Order Of Service

Colossians 3:23

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Introduction

Our ancestors demonstrated perseverance under the most brutal conditions. Part of their survival strategy was to take a negative and turn it into a positive.  To modify the proverbial saying, “They were given a lot of lemons, and they made a whole lot of good lemonade.” From this brutality, among many good things, came the spirituals.  Antonin Dvorak, who composed the symphony From The New World, said with the exception of Native American music, the spiritual was the only authentic American musical genre. The rest of the genres he said, at that time, were transplanted from Europe or England. Many scholars disagreed with him, but the spiritual is one of the many examples of turning lemons into refreshing lemonade.

Many of the negative expressions that were used by the oppressors were given positive denotations and connotations by our ancestors. The expression “ninety-nine and a half won’t do,” is an example of changing a negative thought or expression into a positive one. All of the adult field slaves were required to pick at least one hundred pounds of cotton each day. That was the requirement, quota, or expectation of the slave master. If the requirement was not met, severe punishment was administered. It usually was a brutal whipping.

After slavery, this phrase became a challenge to always do one’s best. School teachers would motivate students by telling them, “Ninety-nine and a half will not do. You must do your best. Any job worth doing is worth doing well.” In the locker room, coaches would tell their teams, “Win or lose, give one hundred percent on the field. Ninety-nine and a half just won’t do. Leave it all on the field.” On Sunday morning, choir directors would tell the choir members, “God deserves your very best praise. Ninety-nine and a half will not do. Praise Him with your voice, your hands, your feet, your whole heart, mind, and soul.” This usually meant to sing in your loudest voice and to add a few improvised grace notes.  (Many times the singing was louder than fortississimo. It was screamatissimo.)

The phrase, which was now positive, permeated Black culture. Wilson Pickett wrote and performed a rhythm and blues song of the same name. He was begging his romantic lover to give him total commitment. (Please do not Google this song while I am preaching. You may Google it when you get home.) Moreover, Timothy Wright and Hezekiah Walker both have recorded gospel songs with the same name.

In Colossians 3:23, Paul was saying the same thing in another way. He was saying whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability. Give it all you got. Don’t do just enough to get by. Do it with all of your heart. Paul adds another element. He says, “Do it as if you were personally doing it for Jesus. So, if you are working with a customer or client, treat that person as if he or she were Jesus in the flesh. When I preach, I should behave – and I try to - as if Jesus were in the flesh sitting on the front row.   

Sometimes, we think we can only make ninety-nine and a half, and one hundred is impossible. Yet, Philippians 4:13 tells us we can do anything we aspire to do if we allow Christ to strengthen us. The strength comes from Christ – not from ourselves.

Please remember, your one hundred may not be someone else’s one hundred. God, in His wisdom, has given us different measures or amounts of the same gift. The goal is to reach your one hundred.

Now let me give a few of the many ways we can reach our one hundred – because ninety-nine and a half just won’t do! (This is mostly for the young folks as they start the second semester, but I believe everyone, including myself, can benefit from these principles.)

Exposition

1. Have High Standards – Spiritual – Academic – Behavioral.

(High Standards Must Never Be Compromised.)

(High Standards Can Be Attained And Maintained With God’s Help.)

(High Standards Will Be Respected And Expected.)

2. Have A Definite Purpose – Daily – Weekly - Yearly.

(Purpose Produces Intentionality.)

(Purpose Eradicates Aimlessness.)

(Purpose Concentrates Energy.)

(Purpose Avoids Distractions.)

3. Have A Proper Sense Of Value.

(Value Your Uniqueness.)

(Value Family And Friends.)

(Value Good Advice.)

(Value The Church And Its Teaching.)

Closing Thoughts

Most of us have heard of the story of the elephant that is led by the little boy in a parade. The elephant weighs approximately twelve thousand pounds and is led by a boy weighing fifty pounds. The elephant does not know his own strength or his own potential. So, the little boy leads the elephant anywhere he chooses. The elephant, though massive, never reaches his full potential. The pachyderm does not know how strong he really is. Unfortunately, but with due respect, many people are like this elephant. They never reach their full potential because they don’t appreciate their God-given gifts. They take to heart the negativity of the naysayers. They are afraid of failure and don’t take any reasonable risks.

Never let others limit you. Never limit yourself. There is greatness in each of us. God has put success in each of our paths. We can do all things through Christ; so, ninety-nine and a half just won’t do! Be all that you can be!

Give God Glory! Give God All The Glory!

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