Rev. Justin R. Lester Summer 2014

This is a great journey and I'm looking forward to the next few months that God has allowed our paths to intersect. So y' all keep being a trip because it's growing me up. Amen. And so I'm just glad to be here. I bring you greetings from the Greater Grace Temple Communities Church where I serve under my pastor, Briannis Mitchell. But I'm happy to be here. There's a word from God. Anybody need a word this afternoon? There's a word from God and I'm happy to share it with you. Luke, chapter 2:23, verse number 39. Establish the context from which we shall attempt to preach. This is the word of the Lord. It says one of the criminals who was hanged there kept deriding him and saying, are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us. But the other rebuked him, saying, do you not fear God since you were under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds. But this man has done nothing wrong. Then he said, jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus replied, truly I say to you today you will be with me in paradise. I'll put a tag on this text and preach as a spiritual guide with this thought on our minds. Looking in the mirror, you may be seated even in the presence of our God, looking in the mirror. Journey with me, if you would, to that dark and fateful night on Calvary's cross. Jesus has now forgiven his enemies. Can you imagine now as we're sitting there, we hear the chatter and the cussing of all these soldiers mocking Jesus while nailing the sign King of the Jews to the cross. Can you imagine as they now mount this cross into the ground, that we see flesh from Jesus body dripping off of his body from all the lashes that he took in open court. As we see all of this, we see people mocking and cussing Jesus. Mary is crying. All the disciples have fled. John is the only one there. We smell flesh. We smell and see blood all over the place. We see people mocking and cussing, crosses being carried, men moaning because of the pain of that 300 pound cross on their back. And a wild Jesus has his cross being mounted. The Bible tells us two young men were now positioned on Jesus right and left. These two men named Dismas and his running pal named Gesmas. As Dismas and Gesmas are watching Jesus, they watch Jesus embrace all of mankind with forgiveness through prayer. And here we now see another prophecy Isaiah wrote about where Isaiah said that Jesus would be numbered with his transgressors. So Jesus is now being crucified between these two thieves. And this one thief I want to talk about today is this man named Dismas. These two men, Dismas and Gesimus, knew each other, but there was something about the way that Jesus carried himself in his suffering that taught Dismas a lesson.

And if I could put a nickel.

In the meter right there and park for a second, there's something about how Jesus carried himself that gave Dismas hope, hope in the middle of his suffering.

Because the way you carry yourself in.

Your suffering is a greater lesson than.

What you can tell people how to handle their suffering.

See, I know you're going through it.

I. I know you're dealing with it, but don't tell me how to deal with it. Let me watch you keep praying while you're going through it. Let me watch you keep shouting while you're going through it. And let me see the glory of God drip off of you. So you don't tell me how to pray. I know prayer still works. Am I talking. You don't tell me to worship. I know worship still works, because here it is. Your suffering becomes the greatest place for you to keep showing someone that praising God is still possible. I like Dismas because I believe a.

Majority of us can relate with Dismas. Dismas saw himself in a place of.

Suffering, but not the reason for suffering. See, instead of the curses that Jesus heard from the soldiers as they when.

They hammered nails in his hands, they heard Jesus give a prayer of forgiveness.

And it's here. This Lucan narrator brings us into a.

Situation where this marginalized person, dismissed in their mind, can be set free. Because this text is not about the healing of one's body. Rather, it's about the healing of someone's.

Mind when they decide to shift their.

Perspective to see something they've wanted to miss.

Look what Dismas says. He says, jesus, when you get to your kingdom, remember me. Jesus says, today you'll be with me in paradise. Notice dismiss. He does not talk to Jesus about his suffering. He talks to Jesus about his future. He doesn't waste his time in his pain telling Jesus to deliver me. But Dismas is concentrating on where he might go to see. Stop bothering God with the small stuff in your life, because God is concerned about you, not your small stuff. Y' all might as well holler back at your boy this afternoon. See, there are some times where God will bring you in the midst of suffering to See, can you trust God to take your mind off suffering and let God handle the suffering? I suggest this afternoon that so many.

