Beulahland Bible Church in Macon wrapped up its Black History Month services Sunday with a sermon delivered by the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Before starting his sermon, Macon Mayor Robert Reichert presented Sharpton with a key to the city and State Rep. Nikki Randall and U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop presented proclamations for the reverend.

“I’m certainly honored with all the presentations, but I come to preach. I’ll deal with other issues at the appropriate time and I will at the appropriate time,” Sharpton said.

“The mayor gave me a key to the city so I can come and deal with anything I want when I get ready,” he said to a thunderous applause.

Sharpton’s lesson to the congregation was from the book of Joshua 1:5 -- “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

Sharpton said the scripture should be a constant reminder that what blacks have been through in history -- from slavery to the first black president -- is a testament that God is always working to help those in the struggle.

“If you’re down, get up. ... Don’t accept being down. Don’t act like it’s the black thing to be down ... and don’t look for the person who knocked you down to help you up,” he said.

“We can get through this mess. We used to sleep in slave houses now we’re sleeping in the White House.”

Sharpton, a civil rights activist and television and radio talk show host, ran for president in 2004.