SUNDAY SERVICE $YzY THE STREETS ARE SCREAMING Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” In the song, Everything I Am, Ye’s lyrics refused to sugarcoat reality and were counter to the culture then in 2007, and are counter culture now in 2026: “I know people wouldn’t usually rap this But I got the facts to back this Just last year, Chicago had over six hundred caskets Man, killing’s some wack sh*t…” Raw honesty. A young man murdered over jewelry blocks from Ashland. The culture cheers the violence in the music but mourns the bodies in the street. Until it lands on their doorstep: “I need to talk to somebody, pastor…” Yet the church demands a tithe he cannot afford. An eviction notice hangs on the door. Fame offers fifteen seconds, then tells him to be quiet: “That’s enough, Mr. West, please, no more today.” This is the tension so many carry, violence tearing through neighborhoods, the weight of poverty, and a sense that even the house of God feels out of reach. The pain is honest in Ye’s lyrics. The questions are heavy. And God does not turn away from either. Jesus entered a world of oppression and bloodshed. He grew up under Roman rule, in a overlooked town, surrounded by the poor and the grieving. He touched the untouchable, defended the vulnerable,confronted and exposed religious systems that burdened people instead of lifting them. He never minimized suffering, He met those suffering first hand. He still does. The gospel meets you exactly where you are: carrying loss, facing bills you cannot pay, silenced by a culture that moves on too quickly. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). It’s not this first time I’ve used this passage. I use it repetitively because it’s true, and Jesus meant it. He brings peace that the streets cannot give and the world cannot take. He provides when systems fail. He listens when others tell you to stay quiet. And He empowers His people to respond; not with empty words, but with justice, mercy, and presence in the hardest places. If today finds you crushed by grief, pressure, or silence, know this: the Lord is near. He sees the caskets. He sees the eviction notice. He sees the dreams still fighting to live. Bring every part of it to Him. He is able to heal, restore, and renew. And for all of us watching: may we listen better, love more tangibly, and stand with those the world tries to silence. Lord, draw near to every broken heart in our cities. Bring comfort, justice, and hope that endures. AMEN 4NBT