Of us like talking about deliverance, but.

We don't really talk about how we.

Can handle being delivered.

Okay, so you talk about what you're going through, but you don't talk about what life will be when you get set free. You talk about the hellish relationship. Talk to me. But you don't want to talk about the blessing that Paul talks about of being single. You talk about your broke self, but you don't want to talk about a God who has a cattle on a thousand hills. You talk about it, but you don't want to be about it. What this text teaches us is that while Jesus may not change your cross, while Jesus may not change your suffering.

Jesus.

Jesus can change your mind to alter where you're going. See, it's your flaws, your dismas like life that will push you into your future because your flaws taught you how to be. But now your flaws can unlock your future because while Jesus won't change where you are, he can shift your mind to get you excited about where you're going. Okay, here it is. Here's all I'm trying to prove to you today. I stop asking God to deliver you and start asking God to keep you when you get delivered.

How?

How can I do that, Justin?

I'm glad you asked.

Here it is, two things. Number one, what Dismas did to show when he looked in the mirror. Number one, Dismas shows us how to remember God. How to remember God. I never will forget. Don't judge me, brothers.

A couple weeks ago, my girl visited me.

And so I decided, being because temptation.

Said, treat her like a lady. So I bought her a dozen roses.

And so I don't really know how to keep flowers. So I got some roses, I put them in water. Now they sat for a couple of days and I noticed these roses. I spent all this money on started wilting. So these wilted roses were sitting in my apartment and I wondered what the problem was. Came home and she told me, she said, justin, have you watered them? You know, I go to Vanderbilt.

I'm smart.

But, you know, I guess I'm not that smart because I'm looking at these roses, they're looking at me, and they wilted. And I forgot to water these roses because here it is. I got so caught up in the roses, I forgot what was necessary to keep them pretty. There are times in life where God will check us to remember the water necessary in your life because we get so focused on roses that we forget water necessary to keep you going. I'm in the text. I'm in the text. Notice what Dismas says to Gesimus. He says one phrase, do you not fear God?

See, while we don't know much about.

Dismas, we can surmise from the text that he knows something about God. He's heard about God, he's read about God. But yet what he's heard about God and what he's read about God did not change his life while he was living on earth. See, he's been in the city enough to hear something about God. He's been in the city enough to understand something about this Jesus character hanging next to him. And in the middle of his song Suffering, he looks at Decimus and says, do you not fear God? He says, do you not respect God enough to respect this part of God? He says, do you not fear God? And while Dismas has some history, his history did not stop him from knowing something about God. See, his flaws caused him to be reflective and responsive. I. Reflective. What he heard about Isaiah, what what he heard his mama talking about in church, what he heard about Zephaniah is now sitting in front of me. What I heard the choir sing about, I'm now hanging next to. What I heard my grandmama pray to, I'm now standing next to. What I heard my preacher talk about, I'm now sitting next to. And he says, while I never went to church and while I'm not perfect and while I ain't wearing no suit, he says, guess, miss. Do you not fear God? There are times where I've learned in life that God will put you in some places where you've heard about God, you've heard it on Twitter, Instagram, you saw it, heard somebody talk about it. You seen some people post images about God. You've heard the preacher talk about God, you've heard the choir sing about God. But there's sometimes, deacon, where God will put you in some situations while you've heard about God and you've seen God do some stuff. Now you can testify. I know who God is. Okay, okay, see, fine. You heard God open doors for you. You heard God will make ways for you. You heard God will make your enemies your footstool. That's real good to hear. That's real good to shout about. But sometimes God will put you in some situations that you can testify. God will move you from what you heard. So now you can testify. I know God will do It. Okay, okay, fine, fine. I got you. You heard God's a way maker. But it wasn't until you didn't find your way out of a paper bag you didn't know how to pay your bills because couldn't make ends meet. Now you can testify looking else a diddy that you know God will make a way. You heard God open doors. But it wasn't until you twisted every doorknob in Murfreesboro that now you can testify. I know God will open doors. You heard God will heal your body. But it wasn't until you were laying sick on a hospital bed, didn't know if you were gonna get well that now you sitting in church this morning can testify.

