Things Are About to Get Better, Rev. Dr.Howard-JOhn Wesley

0:43 God so often we've taken it for granted What it meant to come to church We complained when there wasn't parking We were frustrated while we sat in overflow Math at 9.30 went too long Lord we'll never complain again Thank you for giving us a re-appreciation of worship. Thank you for the voices that have lifted the songs that took us right back to the heart of our church family. Thank you for our dancers that have reminded us that you are worthy to be praised. Thank you for our musicians that have praised you in instrument. Thank you for our neighbors on our left and our right. thank you Lord for this pillar of cloud that's covering us from the sun for just a little while longer God this pandemic has taught us how to be grateful for the little things God we thank you even now in Jesus name I ask that you would show yourself strong through this feeble preacher in the name of Christ our Savior we do pray Amen Beloved I want you to know that I have struggled with the Lord in mighty ways of what would be appropriate to proclaim on this day.

2:12 Having been out of church for 16 months, preaching to a camera in an empty sanctuary, us connecting online through television and phones and laptops, and yet here we are. Would you do me a favor? Will you just look around and see the glory of the God of our we serve in the presence of those whom God has connected us to. Oh, how we miss community. Oh, how I miss passing of the peace. Oh, how I miss being in our sanctuary. In the midst of wrestling, Dr. Judy, the Lord, put a familiar scripture on my heart that is a little strange to lift up on a day of Thanksgiving like this. It's a scripture that I know you're familiar with. If you don't know it from the Bible, you definitely know it from the hymnal. In the book of Lamentations, Lamentations penned by the same author of Jeremiah.

3:16 In Lamentations chapter 3, beginning in verse 21, there is a peculiar scripture that I want to lift up in your hearing once again. Jeremiah in Lamentations chapter 3 beginning in verse 21 says a little something like this this I recall to my mind and therefore I have hope it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed his compassions fail not they are new every morning great is thy faithfulness great is thy faithfulness I came by this Sunday to tell you something that I believe God has pressed on my life and I want to press it into yours and it's simply this things are about to get better if you felt that automatically just if you know that you believe things are about to get better beloved when I shared with my preaching pastoring friends the desire to preach from Lamentations they challenged me I said that's an awful strange book to preach from on a day of celebration because Lamentations is exactly what its name says it is it is a story of sorrow it is a song of lament it's one of those books that an author said that if you weren't depressed before you read it you sure will be by the time you get to the end lamentations is Jeremiah putting pen to paper

5:21 to describe how sorrowful he is as he watches the Babylonian occupation destruction and exile of citizens from Jerusalem. In 586 BC you know that Babylonians under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar sweep into the land of Israel and it is there that they begin to not only occupy the land but they then begin to destroy the temple. The house of God is burned down to the ground. There is no place to worship. Thousands are dead. And at the end of it, thousands are exiled away from their home, some to never return again. Jeremiah puts pen to paper to share his sorrow over the devastation, the destruction, the deportation, the occupation, the loss of life in his homeland. And Dr. Judy, he gets to a place where in chapter 3, verse 51, he says this, when I think about everything I've seen, it brings grief to my soul.

6:39 Because I never thought I would see something like that in my lifetime. Beloved, if you're like me, you may come to this Sunday with some chapter 3, verse 51 in your spirit. that some of the things we have seen, you never thought you would see in your lifetime. And yet, it has brought some grief to our souls. It grieves me because I never thought I would see a pandemic that claimed 4 million lives globally and some 600,000 right here in the United States of America while people still acted like it was a hoax.

7:25 It's grieved my soul. I never thought in my generation I would see the rampant resurgence of racism and white privilege in our society. It grieves my soul. I never thought we'd live in an era where we had to hide the truth of American history and that we have to look at a black female professor's tenure be challenged because she dared assert that America was founded on slavery and not the Constitution.

7:58 It grieves my soul to know that we have a Congress that can give us Juneteenth but can't pass the Emmett Till anti-lynching bill and cannot pass the John Lewis Voter Right Act. There's something about that that grieves my soul.

8:21 And never in my life, having been raised in the church, going to Sunday school and worship and Baptist training union, did I ever see a moment where we would miss this many Sundays from being in the house of God. If you were raised by some old school parents like me, you know you went to church. Go and help me preach my sermon. Air Sunday. And here we are some 70 Sundays since we've been in our sanctuary that was built in the 80s, that was purchased before the Civil War, that began worshiping in 1803, and never have we been out of church this long. And, Judy, it grieves my soul. like Jeremiah depressed at times I've missed worship I've missed Alfred Street Baptist Church I've missed every headache we used to have I've missed every contentious cantankerous member that ever walked through a door and showed up at a business meeting I have missed being in the house of God and that's where Jeremiah was in a low place of depression and grief, couldn't believe that this has happened.

