THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH Eulogy Written & Preached by: Rev. Johnny R. Calhoun Home Going Celebration for Lillie Brooks Tuesday, June 17, 2014 Mount Olive AME Church, Annapolis MD
SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 6:1-8; JOHN 14.
Matthew 6 New International Version (NIV) 6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Prayer 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. John 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
CONCEPT: WE SHOW GOD HOW MUCH WE LOVE HIM, BY SHOWING UP, SHOWING OUR LOVE AND SHOWING OUR FRUIT... I. INTRODUCTION: UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS TWENTY YEARS, STARTED BY A BALTIMORE NATIVE CEDRIC WALKER. HE INVITES US ALL TO JOIN HIM FOR WHAT HE PROMISES WILL BE MORE FUN-FILLED, HIGH ENERGY, DISTINCTIVE ARTISTRY AND AUDIENCE INTERACTION UNDER THE BIG TOP. A GLOBAL EXPERIENCE WITH AMAZING ACTS FROM CHINA, ETHIOPIA, CHILE, CUBA, TRINIDAD, AND TOBAGO, ,SOUTH AFRICA, COLOMBIA AND POLAND. GO AND SEE SOME OF THE MOST BREATHTAKING AND SOUGHT AFTER CIRCUS ACTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. ALL UNDER THE BIG TOP. STEP RIGHT UP AND SEE, AS RINGLING BROS. BARNUM AND BAILEY WOULD SAY, SEE THE GREATEST SHOW IN THE WHOLE WIDE. II. CHURCH CAN OFTEN BE A PLACE WHERE FOLK GO TO BE ENTERTAINED. LIKE GOING TO A CIRCUS AND SEEING THE CIRCUS ACTS. USHERS MARCHING AND CHILDREN DANCING. CHOIRS SINGING AND PEW FOLK WHISPERING. COME TO SEE A PREACHER SCREAM AND SHOUT, AS IF GOD CAN始T HEAR AND THE PEOPLE LISTENING ARE DEAF.
BLUE MAGIC "Sideshow" (Bobby Eli and Vinny Barrett) Step right up, hurry, hurry before the show begins, my friends Stand in line, get your tickets, I hope you will attend It'll only cost you fifty cents to see What life has done to those like you and me See the man with the broken heart You'll see that he is sad, he hurts so bad (So bad, so bad) See the girl who has lost the only love she ever had There's got to be no sadder show to see No doubt about it, satisfaction's guaranteed So let the sideshow begin Hurry, hurry, step right on in Can't afford to pass it by Guaranteed to make you cry (Hurry, hurry) Let the sideshow begin (Step right on in)
A PLACE TO BE ENTERTAINED. COME TO CHURCH NOT TO WORSHIP, BUT LOOKING FOR A SIDE SHOW (NOT THE MAIN EVENT) SOME DO WHAT THEY DO TO MAKE A SHOW OF IT. TO BE SEEN BY OTHERS, FOR SOME, THAT始S THE MAIN EVENT. THE BIBLE SAYS:
Matthew 6
New International Version (NIV)
6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT IF YOU HELP FOLK TO BE SEEN BY FOLK. LIKE SOME CIRCUS ACT WHERE YOU ARE THE PERFORM. DISPLAYING YOUR CHRISTIANITY SO THAT FOLK CAN SEE YOU AND CLAP. NO THE BIBLE SAYS, THAT IF WE DO THAT, THE ONLY BLESSING OR REWARD WE’LL GET IS FROM MEN AND WOMEN WHO WATCH THE SIDE SHOW 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. THE WORD OF GOD SAYS, IF YOU WANT TO HELP SOMEBODY, DO IT AS IF GLORIFYING GOD IS THE MAIN EVENT. DO IT FOR JESUS. AND IF YOU DO IT, HE’LL GIVE YOU A REWARD. EVEN WHEN WE PRAY, THE BIBLE SAYS, Prayer 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. GLORIFYING GOD IS WHAT OUR FAITH IS ABOUT. IT’S THE MAIN EVENT, IT’S WHAT THIS THING CALLED CHRISTIANITY IS ALL ABOUT. LIVING FOR GOD, SERVING BECAUSE OF GOD, COMING TO CHURCH TO WORSHIP GOD! NOT SOME SIDE SHOW, BUT THE MAIN EVENT.
