A Few Good Men Part 3 | Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley

0:00 As you get ready to get back into our series, won't you bow with me in a word of prayer as we prepare our hearts and minds for God to speak. Lord, we thank you for the gift of Jesus Christ. We thank you for the light and the love that he reminds us that you bring into our world. We thank you, O God, that you are ever with us. And as we go into this week of celebrating our Savior's birth, Lord, allow us to not only embrace that light and that love, but to not lose sight of it, in the midst of gifts and trees and decorations. God, center our hearts and minds now as we prepare to receive your word, that we may walk as those who walk in the light of Jesus Christ. It's in the name of our Savior who has come and is coming again that we do pray, amen. Well, as you all know, for these past few weeks of Advent, as we're preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Christ, and to embrace the fact that we have a God who we can rightly name Emmanuel because he's always with us.

1:06 During the season of Advent, we have been journeying with and looking at, learning from and listening to the lives of some of the men who play part of the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. Men like Joseph, who teach us about righteousness. The Magi, who exemplify wisdom to us. Today in this series, A Few Good Men, which is not just for men or about men, I want to invite you to another critical group of men that play a major role in the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, the shepherds. We encounter the shepherds in Luke chapter 2, and I invite you to read all of Luke 1, 2, and 3 in your devotional reading. But allow me to begin in verse number 8 of Luke chapter 2 in the New International Version of God's Word to lay a foundation for what God is going to speak to us today. Luke chapter 2, beginning in verse number 8.

2:04 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. Somebody say at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them. They were terrified. But the angel of the Lord said to them, do not be afraid, for I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people. Today in the town of David, a savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly hosts appeared with the angel praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth, peace to those on whom his favor rests.

3:03 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child. And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherd said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. During this series of A Few Good Men, I've not used any subtitles for the sermons, but today I want to, as the Spirit will give guidance, as we examine and walk with these shepherds, today I want to talk to you about the dangers of darkness. The dangers of darkness.

4:13 Let me begin with a moment of transparency and vulnerability and share with you that I am battling a mild form of depression during this holiday season. I know that the holidays are supposed to be filled with joy and love and laughter and thanksgiving. But if I can be honest with you for just a moment, this year has taken such an emotional toll on my life that I come to this holiday season not with great joy, not with excitement, not even with enthusiasm and thanksgiving. And I know, I know, please don't judge me prematurely, but even with the Bible in my hand, in my heart, with songs of praise on my lips, with praying every day, I feel a heaviness during this season. I shared with my therapist how I'm battling this depression, and she asked me, when do I feel it the most?

5:20 sat back and thought about it and realized that I feel this weight, this heaviness the most between 4.30 and seven o'clock every day. What happens between 4.30 and seven o'clock every day? The sun goes down. It gets dark early. And by seven o'clock, it feels like it's midnight. It's dark, but it's too early for me to go to bed. And I struggle between 4.30 and 7 as it gets dark and I feel the heaviness in my spirit. My therapist said to me, you've got SAD. I said, yeah, I know I'm SAD. She said, no, you've got SAD. SAD is an acronym for seasonal affective disorder. Seasonal affective disorder is triggered when the sun goes down and the days are short and the nights are long and the weather is cold and it feels like it's midnight when it's only 7 p.m. She said that's a real thing that people struggle with.

6:25 They struggle with sad seasonal affective disorder when the sun goes down because there's something about darkness that can trigger depression. Beloved, I came by to tell you that 2020 has been a sad year. It has felt like it's 430 all year long, that the sun is going down, that it's hard to be excited. It's hard to maintain joy. This year has been a sad year and it's felt like the sun has been going down all year long. 300,000 people dead from COVID and 16 million affected. It's 430 and the sun's been going down. The legal antics of a man who can't accept that he lost an election and is no longer the will of the people.

7:23 It's 430 and the sun has been going down. The racial and political tensions that leave our nation divided. It's 430 and the sun's been going down. To witness Trumpites vandalize churches right here in the DMV, while police who tear gassed and rubber bulleted Black Lives Matter supporters stood by and did nothing. It's 430 and the sun's going down. to hear this right-wing evangelical Christianity that held Pentecostal prayer meetings to overturn the election, swearing that God was on their side. And now they become silent when their own supporters have vandalized and set ablaze churches in our local area. It's 430 and the sun is going down. To witness the number of black and brown bodies laying slain in our streets. It's 430 and the sun's going down. How many deaths we've experienced, funerals we've had to do, loved ones we've said goodbye to. It's 430 and the sun's going down.

