IF HE HADN’T DIED!
INTRODUCTION:
For nearly all teenagers, accidents are the most common cause of death, a national study has found. Yet for black males ages 12 to 19 years old, homicide eclipses accidents as the leading cause of death, according to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.
BEHIND ACCIDENTS SUICIDES IS THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONGST OUR YOUTH 19-24. SUICIDE USE TO BE A TABOO AMONGST BLACK PEOPLE. IT WAS JUST SOMETHING WE DIDN’T DO. BUT ACCORDING TO STATISTICS SUICIDE AMONGST BLACK PEOPLE HAS BEEN STEADILY INCREASING. EVEN THOUGH THE RATE OF SUICIDE IS TWICE AS MUCH AMONGST WHITES, THE RATE OF SUICIDE AMONGST AMONGST OUR YOUTH BLACK MEN HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY.
WE GATHER TODAY, WITNESSING WHAT TO SO MANY OF US SEEMS TO BE A SENSELESS DEATH. THERE IS NO REASON THAT WOULD JUSTIFY IT. AND YES, DEVIN FALLS WITHIN THAT CATEGORY OF THE 19-24 YEAR OLDS COMMITTING SUICIDE, BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, HE’S WAS MORE THAN JUST A STATISTIC.
DEVIN WAS NOT JUST A NUMBER, OR ONE MORE CHILD WHO SUCCUMBED TO THE TRAGEDY OF SUICIDE. NO, DEVIN WAS SOMEBODY’S CHILD. SOMEBODY’S GRANDCHILD. SOMEBODY’S BROTHER OR COUSIN, NEPHEW OR FRIEND. DEVIN WAS NOT JUST A NUMBER. NO HE WAS A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS LOVED. A WONDERFUL YOUNG BROTHER WHO WE LOVED AND LOVED US. A YOUNG MAN FULL OF PROMISE AND WITH A FUTURE THAT WAS BRIGHT.
NO HE ISN’T JUST ANOTHER STATISTIC.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, HE IS ONE MORE EXAMPLE OF WHY
WE’VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. PARTICULARLY OUR YOUNG BROTHERS. ONE MORE EXAMPLE OF THE COST OF WRONG CHOICES. NO HE WASN’T JUST ANOTHER NUMBER OR STATISTIC. HE WAS DEVIN. AND WE LOVED HIM. AND NOW DEVIN IS DEAD. HE’S DEAD. UNLIKE SOME VIDEO GAME WHERE THE GAME CAN BE RESET AND SCREEN REFRESHED. DEVIN IS GONE AND HE’S NOT COMING BACK AND OUR HEARTS ARE BROKEN.
DEATH IS THE END OF LIFE AS WE KNOW IT. IT IS THE END OF OUR EARTHLY VOYAGE. THE TERMINATION OF OUR ABILITY TO MOVE AND BREATHE AND HAVE OUR BEING. DEATH IS WHEN OUR ROBE OR BODY FALLS OFF AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD WITHIN US GOES BACK TO BE WITH GOD. AND THE SOUL, THAT PART OF US THAT IS OUR PERSON, OUR WILL, OUR DECISION MAKER – THE SOUL GOES TO SLEEP.
DEATH IS WHAT THE BIBLE CALLS THE LAST ENEMY. IT IS A GATEWAY. BETWEEN HERE AND FOREVER. TIME AND ETERNITY. BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH
WE STAND AT THE GATEWAY TODAY. WE STRUGGLE TO FIND ANY REDEEMING VALUE FROM WHAT HAS JUST OCCURRED. WE KNOW THAT GOD’S WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS AND HIS THOUGHTS ARE NOT OUR THOUGHTS. BUT FOR THE LIFE OF US, WE STRUGGLE TO FIND SOME SENSE OR JUSTIFIABLE REASON FOR WHAT WE SEE AS A LOSS OF A BEAUTIFUL LIFE AND WONDERFUL YOUNG PERSON. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT DEVIN HAD A PAIN WE COULD NOT SEE AND A HOPELESSNESS HIDDEN BEHIND A SMILE. WE STRUGGLE OVER WHAT ELSE COULD WE HAVE DONE OR WHAT THING COULD WE HAVE DONE MORE OF OR DIFFERENTLY. BUT IF THE TRUTH BE TOLD, WE LOVED HIM AND MADE SURE HE KNEW THAT ABOVE ALL ELSE HE WAS IMPORTANT AND A PART OF A FAMILY AND AMONGST
THOSE WHO LOVED HIM AND ENJOYED THE LIGHT THAT SHINED FROM HIS LIFE. AND WE DON’T UNDERSTAND.