9:44 And yet in the midst of his writing in chapter 3, Jeremiah gives a word. He says, but don't give in to the depression too quickly. Don't throw in the towel just yet. Don't give up on God right here. Jeremiah says, this is why, because in the midst of all the evil we've seen, in the midst of the house of the Lord being closed, in the midst of a government that has failed us, in the midst of the massive loss of life. He said, I had the audacity to remember some things. And the things I remember gave me some hope. That every now and then, when you're tempted to give in to the darkness of the day and the depression of the season, Jeremiah says you got to remember some things And when you remember them they will give you hope That word hope it literally means that I'm waiting for something Notice how Jeremiah says wait for it I know it looks bad right here But wait for it I know it's been several months But wait for it I know the government is as dysfunctional as it can be But wait for it I know there's a new variant of the disease sweeping through, but wait for it.

11:09 I know you haven't seen the deliverance yet, but wait for it. I know what the doctor said, but wait for it. I know that it doesn't look good right now, but wait for it. Because it's about to get better. Do me a favor. I may not hear you, but if you can hear me look at someone and holler, it's about to get better. It's about to get better. It's about to get better.

11:37 How do I know? Because here's what Jeremiah says. Watch it. It's a good Baptist sermon. There are three reasons why it's about to get better. He said, number one, it's about to get better. Watch this. Because it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. Somebody, you should have felt that in your spirit right there. And Jeremiah looks back at everything they've gone through, all the evil they've experienced, the destruction he's seen. And he's come to the irrevocable conclusion that the only reason I'm still standing is the mercy of God.

12:19 My degree didn't get me here. My money didn't shield me from COVID. My relationships didn't make a way. I'm looking for about four or five cars that can holler out today. I know for sure that it was only by the mercy of God that I made it to this day in this time. Is there anybody here who knows something about the mercy of God? it's it's God's mercy that kept us beloved it wasn't the vaccination that kept you alive somebody I want you to know you weren't shielded from COVID because your Bible was well read your bills aren't paid because you went to the right HBCU The only reason you are driving that car and breathing air today is because we have a God who kept his hand on us and refused to let.

13:36 I need somebody today who knows that it had not been for the Lord on my side. Somebody holler mercy. Marcus, when I was growing up in church, I used to hate the cliches of the church. You know them stuff that the deacons hollered every Sunday. I was frustrated with, he'll never put more on you than you can bear. That's a lie. I didn't like deacons always hollering out God is good all the time and all the time God is good because there's some moments when it doesn't feel like God is good I never liked hearing if it had not been for the Lord on our side my trans I thought that was a preacher's lazy way of getting a shout because the sermon ain't have no substance.

14:49 So whenever your sermon's failing, you just holler if it had not been. For the Lord on my side. And I used to get frustrated by those cliches because I didn't think they made sense. And now I realize the reason I was frustrated as a child is because I was a child. because when you've lived long enough when you've seen storms come and storms go when you have to pray for God to bring you out of something you got yourself in you know he's good all the time and all the time he's good and I can stand today with 50 right in front of me and tell you on July 11th if it had not been for the Lord on my side.

15:53 I don't know where I would be. Are there any grown saints here today who know that it is of the Lord's mercies? Somebody holler mercy. What's this? This is why it's about to get better though. Because his mercies are new. I'm preaching, y'all let me finish His mercies are new Every morning Every morning God renews His mercy No matter how Ratchet you were last night This morning You were met With new mercy And what Jeremiah wants us to understand Is the reason it's going to get better is because God has given us another day.

16:52 And too often you take for granted another day. God did not wake you up today to simply repeat the struggles of yesterday. God did not bless you with Sunday so you could live in the same struggle of Saturday. that whenever God wakes you up with a new day and you got enough good sense to know it was mercy that woke you up, Jeremiah says, wait for it. That today is going to be the day where things get a little bit better. It is of the Lord's mercies God's up to a new thing. Maybe that's why the apostle John said unto us, Beloved, it does not yet appear what we shall be because God ain't finished yet.

