TITLE: WE DON’T LOOK LIKE WHAT WE’VE BEEN THROUGH
SCRIPTURE: JOB 28:2-3
I and the Perfected Praise Worship Center family are honored to be here this afternoon to participate in such a celebration hosted by this great Pastor and Church family. I must say that we have experienced a worship celebration in deed. It should warm our hearts to see diverse cultures come together in the spirit of worship. We should have more of a blending of cultures in all of our churches. I pray this is the beginning of a long relationship between our churches that go well beyond the month of February each year.
Since the origins of the field in the late 19th century, historians and intellectuals have offered various answers to the question: "WHAT IS AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY?"
• Some have seen it as an extension or corollary to American history
• Some have stressed the influence of Africa on African-American history
• Still others have viewed African-American history as vital to black liberation and power
In the late 19th Century an Ohio lawyer and minister - George Washington Williams - published the first serious work of African-American history in 1882. His work, HISTORY OF THE NEGRO RACE IN AMERICA FROM 1619 TO 1880 - began with the arrival of the first slaves in the North American colonies and concentrated on the major events in American history that involved or affected African Americans. Washington, in his "Note" to volume two of his opus, said that his purpose was to "TO LIFT THE NEGRO RACE TO ITS PEDESTAL IN AMERICAN HISTORY" as well as "TO INSTRUCT THE PRESENT, INFORM THE FUTURE."
I appreciate the work of George Washington Williams and the opportunity to reflect upon where God has brought us from and to instruct the present, inform the future. In our text for examination we find Job being very expressive in our selected text. Consider his Words again - IRON IS TAKEN OUT OF THE EARTH, AND BRASS IS MOLTEN OUT OF THE STONE. HE SEETETH AN END TO DARKNESS, AND SEARCHETH OUT ALL PERFECTION: THE STONES OF DARKENSS, AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH. Job made a connection and recognized that in the midst of his hardship and pain that he could equate his experience to the most precious stones which are formed and shaped from under the dirt – under the ground.
• Iron is taken out from under the earth
• Brass is molten out of stone captured beneath the ground
• The most precious stones are formed under the earth in darkness
Job went through some real hardships and pain during his life. He has made some headway towards solving the riddle of his life; namely, that AFFLICTION IS TO HIM AS THE REFINING FIRE IS TO GOLD. Job began to compare his afflictions to hitting “ROCK BOTTOM” if you will. That was about as low or as down as you could possibly feel. Every now and then I think about our forefathers and what they had to endure and go through. Because of their endurance, I and we as African-Americans can achieve and live in a country where we can exercise our freedom. I think about those that have come before me that paved the way for us and endured struggles, sorrows, heartaches, and pains. I can only imagine that they must have felt just like Job at times. They must have felt like they hit “Rock Bottom.” Well over two-hundred years being viewed and treated by the masses of society as though they were “LOWER THAN THE EARTH.”
We are a people that can relate to the words of Job that “IRON IS TAKEN OUT OF THE EARTH, AND BRASS IS MOLTEN OUT OF THE STONE. HE SEETETH AN END TO DARKNESS, AND SEARCHETH OUT ALL PERFECTION…” When the Holy Spirit lead me to this particular passage of Scripture as we consider and bring to a close a month long Celebration of Black History Month –my mind could not help but to travel back to an event that transpired and captured our attention all across the world in the small country of Chile.
Recall with me the events that transpired on the 5th day of August 2010. A cave-in occurred at the San José copper-gold mine in the Atacama Desert near Copiapó, Chile. The accident left 33 men trapped 2,300 ft below ground. The world was transfixed on those 33 miners that survived for 69-days underground. I am not sure about you but I could not imagine being in that type of condition and surviving for 69 days. As I consider Black History Month, the Scripture Text for examination and the events that unfolded in the Country of Chile - I began to see a correlation between the events and what we as African-Americans endured for 200+ years in America leading to this very moment in time.
Could you imagine your condition in life making you feel as though you are beneath the earth. But let me tell you my brothers and sisters as I consider what those Chilean Miners must have gone through, I can’t help but to make a connection and think back upon the History of African-American’s. There are times my brothers and sisters that God must bring us down before he can bring us up. When I consider the Saints of Old – God had to bring them low before he could bring them up.
