Sermon Title: “From Bondage to Breakthrough: God’s Hand in the Story of His People”
Main Scripture: Exodus 3:7-8 – “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them…”
Illustration: "Grandma’s Church Hat and the Power of Legacy"
"There was a woman I knew—let’s call her Grandma Johnson. Now, Grandma Johnson was the kind of church mother who didn’t just show up on Sabbath—she arrived. Every week, she’d step into church dressed to the nines, Bible in one hand, purse in the other, and that BIG church hat sitting proudly on her head. And I mean BIG—big enough to shade half the choir stand and block at least three people’s view of the preacher!"
"One Sabbath, her grandson, trying to be a little too smart for his own good, looked up at her and asked, ‘Grandma, why do you always wear that big ol’ hat to church?’ Now, she could have just brushed him off, but instead, she adjusted that hat like a queen adjusting her crown, looked him straight in the eye, and said: ‘Baby, because my mother wore one, and her mother before her. After everything they went through, we’re still standing, still worshiping, and still looking good doing it!’"
*"And you know what? She was right. Because in many ways, Black history is just like that church hat—it’s a symbol of faith, resilience, and dignity passed down through generations. Our ancestors faced struggles we can’t even imagine, but through it all, they kept their faith, they kept their dignity, and they passed it on.
And here’s the real question today: What are we passing on? Are we just remembering history, or are we continuing the legacy? Are we walking in the faith and strength of those who came before us? Because whether it’s a hat, a prayer, or a testimony—we are here today because someone before us refused to quit!"
Introduction: The God Who Delivers!
Church, let me tell you today—we serve a God of deliverance! A God who sees, a God who hears, and a God who acts on behalf of the oppressed. He is not silent. He is not distant. He is the God who brings freedom!
From the very beginning, God has been on the side of the broken, the burdened, the enslaved, and the oppressed. From Egypt to America, from ancient Israel to the Civil Rights Movement, from the cries of Moses to the cries of Martin Luther King Jr., God has always raised up leaders to declare: ‘LET MY PEOPLE GO!’
So today, I come with a message of hope, history, and a holy calling! We are standing on the shoulders of those who came before us—a legacy of faith, a legacy of resilience, and a legacy of justice. And just as they stood for righteousness, WE must stand!
I. The Biblical Narrative of Oppression and Freedom
📖 Text: Exodus 1-15
Let’s go back to Egypt! The Israelites were enslaved for 400 years—generation after generation under the chains of Pharaoh’s rule. They were beaten, broken, and burdened. They cried out to God, and God heard them!
🔹 He raised up a leader—Moses!
🔹 He sent plagues to shake the oppressor!
🔹 He split the Red Sea to make a way out of no way!
And let me tell you something, church—God didn’t stop delivering people after Egypt! He didn’t stop when the Red Sea closed. He is STILL the God of deliverance!
The story of the Israelites mirrors the story of Black people in America.
🔹 Stolen from their homeland, just as Israel was taken to Egypt.
🔹 Forced into hard labor, just as Pharaoh forced Israel into slavery.
🔹 Stripped of identity, culture, and freedom—but never stripped of faith!
But GOD raised up leaders!
🔹 Harriet Tubman—A modern-day Moses, leading hundreds to freedom!
🔹 Frederick Douglass—A voice like a prophet, speaking truth to power!
🔹 Martin Luther King Jr.—Like Moses, standing before Pharaoh, demanding justice!
🔥 **KEY POINT: GOD IS A DELIVERER!**🔥
He hears the cries of the oppressed, and He moves in His perfect time.
II. Black Presence in the Bible: God’s Global Kingdom
📖 Text: Acts 8:26-39
Some say Christianity is a "Western religion"—but let’s open the Bible and correct that lie RIGHT NOW!
🔹 The Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-39)—One of the first Gentiles to accept Christ was an African man! The gospel spread to Africa before it ever reached Europe!
🔹 Simon of Cyrene (Luke 23:26)—A North African man was given the honor of carrying the cross of Jesus! That means Africa was there at Calvary!
🔹 The Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1-13)—A powerful African queen who sought divine wisdom from Solomon and brought riches to Israel.
Church, hear me—God’s kingdom has always included ALL people!
📖 Revelation 7:9—John saw a vision of heaven, and what did he see?
