volunteers. Now, one of the things that we do is we exit out, and we ask that you exit out and not come back in, but exit out, which is very important. And so we want you all to know that because they've got, they come in and they clean. We do a major cleaning after worship, but we can only do that when everyone has exited the building. And that's one of the reasons when you exit out, people will say, oh, please don't go back in. We want you to know that we're doing cleaning. We've got to have everybody out of the building before we can do the cleaning. Because when somebody comes back in, then we've got to re-clean everything because we want to make sure that it is cleaned appropriately in this space so that you will stay safe, that you will stay safe. So after our benediction, our ushers will direct you out of the building. If you need an envelope, our ushers are available to provide one for you, but after you exit out, there'll be a receptacle in the back. They will direct you where you can leave your tithe and your offering. But we exit out with this particular prayer at this moment.

53:44 As we have gone through this series, this series has been a blessing. We're going to make it available in a variety of ways so you can just have it. We've received more calls and emails and tweets and posts in reference to the series of I Am Not Okay. It's been unbelievable. People who have been asking to utilize this series from schools to colleges to people who are incarcerated who've been asking for this series. We want to make sure that it is available to you in whatever form you need it available. So we're just thankful to what God has been doing through this particular series. And so we offer this prayer at this time. May the peace of God be with you. May the peace of God be with you and with you. May no demonic force enter your household. may God place a hedge of protection around you and yours may you have the courage to name the demon that is holding you back may you speak with authority to say that you are not okay may you know that you are God's child and that God holds you in God's arms.

55:18 The peace of God be with you and with you. And may the road rise to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sunlight of Jesus Christ grace your cheek. And may rain gently fall upon your field. And may God keep you in the hollow of God's hand. Until we meet again,

55:52 know that it's okay to say, I'm not okay. Go in peace this day. Amen. Thank you.