Sixth Sunday of Pentecost
July 4, 2021
Fr. Phil Eberhart
God … Bless America?
Welcome to the 4th
of July! I hope that you are planning to
celebrate America today somehow. I want
to take these moments this morning to urge you to do more than have beer and
brats this afternoon or watch fireworks tonight.
I think that many today feel that we are a
nation on the brink – we are in a moment of decision; a moment of destiny in
many ways. I guess the question for me
is, ‘What are we on the brink of?
The service this morning is a
strange mix of patriotism in the music for the 4th and the amazingly
appropriate words from Scripture that were just read. I felt it was almost a set up! As I often do, when the lections; the
readings match so amazingly, what we actually NEED to hear that day!
Turn in you bulletin to
Ezekiel. He was being called as a
prophet to Israel – called to stand and listen and then to speak what he
heard. The prophet’s job was not easy in
Israel – just as it isn’t easy today.
Jesus discovered opposition in his own hometown in our gospel; Ezekiel found it in the very nature of the
calling and in the place to which he was called! Paul found the difficulties that accompanied
his calling had a purpose: “to keep
me from being too elated.” We’re
never sure what Paul’s thorn was, but his life was never an easy one, as he
brought the Words of Life and Light to the Gentiles.
If you have Ezekiel in hand, look
with me at his call:
1. Stand up…
in other words ATTENTION!!
2. Listen!!
… for God’s Words, not yours.
3. Speak
only what you hear God say, not what you think should be said…
4. Brace
yourself !! They’re not going to like it
!!
If we hear one message
through our readings this morning it’s STAND / LISTEN / SPEAK.
STAND
In our day, perhaps as much
as at the beginning of our nations history, we are being called on to STAND FOR
SOMETHING.
This nation was not founded as
a White Supremacist Experiment. In fact
just the opposite is true. It was an
experiment in freedom – it IS an experiment in FREEDOM! But freedom isn’t free. It’s never been free!
Our founders had to STAND. They had to put an end to tyranny by standing
for freedom and defending it with their very lives.
But what they stood for wasn’t
some selfish, individualistic goal of personal gain or profit at the expense of
others – it was standing FOR the OTHERS.
Just listen: "We hold these truths to be
self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and
the pursuit of Happiness. … [and at the very end:] And for the support of this Declaration, with
a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to
each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."
We
are being called to STAND.
LISTEN
There
was a group of leaders in the days before the revolutionary war and before the
declaration of independence, and the bill of rights and the constitution that came
to be called THE BLACK ROBED REGIMENT.
These
men were the pastors and leaders of the colonies at that time. They were the ones who spoke of freedom and
the necessity of a revolution in their day.
The name was given them by the British, in recognition of their strong
opposition to the crown and their eloquent influence on both people and leaders
in the days coming up to the war of independence.
The
Black Robed Regiment were not speaking their opinions – they were speaking the Word
of God. And their words made their way
into these documents we celebrate on this day.
Like
them, today we must LISTEN to the Word of God and speak accordingly to the
seats of power in our land. For far too
long the American Church has been asleep, lulled into a stupor by luxury,
apathy and greed. We must Stand again,
Listen to God and speak His truth into our culture today…
SPEAK
The
time for silence has gone! The Church
and the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only hope that we have as a
nation today. The Church is God’s Plan
A, and there is no Plan B!!
Ezekiel,
Paul and Jesus all had opposition to their messages and ministry in their days –
and we are promised the same! Do Not
Fear!
On
this 4th of July, as we celebrate our past and the founding of this
nation, we must remember where we have come from and look carefully to where we
are going!
Silence
is no longer an option – it’s really never been one!
In
the words of the Psalmist this morning we pray:
Unto you
I lift up my eyes, * you who are enthroned in the heavens.
Even so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, * until he
show us his favor.
And
with Paul’s confession:
“My grace
is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will
boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may
dwell in me.
There is a destiny appointed to our nation, and
today that destiny depends on us, “We The People”. We must Stand, Listen and Speak.
May God help us, and May God Bless America,
Again.
Let us pray:
God… bless America, land that I love.
Stand beside her and guide her,
through the night with a light from above.
From the mountains to the prairies,
to the oceans white with foam…
God… bless America, my home sweet home,
Oh God… bless America, our home sweet home.
In the Name of Jesus the Christ and for His
glory.
Amen
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