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The Song “To Be Young, Gifted and Black” was written by Nia Simone and her bandleader Irvine Weldon as an homage to Lorraine Hansberry, the “A Raisin in the Sun” playwright after her death in 1965.   In Matthew 19:13-15 Jesus pays homage to the young and gifted when he says “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”  

Pastor Marben in the third Black History Month sermons shares the teachings of Jesus about children and highlights the accomplishments of Olympic gold medalist Erin Jackson in a sermon entitled, “To Be Young Gifted And Black”. 

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Today’s Devotional:  Justice & Equity 

Psalm 99 is a hymn of praise of God’s holy and righteous rule.  In stanza 4 God is called a “Mighty King”, a lover of justice who has established equity in the execution of justice and righteousness.  

In the closing days of this year’s Black History Month, celebrated in the mist a pandemic that revealed more deeply than ever the racial divisions in this country.   

We should be dawned by the Psalmist reminder that we serve a righteous God who loves justice and has established equity.  Biblical references to the word “justice” mean “to make right.” Justice is, first and foremost, a relational term — people living in right relationship with God.  Equity is the impartial distribution of justice recognizing that we do not all start from the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments for the imbalances. 

Black History Month is an opportunity to have honest discussions about justice and equity. Recognizing that God’s will is for us to live as neighbors each in a righteous relationship with God where we make things right in justice and in equity making adjustments for the imbalances.  

 Praise God A Mighty King a lover of justice and equity. 

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The conventional things that kills everyone, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, kills Blacks more and at a faster rate than Whites.   Dr. Keith C. Ferdinand, MD, Gerald S. Berenson Professor of Medicine in Preventative Cardiology, joins Dr. Bland for a discussion of health disparities and how they are affecting people of color. 

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"Why Are They Uncomfortable?" is the second sermon of Pastor Marben Bland’s Black History Month Sermon Series.  Teaching from Luke 4:14-30 Pastor Marben talks about how God’s word can make us feel uncomfortable, along with the comfort that God’s truths can bring to all of us.   (Recorded: February 13, 2022)

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Superbowl Sunday is a day filled with hype.  We hype the food, we hype the parties, we hype the commercials and yes, we hype the game.  

Despite all the hype Superbowl, Sunday will be an uncomfortable day.   It will be an uncomfortable day for the players who will be injured playing a game for our entertainment.  It will be an uncomfortable day for the quarterbacks when the pass rush gets to them, and it will be an uncomfortable day for the team that loses. (Remember Falcon fans how uncomfortable you felt when the Patriots won!)

Jesus made the people of Nazareth, his boyhood home uncomfortable, as he told the truth that he was the Son of God the fulfillment prophecy that Good News would be preached, the brokenhearted would be healed, the blind shall see, the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors and that God is ready to give blessings to all who come to him.  These truths were so uncomfortable that folks in Nazareth, his boyhood home formed a mob and tried to throw him off a cliff. 

Laws have been proposed in Florida and other states aimed at making the teaching of uncomfortable truths about the African American experience illegal.  The reason teaching these truths would be outlawed is because it would make white folks feel uncomfortable.  

A pass rush, losing the Superbowl, teaching the truth about the origins of America are things that bring discomfort.  

The Word of God can bring discomfort because the Word all by itself is convicting, penetrating deep causing the uncomfortable but necessary change that will give us comfort because we are in God’s perfect peace.   

10:00 AM ET Tomorrow at Greater Saint Peter we continue our Black History month sermons as we explore Luke 4:14-30 in a teaching entitled: Why Are They Uncomfortable.   

I want to thank everyone who responded to the request I made on Thursday.  If you would like to give Sister Cheryl Glover is available to receive your gift to Greater Saint Peter.  Call her at 678 910 9140.  Thanks in advance for sowing into our ministry.   

Until tomorrow at 10:00 AM ET Blessings, Peace and Love 

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Pastor Marben answers the question; Why We Study Black History by looking at John 1:43-46 and sharing how the rejection of Jesus can give us motivation in telling our history.   

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John 1:43-51 describes the calling of Philp and Nathanael by Jesus.  

As the Superbowl approaches folks in Cincinnati and Los Angeles have taken great pride in being from there and having their teams in the Big Game.  Philp and Nathanael took great pride in being from the city of Bethsaida. They thought that being from Bethsaida made them superior.   They believed in their superiority so much that despite learning that Jesus was the one written about by Moses and spoken about by the prophets.  Jesus was dismissed by Philip and Nathanael because he was from Nazareth instead of Bethsaida.  So, secure in his superiority Nathanael commented about Jesus saying, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

America in its laws, actions, and attitudes has been saying “can any good thing come from black people?”  

This drumbeat of negativity, discrimination, and hostility can eat at the strongest of black people making us feel worthless.   

We study Black History to remind ourselves that we are great people with a history worthy of study. No history of America is complete without a study and celebration of the achievements of African Americans.

We study Black History to examine not only our successes but also to remember the times when our nation failed to live up to its creed that all people are created equal.  We study Black History because we must pass our story on to the next generation of young, gifted, and back children who will continue to blaze a trail of greatness in an America that will do everything it can to stop their greatness. 