ALL OF US HAVE ENTERTAINED THE THOUGHT OF SUICIDE. TAKING THE QUICK PATH OF RELIEF AND AVOIDING THE PAIN OF LIFE AND ITS MANY BURDENS. FOR MANY OF OUR YOUTH, IT IS REPORTED THAT THEY HAVE A FAR LESS POSITIVE VIEW OF THEIR FUTURE THEN WE DID AT THEIR AGE. OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY HAVE A GROWING LEVEL OF HOPELESSNESS AND A MORE NEGATIVE VIEW OF WHAT THEIR FUTURE WILL BE.
AS A COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS, WE MUST SEEK GOD’S HELP IN ADDRESSING THIS EPIDEMIC OF HOPELESSNESS. YOUNG PEOPLE YOU MATTER AND THIS WORLD IS DEPENDING ON YOU. YOU ARE GOD’S ANSWER FOR OUR TOMORROW. YOU ARE THE SEEDLINGS THAT WILL BEAR THE FRUIT OF OUR FUTURE. AND BECOME THE HARVEST THAT WILL NOURISH OUR TOMORROWS.
THERE ARE THOSE AMONGST US WHO ARE CRYING SILENT TEARS AND IN PAIN HIDDEN BEHIND MASKS OF, I’M ALRIGHT. THERE IS A GROWING TENDENCY FOR OUR YOUTH TO NOT TALK ABOUT THEIR PAIN OR SHARE THEIR FEARS. INSTEAD, WE ARE HIDING BEHIND FACEBOOK POSTS, TEXTED FEELINGS, AND EMAILED EMOTIONS. OMG!
WE ARE SLOWLY LOSING OUR DESIRE AND ABILITY TO TALK TO EACH OTHER AND TO COMMUNICATE FACE TO FACE, LOOKING EACH OTHER IN THE EYES AND SEEING BEHIND WHAT A TEXT MIGHT NOT CONVEY OR UNDERSTANDING THINGS THAT CAN NOT BE CLEARLY SEEN IN AN ELECTRONIC EXPRESSION.
YOUNG PEOPLE, WE NEED Y’ALL. OUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE IS IN YOU. WE HAVE INVESTED OUR TODAYS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A TOMORROW IN YOU. IF WE HAVE BECOME SO OCCUPIED WITH PROVIDING FOR YOU AND
TRYING TO LIVE OUR OWN LIVES, THAT WE HAVE DEAFENED OUR EARS TO YOUR CRIES AND BLINDED OUR EYES TO YOUR PAIN PLEASE FORGIVE US. IF WE HAVE BECOME TOO BUSY AND OTHER MINDED, KNOW THAT WE’RE ONLY DOING WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS OUR BEST. WE PROMISE YOU THAT WE WILL SEEK TO BE MORE ATTENTIVE AND TO BE LESS OCCUPIED. WE WILL STRIVE TO GO BEYOND LISTENING TO YOU AND SEEK TO MORE EFFECTIVELY HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AND UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT YOU FEEL.
BUT TO DO THAT YOU MUST ALSO BE MORE WILLING TO DO YOUR PART. YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO CRY OUT WHEN YOU’RE IN PAIN AND TO SEEK HELP WHEN YOU FEEL HOPELESS. WE NEED YOU TO TALK TO US. WE ARE LOSING SO MANY OF OUR CHILDREN TO SMART PHONES AND LAP TOPS. TO VIDEO GAMES AND CHAT ROOMS. TO VIRTUAL WORLDS AND ELECTRONIC REALITIES. WE HAVE REPLACED WHAT IS REAL WITH REALITY TV, AND BEGAN
TO PEER INTO THE LIVES OF THOSE IN THE MEDIA, TO THE NEGLECT OF OUR OWN. WE NEED Y’ALL TO SURVIVE.
MAKING AND KEEPING PROMISES IS A WONDERFUL THING. IT IS A REFLECTION OF OUR INTEGRITY AND LOYALTY. IT SHOWS CHARACTER AND COMMITMENT. BUT A PROMISE, THAT DOESN’T PREVENT WHAT WE’RE FEELING TODAY AND CAUSES THE REAL TRAGEDY AND THE LOSS OF LIFE,IS NOT A PROMISE WORTH KEEPING. MAYBE BREAKING THE PROMISE WOULD HAVE BEEN A DISAPPOINTMENT, BUT HE WOULD STILL BE HERE. MAYBE A FRIENDSHIP WOULD HAVE BEEN STRAINED BUT HEARTS WOULD NOT BE BROKEN. MAYBE IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED EVEN THE SEVERING OF A RELATIONSHIP. BUT WE WOULD HAVE HAD STILL ANOTHER CHANCE TO WORK IT OUT.
PROMISES ARE GREAT. WE ALL LIKE WHEN PEOPLE MAKE PROMISES THAT THEY KEEP. BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. IF YOU’RE GOING TO PROMISE SOMETHING,
PROMISE THAT YOU’RE GOING TO HELP ME MAKE THE BEST OUT OF MY LIFE, NO MATTER WHAT. PROMISE THAT WHEN I HURT, YOU’RE GOING TO HELP ME FIND HELP. PROMISE THAT WHEN I FALL IN A DARK PLACE, YOU’LL HELP ME FIND MY WAY. PROMISE THAT COME HELL OR HIGH WATER THAT I’LL NEVER LET YOU STEAL FROM ME THE CHANCE TO BE LOVED, OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE LIFE LONG FRIENDSHIPS OR THE CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS WORLD. PROMISE THAT YOU'LL HELP SOMEBODY HAVE THE CHANCE TO OVERCOME THEIR SITUATION AND FIND A VICTORY THAT COMES INSPITE OF MY PAIN. A JOY THAT COMES AFTER A NIGHT OF TEARS. AN ACHIEVEMENT THAT COMES EVEN THOUGH IT LOOK LIKE THEY WERE GOING TO FAIL. THAT'S A PROMISE WORTH KEEPING
TAYLOR BRANCH, IN HIS EXTENSIVE BIOGRAPHY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. SHARES A STORY ABOUT THE REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING WHEN HE WAS A CHILD. AND ONE DAY WHEN HE DISCOVERED THAT HIS
GRANDMOTHER WAS VERY SICK, THAT HE WENT UP STAIRS AND JUMPED OUT OF A WINDOW. HE FURTHER SAYS, THAT WHEN SHE DIED, HE JUMPED OUT OF THE WINDOW AGAIN. J.EDGAR HOOVER, IT IS ALLEGED, REALIZING WHAT SEEMED TO BE A SUICIDAL TENDENCY, ATTEMPTED TO HAVE HIM KILL HIMSELF BY PLACING INORDINATE PRESSURE IN HIS LIFE. THE DEVIL IS THE SAME WAY. HE KNOWS THAT YOU HAVE FEELINGS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL HOPELESS. HE KNOWS THAT THERE ARE PRESSURES ON YOU THAT MAKE SUICIDE SEEM A REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE. BUT THE DEVIL KNOWS THAT AMONGST Y’ALL ARE DR. KINGS, AND MALCOLM X’S. BEYONCE’S AND LADY GAGA'S, USHERS AND JUSTIN BEABERS. EVEN BARAK OBAMA’S. HE KNOWS THERE ARE EINSTEINS AMONGST US. THE DEVIL KNEW WHAT DR. KING WOULD ACCOMPLISH ONE DAY THAT WOULD CHANGE THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD. AND HE DID EVERYTHING HE COULD TO MAKE HIM EXTINGUISH HIS OWN FLAME. TO AVOID HIS DESTINY AND BE TAKEN FROM THE WORLD WHAT GOD HAD
ORDAINED TAKE PLACE. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF DR. KING HAD SUCCEEDED. WHAT IMPACT WOULD HAVE IT MADE ON THE WORLD. EVEN THOUGH HE HAD FEELINGS OF SUICIDE, LIKE SOME OF US MAY HAVE HERE TODAY. LISTEN, GOD SHOWED HIM A REASON TO LIVE FOR. HE REVEALED TO HIM THAT HE HAD A DESTINY TO FULFILL AND A WORLD TO CHANGE. HE HAD A CALLING TO FULFILL. AND EVEN THOUGH IT WASN’T CLEAR AS A CHILD. GOD MADE IT PLAIN. HE JUST HAD TO HOLD ON. DON’T LET THE DEVIL STEAL YOUR FUTURE. DON’T ALLOW THE DEVIL TO FOOL YOU INTO THINKING THAT YOUR LIFE ISN’T WORTH THE STRUGGLE. NOT WORTH THE PAIN.
A STORY IS TOLD OF A LUMP OF CLAY THAT NEVER LIKED ITSELF AND FELT QUITE USELESS AND WITHOUT REAL PURPOSE. ONE DAY, THAT LUMP OF CLAY WAS SNATCHED OUT OF THE PLACE WHERE IT FELT COMFORTABLE AND PLACED ON A TABLE TO BE PUSHED AND PRODDED. PRESSURED AND MADE TO CHANGE. THEREAFTER, IT WAS
MADE TO TAKE THE EMBARRASMENT OF BEING COVERED AND DEFACED. AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THAT LUMP OF CLAY, AFTER BEING SNATCHED AWAY FROM ITS COMFORTABLE BAG, AND PRESSURED AND PUSHED. AFTER BEING COVERED WITH WHAT MADE IT ASHAME AND DIFFERENT. AFTER ALL OF THAT, IT WAS PLACED IN A PLACE THAT WAS UNCOMFORTABLY HOT AND EXTREMELY DISGUSTING. IT CRIED FOR RELIEF BUT NO ONE SEEM TO HEAR. IT SHOUTED FOR SOMEONE TO LET IT OUT OF ITS TORMENT AND TORTUOUS SITUATION. BUT NO ONE CAME TO ITS RESCUE. BUT AFTER THE PAINFUL, HURTFUL, UNEXPLAINABLE EXPERIENCE IT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE OVEN AND BECAME A BEAUTIFUL TEA CUP OF GREAT VALUE AND WORTH.
YOUNG PEOPLE DON’T GIVE UP BECAUSE YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND. DON’T BARGAIN WITH DEATH OR TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN SNATCHED AND PRESSURED. EMBARRASSED AND MADE TO FEEL
DIFFERENT. DON’T GIVE INTO THE HEAT OF CONFLICT AND DISAPPOINTMENT. GOD IS DOING SOMETHING THROUGH YOU THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN’T SEE IT, IT’S GOING TO BE BEAUTIFUL IT’S GOING TO ALL COME TOGETHER. JUST HOLD ON. IF YOU FIND ANY OF YOUR CLASS MATES FEARFUL OR TALKING ABOUT TAKING THE EASY WAY OUT. TELL THEM" TO HOLD ON. TROUBLE DON’T LAST ALWAYS. WHAT YOU’RE GOING THROUGH IS ONLY MAKING YOU STRONGER. DON’T PREVENT GOD FROM MAKING YOU INTO SOMETHING PRECIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL.
AS I THOUGHT ABOUT TODAY. I WAS WEARY ABOUT BRINGING THIS MESSAGE TODAY. WHAT WOULD I SAY TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TRAUMATIZED BY THIS PAINFUL ACT. WHAT GOOD COULD POSSIBLY COME OUT OF SUCH A LOSS. AND GOD SHOWED ME SOMETHING.
DEATH WHICH IS SO FINAL AND THE END OF OUR EARTHLY LIVES, IS ALSO A VEHICLE THROUGH WHICH GOD IS ABLE
TO DO SOMETHINGS THAT HE ORDINARILY WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO DO. DEATH HAS A WAY OF GETTING OUR ATTENTION AND CAUSING US TO STOP WHAT WE’RE DOING AND LOOK FOR ANSWERS.
THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED TO ISAIAH IN ISA. 6.1, IN THE YEAR THAT KING UZZIAH DIED, HE SAID, I SAW ALSO THE LORD.
IF UZZIAH HADN’T DIED HE MAY NOT OF EVER SEEN THE LORD HIGH AND LIFTED UP. IF HE HADN’T DIED…
HE MAY NOT OF EVER SEEN GOD AS WHO HE IS. WHO IS GOD, HE IS THE ONE WHO MADE US. WHO IS GOD? HE IS THE ANCHOR WE CAN HOLD ON TO HOLD US STEADY. HE IS THE HAND WE HOLD WHEN WE ARE AFRAID, HE’S THE PLATFORM WE STAND ON WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE SEEMS TO BE SINKING. HE IS THE SAVIOUR FOR THE LOSS, THE
LIGHT FOR THOSE IN DARK PLACES, HE IS THE ONE WHO CAN HEAL YOUR HURTS AND EASE YOUR INNER PAIN. HE IS THE ONE WHO CAME TO SAVE US, TO GIVE US LIFE LIVING FOR. A FUTURE WORTH WAITING FOR.
AND A
PROMISE WORTH STRUGGLING FOR.
IN THE YEAR THAT KING UZZIAH DIED, ISAIAH SAW SOMETHING THAT CHANGED HIS LIFE. HE SAW GOD.
IF DEVIN HADN’T DIED… WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. IF HE HADN’T DIED, MANY OF US WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WITNESS THE TRAGEDY OF A PROMISE THAT CAUSES SO MUCH PAIN AND A PROMISE THAT STEALS SOMETHING SO BEAUTIFUL FROM US ALL.
IF HE HADN’T DIED, I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO TELL YOU ABOUT A GOD WHO LOVES INSPITE OF WHAT YOU DO. IF HE HADN’T DIED, I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT GOD SENT HIS SON TO HELP YOU GET THROUGH THE
STORMS OF YOUR LIFE TO SHOW YOU HE CAN GIVE YOU PEACE. IF HE HADN’T DIED, I WOULDN’T OF HAD THIS CHANCE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT GOD PROMISED NEVER TO LEAVE YOU AND NEVER TO FORSAKE YOU, IF HE HADN’T DIED I NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL YOU THAT GOD WILL DO ANYTHING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION AND TO SAVE YOU FROM A BURNING HELL
WE GATHER HERE TODAY… IF HE HADN’T DIED, WE WOULDN’T BE SITTING HERE TODAY, RIGHT NOW ON A WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. IF HE HADN’T DIED…
BUT NO DEATH IS WITHOUT MEANING IN THE LORD. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE BIBLE SAYS. RO 8.28.
I BELIEVE GOD HAS ALLOWED THIS DEATH TO BECOME AN OPPORTUNITY, AN OPEN DOOR. AS WE ALL STAND AT THE GATEWAY BETWEEN…
I DECLARE TO YOU THAT IF HE HADN’T DIED SOME OF US HERE TODAY, MAY OF NEVER CONSIDERED OUR SALVATION AS WE WILL TODAY. IF HE HADN’T DIED, I MAY NOT OF EVER HAD THIS CHANCE. AND SO…
IF HE HADN’T DIED, I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO TELL YOU ABOUT A GOD WHO SO LOVED THE WORLD…
HE GAVE HIS SON TO PAY THE PRICE OF GETTING BACK WHAT ADAM AND EVE GAVE AWAY IF JESUS HADN’T DIED WE WOULDN’T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO REALLY HAVE LIFE NOT JUST BE ALIVE. TO BE FREE FROM BONDAGE AND HAVE LIGHT IN DARKNESS IF HE HAD NOT DIED…
I WOULDN’T KNOW JUST HOW MUCH HE LOVED ME. HOW FAR HE WOULD REACH DOWN TO LIFT ME UP HOW GREAT HIS POWER IS TO SAVE.
IF DEVIN HADN'T DIED I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL YOU TODAY THAT GOD HAS PROMISED NEVER TO LEAVE US. HE PROMISED NEVER TO FORSAKE US. HE PROMISED: PEACE IN THE STORM. JOY IN OUR SORROW. STRENGTH IN THE MIDST OF OUR WEKNESS. LIGHT IN DARKNESS. HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS. HELP FOR THE HELPLESS. HE PROMISED ME. AND BECAUSE HE PROMISED ME THAT HE WOULD FORGIVE ME AND GIVE ME ETERNAL LIFE THAT I'VE TAKEN HI, AT HIS WORD.
AND IN RETURN I PROMISED TO SERVE HIM AND GO WITH HIM ALL THE WAY.
SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE: GIVING UP, BUT I PROMISED... THROWING IN THE TOWEL... JUMPING OFF A BRIDGE...
TAKING MY OWN LIFE... SWERVING INTO THE OTHER LANE. NOBODY WOULD KNOW ANY BETTER. BUT I PROMISED.
I PROMISED HIM THAT I WOULD SERVE HIM TILL I DIE... ON THE BATTLE FIELD... LIFE IS A BATTLE YOUNG PEOPLE. MAYBE WE TRIED SO HARD TO MAKE SURE YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SUFFER LIKE WE HAD TO, THAT WE NEGLECTED TO TEACH TO COPE WITH THE REALITY THAT LIFE IS A BATTLE. THAT WE LIVE ON A BATTLEFIELD. BUT WE WHO HAVE GOD IN OUR LIVES MAKE A PROMISE THAT WE WILL SERVE HIM TIL WE DIE AND IT'S A PROMISE WORTH KEEPING.
DEVIN FELL THE OTHER DAY, HE FELL DOWN. AND IF THE TRUTH BE TOLD, WE ALL FALL DOWN. BUT WITH GOD’S HELP WE GET UP. YOU SEE, A SAINT IS JUST A SINNER WHO FELL DOWN AND GOT UP.