Sermon Title: “God! How Do We Keep Going?”
Scripture: Luke 10:17–20 & Galatians 6:9–10 (NRSVue)
Preached at a Bethesda UMC rural African American church in South Carolina
By Rev. Amiri B. Hooker Date: July 6, 2025
Introduction: God!
Beloved, I have to be honest with you. The other day I was sitting at a funeral, grieving the loss of a good friend and fellow clergy, Reverend Keith Hunter. You know how it is—we don’t expect pastors to die. We expect them to pray death away. But there I was, shocked. And as I sat in that sacred moment of mourning, another preacher leaned over and showed me a message on his phone.
It read: “BREAKING: President’s ‘Big Beautiful Budget’ bill passes—millions to lose healthcare, protections gutted, rural hospitals closing.”
And I wanted to cry out:
“God! Do you see what they’re doing?”
I was shocked. But not surprised.
And in that moment, the Spirit whispered:
"Don’t forget who you are, and don’t forget who I AM."
The Spirit led me to remember that I can’t let the foolishness of this country take my Joy, I can’t let the haltered that others have for Humanity and Moral goodness take my Joy, I can’t let the greediness of others keep me from enjoying the Goodness of God.
I had to realize that this was just another trick or trap of the enemy to keep me away from the Joy of the Lord being my everyday celebration.
In the text this morning we see the disciples of Jesus Christ coming back to him after a very successful mission outreach disciples making adventure, where they were able to tell Jesus that Church had been a Joy that everything in the Church was going great and that they were glad to be in the Number one more time.
But Jesus Cautions them by saying Even the Best of the Angels once fell, be careful when you get to full of yourself, it might be a set up for a fall !!!
Point One: Power Is Not the Point – Salvation Is
In Luke 10, the disciples come back amazed, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!” And Jesus, cool as ever, says, “Yeah, I saw Satan fall like lightning.” But then he pivots:
“Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20)
Jesus reminds us:
Yes, we got power.
Yes, we can cast out demons, we can march, protest, vote, and preach.
But real power—the kind that lasts—is the joy of knowing we belong to God.
It’s not about the headlines. It’s about the heavenlines. Our fight is not to get applause, but to be anchored in eternity.
So when the powers cut healthcare to the poor...
When they close hospitals in Dillon, Lake City and Kingstree...
We don’t lose hope because our salvation isn't tied to a bill—but to a God who still heals, still hears, and still reigns.
Point Two: Don’t Be Surprised—Be Prophetic
Let’s tell the truth. The Bible already warned us about this.
In Amos 5:11, it says:
“You trample on the poor and force them to give you grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them.”
Rev. Dr. William Barber calls this moment policy violence. A budget that sacrifices the poor for the rich is not just bad policy—it’s sin in legislative clothing.
The bill that just passed is not economics—it’s idolatry dressed in red, white, and blue.
But here’s the good news: God never leaves the prophets without a voice.
He raises up preachers and teachers.
He raises up grandmamas with mustard-seed faith.
He raises up YOU.
We are the church that still says: "No justice, no peace!"
We are the people who know Jesus came preaching “good news to the poor.”
So don’t be surprised.
Be ready.
Be bold.
Be prophetic.
Point Three: Don’t Grow Weary—Grow Wiser
Galatians 6:9 reminds us:
“Let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.”
Let me say it plain:
The enemy wants you tired.
He wants you worn out by the struggle.
He wants you so discouraged by politics and poverty and public foolishness that you sit down and say nothing.
But God is still whispering: “Keep going.”
God didn’t call us to be comfortable. He called us to be committed.
Culturally Relevant Story: The Ambulance That Never Came
Let me tell you a true story about a woman named Miss Loretta in our own state of South Carolina. She was 63 years old, lived in a small rural community just outside of Allendale. She had diabetes, heart problems, and no car. One day, she collapsed on her front porch. Her neighbor called 911, but the nearest hospital had shut down months before due to lack of funding. The ambulance took over an hour to arrive. She died before it ever got there.
The bill that just passed?
That’s more Miss Lorettas. More shut-down hospitals. More “too late” sirens. More funerals we weren’t supposed to attend.
And that’s why we preach.
That’s why we vote.
That’s why we pray and protest.
Because Jesus said bring good news to the poor, and there’s nothing good about dying because the rich needed another tax break.
Conclusion: God—We Still Believe
So today, when we say “God”, we don’t say it as despair.
We say it as a declaration. I want to change it this morning to:
Our Mission is still Gospel. Say it with Me!
God – We still believe God heals.
God – We still believe God provides.
God – We still believe justice will roll down like waters.
So I ask you, church:
• Will you cry out for the poor like Jesus did?
• Will you rise up like Paul said and not grow weary?
• Will you believe that your name is still written in heaven, even when your rights are stripped on earth?
Then lift up your voice, lift up your head, and say with me:
“God, God! We still believe. And we won’t give up.”
Benediction:
May the God who writes your name in heaven give you strength on earth.
May the Christ who fed the hungry empower your hands.
And may the Spirit that fell like fire give you courage to keep doing what is right—
Until justice rolls, until healing comes, until Miss Loretta lives.
Amen.
