From the Pulpit: Redemption
By:
Pastor Joel Higgins, Celebration United Methodist Church
Isaiah 61:1 ¶ The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners.
Rev. Strayhorn tells a story about Blackie. Let me tell you about Blackie. When I was doing my internship at First UMC, Dimmitt, my supervising Pastor, Howard Quiet, introduced me to the wonders of Ann’s Cafe. Every small town usually has one, especially the small towns in West Texas. The thing about the Cafe was that you could drop in at different times of the day and meet different crowds of people. Howard and I got more visiting done in Ann’s Cafe than we did all during the rest of the week.
Along about 2 p.m. you could meet the real, old-time cowboys. And Blackie was undoubtedly the leader of this posse of old cowboys. Most of them still worked on ranches. It was all they had ever known and all they’d ever done. This was a rough and tumble group or at least they had been. Most of them should have been put out to pasture a long time ago.
Some of them, like Blackie, still lived the hard-riding, hard-drinking lifestyle. These were the folks we’d drink coffee with in the afternoon. Howard had a good relationship with these guys and introduced me as his running buddy. They were used him having associates tag along, but I happened to be the first one that knew a little bit about farming and ranching and knew the difference between heifers and cows.
I was making my rounds in the hospital, I knocked on the door of a room and low and behold who was there but Blackie.
We talked all that superficial talk for a few minutes and then I asked him why he was there. He said his buddies had brought him in Sunday night. They’d been drinking and he passed out. It wasn’t unusual for him to pass out, but not after only two drinks. The doctor told him that morning that he had a heart condition and that if he didnt quit drinking he’d die.
Then he said something I didn’t think I’d ever hear him say: “Preacher, I’m scared. I don’t remember a day that I didn’t drink. That’s all I remember doing, ranching and drinking. It cost me my wife and family. But that’s all I’ve ever known. I don’t want to die but I don’t know how to NOT drink. You’ve got to help me. They told me I can’t go home until I’m dried out.”
Whoa, what do you say to that? I think I said something to the effect of: “Blackie, I can’t help you. But I know the one who can.” And I began to tell him about Jesus and the healings in the Bible
He said he wasn’t sure, how could God love someone like him and he started to tell me all the things he had done. I told him he didn’t have to, and he said yes, he did. And he did. He had a great purging of his soul that day in the hospital room. He let go of all the demons of his past. And believe they were “Legion.” Two and a half hours later, when he had purged his soul, when he’d emptied himself of all the guilt and the pain, he asked: “Do you really think Jesus can love someone and help someone like me?”
That was when I told him about the woman caught in adultery and the thief on the cross. His eyes got wide with wonder and awe as the realization of the depth of God’s love. Then he spoke three words with such longing and hunger I’ll never forget. “I want Jesus.”
He accepted Jesus as his personal Savior, right then and there, in that hospital room. I stood next to his bed and laid my hand on his head. I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving and asked God to bring healing and wholeness to this broken soul and set him free from his addiction.
You could see a different swagger in his step and a different light in his eyes. Blackie was even able to reconcile with his children.
Why, because God is in the reclamation business. There is no trash, no Damaged Goods, ready for the trash heap. Jesus helped Blackie change the Legacy he was leaving behind.
Along about 2 p.m. you could meet the real, old-time cowboys. And Blackie was undoubtedly the leader of this posse of old cowboys. Most of them still worked on ranches. It was all they had ever known and all they’d ever done. This was a rough and tumble group or at least they had been. Most of them should have been put out to pasture a long time ago.
Some of them, like Blackie, still lived the hard-riding, hard-drinking lifestyle. These were the folks we’d drink coffee with in the afternoon. Howard had a good relationship with these guys and introduced me as his running buddy. They were used him having associates tag along, but I happened to be the first one that knew a little bit about farming and ranching and knew the difference between heifers and cows.
I was making my rounds in the hospital, I knocked on the door of a room and low and behold who was there but Blackie.
We talked all that superficial talk for a few minutes and then I asked him why he was there. He said his buddies had brought him in Sunday night. They’d been drinking and he passed out. It wasn’t unusual for him to pass out, but not after only two drinks. The doctor told him that morning that he had a heart condition and that if he didnt quit drinking he’d die.
Then he said something I didn’t think I’d ever hear him say: “Preacher, I’m scared. I don’t remember a day that I didn’t drink. That’s all I remember doing, ranching and drinking. It cost me my wife and family. But that’s all I’ve ever known. I don’t want to die but I don’t know how to NOT drink. You’ve got to help me. They told me I can’t go home until I’m dried out.”
Whoa, what do you say to that? I think I said something to the effect of: “Blackie, I can’t help you. But I know the one who can.” And I began to tell him about Jesus and the healings in the Bible
He said he wasn’t sure, how could God love someone like him and he started to tell me all the things he had done. I told him he didn’t have to, and he said yes, he did. And he did. He had a great purging of his soul that day in the hospital room. He let go of all the demons of his past. And believe they were “Legion.” Two and a half hours later, when he had purged his soul, when he’d emptied himself of all the guilt and the pain, he asked: “Do you really think Jesus can love someone and help someone like me?”
That was when I told him about the woman caught in adultery and the thief on the cross. His eyes got wide with wonder and awe as the realization of the depth of God’s love. Then he spoke three words with such longing and hunger I’ll never forget. “I want Jesus.”
He accepted Jesus as his personal Savior, right then and there, in that hospital room. I stood next to his bed and laid my hand on his head. I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving and asked God to bring healing and wholeness to this broken soul and set him free from his addiction.
You could see a different swagger in his step and a different light in his eyes. Blackie was even able to reconcile with his children.
Why, because God is in the reclamation business. There is no trash, no Damaged Goods, ready for the trash heap. Jesus helped Blackie change the Legacy he was leaving behind.
On the cross, Jesus broke the chains of sin and death. Through the cross and the empty tomb, Jesus won forgiveness for us. He has redeemed us. He claims and reclaimed us as his own.
He has made us new, given us a fresh start.
I don’t know what Chain is holding you today. I don’t know what Bondage you feel your life under. I don’t know what Brokenness there is in your life. But I know the one who does.
He’s the same one who can bring healing and set you free. And all you have to do is cry out like Blackie: “I want Jesus.”
He has made us new, given us a fresh start.
I don’t know what Chain is holding you today. I don’t know what Bondage you feel your life under. I don’t know what Brokenness there is in your life. But I know the one who does.
He’s the same one who can bring healing and set you free. And all you have to do is cry out like Blackie: “I want Jesus.”
