I AIN'T GOT NOTHING TO PROVE

Scripture

Chapter 3

2 Corinthians 3:1 Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! 2 The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. 3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.

4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life

Antithesis

AS AN AVID HIP HOP FAN AS A YOUTH GROWING UP, I REMEMBER THE WINTER OF 1987 A RAP GROUP NAMED PUBLIC ENEMY BUSED ON THE SCENE

THE GROUPS WAS FORMED IN 1982 AT ADELPHI UNIVERSITY IN LONG ISLAND NEW YORK, BY CHUK-D, HANK SHOCKLEE, BILL STEPHNEY AND FLAVOR FLAV

THEY CAME WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HARD CORE POLITICALLY INFUSED RAP STYLE.

THEIR FRESHMAN ALBULM WAS ENTITLED “YO BUM RUSH THE SHOW” IT RECEIVING MIXED REVIEWS BECAUSE OF IT’S ABNORMITY.

A NEW YORK DJ NAMED MR. MAJIC STRONGLY CRITISIZED AND MIGHT I ADD, DISED THE GROUP SAYING THAT CHUCK-D COULD’NT RAP

THE GROUPS SOPHOMORE ALBUM WAS RELEASED IN THE SPRING OF 1988 ENTITLED “IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK”

THE NO.1 SINGLES ON THAT ALBUM WAS “REBEL WITHOUT A PAUSE” WHICH GAVE THE GROUP A SIGNATURE SOUND

HANK SHOCKLEE SAID THE ORIGIN OF THAT SONG WAS INSPIRED BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF ACREDIDATION THEY GOT FROM RADIO DJ’S

AS A MATTER FACT ANOTHER KNOW SOLO RAPPER WAS OUT AT THE TIME NAMED RAKIM AND HIS SONG ENTITLED I KNOW YOU GOT SOUL WAS RECEIVING A LOT OF AIR PLAY ON THE RADIO

HANK SHOCKLEY RECALLS LISTENING TO THE RADIO AND THEY PLAYED RAKIM’S SONG IN SUCCESSION THREE TIMES IN A ROW.

THOUGH HE LIKED RAKIM’S AS AN ARTIST, HE WAS INFURIATED BECAUSE IT WASN’T PUBLIC ENEMY BEING PLAYER BACK TO BACK

SO HE AND THE CREW WENT INTO THE STUDIO AND MADE THE INVERSE OF I KNOW YOU GOT SOUL WHICH WAS REBEL WITHOUT A PAUSE

HANK SHOCKLEY SAID AND I QUOTE WHILE HE LIKED RAKIMS SONG WHICH WAS SMOOTH AND MELODIC

HE SAID THAT THE GROUP WANTED TO MAKE THE VERY OPOSIT OF THAT

THEY WANTED TO MAKE SOMETHING HARD NOISY AND LOUD THAT WOULD GET THE ATTIENTION OF THE STREETS NOT THE RADIO

AND THE MUSIC WAS LOUD AND FULL OF BASS AND CHUCK- D’S BARATONE HARD CORE RAP STYLE WAS A PERFECT COMPLIMENT TO IT

THE LYRICS START OFFF AFTER THE BOOMBASTIC BEAT WITH CHUCK -D COMING IN ...

