I Was Pharaoh’s Bondsman

Text: Deuteronomy 6:20-21

Pastor Durham spoke to us today from Deuteronomy 6:20-21. The title of the sermon was “I Was Pharaoh’s Bondsman.” Pastor hinted that this was part one of a two part series. The lesson gave us insight on our heritage as African Americans, and emphasized the importance of our people not forgetting the struggles of our ancestors.

Some people don’t understand the importance of talking about our history. Why do we need to talk about Africa, slave ships, and civil rights? Pastor taught us that it is very important for us to remember our Black history, for if we don’t, we may repeat it. Besides the history of our race, there are other types of history that all people need to be mindful of. For example, one needs to know their family medical history. It lets you know what to look out for concerning personal health trends, because you may have certain diseases or conditions that you are predisposed to since they may “run in the family.” Make sure your children know about their Black history also.

God doesn’t want us to forget either. He thinks history is important, too. In the text, Moses said for his people to tell their sons the redemption story. Tell them the purpose behind the statutes, or laws, that the Lord gave Moses. The 10 Commandments were given to Moses for him to give them to the people. God thought it was important for his people to recognize and remember their past.

Some act ashamed; some don’t call it Black history. But it’s who we are. We should be proud of it. In order to remember our struggle, God has given our people things to remember it by. Black people worship differently than any other race. We worship with spiritual creativity. Our worship represents the pain of our ancestors’ oppression. As a people, we aren’t supposed to be here. Other races planned our fate a little differently. Our worship came out of that climate. It’s much more spirited and creative than that of other cultures. We converted oppression into poetry and our fears into hymns of praise.

Many have tried to capture the spirit of the Negro church, but without having gone through the pain of our ancestors, it’s impossible. An entire race of people have shown their methods of assimilation, turning sorrow into expressions of longsuffering. As we celebrate Black history, this is just one of the many things that make the bond between the Negro church and the Lord a unique one.

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