A People of Adversity, But Yet We Thrive

Introduction: The Bible’s Insistence on History

The Bible is intentional about noting the historical reality of the Israelites who spent 400 years in slavery. It does not shy away from the topic, the brutality, and the evilness that caused great harm to a people who were appointed by God to do something very meaningful in the earthy.

If the Bible is so intentional about categorizing the history of the Israelites, we may rightfully conclude that the history of any people enslaved under any system at any time within history is equally important and worth documenting. For, we are all God’s people and no one person or people group is subject to the complete avoidance of its history, since we are all made in the image of the one true God. We tend to repeat history—both the good and the bad.

The Tension

Tension: The big question we all want to ask is where is God in moments of slavery? Particularly in this case. Israel is chosen by God and yet they are destined for slavery.

Genesis 15:13 “13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know this for certain: Your offspring will be resident aliens for four hundred years in a land that does not belong to them and will be enslaved and oppressed.”

The Answer: Being chosen is not God’s way of exempting you from the sorrows of the world. Rather, it is His way of using you while facing the sorrows of this world.

We are in a fallen world

The world is under the governance of sinful people

There is hope

Genesis 15:14–16 “14 However, I will judge the nation they serve, and afterward they will go out with many possessions. 15 But you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.””

The story of hope in a fallen world is the reason we need our history. If we don’t have our history, we don’t have the story of how God brought us out.

Carter G. Woodson and Black History

Carter G. Woodson was aware of this very important fact, and sought to preserve the history of black people. Carter G. Woodson was known as the “Father of Black History.” In 1915, Woodson recognized America’s failure to capture the history of black people and formed the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. From there he and a team of scholars went on to form the Journal of Negro History in 1916.

In 1926, Woodson organized “Negro History Week” to preserved the history and culture of blacks in America. Woodson would continue to stress the importance of preserving the legitimacy of intellectual competence and scholarship while discouraging the “charlatans” from corrupting the genuine nature of black intelligence by means of strategizing some marketing platform.

Woodson’s work would be the foundation for what would become Black History Month (1976).

Why is this important? Why was Woodson’s work and mission to keep black history in the forefront so important? It was important, because its is only by one’s history that a people will know:

their strength,

courage,

purpose, and

their God.

The problem with many people is that:

they do not know from where they’ve come,

what they can do, and

whom they’ve served.

And when we begin to answer these questions, we begin to understand who we are, what we can do, and where we should go.

Blacks in America, like the people in our text, have endured some very incredible challenges.

1. **Solomon Northup (1808–c. 1863):**

Solomon Northup's memoir, "12 Years a Slave," details his harrowing experience as a free man kidnapped and sold into slavery. Northup endured years of brutality, forced labor, and separation from his family. His survival and eventual freedom were a testament to his strength and determination.

2. **Linda Brent (Harriet Jacobs) (1813–1897):**

Harriet Jacobs, using the pseudonym Linda Brent, wrote the autobiography "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl." Jacobs endured sexual harassment and abuse from her master but managed to escape and find refuge in a tiny attic space for seven years. Her resilience and survival instincts are evident throughout her narrative.

3. **Moses Grandy (1786–1854):**

Moses Grandy's narrative, "Narrative of the Life of Moses Grandy, Late a Slave in the United States of America," details his life as a slave and his numerous attempts to gain freedom. Grandy survived brutal treatment, including beatings and severe labor, ultimately purchasing his own freedom through years of hard work.

4. **Mary Prince (c. 1788–after 1833):**

Mary Prince, an enslaved woman in the British Caribbean, penned her autobiography, "The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave." Her narrative exposes the harsh conditions of slavery, including physical and emotional abuse. Prince's resilience and determination to gain freedom are evident in her account.

5. **Charles Ball (c. 1781–c. 1850):**

Charles Ball's narrative, "Slavery in the United States: A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Charles Ball," recounts his experiences as a slave. Ball survived several attempts at escape and endured brutal punishments. His eventual escape and freedom underscore his determination to overcome the hardships of slavery.

These stories highlight the strength and fortitude of African American slaves who faced brutal conditions but managed to survive and, in some cases, regain their freedom. Their narratives provide a poignant look into the resilience of the human spirit in the most challenging circumstances.

Yet, our history tells us that the more we were oppressed the better we became. Yes, there were many terrible things that happened to us, and even many people who have died.

Medgar Evans

James Chaney

Andrew Goodman

Alberta Williams King

Yet, all of these lives were just seeds in the ground of a hopeful future—a future of which we are the benefactors. And it should be beyond us to think that we cannot do anything that God has placed in our heart. No, our history tells us we are a people of strength, courage, purpose, and most importantly, we are a people that know God.

The Gospel

Now, right here is where most people would end the sermon and leave us thinking that this biblical passage is about ethnic or racial superiority. No, this is not my way of saying that black people possess some super-strength that other races are not privy to. Rather, I am simply saying that black people learned a fundamental principle about godliness—that if we want to be God’s people, we will know something about suffering. We learned—though hatred and evilness may surround like the waves of the sea, trust in God and He will fight your battles.

Jesus, the Son of God, was sent to this earth filled with sorrow. He Himself was sent as a servant, and endured the common experiences of us all. And while God could have conquered sin and death in any way He desired, He used the most just way to do so. He submitted His righteous Son to the death of the cross. And if the story ended this way, this would be a tragic ending. Yet, the story ends with the beautiful resurrection of Jesus Christ—showing God’s final defeat over death, sin, and evil.

Take away: History shows us, God will either keep you from it or keep you while you’re in it. Either way history says, we will still thrive by the help of our God.