October 30, 2022
Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4
Introduction
In a recent issue of the publication Homiletics, editor Stan Purdem shares insights about our text for today with what he calls, “Not a perfect analogy, but one that helps explain the prophet Habakkuk’s circumstances.”
Purdem writes, “Imagine you are a citizen of Ukraine back before anyone has any idea Russia is going to invade your country. As a follower of God, you notice some things in your society that trouble you—fast dealing and unjust actions by some of your fellow citizens taking advantage of other people, and getting away with it. So, you pray, saying, ‘Lord, how long are you going to let this go on, with bad people making good people suffer?’ And then God answers saying, ‘They aren’t going to get away with it for long. Russian troops are coming, and they will disrupt everything.’ You are thunderstruck! ‘Oh no, Lord! Why would you allow a country that is worse than ours to invade us?’”
Purdem then admits at the time his piece was written we still don’t know how Russia’s war against Ukraine will end, but goes on saying, “If you substitute Judah for Ukraine and Babylonians for Russia, you basically have the prophet Habakkuk’s circumstances.” Again, not a perfect analogy, but it helps explain Habakkuk’s circumstances.
The Judahites were not living up to the covenant with God and were mistreating others, and Habakkuk wanted God to intervene. But when God told him the Babylonians were marching against Judah, Habakkuk was overwhelmed with dismay. The prophet had wanted God to turn up the heat on the Judahite wrongdoers, but not dump them out of the frying pan and into the fire. As Habakkuk put it, “Why would you look at the treacherous or keep silent when the wicked swallows one who is more righteous?”
And just to be clear, Purdem writes, “I’m not suggesting the Ukrainians were doing wrong or God had inspired Putin to attack Ukraine. But the dismay of the Ukrainians over Russia’s actions is not unlike Habakkuk’s alarm regarding the Babylonian aggression in his day.”
All of this takes place in the first chapter of the book of Habakkuk. Then as Chapter 2 opens, the prophet describes himself as standing at a watch post, meaning he is waiting for God’s answer to why God would allow the Babylonian bad guys to overrun Judahite who though themselves weren’t perfect, they surely didn’t deserve this.
And God does respond, but not with an answer—for God does not explain God’s actions. However, God does give Habakkuk the assurance that he and the Judahites can continue, even in the face of the unthinkable—in this case an invading army—saying to Habakkuk the single most important statement to his question, “The righteous live by their faith.” Habakkuk is to write down these words of God, put them “upon tablets so that a runner may read…” because God wants everyone—from Judah to today—to know the righteous live by their faith…and when they do it makes all the difference in the world.
Move 1
Today is Consecration Sunday. That day when we have to “talk turkey” as the expression goes. The day when all are asked to think of a number, an amount, we will write down and give to the church as a pledge of how much “turkey” we will give to the church in the coming year. It’s not a contract. There are no legalized commitments being made. Anyone can put down any amount, and if that amount has not been given come December 31st, 2023 I am not going to come knocking on your door before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, demanding an arm or a leg or your first born child. I might drop off my first and second born children so Julie and I can ring in the New Year kid free—but that would be it!
But in all seriousness, Consecration Sunday is always one of those tenuous and awkward days. It’s the conclusion of a weeks-long campaign of intentional messages that hopefully convey reasons why a generous and faithful pledge to First Christian Church is indeed warranted.
And what’s tenuous about it for me is that for a very long time I have seen this day as a litmus test. And in some ways it is. A church’s pastor is among the church’s primary and tangible focal points. But that’s problematic because 1.) There is so much more to a church than its pastor, and 2.) If a person doesn’t like the pastor… Well, we all know how that plays out. Not here of course though! Never! No one has ever left this church because they grew to not like me. And if you believe that I’ve got a great bridge or swamp land somewhere to sell you.
But pastoral presence and practice aside, there is another layer of awkward tension at work on a day like today. And it’s making a difference. Just not in the way any of us here today would hope for.
Move 2
Philanthropy has changed in America. In 2013 Americans returned to the same level of giving that was reached in 2007—$335 billion dollars—a statistic according to the organization Giving USA. The 2008 recession took its toll in all types of economic manners, and the toll on charitable giving took five years to recover.
However, the news for the type of philanthropy called “giving to religion” was not nearly as positive. In 2008 gifts to “religion” in relation to all charitable giving amounted to 35%. In 2013 this amount fell to 31% — the lowest ever recorded for the “giving to religion” category.
