What About His-story?
Back in the days of steam ships, only rich white people sailed at sea. One day while sailing, something suddenly happened to the ship and it was about to sink. Terrified, the white folks aboard didn’t know what to do. Someone suggested that they do what the black folks did------PRAY.
However, unfortunately, no one knew what to say. So they called upon John, a black cook on the ship and asked him to pray. John agreed and came up on deck to pray. He started like this: “Lord on the day of hunger I went to a restaurant to get something to eat and the sign said: For Whites Only. I went to the water fountain to get water and the sign said: For Whites Only. Then Lord, I went to use the restroom and the sign said: For Whites Only. So Lord Almighty, forgive me because I know this isn’t Christian, but when this ship… sinks, let it be: For Whites Folks Only…. In Jesus Name I Pray, AMEN!!!
Funny Story, but if you lived in the day when there was segregation everywhere you know what its’ like to go to a restaurant and see a sign that says For Whites Only. Or what its like to be thirsty and you see a water fountain in sight, but the sign above it reads: For Whites Only. You know what its like to have to go to restroom really bad, but the sign above the restroom reads For Whites Only. Or you’re catching the bus, knowing the humiliation of having to walk all the way to the back of the bus, because the front is For Whites Only. (Unwritten signs today)!
For us as black (African Americans) people, this type of racism, oppression, and pain has been a part of our history. There are not only trials and challenges in our history, but there is a part of our history that is most overlooked. That part where we have been victors over our oppressors, creators of great inventions, and the courageous role models who were the first to make it into pro sports, political offices, and court houses. There is greatness in our history! I want to propose today that we as black people have not only been central to what we would label as black history, but we have always been an important part of “His”(God) story. Lets Pray!
(Begin story) One day I was out in the community around New Life Fellowship reaching out to people, inviting them to church, and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. I came to this one ladies house, knocked on the door and a middle aged black woman answered the door. I introduced myself, invited her to come to church, and handed her a pamphlet. I then told her that Jesus loves her and her response caught my attention. She said, “Your God is a white God and my God is black!” I then proceeded to challenge her thinking and this led to an interesting conversation in which she did respond positively by saying she had never heard some of things in which I presented about Christ and the Bible (End Story).
Your God is a white God and my God is black!” Very powerful words! At the heart of this is a lack of understanding, but at the same time I understand why one could be short of understanding. There has been a lot of bad information or lack of information concerning our history as black people. We have believed lies about our heritage, lies about our history, lies about the Bible, and even lies about God.
I want you to think for a moment about black history, what first comes to mind? Do you think of slavery? Do you think of the great African Civilizations? Do you think about great civil rights leaders? Do you think of great black athletes who were the first to break into pro sports? What comes to mind when you think of black history?
The thoughts previously stated concerning our history are all good, but I would like to take us back even further than this. It must be mentioned that I am not looking over the fact that we as black people have had some moments in history that need to be told like the fact that 5,000 black soldiers that fought in the American Army in the Revolutionary War. Not to mention the 185,000 black soldiers fought in the Union Army in the Civil War (tell me that a black person should have been treated unjustly or unfairly in this country after we have laid our lives down for this country). Did you know the founder of Chicago, Illinois was a free black man named Jean Baptise Point DuSable (name)? The first black to receive a major government appointment was Frederick Douglas. Mary Mcleod Bethune was the first black woman to receive a major government appointment. The first black to join the major leagues in modern times was Jackie Robinson who joined the Brooklyn, Dodgers in 1947. The first black newspaper was called the Freedom’s Journal. We as blacks have a history of great inventors, athletes, and leaders. We cannot forget to mention all those who endured and suffered through slavery and the many who had enough courage revolt against such an atrocity to mankind. Also the many civil rights leaders who sacrificed even their own lives so that those of us who followed would have opportunities that they didn’t get a chance to get. Lets give God some praise for all those who have come before us who have made it possible for us to be where we are today. The reason we can live in a certain neighborhood, the type of schools we go to, going to college, being a part of athletic teams, even going to restaurants.
