No Body Knows the Trouble I seen

Nobody knows Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" is an African-American spiritual song that originated during the period of slavery but was not published until 1867. Like many negro spirituals it was written to express the feelings American slaves were experiencing at the time of slavery

The song is well known and many cover versions of it have been done by artists such as Marian Anderson, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, Harry James, Paul Robeson, Sam Cooke among others.[1] Anderson had her first successful recording with a version of this song on the Victor label in 1925.

Its interesting how the lyrics which were written over 155 years ago can still resonate with us today.

Nobody knows the trouble I've seen

Nobody knows my sorrow

Nobody knows the trouble I've seen

Glory hallelujah!

Sometimes I'm up, sometimes I'm down

Oh, yes, Lord

Sometimes I'm almost to the ground

Oh, yes, Lord

Although you see me going 'long so

Oh, yes, Lord

I have my trials here below

Oh, yes, Lord

If you get there before I do

Oh, yes, Lord

Tell all-a my friends I'm coming to Heaven!

Its a testament that we have been through many hard times. Its been 402 years since the first African slave ship, the White Lion, arrived in the colony of Virginia in 1619. From that time we have had a storied history. Enslaved from 1619 to 1865 There has been legal dehumanization that began well before the War of Independence or the era of Jim Crow — from the 1667 Virginia Law on Baptism, excluding Blacks from rights otherwise granted to members of the church, to the 1705 Virginia Slave Codes, to the French Code Noir applied in the Louisiana Territory in 1724. Which governed many black people in an often harsh slavery, but did not relieve the brutality of that slavery in many areas under French control.

We have suffered many moment of dehumanization. So lyrics that were birthed out of pain should be expected.

As we continue our study of Paul I want us to focus not only of our history as people but the struggles we can expect as Christians

Paul who was simply trying to spread the message of Jesus had to escape city after city because the critical Jews would follow him and stir up the city against in. Remember Paul has been beaten publicly thrown jail, hunted down. In Acts 18 we see he has arrived in Corinth. He his there doing what he is called to do and the word he had some come and oppose and revile him. This frustrated Paul to the point that he shook off his garments and said You blood be on heads.

Paul had made up in his mind that he was not going to preach to the Jews any more. He was now determined to preach to to the Gentiles. I can testify that ministry can have some frustrating moments. It can have you question why did the Lord call you? Yet it can also be very rewarding.

Paul had some great successes. When we review some of the cities he ministered in we find many were brought to Christ. In Berea he found that group to be super engaging! They were more honorable. They were inclined to study the scriptures.

In life we tend to have good and bad experiences! Even in the brutal times of slavery the slaves found some joy. Sometimes up sometimes down.

I believe they looked forward to the time that they would be with Jesus! Not the slave masters Jesus but the Jesus that would release them of oppression, the Jesus that wipe the tears from their eyes, the Jesus that would comfort them and bring them to a place where they would no longer suffer.

This place called heaven.

English Standard Version Chapter 5

3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

point 1 God is acquainted with our suffering

9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, (Ac 18:9).

God shares our pain, even as he shared our humanness in Jesus. God is with us when we suffer. Jesus makes this clear. And, sometimes, our suffering is a path for us to walk more deeply into the life of knowing Jesus.

Point 2 God reminds us to keep on speaking

Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, (Ac 18:9).

Point 3 God is with us

10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 18:10). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.