17:48 That word consumed in the Bible doesn't mean to die. It means to be over. So Jeremiah said, listen, because the Lord's mercies, we ain't over yet. The story is not over. The last verse has not been written. The last chapter has not been read. I don't know who needs to hear this, but COVID is not the last chapter of your life. Your sickness is not the last chapter of your life. Your struggle is not the last chapter. it does not yet appear where we shall be because it's of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. And watch number two, it's about to get better because his compassions fail not. Well, that makes me feel good right there. Jeremiah realizes that the reason Israel is being destroyed is because they have disobeyed the will of God.

18:45 Israel has been as low down as low down can be. They've not only disobeyed God they've enjoyed it. It's one thing to live in sin it's another when you like it. Don't look at nobody. Don't look. They've enjoyed living in sin and they deserve to die. but here's what Jeremiah found out but his compassions fail not that no matter how low we sink we've never exhausted the compassion or the love of God don't let any devil make you think that somewhere along the line because of what you've done God has given up on you came by to declare his compassions fail not they don't run out. You've never come to the edge of God's patience with you. You've never gotten to the line where God says, I'm done with you. You've never reached a place where God said, the, with you. His compassions fail not. Now, let me tell you why you ought to be glad that God is God and not me. Because I'm human. And no matter how much I love you, I have a limit with you.

20:16 No matter how good you make me feel, there's a line in the sand. No matter how much you mean to me right now, you violate these boundaries, and I'm done with you. But God, who knows everything about you, has never drawn a line in the sand where he says, I'm tired of you. God deals with us day in and day out and day in and day out and day in and day out. God has never given up on us. There's no limit to his compassion. Okay, some of you don't understand it. I'm in a season in my life with 50 coming on me where there's some things that are more important to me now than they were when I was a child. One of them is my credit score.

21:16 I'm dead serious about my credit score. Marcus, my dad told me that your credit score is your adult report card. It's the grade of how good you are at being responsible. I'm serious about my credit score. I'm 800 bound in Jesus' name. I touch and agree. So I've done some studying to understand what affects my credit score. I understand that having late payments drops my score. I understand that a repossession will drop your score. I understand that credit card utilization, you don't know this, but when you're maxed out, it's going to drop your score. They want to see you stay at 10% of your limit. So while I was dealing with a credit card advisor trying to raise my score, this is what he said. He said, you need more credit cards.

22:12 You only have one. The one you got when you went to college and you've had for a long time, but you've got to increase your credit limit. You need to get another card. I said, what card do you recommend? He says, you need an American Express. I said, but I got a visa. He said, no, you need American Express. and since you're the pastor of Alfred Street, go and get the platinum. So I went and got the American Express. When it came in the mail, my son saw me opening it, and he was impressed with the platinum card. So he sits down, and he asks me, what's the difference between this card and the visa? And I realized this is a teaching opportunity. So I sat him down, and I said, here, they're both charge cards. And I began to express to him how they work. I said, now, here's the major difference.

23:04 the visa has a limit but there's no limit on the American Express he didn't understand I said well son I can only charge so much on the visa but I can take the American Express to a car dealership and swipe it and buy a car because there's no limit of how much I can charge it blew his mind he couldn't understand how there was no limit. I said, but wait, son, there's another difference. You see, the reason I can charge with no limit is because they want it paid off at the end of the month. And if you can't pay it all, you don't deserve the right to have a card with no limit. Some of y'all look slow on Sunday. I ain't talking about credit cards. I am talking about the compassion of God, that there is no limit to God's compassion.

24:03 But God can take all of your sin and all of your faults and all of your mistakes. And why? How can God handle your whole limit? It's simple because on a hill far away stood an old rugged cross. And the hymn writer said, Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, but he washed it white as snow. There's no limit because God has paid it all. His compassions fail not. Can I push it real quick?

24:57 Dr. Judy will tell you the word compassion that Jeremiah uses in Hebrew is a very strange word. Because, William, it is the plural of the Hebrew noun for womb. W-O-M-B. Compassion is the plural for womb.

25:25 The womb is where the child is isolated, not simply to be protected, but to be nurtured by its mother to full development so that when it comes out, it's ready to face the world. it's about to live in. The womb is where we are mothered and developed so that when we come out, we are strong. I'm going to try one more again. The womb is where we are isolated with our mother that we might be nurtured and developed so that when we come out of this thing, we're strong enough to handle whatever we got to face. So Jeremiah says, in the midst of this evil, God has wound us.

26:24 God has enclosed us in her womb. so that she can nurture us and develop us so that when we come out of this thing, we are better than we were when we went in.