YES THE RYTHM THE REBEL

WITOUT A PAUSE IM LOWERING MY LEVEL

THE HARD RYMER WHERE YOU NEVER BEEN IM IN

YOU WANT STYLING YOU KNOW IT’S TIME AGAIN

D THE ENEMY TELLING YOU TO HEAR IT

THEY PRAISED THE MUSIC THIS TIME THEY PLAY THE LYRICS

SOME SAY NO TO THE ALBUM THE SHOW

BUM RUSH THE SOUND - I MADE A YEAR AGO

I GUES YOU KNOW: YOU GUES I’M JUST A RADICAL

NOT ON SABBATICAL, YES TO MAKE IT CRITICAL

THE ONLY PART YOUR BODY SHOULD BE PARTING TO

PANTHER POWER ON THE HOUR FROM THE REBEL TO YOU

AND THIS SONG WAS PUBLIC ENEMY’S REBELLION AGAINST RADIO

THEY FIGURED, SINCE THE RADIO WON’T PLAY ME, I WON’T MARKET TO THE RADIO

SINCE THEY DON’T APPRECIATE OUR TALENT AND OUR STYLE BONK ‘EM

WE’LL FIND OUR FAN BASE ORGANICALLY AND BY THOSE WHO APPRECIATE OUR SOUND

NOW I’M NOT TRYING TO GIVE YOU A LESSON ON HIP HOP

BUT I WAS JUST THINKING I LOVE WHAT THIS GROUP DID

BECAUSE WHEN THE RADIO STATION AND DJ’S WOULDN’T GIVE THEM THERE PROPS

AND ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR TALENT

PUBLIC ENEMY MADE UP IN THEIR MIND...... I DON’T EVEN WANT IT FROM THEM

AND THERE COMES A POINT &TIME WHEN YOU AND I GOTTA MAKE UP OUR MIND

THAT I DON’T NEED VALIDATION

OR COMMENDATION, FROM NOBODY BUT GOD

WHERE THE FOLK AT THIS MORNING THAT SAY … YOUR OPINION DON’T MATTER

MATTER FACT YOU AIN’T ROPING ME INTO NO PETTY ARGUMENTS

NO BACK AND FORTH

NO TIC FOR TAC

I AIN’T GOT TIME FOR YOUR PETTINESS

OHHH IT’S IN THE TEXT

BUT YOU GOTTA WATCH OUT FOR NARCISISTIC PEOPLE THAT WANT YOU TO NEED THEIR VALIDATION

OR WANT YOU TO PROVE YOURSELF

SOMEBODY SHOUT I AIN’T GOT NOTHING TO PROVE

I AIN’T GOT NOTHING TO PROVE

NO MATTER IF THEY LIE ON ME

FALSE ACCUSE ME

SLANDER MY NAME

I AIN’T GOT NOTHING TO PROVE

IMMA TELL YOU WHY

I’M NOT IGNORANT OF THE ENEMY’S DEVICES

YOU AIN’T GONNA MANIPULATE ME

GUILT TRIP ME

OR BLAME YOUR MESS ON ME

YOU GOTTA TRY THE SPIRIT BY THE SPIRIT ...

PROVERBS 20:14 “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer—

then goes off and boasts about the purchase.

WHAT DO YOU HERE IN THIS TEXT

YOU GOTTA MAKE UP YOUR MIND

I AIN’T FALLING FOR THE OKIE DOKE

LET ME DEAL WITH THE VALIDATION PART FIRST AND THEN NOT HAVING TO PROVE YOURSELF AND THEN WE’LL GO

BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE ACCEPTED

val·i·da·tion the action of checking or proving the validity or accuracy of something. RELATIONALLY IT’S recognition or affirmation that a person or their feelings or opinions are valid or worthwhile. IT’S A FORM OF ACCEPTANCE

JOHN 12:42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

YOU GOTTA BE CAREFUL OF NEEDING MAN’S APPROVAL BECAUSE IT CAN MAKE YOU MISS GOD

AND THER COMES A TIME THAT IF MY STANCE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS OFFENDS ANYBODY OHHH WELL....

BE IT FAMILY FRIEND OR FOE

BECAUSE IF I GOTTA STAND ALONE I’LL STAND ALONE BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T DIE FOR ME

FEAR NOT THE ONE WHO CAN KILL THE BODY AND AFTER THAT DO NO MORE BUT RATHER FEAR THE ONE THAT AFTER KILLING THE BODY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO CAST IT INTO HELL

SO IT DON’T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK

YOUR OPINION

KICK ME OUT THE GROUP

BLOCK MY NUMBER

BUT FOR GOD I LIVE AND FOR GOD I’LL DIE

JOHN 2:23 Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him 24. But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. 25 No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.

ANOTHER REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN’T SEEK VALIDATION FROM MAN IS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE FICKLE

THIS IS EARLY IN JESUS’S MINISTRY AND PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO FOLLOW AND PRAISE HIM FOR THE WRONG REASONS

THERE MERELY FANS OF JESUS NOT TRUE FOLLOWER’S

BECAUSE HER’S A TRUE FOLLOWER ...

FOXES HAVE HOLES, BIRDS HAVE NEST, BUT THE SON OF MAN HAS NOWHERE TO LAY HIS HEAD...

TRUE FOLLOWERS WILL FOLLOW EVEN WHEN THE ROAD GET’S ROUGH

THAT’S WHY JESUS SAYS HERE IN JOHN 2 :24-25) HE WASN’T LOOKING FOR VALIDATION FROM PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY FICKLE

TIME IS THE TRUE TESTER OF ALL THINGS

BECAUSE YOUR MOUTH CAN CONFESS AND PROFESS WHAT YOUR HEART HASN’T GROWN TO YET

IT’S LIKE MARRIAGE EVERYTHING SOUNDS REAL CUTE AND FLOWERY AT THE ALTER

AT BEST MOST PEOPLE SEND THERE REPRESENTATIVES

BECAUSE WHEN YOU FIND OUT WHAT IT ENTAILS ....

YOU DO KNOW IT’S FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE , RICHHER…

MOST PEOPLE PROFESS IT UNTIL IT COMES BECAUSE WHEN WORSE COMES, BABIES DEPLETE FINANCES AND RESPONSIBILITY PROHIBITS YOU FROM DOING ALL THAT YOU DID BEFORE YOU HAD A FAMILY..

IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS SUKKE SUKKE NOW

BUT EVEN BB KING SAID AFTER A WHILE THE THRILL IS GONE… THER YOU GO MRS MARY

IMMA TELL YOU HOW TO GET OVER THIS

PHILIPPIANS 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.