I know.

Am I talking anybody in the building? I was broke then a joke I.

Heard God will provide. But now I got money in my pocket.

I'm looking real good because I know God will provide. Am I talking to anybody in the building that could put your mind on rewind and thank God God took you.

Through some stuff where you heard God can do it. You seen God do it.

But now you can testify. You can't make me doubt him.

I know too much about him. I know no weapon formed against me can prosper. I know every place my feet tread will be blessed. I know I can step on scorpions. You can't make me doubt him. I know too much about him.

What the Lord has done for me, he says do. He says, guess, Miss. Do you not fear God? Dismiss. Sitting there saying, I know God can do it. I never went to church, but I know God can do it. I never did it, but I know God can do it. Because I love it. Because Dismas shows me he allows what he knew about God's history to inform his destiny. Oh, my God. See, because if you want to know where you're going, just take a look at where you've been. And if God didn't let that take you out, you should be shouting unto.

God that eyes have not seen.

I guess that's just my shouting.

Can you look at your neighbor and say, I must be going somewhere? That just job didn't kill me.

That relationship didn't take me out.

That disease didn't kill me. That hurt didn't destroy me.

My tears didn't take me down.

So eyes have not seen.

He says I'm leaving my destiny with a different mentality. Because I can talk about what God's already done. I know what God is going to do because I've heard what God can do. See, sometimes you can chart your destiny when you know God's history. He says, do you not fear God? And here's what messed me up. Because all his knowledge about God, the Bible shows us, he ends up looking at himself. He ends up acknowledging the ugliness on his own life. Because when we look at God, we see our own reflection. A reflection marred by the world and marred by culture. And our ugly reflection tells us that while we're moving ahead, you ain't got it all together yet. Just look at Dismas. I like this because he shows us in the text. He says, yes, miss. Listen, man, we did it. See, salvation didn't come because he was perfect. Salvation came because Dismas was honest. He says, man, this is Jesus. We ugly. Okay, man, we did it. We smoked it, we slept with him, we went there, we called her at 2am we sold that stuff. We cheated on him, we stole the stuff. He says, dismiss. Stop talking about Jesus. Because the truth is, man, we ugly. I suggest so many of us get caught up in the web of self indulgences that we try to find ways to make ourselves feel good about our sin by judging of somebody else's sin. Talk boy, I'm doing the doggone thing. See, I don't live my life until I get honest with myself because I can't spend all my life trying to find something wrong in your life. That's the problem with church folk. I ain't scared of none of y'. All. You can't grow your ministry because you caught up trying to take tear down somebody else's. My name is Justin Lester and I approve this message. You can't encourage someone else because you're trying to kill them. You can't smile because every day you're trying to make somebody else frown. And here Dismas teaches us. Before I ask Jesus for anything, before I ask Jesus to set me free, I've got to be honest with myself and say self. I'm jacked up. Because the text shows us that if we want true liberation, if we want true freedom, it causes you, number one to be honest. Because when you're not honest with yourself, you're lying to yourself. Question to you today. Who are you trying to impress? Covering up your wounds of dishonesty? Because honesty produces winners and sets you apart from losers. Because when you're honest with yourself, it sets you apart from yourself, defined by yourself. And no one else can define you. Okay? Molly music Put it like this. He said, I got my walking shoes on. You can't tell where I'M going but I'm walking down this lonely road he said I believe it's a dream that I ain't seen yet Chasing a dream that I ain't dreamed yet I'm immediate halfway if I keep on walking because when I get real honest with myself, it allows God to work through me to get where God is trying to take me. So then I can learn to tell myself I know how messed up I was. I know how jacked up I was. But here it is. That was then, but this is now. Okay? Okay. Aren't you glad you serve a God that when you get honest? Yeah, I did some stuff I shouldn't have done but that was then but look at me now I know I went there that was then but this is now Every place my free tread will be blessed I know I did that that was then but this is now now unto him who's able to keep you from falling I know what.

