The “Reverend” Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebration is here. I try not to refer to him as“Doctor” Martin Luther King Jr. because it does not reflect his ministry nor his calling. His doctoral degree was confirmed by man; his reverend status was called by God and recognized by man.

I don’t know when we stopped using “The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr.,” but I have noticed the title Reverend was dropped, and Doctor remained. Civil rights leaders have historically been Christian leaders as well. From Reverend John Brown, who raided Harper’s Ferry, to Minister Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” the struggle for freedom was always lead by a spiritual calling.

The plans for escaping the plantation were organized and led by the slave pastor. It was natural for Rev. King’s march-planning meetings to be held in local churches. Historically, on the plantation the only place black folks could gather without with owners present was the Sunday morning church service. Today most leaders claiming to be fighting for civil rights are ministers,such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Minister Louis Farrakhan.

The Underground Railroad was started by the Wesleyan and Quaker Church. Homes owned by Jews and Christian made up the safe-houses on the Underground Railroad, and many of the slave revolts were led by Christian slaves like Nat Turner and Denmark Vesey. So the pedigree of Christian leadership and the recognition of Gods’ guidance for liberty and freedom is well-established in this movement. So, why eliminate Reverend and highlight Doctor? Maybe there is an attempt to change the movement from Christian to worldly.

The slaves used Christian songs to communicate their plans to escape the plantation. Singing in the cotton fields made the work faster and easier. It provided a rhythmic cadence to keep the work moving, like an army marching in step keeps the troops moving. But the choice of song was often hiding a secret message: the plans of escape.

Therefore, as we memorialize this historical figure, let us also recognize what fueled his achievements. It was not his knowledge achieved in schools; it was a calling inspired by God the Almighty and led by the Holy Spirit. It was not his doctoral degree given by man; it was his spiritual leadership given by God.
Black people were not freed from bondage because of a political movement – it was a Christian movement. Those Union troops marched into battle singing “Glory, Glory Hallelujah, His truth is marching on” – and “His” truth was not that of Abraham Lincoln. This was recognizing God’s will in the freeing of the slaves. Long before the Emancipation Proclamation gave the Union a political reason to fight, Christian activists gave America a spiritual reason to fight.

It was the Rev. Henry Beecher who supplied arms to Kansas citizens in the fight to become a slave-free state. Beecher was a great influence on Abraham Lincoln, and so was his sister Harriett Beecher Stowe. Lincoln was quoted as saying that he thought there was “not upon record, in ancient or modern biography, so productive a mind, as had been exhibited in the career of Henry Ward Beecher.” These influences greatly impacted Lincoln’s steady hand in confronting slavery and preserving the Union.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was a preacher who saw an ungodly sickness in America. He recognized America could not continue successfully outside the will of God. Rev. King spoke to the conscience of America, and that moved America to change.

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s was simply a revival; the church changed America. Rev.Martin Luther King’s birthday is a great time for America to recognize the healing and freeing power of God. The message of King and the Civil Rights Movement has not changed, and we would be a better nation if we understood that real message.

During the King holiday Monday, let’s honor him by honoring his ministry. I will go out and enjoy an activity won by his struggle. Maybe I will go to the local movie theater in my hometown that would not allow blacks to take a seat, except the “black seats” in the back of the theater. Or I could just stay home where I live now, which was a white-only part of the county back then.

Black folks should celebrate the life of Rev. King by going to work. Don’t take a day off work. It was because of jobs he went to Memphis, April 4, 1968. It was his upholding the right to work that made him a target of the assassination. He had a job – it was to advocate for black jobs,and that is why I have always worked on Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

He has risen! Happy Resurrection Sunday to everyone. Today humanity celebrates victory over death. Jesus lived His life doing absolutely 100 percent good, harming no one, attacking no one,going against no one – and yet government officials and religious leaders were threatened by Him. They could not control Him, influence Him or use Him to their advantage. If He was the Son of God, it did not matter: His ministry was a threat to their power, income and status, so they conspired to end His life.

His victorious entry into Jerusalem by day was greeted with cheering citizens. He had spent 33 years among them, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind and bringing their loved ones back to life. He had fed thousands, and performed many miracles for them. They came out to celebrate … during the day.

At night those living in darkness took Him, tried Him, tortured Him and put Him to death. The next morning those civilians who had gone to sleep rose up to find their Jesus had been put to death. The enemy can only succeed if we are asleep, folks.

Religious leaders protecting their status and government officials who did not want the noise came out under the cover of darkness to do their deed because they are of darkness. They wanted to discredit Him and deflect any power left to His followers, but they were mistaken.

Nothing has changed today. Our religious and government leaders will sell out anyone who threatens their livelihood or credibility – even the Savior Himself. We should remember this is a“personal” relationship with Jesus Christ, not a group relationship. If your church does not follow Christ, leave that church. If your government passes laws requiring you to work against the teaching of Christ, work against that government.It was the Christian-Judeo values that gave us our freedoms. It was the knowledge that all men were created that gave us the courage to stand up to the government. It was belief in that Cross and empty tomb that conquered the world. Now we are facing a choice.

The choice is the same as it has always been: Do what we are called to do, or allow others to lead us. The obstacles we are facing are fake and illusions. They were as fake as Goliath or the walls of Jericho. They both were doomed to fail just as our obstacles are, once we stand up and show up.

Christians are the only folks in America discussing what they can and cannot say in public. We are afraid of offending someone with the truth. We are ashamed of the Gospel and the power it brings. How can a pastor not voice his opinion on politics? If I know what some sports figure,movie star or some college professor believes on the issues, why shouldn’t I know what my pastor thinks? Where in God’s creation can you restrict God? It is a foolish concept.

You cannot separate anything from God. There is no place God cannot go and no issues to which God does not have the answer. We cannot declare our freedoms without declaring who God is.There can be no draining the swamp, rebuilding our military, families or businesses without first rebuilding our personal individual faith.

If you believe the historical facts of the Resurrection, then you must show it. It will be offensive,it will be shocking, and you will be ridiculed. You are on the narrow path, so you really should have a narrow-minded point of view.

If the political ruling class attacked Jesus in the face of His miracles, if they conspired to kill Him in spite of witnessing Him walk on water and healing their sick, what chance do you have in being loved by the political ruling class of today? They cannot operate in darkness while you are spreading the light. Expect them to come against you. But like the Jordan River, they will part.

But also like the Jordan River, they will only part when your feet touch it, so start walking toward the obstacles.This Resurrection Sunday let us reflect. This is not about Easter bunnies, flowers or a great new hat to wear. This is not about family dinner or spring break. It is not about the spring renewal from the cold darkness of winter. It is about Him springing up and out of that tomb, restoring man back to God.

I am a political writer, speaker and lecturer, but if I do not start at the foot of the Cross,everything I say is useless noise. The roots of all of our political, social and economical problems can be traced to the ignorance of the Resurrection. As we try to rebuild our nation we must return to the foundation. So this season allow me to declare Resurrection Sunday! He has risen; we have been redeemed.

I know many are being told to give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give unto God what is God’s. But this Resurrection Sunday, let us all remember the truth. The Cross is bare, the tomb is empty. He has risen. Therefore, NOTHING belongs to Caesar anymore. All Caesar has left is a dusty lonely tomb. We have been redeemed by His blood, so it all belongs to us.