8:44 And beloved, it seems like the only thing that's brought some hope is the recent release of the COVID-19 vaccine. As a matter of fact, the New York Times declared that a shot of hope. They had a picture of the first black woman receiving the vaccine and underneath was the title, a shot of hope. But if you're like me, some of us, even the release of that vaccine has not brought a lot of hope. For us who've got Tuskegee in our memory, For those who may be questioning how fast the vaccine was passed. For us who are waiting and wondering what the side effects will be. Some of us see this vaccine kind of like an Apple product. I'm going to wait for the second generation.

9:39 Because that's what darkness does. It doesn't just bring depression even more damaging. it steals your hope. When you've been in darkness too long, you begin to doubt that the sun will ever rise. When you've been in darkness too long, you lose hope that things will ever get better. When you've been in darkness too long, you wonder if anything will ever change. When you've had a whole year of darkness, you wonder if next year can truly be better than the year you've just come through. When you've been in darkness, you've lost hope. And one of the most damaging things to witness in life is someone who has lost their hope. You can always tell someone that's been in darkness.

10:36 Someone who's been in darkness finds a way to self-sabotage any good thing happening in their own world. People who've been in darkness can't celebrate good news in your life because they can't see any good news in their life. People who've been in darkness too long always have some negative criticism to add to any good thing happening. People have been in darkness. Their eyes begin to get adjusted to darkness and they reject the light of any new thing, any good thing, any marvelous thing God is doing in their world. Because when you've lived in darkness so long, it's hard to believe that any good can ever happen. But beloved, that's why these shepherds in the story of the birth of Jesus in Luke chapter two are so critical to us. because we've had a whole year of living in darkness.

11:31 And these shepherds teach us how to deal with the dangers of darkness. Come on, hang out with these shepherds. I need you to remember that shepherds were a very disgusted group of people in the time in which Jesus was born. Now, I know that's shocking because in the Bible, shepherding is used as a metaphor for great things. God is described as a shepherd of his people. Moses shepherded the children of Israel through the wilderness. David was the shepherd boy who became king. Pastors are identified as shepherds. Jesus is even defined as the good shepherd. But even though the Bible lifts up shepherding, shepherds were a despised and disgusted group of people. No one grew up wanting to be a shepherd.

12:35 No one went to college to be a good shepherd. Shepherding was a rejected occupation that was left for rejected outcast people. Shepherds had the perception of being shiftless. and lazy and untrustworthy. They allowed their flocks to graze over other people's land. They were not wanted and they were not welcomed in society. Shepherding was about as low as one can get. And yet when God decides to send a message about the birth of Jesus, the message doesn't go to Herod the king. It doesn't start with the Pharisees at the temple. It's not even lifted up with the elite and the educated, the urban, the middle class. No, when God brings message of Christ, the first people to hear about it are these shepherds. Don't tell me whom God won't speak to and whom God won't use and whom God won't reveal himself to. God starts at the bottom and works his way up. These shepherds, the Bible tells us they are out with their flocks in the field at night. Don't miss this. They're in the field at night.

13:59 They're dealing with darkness. They're trying to function in the darkness. They're trying to get it done in the darkness. They're just trying to earn a living in the darkness. And where we find these shepherds in the field at night is exactly where some of us have been all year long. Pastor, I'm just trying to make it in the darkness. I'm just trying to stay sane in the darkness. Just trying to make ends meet in the darkness. Trying to get these kids through in the darkness. Trying to find a way to celebrate Christmas in the darkness. The darkness they are in is not simply limited to the conditions of the sky at night, but really the whole society that they live in. Rome is oppressed Israel. Herod is a puppet king.

15:02 The Pharisees care more about power than they do the people. There have been no prophets for more than 400 years. No promises of God are being fulfilled. beloved darkness is not just at night i come by to tell you as a living witness the sun can be shining and it still be dark in your life the money can still be coming and it be dark in your life people can be rejoicing around you and it still feel like it's dark in your life is there anyone watching today who knows what it's like to feel like you are caught up in the darkness and in the midst of this darkness here come God through the angels telling these shepherds I got some good news for you I got something that's gonna make you rejoice I've got something that's going to break your darkness. And that is that today for you, a savior has been born. The angels break forth into darkness with the good news of the birth of Jesus Christ. That this Christ is going to do something in the midst of your darkness. He's going to bring you great joy.

16:24 Now, what I find amazing is that the angels tell these shepherds in darkness where to find Jesus. But they never say anything about the birth of Jesus. No mention of the miracle. Nothing to let them know the child was born of a virgin. That's big news. That's a miracle. God's worked a miracle through Mary and there's no indication of the miracle to the shepherds. All the angels tell them is this. God is at work in the darkness because the miracle the shepherds need to know is not just about the virgin birth. The miracle the shepherds need to be reminded of is that in the midst of darkness, we serve a God who works in darkness. I came by to give you some good news that if you've ever felt like your life is in darkness, we have a God who works in darkness.