Come and join us tomorrow at Greater Saint Peter as we learn more from John 1:43-51 in a sermon entitled Why We Study Black History.  Our service starts at 10:00 AM we worship safely in person at 9540 Fayetteville Road in Jonesboro, Georgia. You can also catch us on Facebook at GSP9540.  So, until tomorrow, Blessings, Peace, and Love. j

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In 1968, “Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing” became a number one smash hit for the duet of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.  Written by the iconic husband and wife team of Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson, the song extols the virtues of and defines real love as an in-person encounter.  

The “real thing” of in-person love is counter to love that is long-distance in nature. So, the question must be asked is the love of couples separated for any number of reasons the “real thing”?  Or is the real thing only in-person love?  

This tension of what is the real thing is at the heart of Ash Wednesday and the text we explore today from Matthew Chapter 6.   Jesus slams the Pharisees and other Jewish authorities saying, “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:1)  

Jesus goes on to define real faith as acts done in private: when you give to the needy, donate privately (vv. 2–4); when you pray, pray privately (vv. 5–6); when you fast, or abstain do it privately (vv. 16–18). 

How can this text that implores private acts of righteousness square with the very visible and public act of faith we do on Ash Wednesday? With the very visible imposition of ashes placed on the forehead along with the very public fasting of Lent. 

Jesus understands this tension between public and private acts of faith. He resolves this question on the cross.  The crucifixion of Jesus was a public act of faith and it had to be.  We had to see the nails being put in his hands. We had to see the crown of thorns being placed on his head. We had to see the suffering. We had to see Jesus die, we had to see him taken to the grave.  

We had to see this authentic act of faith so that we can practice authentic acts of faith in private most of the time or in public on days like today Ash Wednesday. 

The song “Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing” concludes with the lovers Marvin and Tammi proclaiming that they as so glad they got the “real thing”.   On this Ash Wednesday, as we enter 40 days of meeting the test of forging a more intimate relationship with God.  Let us rejoice that we got the real thing in Jesus.  

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This week I have been thinking and praying about the notion of being overwhelmed.  The pandemic has shown us the increasing, demanding, and complex challenges of our lives. Our typical response to these demands is to work harder, rather than to step back and figure out a better way to work. 

In leading the Israelites Moses, had a complex, demanding and difficult job.  Moses was assigned the task of serving as a judge for the people, interpreting God’s law, and solving distributes.  However, this work took a tremendous toll sitting as Israel’s only judge Moses spent all day setting cases.   

Watching all of this was Moses’ father-in-law Jethro concerned that both the Israelites and Moses will be completely worn out.  He urged Moses to select capable trustworthy men to serve as judges.  Spreading the work getting other people involved became a lifesaver for Moses and a life-giver for the Israelites.   

Finding a few good men is the Biblical solution to the secular problem of our complex times.  God wants to make the complex simple, but the solution is not limited to having men around.  Think of the word “men” as a metaphor for God’s will for us not to be overwhelmed.  Meaning that we serve a God who will bring us the peace that passes all understanding.  Bringing people, resources, technologies, and more produces relief to our hectic lives.  

The Sons of Allen of the African Methodist Episcopal are a group of men worthy of Jethro’s call.  These capable and trustworthy men ease the burden of church life.  Serving in the church in every capacity The Sons of Allen can be counted on to always be there eliminating the feeling of being overwhelmed that has only intensified within our churches during the pandemic. 

Tomorrow 10:00 AM at Greater Saint Peter the Sons of Allen will lead our services as I preach the Good News from Exodus 18: 13-26 in teaching entitled A Few Food Men.  We worship safely in the sanctuary at 9540 Fayetteville Road in Jonesboro or Facebook at GSP9540.    So, until tomorrow, Blessings, Peace, and Love

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Do you feel overwhelmed?  Do you feel helpless, because you know that you are the only one who can do what needs to be done?  Whatever the task is you know that it cannot be done without you.  It does not matter if you are overwhelmed the burden is yours and yours alone.  

In the 18th chapter of Exodus Moses was overwhelmed.  As the Israelites languished in the wilderness they fussed and fought among themselves.  Leaving Moses and Moses alone to settle the disputes resulting from the fussing and fighting.  He did the settling from morning to night. 

Moses was overwhelmed and he did not even know it!  However, his father-in-law Jethro saw that not only Moses was overwhelmed but the Israelites were overwhelmed as well.  

Like Moses, many of us are overwhelmed and don’t even know it.  And perhaps many don’t know that we serve a God that can take away our being overwhelmed.  We serve a God that can bring ideas people and even electronic tools into our lives to help us with the work that has so overwhelmed us. 

But more importantly, God will bring the peace that surpasses all understanding a peace that will overwhelm whatever is overwhelming us.  A peace that brings joy to our life and productivity to the tasks that previously overwhelmed us.  God will do this because we trust know and believe that the battle that has overwhelmed us is not ours it is the Lord.  

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