SOMETIMES SAINTS, WE CAN GET SO CAUGHT UP IN THE SIDE SHOWS THAT WE MISS SEEING THE MAIN EVENT AND ACKNOWLEDGING JESUS. COME ON THOMAS. YOU KNOW THOMAS. ONE DAY JESUS WAS SPEAKING AND JOHN 14 TELLS US: 14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will knowmy Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
ITʼS POSSIBLE TO BE IN THE CHURCH AND CLAIM TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND GET SO CAUGHT UP IN THE SIDE SHOWS OF BEING A CHILD OF GOD, THAT WE SEE EVERYTHING BUT GOD. JESUS SAID, HOW CAN YOU SAY SHOW US THE FATHER?
THE CHRISTIAN FAITH - GOD CALLS US IN BY BAPTISM. A VISIBLE SIGN TO SHOW THAT THIS IS THE MAIN EVENT OF OUR LIVES.
WE SHOW GOD BY FAITH THAT HE IS OUR ALL AND ALL AND HE SHOWS US THAT HE IS ALMIGHTY
WE SHOW GOD BY SERVICE THAT WE WILL SERVE HIM WITH GLADNESS AND HE SHOWS US HE始LL MAKE US GLAD WE SHOW BY OUR MERCY AND LOVE THAT GOD IS GOOD AND HE SHOWS US HOW GOOD HE IS WE SHOW GOD THRU OUR OBEDIENCE THAT WE LOVE HIM AND HE SHOWS US WHAT REAL LOVE IS WE SHOW GOD BY OUR WORSHIP THAT HE IS WORTHY TO BE PRAISED, AND HE SHOWS US THAT HE IS WORTHY
FOR SISTER BROOKS, SHE WAS RAISED AS A CHILD WHO KNEW THAT SHE WAS TO SHOW THE LOVE OF JESUS EVERYWHERE SHE WENT SHE WASN始T A WOMAN WHO HAD TO BE CENTER STAGE TO SHOW HER FAITH FOR HER SHE WAS AN AME TO THE BONE. SHE SHOWED UP... SHE WAS A CHRISTIAN. THE BIBLE SAYS WE SHALL KNOW HIS DISCIPLES BY THEIR LOVE... SHE SHOWED A LOVE FOR ALL MANKIND ALSO SAYS, YE SHALL KNOW THAT YE ARE MY DISCIPLES BY THEIR FRUIT. SHE WAS A FRUITFUL WOMAN AND NOT JUST TALKING THE TALK, SHE WALKED THE WALK: LIST HER MANY POSITIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS.
RANDY SAID SHE SHOWED HIM MORE IN TWO MONTHS ABOUT LIFE & DYING, THEN HE COULD HAVE SHOWN HIS KIDS IN TEN YEARS... SHE CALLED ME WHEN SHE DISCOVERED... HAVING YOU BEEN RUNNING FOR JESUS...CAN YOU STOP... WILL YOU STOP. YOU CANʼT STOP, YOUʼVE BEEN RUNNING ALL YOUR LIFE. WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO, BUT RUN. YOU CANʼT HELP YOURSELF. EVERY SINCE IʼVE KNOWN YOU, YOU BEEN RUNNING. LONG BEFORE I EVER KNEW YOU, ALL YOUR LIFE HAVENʼT YOU BEEN RUNNING... WELL THATʼS WHATʼS GOING TO HAPPEN, YOUʼRE JUST GOING TO KEEP ON DOING WHAT YOUʼVE ALWAYS DONE, YOUʼRE GOING TO RUN ON AND SEE WHAT THE ENDʼS GOING TO BE. HOW FAR, SIS. BROOKS, HOW FAR WILL YOU RUN, HOW FAR CAN YOU RUN. SHE SAID ALL THE WAY. I ASKED HER WILL YOU RUN ALL THE WAY TO THE RIVER, SHE SHOULD, I HEARD THE JOYFUL TEARS, SHE EXCLAIMED IʼM GOING TO RUN ALL THE WAY REV. TO THE RIVER. AND WHEN YOU GET THERE SIS. BROOKS, DONʼT STOP TILL FEET GET WET. Oʼ YOUʼRE GOING TO BE ALRIGHT, JUST KEEP RUNNING. DEAR. I SAID, AND IF ANYBODY ASK ME, WHATʼS THE MATTER YOU. IʼM GOING TO TELL THAT YOUʼRE AND SANCTIFIED, HOLY GHOST AND FIRE BAPTIZED AND THAT YOUʼVE GOT JESUS ON YOUR SIDE AND YOUʼRE RUNNING.