17:24 We have a God who works on the third shift. We have a God who gets in motion when the sun is down in your life. We serve a God who is not hindered or hampered by darkness, but a God who works in the midst of darkness. The Bible says that God stepped out in the beginning and there was nothing but darkness and God went to work. The Bible says that the disciples were on a ship in a storm in the midst of darkness and Jesus showed up and went to work. And I want someone to know that in the darkness of your life, we have a God who goes to work. No matter how dark the day, no matter how dark the season, no matter how dark the situation, our God is at work in the darkness. Somebody say God is at work in the darkness.

18:18 God reveals to the angels that Jesus has been born. and watch what these shepherds do, because what they do teaches us how to embrace the hope and the joy of God at work, even in the midst of the darkness of 2020. Look at some survival strategies for darkness with these shepherds. Bible says that after the angel tells them the good news, the Bible says they said to one another, they said to one another, do me a favor. Don't run by that too quickly. Don't ignore that piece of evidence. Don't run away from that example. They said to one another. They got together. They had a meeting.

19:11 They had a little powwow. They had a little coming together. They got together with one another because they understood what I'm going to press onto you. You can't handle darkness alone. And that's a word because one of the dangers of darkness is to convince you that you need to handle it alone. One of the dangers of darkness is convincing you that you don't need one another. Darkness makes you think that you can handle it all alone. Can I give you some COVID gospel today? There is safety in social distancing, but there's danger in isolation. Let me say that again.

20:05 There's a necessary safety in social distancing, but there's an inherent danger in isolation. It sounds so good. I'm gonna try it one more time. There's a necessity of social distancing, but there is a danger in isolation. And I came by to press onto someone today that if you're going to deal with this darkness, if you're going to survive this season, if you're going to make it through this holiday, you need someone another. Can I push it? Let me push it. Watch what happens. They hear from God through the angels and then they still talk to one another. Don't miss it. They heard from God, but they still needed to talk to one another. I can't buy to tell you that some of the most dangerous people in the world are those who believe they've heard from God, but reject the necessity of one another.

21:12 Some of the most dangerous people are the ones who believe they've heard from God, but they're not in conversation with one another. They're not in community with one another. They're not in relationship with any one another because you can get God wrong in your own head. You can mess God up in isolation. Go on and teach that, Pastor. Bible says in second Peter chapter one, that the Bible should not be of private interpretation. And what Peter's suggesting there is that you got to be careful just thinking you understand God in your own head, but you don't have any one another. That's why God puts us in church. That's why God puts us in relationship. That's why God puts us in conversation. That's why God builds us in community, because everybody needs someone another. You need some friend one another who you can confide in.

22:11 You need a mentor one another who can give you wisdom and counsel. You need a therapist one another who you can talk your problems with and help you see your life. You need some family one another that reminds you that you are loved. You need some church one another to pray over you. You need some ministry one another that you can Zoom call with. Everybody needs one another. I don't care how big your Bible is and how many scriptures you have memorized. I came by to tell you today that everybody needs somebody sometime. Everybody needs one another. Everybody needs somebody at some point or another. Batman needed Robin. The Long Ranger needed Tonto. Gladys Knight needed the pips. Michael Jordan needed Scotty.

23:05 Yogi needed Boo Boo. And Beyonce needed them other girls. But everybody needs somebody sometime. They got together. Because even those who hear from God need someone another. And listen at what they said to one another. I love this. I feel like preaching now. they said to one another, let's go see this thing that has happened. Let's go see this thing that has happened. Listen to the certainty with which they speak. They do not say, let's go see if that's true. They don't say, let's go find out if the angel was telling us the truth. They don't say, well, let's go figure it out. Here's what they say. We heard from God. Now let's go see what God said. We're going to see what God said.

24:04 Listen, beloved, there was a certainty within them that if God said it, that's what I'm going to see. And if you're going to survive the darkness of any season of your life, one thing you need is faith and belief. that if God said it, that's the way it's going to be. There's no if, there's no and, there's no doubt, there's no wonder, there's no but. If God said it, that's the way it's going to be. Don't let darkness cause you to doubt what God has said. If God said, it will only last for a night. It will only last for a night. If God said it's gonna work together for your good, it's going to work together for your good. If God said, I will never leave you, God will never leave you. I need someone in the midst of darkness to embody the spirit of these shepherds and say that if God said it, that's what it's going to be.