• Job felt as though he lost it all – before God restored him
• Moses found himself on the back side of the Midian Desert – before becoming First Pastor of God’s people
• Joseph thrown in a pit – before saving God’s people
• Elijah running from Jezebel and saying God take my life – before double portion of his anointing was passed on
• Jeremiah weeping in a Dungeon – before restoration would come
• Paul knocked off his beast on the Road to Damascus and stood up blind – before he would write more than half of the NT
• Jesus in a borrowed tomb before He could be Resurrected and Reconcile mankind
There are GREAT LESSONS TO BE LEARNED when we find we are at our LOWEST STATE. There are some distinct things that had to happen with those miners that I can see in us when we feel we have been knocked down or feel we are at our Lowest.
• With those trapped miners, there was a purpose to being 2,300 ft below ground for 69-days
• The 69-days underground worked to their advantage not to their determent
• What was viewed as Negative would in actuality work to their Good
When we were at our LOWEST STATE, it is there that God is able to work with us and help us SHED the things of this world that we can become truly dependent upon Him. It is during the Hardships of Life that we learn how to lean and depend on the Lord. We no longer lean on PARENTS – JOB – EDUCATION – Sometimes lean on the wrong things – DRUGS – ALCOHOL.
• Capsule that would be used in an effort to rescue the miners in Chile would have to be limited in its circumference
• Only 21 inches across
• Miners would have to shed pounds in order to be able to fit in the capsule used to rescue them
• Limited amount of Water and Food over the course of the 69-days caused them to shed some things
Some of the greatest HYMNS and what we now refer to as the OLD 100’s – came from the time period when we seemed as though we were at our Lowest State – no rights in this Land at all.
• It is there that we learned to Lean on the Lord
• It is there we learned to shed the weight of this world
• It is there that God allowed us to be stripped bare
• It was there that we began to sing songs like SOON I WILL BE DONE WITH THE TROUBLES OF THIS WORLD
• It was there that we began to sing songs like NOBODY KNOWS THE TROUBLE I’VE SEEN
• It was there that we began to sing songs like GUIDE ME OH THOU GREAT JEHOVAH, PILGRIM THROUGH THIS BARREN LAND
• It was there that we began to sing songs like I LOVE THE LORD, HE HEARD MY CRY, AND PITIED MY EVERY GROWN
• It is there that God began to prepare us for our journey upward
I remember listening to some of the interviews from the miners in Chile. Some of them said during the interview while they were trapped underground – THEY MET THE DEVIL. They did not stop there, they went on to say they ALSO MET THE LORD. When we are at our lowest state, you better believe that the devil will be there to attempt to talk to us. Thanks be to God He is speaking to the Spirit man as well. Three of the Chilean Miners came up out of that Tomb and had given their lives to Christ – having given their lives to Jesus making Him their personal Lord and Savior!
• At our lowest state the devil will talk and tell you to take matters into your own hands
• At our lowest state the devil will tell you that Violence is the answer
• At our lowest state the devil will tell you to Hate those that Hate you
• At our lowest state God will also speak to us
• He will remind us that He did not bring us down to destroy us but to Perfect us
• At our lowest state God will tell us to March Peacefully
• At our lowest state God will tell us Non-Violence is the path to take
• At our lowest state God will meet us in the midst of Prayer Service
• At our lowest state God will help us design NON VIOLENT SOCIAL CHANGE
While the miners were trapped underground for 69-days we are told that something had happened to their VISION. By being in the relative dark for so long, it had a negative effect on their eyesight. The process of being underground for so long had caused them to become more sensitive to the light. In order to be rescued they were provided with designer sunglasses that they had to wear during the rescue process. After being underground with a lack of natural light, the light, once rescued, would have an effect on their eyes and therefore; their eyes had to be protected. We see here also that it is at our lowest state that OUR VISION CHANGES. We begin to see our situation so different, our Perspective begins to change.
• Our physical sight does not change but our spiritual sight
• WE WALK BY FAITH NOT BY SIGHT
• We begin to realize that we do walk in the spirit realm
• We begin to see God’s hand moving and working all around us
• While we are down, we become more sensitive to the Light of Christ
• It was when we had no rights, viewed in low estate that our spiritual vision changed
• This is why the songwriter wrote - WALK IN THE LIGHT, BEAUTIFUL LIGHT, COME WHERE THE DEW DROPS OF MERCY SHINE BRIGHT. SHINE ALL AROUND US BY DAY AND BY NIGHT, JESUS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
As I move closer to a close there are just two more things that I see that I want to share with you during this Black History Reflection. The background on one of the miners trapped below the surface revealed one had previously been a soccer star. He fell upon hard times and began to make some poor decisions. He found himself at the point in his life where he had left the stardom of the Soccer Field and had to work in the mines to provide care of his family. His situation now working in the mines looked very Bleak, appeared as though he had “HIT ROCK BOTTOM” if you will. While others were feeling sorry for him – probably talked pretty bad about him.