SIS. BROOKS DECIDED THAT SHE WASNʼT GOING TO DIE IN HER HOME, BUT THAT SHE WOULD SPEND HER LAST HOURS IN THE HOSPICE FACILITY. FOR HER GRANDSONʼS SAKE AND FOR THE
SAKE OF HER FAMILY. IN HER LAST HOURS, SHE WAS HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ANGELS, STRUGGLING TO SHARE HER LAST HOURS SHOWING HER FAMILY THAT SHE WAS GOING TO FIGHT A GOOD FIGHT, FINISH HER COURSE AND KEEP THE FAITH. AND RIGHT AT THE POINT WHERE SHE WAS WANING AND MOVING EVER CLOSER TO THE GATEWAY OF LIFE, SHE TOLD HER FAMILY, ITʼS TIME, LETʼS GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD. AND A AMBULANCE CAME TO TAKE HER TO THE HOSPICE FACILITY. SHE DIDNʼT LINGER THERE LONG, CAUSE EARLY IN THE MORNING.
AND FROM MOUNT PISGAHʼS LOFTY HEIGHT, SHE VIEWED HER HOME AND TOOK HER FLIGHT... LOOKED AT HER CHILDREN (HOMES/CYNTHIA IN ROUTE), PEEPED OVER WAY OUT ON A HILL AND SHE LOOKED AT THE MOUNT... ROSE TO SEE ALL THE MANY CHURCHES SHE SERVED... SHOUTED FAREWELL... CANʼT YOU HEAR HER SINGING, Oʼ I WANT TO SEE HIM, LOOK UPON HIS FACE. THERE TO SING, TO SING FOREVER OF HIS SAVING GRACE... ON THE STREETS OF GLORY, LET ME LIFT MY VOICE. CARES ALL PASSED. THATʼS WHAT SHEʼD WANT ALL OF US TO KNOW, CARES ALL PASS, HOME AT LAST... EVER TO REJOICE.
SOMETIMES THE SHOW HAS GREAT ACTORS AND SPECIAL EFFECTS, BUT NO REAL PLOT. NO MEANINGFUL STORY
LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT A SHOW. A GOD WHO SHOWED US HOW MUCH HE LOVED THE WORLD... A FATHER WHO SHOWED US HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, SHOWED US HE INTENDED TO SAVE US, SHOWED US THAT HE MEANT WHAT HE SAID HE SHOWED US GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, WHO LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR A FRIEND SHOWED US THRU THE CRUCIFIXION, SHOWED US HOW MUCH HEʼD PAY, SHOWED US HOW FAR HEʼD GO, SHOWED US HIS SON ON AN OLD RUGGED CROSS WHAT A SHOWING! BUT THATʼS NOT HOW THE STORY ENDS, ON THE THIRD DAY JESUS ROSE AGAIN!
MAYBE THEREʼS SOMEBODY HERE WHO NEEDS FOR GOD TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING... ETC. SHOW HIM YOU NEED HIM, AND HEʼLL SHOW YOU THAT HEʼLL SUPPLY ALL OF YOUR NEEDS. SHOW HIM YOUʼLL WALK WITH HIM, AND HEʼLL WALK WITH YOU ALL THE WAY. SHOW HIM... SHOW HIM YOU WANT TO BE SAVED AND HEʼLL SAVE YOU. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO, REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED. SHOW HIM YOU READY TO TURN AROUND AND THEN SHOW THE WORLD, BY YOUR BAPTISM, THAT YOU INTEND TO GO WITH JESUS ALL THE WAY. OPEN THE DOORS.
So let the REAL show begin Hurry, hurry, step right on in Can't afford to pass it by Guaranteed to EVEN AFTER YOU DIE Let the REAL show begin (Hurry, hurry) Hurry, hurry, step right on in Can't afford to pass it by Guaranteed EVEN AFTER YOU DIE AS WE DEPART SAY, “COME ON, LETʼS GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD” SHOW HIM, LOVE YE ONE ANOTHER, AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH! SHOW YOUR LOVE, SHOW YOUR FRUIT. LETʼS GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD...