"Stand Up With the Good News" Bishop Trimble's Sermon at North Central Jurisdictional Conference

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The Lord is in this place. It's been a long time. We've been waiting for y'all to come in.

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Yeah, Karen, but they finally got here and we're glad to have you. Glad to have you. Tucker, I want you to stand next to me over here so people can see all of Tucker. Did he? Did he not read the gospel? Did he not proclaim the gospel? Thank you. So I want his daddy didn't know that he was holding on the pulpit rocking a little bit up here. So he may be a preacher, another one of the preachers coming out of that household, a man. Jesus feel with the power of the spirit returned to Galilee.

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Feel with the power of the Spirit. Return to Galilee. I want to share with you for a few moments. Stand up with the good news. Stand up with the good news.

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Sunday standard already a man when he came to Nazareth where He had been brought up, he went to the synagogue.

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Scroll whether the prophet Isaiah was given to him.

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You know these words were Jesus read and proclaimed, the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me. Because He has anointed me to preach. Good News to the poor sent Me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. let the oppressed go free.

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proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. To press on. We press on. We all need a little encouragement from time to time.

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Less than two weeks ago, some of us were in Zimbabwe, Africa University celebrating the 30th anniversary of your university, Africa University.

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Somebody give them a hand praise right now.

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It was on October the 20th. October the 28th October the 20th. I got up that morning. The read my upper room devotions of a room devotions on that day. It was the inauguration of the new vice chancellor coming professor Dr. Peter McGinty. And I read the Upper Room devotions for that day which focused on Second Timothy, the fourth chapter verses six through eight. Paul writes to Timothy while Paul was in prison, urging Timothy to press on, press on with these clear instructions. Number one, proclaim the gospel. Number two, hold fast to sound doctrine. Number three, Paul encourages Timothy to endure even during bad times and suffering. Number four, he says stay sober. Number five he says do the work of an evangelist. We are seated here today. In the state of Indiana. We have a little over 6 million plus people who live here in Indiana is Ed fish the marker here somewhere if he is standing up right now. You should be used to this been out from mission trip I might call anybody's name so your event is not here is Larry White here. There's somebody here from from from Congregational Church development. Indiana, 6 million people live in this state, but 4 million people have no place that they call their spiritual home. Oh, it's probably the same way where you live. The harvest is plentiful. But the workers are few. So Paul encourages Timothy to proclaim the gospel, hold fast to doctrine, endure, even doing rough times, stay sober and do the work of an evangelist. All in an environment where some people are inclined in that day and this day, to gravitate to messages that distract us from the truth or even lead us astray from the Healing Word of life. Jesus, the waymaker what Paul did for Timothy we must do for each other. Encourage each other to press on standing up for All the gospel with the gospel.

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Let us pray. Loving God you were here before we got here. And everywhere we are, you are already there. Bless us, oh God this morning as we come draw nearer to the close of our jurisdictional conference.

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We give thanks for the bishops that have been elected by this body. And today, oh God, we will also extend the call to others to be anointed, the end of this message and to answer if they feel called by God to a calling as clergy or laity to listen for the voice of God. Now God hide me behind the cross. speak through me. Let the words of my mouth and meditation of all of our hearts be acceptable in thy sight. Thou who has been our strength and our Redeemer, amen. In 2017, Peter McAdoo a college dropout from Arkansas created on a whim, a campaign with billboards and a growing social media following that have spread with 1000s of people, not just Gen Zers either 1000s of people following his message, that birds are not real. You knew about that, didn't you? Birds are not real. He he posited. Oh, was it sarcasm, a parody of all of the conspiracies that we have? That the all of the birds that you see are really just robots spying on all of us. And they have the latest versions are sophisticated drones. Watching you both day and night his message may seem absurdity to some birds aren't real. Less you think I am overstating the public appetite for conspiracy and belonging to groupthink. Even what some might characterize as a joke making fun of parody and vulnerability, you can go to Amazon and get your T shirt and be amongst 1000s of people who are wearing shirts that say birds, unreal. Now pay attention I'm not going to get much louder than this pay attention in a world overrun with misinformation, and disinformation. In a world where fear is being sold at bargain prices, where books are being banned, and teachers are being undervalued, underpaid and undermined. In a world where some who, who are arguing that the solution to gun violence is more guns. I'm reminded what the folks used to say in my home church, if it ain't one thing. Oh, you heard of that? If it ain't oppression, it's depression. If it isn't segregation, it's discrimination. If it isn't discrimination, it's intimidation. If it's not intimidation, it's incarceration. If it's not too hot, it's too cold. Let me say that. If it's not one thing, you know how we are we get in a room like if it's not too hot. It's too cold. Lord knows. On this Friday, we need good news. We need good news. Good news of the living gospel, the truth and life and purpose. Now I stopped by to tell you that Jesus is real.

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Feel with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says Jesus returned to Galilee hold it Wait a minute rewind. field with the power of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we miss that Jesus returned to Galilee. His ministry was never solitary, never siloed never isolated apart from the will of God and the presence of the third person of the Trinity. Oh, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him at baptism. The Spirit led him into the wilderness. The spirit was with him when he went to Galilee and on to Nazareth. And the Bible says, I know it says it because Tucker read it. That He began to teach in Nazareth, the home of Mary and Joseph where he had been brought up. He was at the synagogue as was his custom, and observant Jew who went to the synagogue regularly. The Bible says his teaching and preaching received a five star review. It's in the Bible. See me afterwards, if you don't, it says it right there, read read, his preaching and teaching received a five star review. And he stood up to read and found the place where the words of the prophet Isaiah, a message of good news, that good news is to be good news to the poor. It's important to note that the prophets like Isaiah were not only messengers of judgment, and a call to obedience to God, but they will also messengers of the Good News of deliverance. The Greek word for poor has to do with economic status as well as factors like gender, occupation, sickness, disability, degree of religious purity or status. Anything that Lords your status are made you marginalize and first century world, all of the social determinants that often exclude other varied chains that are broken by the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ.

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The gospel of Luke bears witness to the truth for the Christian faith. That is why we often stand up for the reading of the Gospel, can I get a witness?

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It's an ancient tradition. Because the gospel was given, is given the highest status of being the seal of all scripture, and people receiving standing on their feet when Abel because it is good tidings of redemption. It is witness the gospel to the faithfulness of God, and the invitation for the faithful, the baptize, the follow the one who redeemed us from our sin from our death, from our destruction. We stand for the reading of the Gospel, to receive it that we might be prepared to proclaim it. The announcement of Jesus mission is said at the intersection of kairos and Chronos, in the context of the whole world, since the church is empowered with the mission to and for all of the world. Friends, beloved, it's not about getting more people in the sanctuary. It's about transforming the world with the love of Jesus Christ. Thy will, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus does not present himself as a one issue preacher, can I get a witness? A one or two oriented preacher or even a prophet of doom of judgment. Jesus is not interested in promoting a new religion, but is proclaiming a new relationship? Oh, you know your Wesleyan history. Wesley was not trying to start a new religion. He was trying to spread a new relationship. The faithful servant of God, Jesus, the Son of the living God, as Isaiah was authorized to proclaim liberty to Jews and Babylon, Jesus went about the business of doing what he said he would do. He set us free from the enemies of faith, fear, doubt, despair. Set us free from the enemies of justice, hopelessness, apathy, and selfishness. We will authorize all of us to be salt and light to burn the broken heart or dissent right what is wrong by proclaiming the love of Jesus and standing up for the gospel with The Gospel those doors are open to your left and to our right. Is probably required by the fire marshal. But I want you to look at those doors because it's Friday. And we've been here a few days, those doors, you can say goodbye to your fear and let them go. Look at those doors. Say Say goodbye to your heart. And and let it go. Say goodbye to your anger and say, let it go. Say goodbye to your pain and suffering and worry and say let it go. Reverend John Carrera. First Vice Chancellor Dimbleby was the first was a great evangelist theologian of Methodism, particularly with an emphasis on the African context. Some of us had time to spend with him. In Ohio and, and those who have met him in Zimbabwe, he wrote several books, one of his books, really focused on the laity, and titled laboring side by side, where he reminds us that the local church, hear me now. The local church is the most significant arena for disciple making. You've heard that it's in the book. The church is not the church though. If we're not living up to our call, to be an instrument of God's grace, is not a choice. He writes, between acts of mercy and grace, or baptism by water and spirit. The church has no choice but to accept those who are stigmatized, marginalize, demonize no choice, between acts of piety and prophetic witness, we all of us must labor side by side. Maybe you consider yourself right leaning, or left leaning? Well, we all better be leaning on the everlasting arms of God.

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In his book, drum bales, Dr. Cribs book drum bales of salvation in Africa. He says, Let us not forget the meaning of the word gospel. Good News or good message. It is the good news of what God did what God is doing, and what God will do through Jesus Christ, and through you and me. The gospel is proclaimed as a message for Gentiles, as well. And that's what Jesus got in trouble with, he stopped making the table wider, and inviting others. Good news for everybody. An inclusive message that breaks the chains of oppression and exclusion. Jesus places before us a path to press on. We can press on, or give up and become a footnote in the annals of history. So I stopped by to tell you, Jesus is real. And we got to be prepared to stand up, speak up, sing up, pray up, lift up. The gospel of Jesus Christ, my mother is in Chicago. Now she can't stand up. Because he had a stroke a little over a year and a half ago. But she reminds me I can still pray up. I can still lift up and I can still call up the name of Jesus Christ.

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Jesus allows us to beware beware of campaigns that share a narrative of scarcity and fear.

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Beware of campaigns that speak of anti wokeness when the truth is, we have been doing more sleeping than sharing more dodgy than discussing more writing collusion resolutions than enduring relationships. Well, I could come in on the Supreme Court. But I'm here to tell you that the gospel is affirmative action hallelujah.

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Some some of you Get that tomorrow night. Some of you won't get that until tomorrow night. But I'm not here to be to talk about politics but the gospel is affirmative action. Beware. Beware of campaigns to ban books, and sealed discomforting discussions. Beware of church prognosticators that offer confusion over confession. Paul's encouragement to Timothy was a timely message for us today. Christ is a message that the church lives

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for. This is a time is ribbon garden Attila used to say, a time we bring the little gods that we have made

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before the God who made us all. Lest we forget that our primary identity is that of children of God. Mr. Trimble? Yes. With all due respect, we came here to elect fishers. And we've done that this should tremble. We want to celebrate the election of our new bishops and we want to send them on with a great consecration service. We want to finish the rest of the business and approve the budget Bishop tremble. Can you just give us your last two points and and tell us tell us why we need to press on? Well, I'm glad you asked that question. I'm here to remind you, from the Apostle Paul, to be encouraged in the Gospel, be encouraged in the Gospel. Why should we press off? Why should we stand up for the gospel? Why should we proclaim the good news to everybody? Well, first of all, let me say, birds are real. And second, Jesus is real. And the gospel is real. And we stand for the gospel. Because the gospel is good news. We stand with love over hatred. We stands with faith over fear. We stand with mission over misinformation. Oh, we stand up against racism and rejection and exclusion. Oh, we stand. And I'm here to tell you that if you have a Bible you have a Bible. You have a Bible. Read it. If you have a passion, pursue it. If you have the good news of the love of Jesus Christ, share it. If you have a job do it. If you have a call from God and spirits if you've been blessed by God redeemed by God, heal by God saved by God. You understand? Please wave your hands in the air because God loves you I better sit down I'm getting excited I better sit down you can't claim that you are standing on the promises of God when you're sitting in the convention center you want to stand and give God the praise how long? How long how long should we stay? Until we can sing? Why should my heart be lonely?

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Long for heaven and home when Jesus is my portion my constant friends is he his arm is on the on the sparrow is on the sparrow is on the sparrow and I know it I know he watches me you can stand Let not your hearts be trouble. His tend to work on here. Resting on God's goodness. By by doubts by by fear by by anger by bad disbelief though boss pasty leaders, but one step I may see his eye I can't say it helped me his eyes on the sparrow.