I said before that was then I know I smoked it before that was then then I know you saw me before that was then I was drunk than a skunk I was stuck like Chuck in a rut didn't know how.

To get my way out of it.

But now I can testify his grace is sufficient.

Am I talking to anybody in the building who can testify?

You got a that was then, but this is now testimony. And the reason folk can't stand you they talking about your then but you shouting about your now. So now you can testify that was.

Then, this is now.

So look at it.

He says, I'm finished. It causes me to remember God. But then after I remember God, he says, then he redirects his self made gift. I like Dismas. Y' all can't tell I like Dismas because he says, yes, Smith, we did this. Do you not feel God? They raised Jesus up and Dismas says, you know what lesser translation? I've been a thief all my life. I've gotten away with stealing stuff all my life. But this time I'm on my way out this world and all I know how to do is steal. So since all I know how to do is steal, it may work on the cross. So this man sits there, he's like, I've been stealing. It may work, it may not work, but I'm going to try. Hey Jesus, when you get to heaven, I should have went to church. I should have gave the preacher my hand. I should have gave God my heart. But I don't know what. All I did was steal. So Jesus, question for you when you get to heaven. I told you. Lester. Translation, please. See, salvation is so wonderfully simple. He says, lord, when you get there, just remember me. Because anyone can be saved, anyone can be delivered, anyone can be set free. And Dismas says, I don't know how to do much more, but I do know how to steal. So hey, Jesus, I should have went to church. I should have given the pastor my hand. But Jesus, when you get to heaven, do me a favor, can you remember me? Because I like Dismas. Because Dismas does not change himself to get salvation. He was a thief all his life. He said, I didn't go to church, I didn't go to temple, I didn't lay prostrate on an altar. But Lord, when you get to your kingdom, can you please remember me? And see, that's what I can't stand about some church folk. We come to church, act all holy, act all sadiddy, act all stuck up like you, sucking on lemons, like you always look this good. The truth of the matter is, what you should learn how to do is take what you used to do and bring it to the church house. See, it's not that I'm perfect, but I've just changed my partner. Because I used to dance in the club, but now I can dance in the church.

I used to holler on the street.

But I can holler in the church. Am I talking to anybody in the building who just like Dismas, you got some Dismas proclivities.

But now you're saying, God, I'm gonna.

Use what I know how to do to get closer to Jesus. He says, when you get to your kingdom, remember me. Notice something. He does not say, take me off.

The cross.

Because I've got to suffer. I'm going to take my punishment knowing that one of the stripes on your back is my stripes. So Jesus, when you get to someplace better than this, don't take me off the cross, but just remember me. Because notice, being saved does not exempt you from suffering. It changes your outlook on suffering. So stop asking God to deliver you and say, God, keep me when I get delivered. See, it's not. You know, preachers used to always tick me off. You say, you know, when you get saved, that's when life gets bad. No, it's not that. When you get saved, life gets terrible. It's when you get saved, you get opened up to warfare. And so while the world doesn't attack you, you recognize the devil does exist. And so while, when I get salvation, I Got some new darts coming at me. And so, Jesus, I messed my life up. Jesus, I'm not perfect, Jesus, I turned against your word, but can you do me a favor? I know I don't deserve it, I know I shouldn't have it, but when you get there, just remember me. He says, don't remove me from suffering, but in my suffering, let me see you. And so I like Jesus because I'm finished. I like Jesus because Jesus says, okay, you did all this. Do not fear God. He talks to his pal Gesimus and he says, gesimus, do you not feel God? He says, yes, we did this. So, Jesus, when you get to heaven, please remember me. And Jesus does something so interesting. Jesus says, man, here it is. Not tomorrow, but today. You'll be with me in paradise. Now, now, now, hold up, Deacon House. Before I got there, I was. I was looking at this because I was trying to find some crazy way to close this, because I've heard this sermon preached. Everybody talks about today. Turn around three times, foam at the mouth, high five your neighbor, do three back flips because it's going to happen today. Touch three people, punch them in the eyes and say, eyes have not seen. And so I was sitting here and I was wondering, I said, how can I close this? And so I. I kept reading the text over and over and over, and something hit me because look what Dismas says. Dismas says, jesus, when you get to your kingdom, remember me. Jesus says, today you'll be with me in paradise. Two different words, kingdom. Dismas is talking about Pilate. He says, jesus, when you get to your kingdom, let me serve you like some people serve Pilate. He says, jesus, you're going to be this high exalted, and I'm going to serve you like everybody serves Pilate. And I like Jesus because Jesus says, no, no, no, man, listen, I'm not Pilate. He says, I'm Jesus, so today you'll be with me in paradise. So I had to look up that word. And the word blessed me, Chris, because the word gives this imagery of a king walking in a garden by himself, locked in with his servants. Doesn't matter how high the servant is or how low the servant is. Jesus says, dismiss. Don't think about kingdom, but I want you to think about paradise. He says, while you're on the cross, I'm not taking you off the cross, I'm not taking you out of suffering, but I want you to change your mind. So stop thinking about just serving me and start thinking about walking with me. I like Jesus because Jesus says, I'm going to give you peace in the midst of your suffering. So stop thinking about kingdom and start thinking about paradise. I know you're going through it, but paradise, I know you got to deal with it, but paradise. And that's why I understand my grandmama. My grandmama said, and he walks with me and he talks with me and he tells me I am his own and the joy we share as we tarry there. That's why, I guess Grandmama said, some glad morning when this life is over.

