Father's Day - Hope in the Midst

Today... Father's Day 2020... has been called by some prophetic voices a day like unto the Battle of Gettysburg.

Many of you - I hope all - are aware that we have been and are engaged in a spiritual battle for the soul of our nation and our world. Forces are lined up on either side, arrayed in the garments of battle, and standing ready to engage. I hope you understand the call that we have as believers in Jesus in this hour! Paul warns us to dress for the battle and to be ready and willing to stand -- to stand together, to fight side by side and back to back. No provision is made for retreat in our calling to this day! Our ACNA motto seems eerily prophetic and ultimately hopeful: FORWARD! ALWAYS FORWARD! EVERYWHERE FORWARD!!

I want to be clear that our weapons are not physical but spiritual! Politics and politicians are a vain hope, as we discovered this week from our Supreme Court! We cannot trust in flesh or fleshly answers to problems that are spiritual in nature. Posting the latest meme or political statement on Facebook is not the answer. We are in a spiritual war, and the quicker we settle in our hearts and minds that we're IN, the quicker the victory will come!

Victory is coming! Jesus wins! But we are the ground game in the day to day battles of this war!

Our scriptures this morning are depressing, almost as depressing as the news these days!

Jeremiah laments his call as a prophet;

David laments his call as a king, still without a throne, and living in caves! Up to his eyeballs in the flood.

Oh, and the Gospel's promise of persecution! Oh boy... I can hardly wait! This isn't what I signed up for! Is it?

Have you felt like that this week?
I have! If it's not one thing it's another!
COVID:
Race Riots and division in our nation:
Betrayal by appointed judges!
An actual real flood of our own to deal with!
Heath challenges; mounting bills;
no end in sight!

Are you still with me?

So is there hope in the fray? It's Father's Day... I need some Good News!

Listen to these rays of light we've already also heard today...

From Jeremiah 20:11
But the LORD is with me like a dread warrior; Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, with an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten.

From David
Psalm 69:13
But as for me, my prayer is to You, O LORD, at an acceptable time; O God, in the greatness of Your lovingkindness, Answer me with Your saving truth.

V.15
May the flood of water not overflow me nor the deep swallow me up,
Nor the pit shut its mouth on me.

V. 16. Answer me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good; According to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me,

V.17And do not hide Your face from Your servant, For I am in distress; answer me quickly.

And Paul's hope-filled declaration in Romans 5:17

"For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

V. 20 b... where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And from our Master and Commander, Jesus Christ:

Matthew 10:20
“For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

26
“Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
27 “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.

Do Not Fear... Jesus says it three times in this passage!
Do not Fear....
DO ... NOT... FEAR!!
Any questions?

Friends... Fellow warriors in the Lord's Army, here are the marching orders for these days!

1. This is the Lord's battle! HE IS THE DREAD WARRIOR, THE MASTER AND COMMANDER OF ALL HEAVEN'S ARMIES.

2. Though waters rise and rise and rise, we're not going to be overwhelmed! Why? Because of the GREATNESS OF HIS OVERFLOWING, ABUNDANT... NO... SUPER-ABUNDANT COMPASSION AND UNFAILING LOVE TOWARDS US, HIS CHILDREN!

3. His Kingdom and We in His Kingdom will REIGN -- we're destined to be the ones who bring the Kingdom in its fullness! We're the ones who get to be the answer to the Lord's Prayer: THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN!

This is a battle of the Kingdoms! Now, hear me...

IT IS YOUR FATHER WHO SPEAKS IN AND THROUGH YOU TO EXECUTE THE LEGISLATIVE DECREES OF GRACE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, OF PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.

OF OVERFLOWING GRACE, A FLOOD OF A DIFFERENT KIND!

OF SUPER-ABUNDANT GRACE- MORE THAN WE CAN ASK OR IMAGINE, IT WILL FLOW INTO AND OUT FROM US INTO THE WORLD AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING US.

As we open our mouths, let the Lord God of Heaven fill them with His Truth by His Spirit. Let Him give you words, verses, language to speak out. To SHOUT IT FROM THE HOUSETOPS! Do not be silent! But wait on Him for His Word, not yours! Now more than ever we need to heed the admonition of St. Peter in his 1st letter... chapter 4...

V.10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so  as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving  by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

It is the glory of God's People to execute His Word in our world, in our work, in our neighborhood, in our homes and families. Speak it out! Speak His Word -- Out Loud! Make the air move, by the Power of His Spirit, His Ruach ha Kodesh! It will change things!

Let's pray ... please repeat aloud after me this prayer from Acts 4:

Lord our God, Sovereign King of the Universe;

It is You who MADE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH...

AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM,

By the Holy Spirit,  through David Your servant, You said,

‘WHY DO THE NATIONS RAGE,

AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?

‘THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TAKE THEIR STAND,

AND THE RULERS ARE GATHERED TOGETHER

AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.’

Now, Lord, take note of their threats,

and grant that Your bond-servants

may speak Your Word with all boldness,

while You extend Your hand to heal,

and signs and wonders take place

through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”

Amen.