Overall, in the last two years, charitable giving has increased throughout the philanthropic world, with growth seen in every single category except “giving to religion.” Secular charities like education, health, arts, environment, United Way, and so on, have all shown increases. Only “giving to religion” has failed to advance. Again, this according to the Giving USA annual report on philanthropic giving.
Take a longer look and you can see an even dimmer trend when it comes to “giving to religion.” Within the last half century religion held around 60% of the charitable giving market share. Today it is at 31%. “Giving to religion”, in ratio, receives half the charitable dollars to what it got 40 years ago.
Which means, for the last 40 years, the Church has been facing what was, for generations, the unthinkable: Trying to make a difference in the world, with less. Less people. Less resources. Less interest. Less belief. Less credibility.
Like Habakkuk and the Judahites, today’s Church is facing the unthinkable, and when we ask God why is this happening… just like God said to Habakkuk, God says to us…“The righteous live by their faith.”
Move 3
In today’s world, everyone has to be calculated in how we spend, save, and give every dollar we are blessed with. We need to be incumbent in how we use our resources, with one eye on today, and another on the future. And listen to voices today about what is likely to come tomorrow, we realize we must be even more incumbent in how we spend, save, and give. Which means we can’t miss, can we? We can’t miss spend. We can’t miss save. And we can’t miss give.
I want you to know… I get this. No one is more aware of this truth than pastors —especially pastors of small churches. Trust and faith in the Church has been eroding; interest has been waning; scandal and judgement has been revealed; and the overall institution—flawed as it is—has been experiencing a type of shock and awe not unlike Habakkuk and the Judahites.
Times are tough for the Church, which means the Church has had to come to the realization that people are saying loud and clear—the church is not being chosen for their charitable dollars. And they’re saying this because for many, at best, the Church is a meaningful fellowship that is valued and they want to see maintained. Yet many more are saying, “We want to make the world a better place to live, we want to believe we can truly make a difference in the world for the better—but we don’t think the Church is that kind of difference maker.” People want to be part of something that changes lives. And many don’t think the Church does so anymore. But we know differently, don’t we? I hope we do
For weeks now we have heard how First Christian Church has been making a difference. We continue to drive our mission of working to keep people from going hungry—especially children. We continue to live into our call of being a 21st century church that effectively offers multiple ways to connect with and draw closer to the Divine, whether in this sanctuary or across any number of miles. And we continue to hear God’s call to live as those who genuinely reflect the ways of Christ in our everyday lives.
And why do we do this? Because no matter what, no matter how hard things get, no matter how much adversity comes, “The righteous live by their faith.” Difference makers live by their faith.
Conclusion
Our society tells us repeatedly there is trouble on the horizon—some form of Babylonian incursion is coming. And that may be true. But God is telling us, always, when we live by faith then nothing will be able to keep us from becoming all God is calling us to be, and accomplishing all God is calling us to do.
And God is always calling each of us to be difference makers in any way we can— through a pledge, a commitment, a word of hope, a presence of a comfort, an act of compassion, an invitation of love.
So may we be incumbent in what and how we give to God. But let us do so with the belief that God, and us, are making a difference today, and we will make a difference tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, and the next… For that is what God has made us all… Difference Makers. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer, October 30, 2022
God of power and might, you know how so often worry and anxiety about tomorrow can overwhelm us—and so often for good reasons, reasons that are real, for there are challenges always looming.
Even so, you call us to greatness and life. You call us to rise above the challenges of life and living. You even call us to believe in life after death.
Lord God, you promise to protect us, yet we do not always believe that promise.
Lord God, you show us the way to abundant and fulfilled living, yet we often want to go our own way.
But, Lord God, we know you keep loving us. Your Spirit is always near, ready to guide us and fill us with confidence, hope, and peace.
So we pray you comfort our worried and anxious minds and hearts, and remind us in new and powerful ways of the meanings and promise of a life filled with faith, that through you all things are possible.
We pray you calm our spirits and fill us with assurance and hope that no matter the struggle or challenge, you will always be there to see us through.
Holy and ever-present God, we are your children and we know you meet us in each new day, where we are and how we are. And we cannot even begin to imagine where we would be without you.
May we know today, and always, your promise of life eternal, your assurance that you will be with us always, even to the end of the age.
And may these promises renew our faith each day, filling us with strength and courage to be the people and church that lives not by worry and anxiety, but by faith in you, the one who holds all your children in the palm of your hand.
Now Lord, we lift to you the prayers within our hearts, to you, in this time of Holy Silence.
We pray all this, in the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior, who taught us to pray saying, “Our…”