The Door Is Open, You're Free To Go

THE DOOR IS OPEN, YOU’RE FREE TO GO!

Pastor Talbert W. Swan, II, M.Div.

TEXT: John 10:9, Luke 23:43, Galatians 5:1

SCRIPTURE

John 10:9

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Luke 23:43

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Galatians 5:1

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

SUBJECT: THE DOOR IS OPEN, YOU’RE FREE TO GO

INTRODUCTION

In his book Exodus and Emancipation: Biblical and African-American Slavery, Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Chelst gives a unique perspective on the saga of the Jewish people’s enslavement and departure from Egypt by comparing it with the African-American slave experience in the United States, their emancipation and subsequent fight for dignity and equality. The comparison enriches the reader’s understanding of both experiences.

Both peoples suffered centuries-long oppression, with the African-American slave population at the time of emancipation in the 1860s roughly double that of the Israelites at the time of the biblical Exodus.

Whatever the setting, slavery takes a terrible toll on the individual as well as the community. When you look into the Biblical narrative and the documented experience of our forefathers in this land you will note that there are social, psychological, religious, and philosophical dimensions of the slave experience and mentality.

The linkage between the slavery of the Israelites and that of African Americans is nothing new.

Just as the Israelites desired to be free, the story of their exodus from Egypt resonated with our ancestors when they found themselves in bondage in a strange land.

It is quite amazing that our African ancestors were taught a form of Christianity that would make them better tools of service for their oppressors, yet adopted a theology of liberation that would not accept “slaves be obedient to your masters” as a directive to remain in bondage. They developed a philosophy that supported the eradication of the racist institution of slavery that kept them from being free, as their God desired them to be.

Africans like Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth translated their understandings of the Bible into a justified battle for emancipation against their racist white oppressors. They used the Bible, as an example of the fact that God intended for them to be free. When we take a closer look at our Lesson today—The Word “Emancipation” is really another Word for Freedom.

THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION

—In other Words when you are Emancipated from Something or Someone you are “Freed from the Restraint, Control, or Power of another.”—“Emancipation” means you are Free from Certain Influences and Bondages.— I believe that most of us are somewhat familiar with the word “Emancipation” because History teaches us about the “Emancipation Proclamation.”

The “Emancipation Proclamation” was a Declaration by then U.S. President Abraham Lincoln announcing that all slaves in The Confederate States would be Set free. While it only freed a Small Number of Slaves, It did set the stage for Slavery’s ultimate demise here in the U.S.-----Now we need to understand that the Signing of the “Emancipation Proclamation” was really an act of divinity— Now just to be clear and concise with you—An act of divinity is when God steps in on your behalf and does what you could not do by yourself. It’s when God steps in, breaks the shackles of bondage and frees you from your circumstances, your habits and your Issues!!—

ACTS OF DIVINITY

---If you have been born again and delivered from bondage to sin—you’ve experienced an act of divinity!!---If you don’t go where you used to go or say things that you used to say—of do what you used to do, you’ve experienced and act of divinity.

IF you ever been Sick and God has healed you— you’ve experienced and act of divinity.

.----If you’ve ever been in bondage to your flesh, or your mind but God Set you free— you’ve experienced and act of divinity.!!---

The Bible itself and in its Entirety is replete with episode after episode of acts of divinity.

---When the Disciples were In a storm and God wiped the Sleep out of his eyes and walked out on Deck and said “Peace be still”—That was an act of divinity---When a Man that was living in a Graveyard and was running around town naked and crying and cutting himself with Stones, but Jesus delivered him---That was an act of divinity!!-----When The 3 Hebrew Boys were delivered from the Fiery Furnace—That was an act of divinity ---When Peter was bailed out of Prison by angels that was an act of divinity!!

-- Now in the case of “The Emancipation Proclamation”—God used Abraham Lincoln as a vessel and as President to sign it—But it was God that Stamped it a done deal!!—This was a promissory note drawn on the Bank of Grace, signed in His blood….It was God that Finalized it!!-Simply because around this time, just as it is today—God in the Person of Jesus Christ had already taken a cloud back to glory!!---