🔹 A great multitude…
🔹 From every nation, every tribe, every people, every tongue!
KEY POINT: The Bible is not a "White Man’s Book." It is the book of a global God, calling all people to salvation!
III. Faith Through the Struggle: Songs in the Night
Text: Acts 16:25-26
At midnight—Paul and Silas sat in a prison cell, beaten, bruised, shackled in chains. But instead of complaining, they began to sing!
🎶 They lifted up praises to God!
🎶 They sang songs of deliverance!
🎶 And at the sound of their worship—GOD SHOOK THE PRISON!
And we have done the same!
When our ancestors were in chains, they didn’t stop singing!
When injustice ruled the land, they didn’t stop believing!
“Go Down, Moses”—A song of deliverance, crying out like Israel, “Let my people go!”
“Wade in the Water”—A coded message to lead runaway slaves to freedom!
“We Shall Overcome”—A song of hope, sung through the fire of the Civil Rights Movement!
**KEY POINT: PRAISE IS A WEAPON!**🔥
The enemy can take your land, your rights, your body—but they CANNOT take your faith!
IV. Walking in the Legacy of Justice and Faith
Text: Micah 6:8—"What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
Church, let me make this plain: We are not called to sit on the sidelines of history.
We are not called to just read about justice, pray about justice, or talk about justice.
WE ARE CALLED TO ACT!
🔹 Stand up against injustice in your community!
🔹 Be a bridge for reconciliation and unity!
🔹 Teach the next generation about faith, resilience, and hope!
We must be like Moses—leading the people forward.
We must be like Paul and Silas—singing in the darkest hour.
We must be like Jesus—laying down our lives for the sake of others.
Martin Luther King Jr. as a Young Man
Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, into a deeply religious family. His father, Martin Luther King Sr., was a Baptist minister, and his mother, Alberta Williams King, was a church organist. From a young age, MLK was exposed to faith, leadership, and the reality of racial segregation in the American South.
Even as a child, King experienced racism firsthand. At just six years old, he lost one of his best friends, a white boy, because the friend's parents forbade their child from playing with a Black child. This deeply hurt and confused him, but it also planted the seeds of awareness about racial injustice.
Despite the hardships, King was an exceptional student. He skipped two grades and entered Morehouse College at just 15 years old. While he initially considered a career in medicine or law, he ultimately felt a calling toward ministry and social justice, influenced by his father and mentors. He later earned a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Boston University in 1955, making him Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In the early days of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. faced intense opposition, threats, and even violence. One night, after another long day of organizing and preaching about justice, he received a phone call at home. On the other end, a voice snarled, “If you don’t stop what you’re doing, we will kill you and your family.”
Shaken, Dr. King hung up the phone. Fear gripped him as he sat at his kitchen table, feeling the heavy weight of responsibility. He had a wife and a young daughter. Was this really worth it? He thought about giving up.
But then, he prayed. And as he poured his heart out to God, something changed. He later described it as a divine moment, where he felt the presence of God whisper to his soul:
“Stand up for righteousness, stand up for truth, and I will be with you until the end.”
From that moment, Dr. King’s resolve was renewed. He realized that his mission wasn’t just about fighting injustice—it was about redeeming a broken world through the power of love, just as Christ did. He chose not to retaliate with hate, but to stand firm with faith, grace, and the redemptive love of God.
Conclusion: From Bondage to Breakthrough
Conclusion: A Call to Action!
I don’t know what prison you are in today—maybe it's a prison of fear, a prison of doubt, a prison of injustice—but I declare in the name of Jesus: GOD IS STILL IN THE DELIVERANCE BUSINESS!
Just as He parted the Red Sea…
Just as He broke the chains in that prison cell…
Just as He has carried our people through slavery, segregation, and struggle…
He is STILL moving!
WILL YOU STAND FOR JUSTICE?
WILL YOU CARRY THE TORCH OF FAITH?
WILL YOU SING YOUR SONG OF FREEDOM?
"LET MY PEOPLE GO!"
"LET THE CHURCH RISE!"
"LET JUSTICE ROLL LIKE A RIVER!"
If you believe it—SHOUT AMEN!
Closing Prayer:
Pray for strength, wisdom, and unity as we honor those who came before us and walk in faith and justice.