I'll fly away and be at a rest.

Okay, okay, fine.

Hold up.

I gave you hymns. I'm sorry. I got you. I promise you, I got you. I wanted to close this thing, think about paradise. And so I'm digging house. I was watching a documentary on the rhino. Watching documentary on the rhino.

I was watching it.

I like Animal Planet. Don't judge me. I like Animal Planet. And so I was watching a documentary on the rhino. And the rhino does something very, very interesting. Because the rhino, when it runs after its target, tilt his head to the right, tilts his head to the left, closes its eyes and runs. So me being a curious fellow, I'm watching this, I'm like, what is a rhino doing? So I called the researcher. I said, hey, Mr. Researcher, how you doing? He said, good, Justin, what do you need? I said, Mr. Researcher, I got a question for you. He said, yes, Justin, give it to me. I said, Mr. Researcher, why? When the rhino runs ahead, it turns to the right, turns to the left, closes its eyes and runs forward. He said, justin, rhino's eyes, the sides of their head, not the front of their head, like humans. He said, so rhinos got blurry vision. So I said, what do they do? They said, justin, what the rhino does is the rhino turns its head to the right, turns its head to the left, paints a picture, closes its eyes. It doesn't run on what it can see, but it runs based upon the picture on its mind. And, Reverend, that's the reason I keep.

On shouting unto God.

Because I walk by faith and not by sight.

And I wonder if I got any.

Rhinos in the building that can say.

Justin, I don't know how I'm gonna get out of this storm, but I got a picture on my mind.

Is there anybody in the building?

Like I said, I don't know how.

I'm gonna make out of this, but.

I got a picture on my mind. So I'm running after Jesus. I got a picture on my mind. I dare Somebody help me close this sermon. Stand on your feet, look at your neighbor and say Neighbor. You wonder why I'm shouting? It was just my imagination running away with me. So I'm chasing after you no matter what I gotta do. Cause I got a picture on my mind. I don't know how I'm gonna pay college off But I got a picture on my mind. I don't know how I'm gonna buy this ring But I got a picture on my mind. I know how I'm gonna get promotion. But I got a picture on my mind. I dare some rhinos. Close your eyes, lift up your hands and worship God with a picture on your mind. I don't know how I'm gonna get out of this But I got a picture on my mind. Is there anybody here got a picture you on your mind that can tilt your head back, open up your mouth and say I'm running Jesus, I'm running after you. Won't he do it?

I said won't he do it?

Won't he do it? Won't he do it? If you know he will Tilt your head back, open up your mouth and give God your best praise. Give God your best worship. Give God your best shout and say. I got a picture on my mind. So don't you wait till the battle is over but shout right now. Scream right now. Holler right now and say it.