Epiphany Series 4 - How Now Shall We Live?

 Epiphany IV
Jan 29, 2023
Fr. Phil Eberhart

 

How Now Shall We Live?

 

 

Have you ever considered Newsweek a prophetic source?

 

Let me quote...

 

”Every age has its illusions. Ours has been this fervent belief in the

power of prosperity. Our pillars of faith are now cracking about us. We

are discovering that we cannot, as we had once supposed, create

prosperity at will... Worse, we are learning that even great amounts of

prosperity won’t solve all our social problems. Our Good Society is

disfigured by huge blemishes: entrenched poverty, persistent racial

tension, the breakdown of the family, and staggering budget

deficits. We are being rudely disavowed of our vision of the future.

The result of a deep crisis of spirit that fills American’s growing self-

doubt, cynicism with politics, and confusion about our global role.”

 

Any wild guesses on when that was written?

 

March, 1992!

 

 

Moral leadership is rare today! 3 or 4 decades ago, the then Secretary of Health and Human Services called for a “renewed sense of personal

responsibility,” in a lecture at Yale University. He spoke about

America’s unwise choices concerning morality and our national

sense of values. There was a “diminishing confidence in our

willingness and ability as a society and individuals to make sound

judgements about healthy human behavior and lifestyles.”

 

He urged the University to work towards a revitalized “culture of

character.” a return to old-fashioned values: “self-discipline,

integrity, responsibility for one’s actions, perseverance, moderation,

commitment to serve others.”

 

Does that sound familiar? Does it ring any bells for us as The Church?

 

Perhaps we, first of all, should BE the change we want to SEE! 30 plus

years on, we are further down the rabbit hole than ever before. The

words of Paul from Romans 1 ring in our ears with amazing loudness and clarity today...

 

“... because they thought it was worthless to embrace the true

knowledge of God, God gave them over to a worthless mind-set, to

break all rules of proper conduct.

Although they are fully aware of God’s laws and proper order, and

knowing that those who do all of these things deserve to die, yet they

still go headlong into darkness, encouraging others to do the same

and applauding them when they do!”

Romans 1:28 & 32 TPT

 

Friends, it seems the more the world changes, the more it stays the same.

These words of Paul’s were about 1^st century Rome! Not Chicago or LA,

or New York or Denver! But we’re there ... we’re here, today, in a

culture that is fulfilling the worst that we can be! Our ambition is upside

down and inside out! We’re flying upside down at night. We’ve lost our

bearings! We’re on a course for a fiery crash into our consequences!

 

So what do we do? As Francis Schaeffer asked, “How Shall We Now Live? “

I think the answer presented in this “Letter to the American Church” is for us to look at Bonhoeffer or to an Anglican examble, Sir William Wilberforce.  Have you seen the movie, “Amazing Grace?”  There is a scene there in which Wilberforce goes to his mentor, John Newton, Slave ship captain, now become priest in the CofE.  Wilberforce is struggling with his call to politics over that of the priesthood, and to his destiny of helping England deal once and for all with the slave trade.

The call to be involved in the political system for Wilberforce was a holy calling, no less that that of John Newton to the humble station of a priest. 

Likewise we must discern what God is calling us to DO in the face of our present societal ills.  Will we stand up?  Will we say, “NO?”

Bonhoeffer tells us that the Church is the conscience of a society, of a state.  How do we live that out?  Write letters to congress-people; sign petitions; make calls?   How many do even that?  Come with me to the State House for a day or even a few hours of prayer.

Attend the local school board where you live.  Listen to what is being said, what is being talked about, what is being taught in our elementary, middle and high schools. 

You parents may need to find an alternative to public education.  We’re already talking about that with our kids about a 2 ½ year old grand-daughter and an unborn grandson!  Any day now!  As a grandparent you may have to put your money where your mouth is.  Turn over a 401-K for a couple years of education in a Charter or Private school.

I know that the one thing that Wilberforce brought to the table was his willingness to be tenacious in his cause.  That is in fact the single quality that has been of use in the decline of our society – The other side is tenacious!  Wilberforce came back with a new bill, every year – year after year after year.  Tenacity and perseverance is what gives power in the realm of politics.  Interestingly, it also gives power to us.  To The Church. 

And the other prominent feature is Single-minded Unity.

Like the builders of the Tower of Babel in the Old Testament, the Lord saw that they were unified by one language, and He noted that “Nothing shall be impossible to them.” 

 The unified use of language is our third arena of power in the culture.  We see that in a “controlled-narrative” in today’s news media.  Language is used to create reality. Lies are repeated until they become “truth.”  Usually truth that is hollow; truth that has no substance in it – no reality behind it. You can literally “see through it.”  If you take the time to look.

 I would recommend a cursory read of the book, “1984” by George Orwell.  Eerily it rings in our ears, as we look up from the book and watch the evening newscast, or listen to the White House Press secretary briefings.  Orwell only missed it by about 25 years, cause we’ve been at this for at least 25 years now.

 Let me close with another quote, from Metaxas’ book:  In his next to the last chapter, titled “Religionless Christianity,” Metaxas says “we need a true and a deep Christianity, one that is not merely “religious,” one that does not lie to God [like Adam and Eve] with “fig leaves” of theological statements and creeds, but that understands that we are to live out our faith with every atom of our being with every second we have on this earth, and with every breath God gives us to breathe.

 He concludes the chapter with these words:

 “We need to act as though Truth is a Person who knows no bounds, who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, and who died that we who are the crowns of God’s creation might at last live in true freedom, with the authority He gave us when He died and rose from the grave!”

 

Let us pray:

 

a prayer of self-dedication                     William Temple

 

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.