25:05 Beloved, one of my most favorite and underestimated passages of scripture is right here in verse number 20. When the Bible says that they were glorifying God. Why? Because what they saw was exactly what had been said, that when they got to Bethlehem, they found out that there was no gap between what God said and what God did. God is never misaligned. Whatever God promised, God is gonna perform. Whatever God declared, God is going to do. And if you're gonna survive the darkness of the world, you've got to have faith and belief that if God said it, God is going to do it.

25:48 God is faithful. Somebody, I need that to be the next tattoo you get. God is faithful. God is faithful. They say we want to see what God said because they have faith that if God said it, it's going to happen. But watch this, it gets gooder. And they said to themselves, and we want to see it. Watch this. I don't want to just hear it. I want to see it. I want to see what God said. Beloved, I believe the Lord is looking for some folk who in this season can stand up and declare, I want to see what God said. I want to be like David who said in Psalm 27 that I would have lost heart if I didn't believe that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. There are just some things I want to see in the land of the living.

26:47 I want to see God turn this situation around. I want to see God working together for my good. I want to see God show me that whatever I'm going through, no weapon formed against me shall prosper. I want to see God reveal that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Is there anybody watching today that wants to see what God said? And I, God, I don't want to die till I see you show yourself strong. Don't call me home till our eyes witness the goodness of your glory. God, I want to see it. I want to see what God said. I believe it will be as he said. So watch this. So they begin to move in the darkness to go see. They move in the darkness to go see.

27:42 Because the darkness is not an excuse for disobedience. The darkness is not an excuse to disobey what God has called. Don't let darkness cause you to be disobedient. They move in the darkness to go see. Now, here's the tripped out part for me. They're shepherds. They know they're at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder. They know they're rejected in town. They know no one wants to see them. They know they're shepherds and yet they go anyway, believing that they are worthy of seeing what God said. Beloved, because one of the greatest obstacles of darkness is not what you can't see around you.

28:46 One of the greatest obstacles of darkness is how you view yourself. One of the greatest obstacles of darkness is not that you can't figure out what's going on around you. One of the greatest obstacles of darkness that will hinder you is your self-perception. It's not how others see you. It's how you see yourself. It's not what others label you as. It's what you label yourself when you look in the mirror. And one of the things I love about the word from the angel to the shepherds is that the angel repeatedly tells them this is for you. To you is born a savior. Here's the sign you will see. The angel on behalf of God lets the shepherds know regardless of what you make, regardless of how low you are on the totem pole, regardless of how other people see you. You are worthy of seeing what God has done.

29:45 Don't ever let darkness convince you that you are not worthy to see the goodness and the glory of God. The devil is a liar. You are worthy of seeing the goodness of God, regardless of the mistake you've made, regardless of your faults and failures, irregardless of anything you've done that's outside the will of God. You are still worthy of seeing the goodness of God in Christ Jesus. Touch somebody, tell them I'm worthy. I'm worthy. Okay, let me see if I explain it.

30:21 My oldest son recently had his first varsity basketball game at his new school. We've been training for this. He's on scholarship. And I got to let you know, I was a little disappointed. He didn't play up to his potential. And it's because he was nervous. I get it. He was nervous. Every time he got the ball, he passed it. Every time he got a rebound, rather than pushing it up, he passed it off. He didn't take open shots. He didn't drive to the lane. He didn't try to dunk on anybody. Every time he got the ball, he just gave it up to someone else. When we got in the car after the game, I wanted to fuss at him. I wanted to yell, you got to play better. But I remember I'm his dad. I'm not the coach. and what he needs from me is assurance and not berating him. So I simply said, son, this is your first game.

31:17 You'll get better. Shake this one off. The next day, because I couldn't live with how he played, I reached out to his coach. I said, coach, can you please talk to him? Coach said, don't you worry. I saw what was wrong. I'm going to fix it. Fast forward to game number two. Game number one didn't play well. Game number one didn't shoot. Game number one, pass the ball, meeting with the coach. Game number two, he plays like a man possessed. Game number two, taking up shots. Game number two, driving to the lane. Game number two, getting rebounds, not looking for the point guard, but pushing the ball up himself. Game number two, he scores and scores and scores. I was as proud as proud can be. I got in the car with him and said, son, I'm so proud of you. You play so much better than your first game. What was the difference? This is what he said. He said, Dad, I met with the coach. And the coach said to me that if this team is going to win, somebody's got to score and it might as well be you. And he said, Dad, every time I got the ball, I just said that to myself. It might as well be me. It might as well be me. It might as well be me.