26:49 Beloved, if you haven't grown during this pandemic, you've missed the lesson. God's been trying to teach you something God's been trying to show you that you don't need a building to worship God's been trying to develop your prayer life that on the other side of this you would be holier then than you were back then if your Bible ain't got more highlighted passages now than it did last year you have missed the lesson God has enwombed us can I push it oh I hope you don't miss this Judy I hate that you taught me Hebrew I had to learn it the word womb as you all know in Hebrew there are different genders for nouns the word womb that Jeremiah uses is in the masculine you missed it The womb that Jeremiah describes, he writes in masculine.

28:06 The womb. is in masculine. the womb is masculine. How can a womb be masculine?

28:27 How can a womb be masculine? Lord says, this is what I want you to know, that the reason you know it's about to get better is because I have taken something that should not be. And made it into something no one thought it could ever be. And when you see that something that should not be is, you have to know that I'm at work and it's about to get better. The reason I know it's about to get better is because God has done some things that nobody thought could ever be done. And yet, here we are.

29:10 How do you know it's about to get better? because you survived getting COVID? How do you know it's about to get better? Because you got the job, but your resume didn't match the criteria. How do you know it's about to get better? Because they got the degree, but you're their supervisor. How do you know? Because God took what should not be and made it what it is. The statistics said one thing, God said something else. The stereotype said this, But God said that. Is there anybody on FedEx field today who knows God has broken some laws to bless you? God broke some laws to keep you. God broke the law.

29:57 I got to go, Judy. It's time for communion and it's hot out here. Look, it's about to get better because of his mercies were not consumed. It's about to get better because his compassions fail not. and this is what Jeremiah says and I'm going to go home. He says, and God, great is thy faithfulness. You want to know why it's about to get better? Because God is faithful. God is faithful. did y'all turn my mic off i said god is faithful i'm sorry you don't serve the same god i serve you don't know the same god i know because if you serve my god who's been faithful he's the same god the same god that that stepped into nothing and created the heavens and the earth The same God who made a way in the Red Sea when there was no way.

31:05 The same God who brought down the walls of Jericho. The same God who stood at the grave of Lazarus and said, come on out. The same God who did it then is the same God. Is there anybody here who knows God is faithful? Somebody holler faithful. He's faithful. He's faithful. He changes not. He's the same today as he was yesterday and will be tomorrow. God is faithful. Can I push it? Notice that in these verses, who Jeremiah has been talking to, he says, it is of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed.

32:11 He's talking to us. His compassions fail not. He's talking to us. But great is thy faithfulness. It's not directed to us. You look slow. Jeremiah been talking to us. It's of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed. His compassions fail not.

32:38 Great is thy faithfulness. I'm going to try it again. It's of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed. His compassions fail not. But now I got to talk to somebody else because there's somebody else who has to hear how great he is. So excuse me while I shut you off. Great is thy faithfulness. Oh, God, my father. beloved there comes a moment when you just got to tell God how good God has been to you I'm not talking to you but God I thank you for another day I thank you for making a way I thank you for having your hand on my life is there's anybody here that wants to tell God how great oh Listen, I'm sorry.

34:03 I told myself to calm down. But I ain't been in church in 16 months. I got some thank yous. I gotta get out. I got some praise. I gotta get out. I got some hallelujah. I gotta get out! Is there anybody here that's getting some praise? And I just got to get out. Thank you. Hallelujah. Bless your name. Hey. Hey. Hey.

34:51 Listen. Listen. we're coming out of this thing and you know it's about to get better when you made up in your mind that you're not going to worry about the crowd because there's some things you just got to tell God. Listen, I want to put this out as a mandate and forgive me I know I haven't run it by church council I haven't asked the deacons for approval I'm stepping out on my anointing as pastor but do me a favor when we get back in the building we can't have everybody just rush in we may have to have you pre-register to come to church so I need you to do me a favor if on any given day you wake up you ain't got nothing you want to tell God please don't take a space if you've got it in your mind to come back to church and watch and be entertained please just watch on alfredstreet.org but if you wake up in the morning And you know that you know That you know that you know That I got something I gotta tell God Come on down Straight in God's faithfulness!

36:05 Oh God! My Father! There is no shadow of burning with thee all. Oh, I have needed. Thy hand hath provided. Great is, great is, great is, great is, great is. Thy faithfulness, Lord. Listen, if somebody still has to make you praise God, you need to stay in this pandemic.