• God was doing something in him while he was low
• Even in the midst of what appeared to be a tragedy – God was working
• It disturbs me when I hear preachers proclaim – God is Getting Ready to do Something
• No matter what it looks like – God is always moving
• Although we could not see the Hand of God – He is moving in your situation
God was preparing that miner in the midst of his hardship, while the world watched. This miner who was a former Soccer Star would be restored and come out of that 69-day tomb as a multi-millionaire - BOOK DEALS – INTERVIEWS – MOVIE RIGHTS – STATE AND COMPANY PROVISIONS. God took him to what appeared to be a deep dark place to help restore him. I hear you Bishop – but what are you saying to us during this Black History Month? Although we arrived in this country by Ugly Circumstances, it seemed dark for centuries. We as African-Americans are well aware that we were enslaved and what we were taken from:
• Taken from Highly developed Black empires that existed in many parts of Africa, hundreds and even thousands of years ago, way before the onslaught of slavery exploitation in the late 1500’s
• Taken from a Land where our forefathers were Tribal Kings and Leaders
• Most are even unaware that we had our own Black Mecca right here in Oklahoma in the City of Tulsa – it was once referred to as BLACK WALLSTREET – area was terrorized and Burned to the Ground
Just when it looked like we were at our lowest point, just when it seemed like we were down for the count – GOD SAID NOW I WILL BRING YOU UP and restore you seven-fold. Just like Job when he was restored, he was blessed with double honor. Just when his friends said, Job, surely you have done something wrong. GOD SAID NOW I WILL BRING YOU UP and restore you.
• The sons that you lost – I will restore
• The daughters that you lost – I will restore
• The cattle that you lost – I will restore double
• Your health that was failing – I will restore
• I can hear Job proclaiming - IRON IS TAKEN OUT OF THE EARTH, AND BRASS IS MOLTEN OUT OF THE STONE. HE SEETETH AN END TO DARKNESS, AND SEARCHETH OUT ALL PERFECTION: THE STONES OF DARKENSS, AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH
Let me close this afternoon by sharing one final point with you. Right before the Capsule was sent down to begin lifting those 33-miners from the EARTHS BELLY – they were asked – IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT US TO SEND DOWN TO YOU BEFORE WE LIFT YOU OUT OF THE GROUND? I thought that was a very interesting question to ask these men that have been trapped for 69-days and certainly the trauma that must have come along with that experience. What would you have asked for?:
• Bucket of Fried Chicken
• Pitcher of Ice Cold Water
• Newspaper to catch up on what we have missed
• Picture of my family
• Bible to hold and read during this final leg of our rescue just in case something goes wrong
I thought their response was Strange at first glance. These miners did not ask for any of that. They asked TO BE SENT SOME SHOE POLISH. Think about that for just a moment. They had been in the DUSTY TOMBS OF MOTHER EARTH for 69 days. Shoes had to have been DUSTY and DIRTY. Of all the things to ask – you ask for Shoe Polish! The miners, in essence, were saying they were going to be lifted and rescued with a sense of dignity.
• I know the world has been watching and praying
• I know we have been in the dirt for 69-days
• I know that it has been somewhat dark and dusty
• But when we rise above the earth
• When we rise above our circumstance
• When we rise above our predicament
• We refuse to look like What we have been through these past 69-days
• WE DON’T LOOK LIKE WHAT WE’VE BEEN THROUGH
--Can’t you relate to this today?
--In spite of years of slavery
--In spite of being viewed as less than human
--In spite of having no voting rights
--Many not even allowed to learn how to read
--At the appointed time God said to us as a people - Now it is time to Lift you up
--God said You Have Been Down Long Enough – WHAT DO YOU NEED BEFORE I LIFT YOU UP
--I don’t know about you, but I believe somebody said - send us the opportunity to Preach and fellowship at Sooner Road Church of Christ – stand in the pulpit and feel the love of God’s people no matter what our culture and background
--I don’t know about you but I believe somebody said, Lord, send us to College and Universities
--I don’t know about you but I believe somebody said, Lord send us to be Generals, Majors and Captains
--I don’t know about you but I believe somebody said, Lord send us from the back of the bus to driving the bus
--I don’t know about you but I believe somebody said, Lord send us to be Judges, Doctors, Lawyers
--I don’t know about you but I believe somebody said, Lord send us to be Police Chiefs, Sheriffs, FBI Agents
--I heard somebody say Lord help us to go from the sweat of Building the WHITE HOUSE TO OCCUPYING WHITE HOUSE
WE DON’T LOOK LIKE WHAT WE’VE BEEN THROUGH
