I Just Heard the News!
22 June 2022
Were you ever one of the LAST in a group to hear some juicy news?
Oftentimes, the news is joyous. New pregnancies, job offers, or engagements. Sometimes, the news is disheartening. The doctor calls with bad news or we hear of a dear friend’s hidden struggles. There is no award for hearing news first. But we can be startled to realize everyone else was in the loop before us.
Mrs. Charles Stephenson (Grace Murray), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Especially if the news is about US. The story gaining traction recently is how it took about 2.5 years for slaves in Texas to hear that they were free.
- On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Declaration. But this good news of freedom never got to the slaves in Texas.
- In April of 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. But the good news never made its way to the slaves in Texas.
- Two months later, in June of 1865, U.S. General Gordon Granger stood on Texas soil and read General Orders No. 3: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.” But this news didn’t make its way to ALL the 250,000 slaves in Texas. In fact, some enslavers withheld the good news of bondage’s end until after harvest season!
I don’t know about you, but I’m embarrassed to say that much of this history is news to me. Along with much of the nation, we’re learning about this particular story in world history’s celebration of freedom. For in 1866, a full 3.5 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, freedmen in Texas organized the first of what became the annual celebration of “Jubilee Day” on June 19. As Black people migrated from Texas to other states, the Juneteenth tradition spread. Texas was the first state in 1979 to make Juneteenth an official holiday and last year Juneteenth was marked as an official federal holiday.
One might argue the Christian journey and Juneteenth possess several commonalities. In weekly worship, we celebrate our FREEDOM in Christ. But as with the Emancipation Proclamation, for too many in history, this Christian good news has never been proclaimed to them. Like the American slaves of the middle 19th Century, they’ve never been told, to our shame.
Even for those blessed to grow up in this gospel culture of liberty in Christ, our human inclination is to resist the true freedom of grace with Christ in favor of the bondage of our own pride and false sense of control. Sometimes in worship we wisely “confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves.” We then profess 1 John 1.8-10, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. And the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
So, with Juneteenth celebrations a few days ago and July 4 festivities on the horizon, let’s embrace these two verses from God’s wisdom:
“If the son sets you free, you will truly be the children of liberty!” John 8.36
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Corinthians 3.17
Good news, indeed. True freedom. But, in the spirit of Juneteenth, let’s also dedicate ourselves to making sure EVERYONE hears it! So, they can start celebrating too. Romans 10.15 encourages us this way: “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” I’m sure a few slaves in 1865 Texas said that of General Gordon Granger when he announced their freedom. Maybe a few folks will say that of each of us as we spread the good news of the freedom available in Jesus!
Enjoying freedom with you,
Pastor Fritz
Let us pray.
Dear Lord, we repent of humanity’s tendency to try to dominate and restrict one another. But we rejoice whenever our country takes positive steps fostering life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all our citizens. Whether it’s Juneteenth or Fourth of July, use our celebrations to inspire us for continued efforts pursing justice and freedom. Send your Spirit upon us so that we are messengers of the most vital freedom of all—the freedom we enjoy in Christ’s sacrifice, resurrection, and grace! In Jesus’ name, Amen.