My wife and I were on a date a couple weeks ago in a restaurant in a predominately white part of town. I had just recently preached on Do you have a dream today at NLF. It had really hit me at all the injustices that we as black people faced. I looked at my wife and I said, “babe there is no sign up!” She said, “what!” I said, “isn’t it great that we can eat in a restaurant and there is no written sign that says for whites only.” She responded by saying, “yeah that is great.” Someone sacrificed to make this possible! We’ve got a history that must not be overlooked!
Our history begins even farther than we often times think back. I want to repeat that our history as black people is a part of “His” story and that we were on Gods mind from the beginning.
In the book of Genesis 2:8-14 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground-trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
You may be asking what does that have to do with us as black people? Here’s something to think about! Mirian Pledger in here book The Black Thread writes the Bible clearly locates the Garden of Eden on the continent of what is now called Africa. She says an examination of the first book of the Bible, Genesis, Chapter 2, verses 8, 10, 11, 13, and 14 (which we read) concentrating on the rivers and their movement, gives this Africa location. She goes on to say that it is commonly accepted by Biblical scholars that the Gihon River is the Nile River of Africa, the Pishon is the Blue Nile and the Hiddekel is the Tigris River. The highly respected Jewish historian, Josephus and the 11th century Bible commentator Rashi- both of whose works are used by scholars today, agreed the Gihon River which departed from Eden was the Nile River of Africa. She ultimately states that since these named rivers are recorded as going out of the Garden of Eden, and around Havilah and Ethiopia – lands of Africa, and then continuing eastward to Assyria, it is a logical conclusion that the Garden of Eden was indeed somewhere on the African continent. This is a lot to take in, in one gulp. Basically what is stated is that mankind began in Africa. This is significant for us as blacks as our ancestors are from where? AFRICA! This isn’t something that is shouted on the rooftops, as there is of course great debate and controversy around these issues. At least this side should be told so that you can decide for yourself, what the Bible says about the origin of man as this has great significance to the world, but specifically to us as black people as it all began on the continent of Africa.
What you believe about where you come from can have an impact on where you will be going. God is at the center of where we have come from as a people and this crucial. For you what difference does it make to know that God is at the center of where you have come? Does it motivate you life? It should give us the confidence to go for anything, and be all that we can be for God. Go as far as you can in school! Go for that job that no one ever imagined that you could do! Be the best athlete you can be! To the glory of God be the best father, mother, sister, brother, son and daughter you can be! (Emphasis) God is at the center so there are no limits to what you can be and do with God. We can do all things through Christ Jesus!
In Genesis and Exodus and all through the Bible there is a lot of talk about Egypt. In Genesis and Exodus Egypt was one of the world’s great powers in Bible times. It was the most powerful nation and was wealthy and very advanced. Before I say more on Egypt!
What sparked my interest in doing this sermon is a class that I took at Seminary called African American Biblical Interpretation. My final project was to deal with a text in Scripture that shows an African presence. For part of my project I interviewed people and asked them if they could tell me anything that was African in the Bible. It was amazing to find that a lot of people couldn’t think of one, sometimes even those mature in their faith. I would say the word Egypt, and instantly most would go “Oh yeah.” It was if they (we) had been trained to think in a certain way. This shows that we don’t truly understand our whole history, and this explains why the woman I reached out to says your God is white and my God is black. It either hasn’t been told or we don’t want to know.
If the word Moscow was mentioned in the Bible: what would you automatically think – Africa – no Russia, Europe. If the word Tokyo was mentioned in the Bible: what would you think – Africa – noooooo Japan, Asia. Let’s just say the word New York City was mentioned in the Bible: what would you think –Africa- come on USA, North America.
Then why is it that we have a problem with his word Egypt? A word that is mentioned over 700 times in the Bible. Next to Israel it is mentioned more than any other nation in the Bible. Where is Egypt? Shout out when you know. That’s right in Africa! These definitely were brown skinned or dark people. William Dwight Mckissic in his Book Beyond Roots: The Search for Blacks in the Bible writes The people of Carthage, North Africa, and Egypt were unquestionably dark complexioned before the conquest of the Arabs in the seventh century A.D. Anthropology supports this conclusion.
Why do we have such a problem with knowing this and acknowledging this about Egypt?