32:29 I may be young. I may be the newest on the team. I may be in my first year, but I'm not going to tell myself I'm not worthy, it might as well be me. I came by to preach with someone today and that's your attitude as you go into this week of Christmas and as you face this new year, you ought to tell yourself it might as well be me. If anybody's going to walk in favor, it might as well be me. If anybody's going to be blessed, it might as well be me. If anybody's going to be healed, it might as well be me. If anybody's going to have a way made, it might as well be me. If anybody is going to have a door opened, it might as well be me. Do me a favor, get on that chat and type as fast as you can. It might as well be me. It's going to be me that's blessed. It's going to be me that's favored. It's going to be me that's healed. It's going to be me that comes through this. It's going to be me. It might as well be you. These shepherds believe that God will do what God said.

33:31 These shepherds wanted to see what God said. These shepherds believed they were worthy of what God has said. So they make their way to the manger. They see the Christ child. We could hang out there for a whole week. What I want to show you is what happens when they leave. Here's what happens to those who've truly encountered Christ. The Bible says they left and they shared with everyone the things they had seen.

34:10 If we're going to battle this darkness, we need those who've encountered Christ to not be ashamed to share what you've seen. You know what? You've seen God do some things this year. I've seen God answer prayer, and I've got to share it. I've seen God make a way out of no way, and I have to share it. I've seen God keep someone in their right mind, and I've got to share it. I've seen God walk people through the valley of the shadow of death, and I've got to share it. I'm just looking for someone today who's watching this message and can declare I'm that shepherd. I've seen God do some things. I've seen God move in undeniable ways. I've seen God open doors that no one can close.

35:05 I've seen God keep a life together. I've seen God deliver from situation and circumstance. Is there anybody watching today who knows you've seen God do some miraculous things even in this darkness? And I've got to share with the world what I've seen God do. Trust somebody, tell them I've seen it. I've seen it.

35:28 They not only share, but here's the thing I never took note of that encourages me. The Bible says, and they returned glorifying and praising God. I've always looked at the glorifying and praising, but I never thought about what it meant to return. What did they return to? The field. What did they return to? The flock. What did they return to? The reputation as shepherds. What did they return to? The darkness. Watch this. The encounter with Christ did not destroy the reality of darkness. It just helped them defeat it. Oh God, I feel that, that the encounter with this Christ did not destroy the reality of darkness.

36:30 It taught them how to survive it by glorifying and praising God and sharing what they had seen. Beloved, that's such a word Because when this Christmas comes and goes The darkness will still be there On the other side of Christmas COVID will still be real Our nation will still be divided Loved ones are still going to die But the message of Christ's birth Is that even if darkness is not destroyed it is defeated because it no longer dwells in us.

37:15 The message of Christmas is this, that our Christ has come, that our God is with us, and that even when our darkness remains, we are more than conquerors, that we are victorious in the midst of darkness, that even if darkness is not destroyed, it is ultimately always defeated. So as you go into this Christmas, as you wake up this week, as you proclaim the birth of our Savior, know this, darkness has been defeated. Merry Christmas in Jesus' name. Sadly, we've come to the end of another worship service, but my prayer is that again, that you not only enjoyed worship, but were blessed, that you felt the spirit move, that the word of God will equip and empower you for the week that awaits.

38:17 You know, it's this holiday season. As a kid, we would never leave any gift under the tree unopened. But sadly, God has given us the gift of Christ, and so many people have not opened that gift into their life. If you're one of them and you desire to receive that awesome gift of grace that God provides in Jesus Christ, I want you to do me a favor. Shoot us an email to deaconswithaness at alfredstreet.org. Deacons at alfredstreet.org. And we will gladly share with you the gift God has prepared. If you're looking to become a member of a church and you're not connected to a family of faith, wherever you may be in the World Wide Web, Alpha Street is available and open to you. You can simply go out to our website. You'll find information where you can fill in the blanks and tell us a little bit about you, and we'll reach out to you and connect you with our family of faith. As you get ready to leave, I'm going to ask you to do me a favor.

39:12 Please subscribe to all of our social media platforms. Watch us on YouTube. Be faithful in the giving of God as God will move upon your heart to do so. And pray for the leadership of this church family that we might continue to be good stewards of the gifts of God. And now, to the Almighty, the all-wise, the Eternal, the Sovereign, the omnipotent God, who alone is creator of heaven and earth. To the God who's made himself perfectly known to us. And Jesus, who alone is our Christ. Our loving Lord, our sacrificial Savior. Our resurrected, risen, reigning, returning Redeemer. To the God who chooses to dwell in these earthen vessels of clay through the sustaining power, promise, presence, purpose, and person of the Holy Spirit. To that all wise God be both glory and majesty, dominion and power from now until eternity. And the redeemed of the Lord who loved the Lord.