36:54 If you still need someone to tell you to make a joyful noise, you haven't learned your lesson. it's amazing to me to me sure that that church is the only place where folk have to force you to shout no matter where else you go you shout instinctively you can be over there in that that field over there and nobody has to tell you to shout if they score a touchdown You just jump up and shout. Okay, okay. Marcus, the other day, I took Deuce to Atlanta to see the Atlanta Hawks-Milwaukee Bucs game. And you all know the MVP of the league, Giannis Antetokounmpo, is a horrible free throw shooter. And the fans have figured out he takes too long.

37:52 So whenever he gets the ball, the fans start to holler out a count. One, two, three, four. And when he shoots, he misses. And they have found out that if we holler at him, it will affect what he does. And so without prompting, without any cue, when they see him on the line, they begin to holler. Can I tell you about God? The next time you see God step up in your life, I double dare you to start hollering at God. Amen. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. Glory.

38:46 And when you holler at God, watch what God will do. When you praise God, watch what God will do. When you give him glory, watch what God will do. He's at the line. Shout hallelujah. Shout glory. Shout glory. Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! He's been good! He's been good! Make a joyful noise. All ye lands, shout unto the Lord.

39:47 Hey! Great is thy faithfulness. Great is thy faithfulness. great is thy faithfulness oh God my Father do you know that hymn? we're going to lift it up as we get ready to go to the table great is thy faithfulness and as we prepare for this moment do me a favor don't rush out this isn't leaving time it's going to take you 20 minutes to get out of here anyway so just sit and be still let's get ready to go to the table with the faithfulness of our great God on our minds great is thy faithfulness Thank you.

41:13 Let me hear you. Now she has lost, thy compassion she will last. As thou hast been, thou forever will see. Great is thy faithfulness, Great is thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed, I have had provided Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto thee Let us humble our hearts and our minds as we come to this table As those who confess and believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior If you're among us today and you've never made that confession of faith, we'll let you know that God's compassions fail not.

42:28 Don't talk yourself out of what God is inviting you into. Immediately after this service, there are deacons all around. You can even go online and fill out the form. Let us know you want to know more about Jesus. It'll be our joy to share with you how much God loves you. For those who have confessed and believed, we invite you to receive the Lord's elements now as we come to our table. the Bible teaches us that on the night Jesus was betrayed they took bread and broke it he blessed it and he gave it to his disciples and said unto them now take and eat for this bread represents my body which is broken for you the eating of bread is one of those things that unites us as a body of Christ all around the world no matter what nationality, what culture, what denomination Eating of this broken bread reminds us that we are all sinners saved by grace. Let us eat bread together.

43:23 and after the eating of bread Jesus took a cup he blessed and gave thanks and told them now take and drink for this represents my blood which is shed on the cross of Calvary nothing can redeem or cleanse you from the past you have other than the blood of Jesus Christ It reaches to the highest mountain It flows to the lowest valley As we drink we receive the forgiveness of our sins Let us drink this cup together our father and god we thank you that you've done for us what we could never do for ourselves you redeemed us from a life of sin and anointed us for a life of eternal salvation well we realize that that comes only through jesus christ our lord and savior who we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that he died and was resurrected and was one day coming again. God, during the midst of these evil days, during the midst of the spread of this virus and pandemic, may our lives continue to bear witness to the entire world that we are the light of Jesus Christ, and that we know things are about to get better.

44:52 We thank you, O God, that it is of your mercies we are not consumed. We thank you, O God, that your compassions fail not, and we declare unto you great is your faithfulness. This is our prayer in Jesus' name. we do pray. Amen. Listen, before you leave and rush out a few words of exit, please follow the direction of parking attendants. They will get us out safely and quickly. Please know members of Alfred Street that on tomorrow or Tuesday, an email with a survey is coming to you to let us know how you feel about coming back to church. We want to make certain that we put in place that which we've heard from the hearts of our members. So please check your email that's on file with our church office. If you don't receive the survey, give the church office a call and we will correct that on our end. That being said, our voices of praise and worship are going to lead us in our final selection and then we invite you to go peacefully and in order. Won't you help me thank God already for our voices who bless us all day long.

45:54 Thank you. alone I got for you I got alone and now beloved to the almighty the all wise the eternal the omnipotent sovereign God who alone is creator of heaven and earth to the God who's made himself perfectly known to us in Jesus who alone is our Christ our resurrected, risen, reigning, returning Redeemer.

46:57 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 all power from now until eternity. And the redeemed of the Lord who loved the Lord and awaited his return said amen. There's so much fun. And honor, dominion and power Forever and whatever Amen Amen Amen of life Hallelujah Turn my mic off Hey, turn this mic off