I’ll tell you why because we have believed the lies. It’s not that God has messed up, but we have messed up, and then we put labels on God that are false. The truth is that God has revealed himself to us, but we see pictures of the white Jesus, and the denial of things and people in the Bible that clearly show an African presence. God isn’t behind this stuff. People are! Are we going to believe His story or all the lies?
I am not implying that Egypt had it all together. They definitely had their problems spiritually as they worshipped false gods. I believe this is why god sent the Israelites their way to be a light to them. Of course there were Egyptians who knew the true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but as a whole they missed it spiritually. They were also oppressors as they were the dominant group. They had the Israelites in slavery for a number of years. They had the power- they had it going on. So they weren’t going to give their control over to another culture or nation.
You know how we as blacks were enslaved and treated unjustly when brought to this country by the whites that were in power and were the dominant group? I believe: and just think about this for a moment that we could have done the same thing to them if we were in the position they were in. Just look at Egypt! We have the same propensity to prejudice and racism as white people do. There is nothing noble in and of itself about being black that keeps us from being just as prejudice and racist as any one else. Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? This doesn’t discriminate among skin color; we all black, white, yellow, red have hearts and all can be deceitful and carry hate and prejudice.
This is why we all need Jesus! Although we share a great history as black people, it is not enough to take away the sin in each of us. Only Jesus Christ can heal the sin and sickness in each of our hearts. He died on the cross to make this possible!
Think of your own life for a moment: are you carrying some hate and prejudice towards someone or a group of people simply because they differ in color? I am not denying the pain you felt when you saw your grandparents or your parents treated unjustly all because they happened to be born black. Or the pain we have felt from being treated wrong because of the color of our skin. Christ in us is bigger than any hate we have faced and we can go on and be healed and even be reconcilers with those of different races (you may want to hate, but you love instead). Only Christ can give us the strength to live this way. If you’re a Christian you’re called to a higher standard!
Turn to Luke 23:26 As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. Can I ask a question today that I hope isn’t too simple? What is the most central, most vital, most significant event in all of Christianity? That’s right the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Who is right there in the middle of all this? Of course Jesus, but look at that other name that is there: Simon from Cyrene. Where is Cyrene? Cyrene is in North Africa and it is now modern day Libya. In the ancient and classical world, there were eight basic name designations for dark-complexioned persons: Cushites, Hamites, Phutites, Canaanites, Blackheaded ones, Libyans, Ethiopians, and Moors (Beyond Roots).
Randall Bailey an African Amer scholar writes in his book The Recovery of the Black Presence: The most reasonable face for Simon of Cyrene: is a native North African Black person.
I don’t know about you, but I think this is pretty significant to us as black people considering the fact that many don’t even know or care to know of this African and black presence in the Bible.
If one person in my community was affected by false information like the woman I had spoke to, then how many more are mislead in the same way. How has the Bible been portrayed in such a way that many reject it as a white religion, not because of it’s own testimony, but because of the way it has been taught. The significance of an African/Black presence in the Bible has been downplayed and this I believe has far reaching affects.
Have many missed the chance to gain spiritual freedom through Christ as a result of the way Christianity has been portrayed? Also have we even as Christians been conditioned to think a certain way about the Bible and in turn we can read a passage or about a person in which there is a clear African presence and still think of these people as some other ethnicity, mainly European.
In closing, were in there like Ragu or is it Prego. We are mentioned all throughout the Bible. All of who we are is important as black people and most importantly all of who God says we are.
The truth is that we can look at our great accomplishments and heritage as black people and be proud of that. I want to challenge each of us to look in the mirror and ask what legacy am I leaving my kids and grandkids. We should leave a great legacy of AA history, but the greatest legacy we can leave is knowing Jesus Christ and making him known to those that come after us.
Paul said in Philippians 3 I’m a Jew, I’m of the people of Israel, I’m of the tribe of Benjamin, I’m a Hebrew of Hebrews. But whatever was to my profit I now consider a loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider all a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus Christ my Lord….
Paul was proud of his heritage, his race, but it was in second place to who he was in Christ. Enjoy your race, celebrate your heritage, but don’t miss Jesus. It’s all about Jesus!
The greatest part of history is that we will always and forever be a part of His Story!
