Through Slackness The Rafters Sag
Ecclesiastes 10:16-20
This morning some of you might not like my topic. Some of you might go away from here upset that I have dared speak on this subject in the church. But I want to assure you that as sure as I am standing here today I believe God put this message on my heart. I have never and will never preach from this pulpit a message that I do not believe He inspired in me. This week I had another message already started when I felt led to this topic. So though I do not apologize for the topic I apologize ahead of time for any offense I may cause.
With that said look with me at what Solomon said ¡V Woe to you O land, whose king is self-willed and destitute of virtue. That is a real paraphrase of what Solomon is trying to say. But blessed is the land whose king is noble and virtuous.
Only a few weeks remain before our country goes to the ballot box to elect a new leader for our nation. On that day we will elect men and women who will chart the course of America¡¦s future far into this new millennium. The decisions made on Nov. 7 will impact our Countries future and our worlds future, its moral climate, and its values for many years to come. So why aren¡¦t we more interested?
1) The rafters are sagging ¡V v18 - In 1998 only 1.3rd of all eligible voters cast a ballot in the race for president. (119 million people stayed home) It is estimated that 60 million evangelical Christians failed to exercise their right to vote.
James Garfield, the twentieth president of the United States, wrote this in 1877: ¡§Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature.... If the next centennial does not find us a great nation ... it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.¡¨
In the last 27 years 35 million babies lives have been ended by abortion.
In the last 4 years the current administration has vetoed legislation that would ban partial birth abortion.
In the last year the Supreme Court has
ƒá Struck down Nebraska¡¦s partial birth abortion ban
ć Made it legal for cable companies to transmit pornographic channels into homes that do not want them.
ć Outlawed student led prayer at high school football games.
ć Came within one vote of forcing the Boy Scouts (a private org.) to accept homosexual scout leaders. This would have eventually led to Churches having to accept them also.
In California the state legislature just passed two critical moral laws
1. specifies that Californina public school children in grades K-12 be exposed to homosexual diversity education that equates homosexuality with race.
2. Mandates that 2 million dollars be spent to take public school children on tolerance field trips to events promoting homosexuality.
3. Another law that barely died in committee would have required schools to report the names of students who held the view that homosexuality is immoral on a yearly crime reporting form.
My friends Christians have been silent while the rafters sag. We have been slack and it has resulted in the deterioration of our home. Leaks are breaking out all around us and there are not enough buckets to catch all the water. If the next centennial does not find us a great nation ... it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.¡¨
2) Salt and Light ¡V
"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:13-14
There are those around us who would have us lay down and roll over for societies whims-
Cal Thomas and Dr. Ed Dobson - advocate in new book Blinded by Might- that clergy and any organized expression of the laity should, by inference, avoid issues such as the sanctity of human life, the redefinition of marriage, pornography, gambling, safe-sex ideology, and the assault on religious liberty.
These men would have us remain silent on the great moral issues of the day.
Too many in our churches today agree with their position.
For far too long we have shut ourselves out of the arena of idea¡¦s and our Nation and our churches have suffered for it.
The fact is that if we don¡¦t fight for what is right no one will-
If we don¡¦t join the battle for the soul of America - we have resigned ourselves to destruction.
Benjamin Franklin once said - ¡§all it takes for evil to prevail is that good men do nothing¡¨
As Quakers we have a long history of political and moral struggles ¡V from the right to religious liberty, to the abolition of slavery, prison reform to civil rights. We must not give up our voice on the moral issues of our day. I believe that when Nov. 7 comes and goes we will be accountable to the God we serve for the decisions we make on that day.
3) Whats at stake ¡V You know the issues of the debates ¡V Social Security, Medicare, Prescription Drugs, Health Care and the others. But here are some you might not have heard talked about so much but I think they are central to God¡¦s heart for our country. Through the appointment of Supreme Court Justices all these things hang in the balance.
ƒá The sanctity of Human Life ¡V will we continue as a culture of death or reaffirm life ¡V both for our youngest and most vulnerable but also for our Senior Citizens. Euthanasia is on the ballot- before you get excited about your ability to end your life think about the Netherlands where this has been legal for 10 years. Now doctors admit that 25% of assisted suicides were without explicit consent of the patient.
ƒá Homosexual marriages ¡V I am not a homophobe ¡V I love homosexual people as much as I do anyone else ¡V because God does ¡V but I will not stand silent while the institution of marriage is defiled. I will not stand silent as they force feed my children
ƒá Pornography ¡V Our Government has stood by and refused to implement blocking software for internet pornography in our public schools and libraries. Now children can go to the public library and be exposed to the worst kinds of pornography and vileness while you sit at home or at work.
ƒá Education ¡V Our school are graduating seniors who cannot read at a 4th grade level. This is a disgrace not only to our institutions of government but also to parents who have given up on raising their children. Heaven help us and them as they try to make it in a computerized world without even basic skills.
ƒá Religious Liberty ¡V Public Prayer, Ten Commandments, One Nation under God to One Nation without God, Occasionally you will hear about legislation called ENDA ¡V employment non discrimination act ¡V What you might not know is that this bill will prohibit Churches and Church Schools from refusing to hire Athiests or Homosexuals or others as teachers and leaders.
Those are just a few of the things that are on the line in this election.
Listen I don¡¦t care one bit if a candidate is a Democrat, a Republican, a Libertarian, a Reform Party or some other party. I don¡¦t care what party their from ¡V What I do care about is the moral and spiritual fabric of our society.
We have for over 200 years enjoyed the blessing of Almighty God as we have lived as One Nation under God. I fear unless we plug the leaks we will come under the same mighty hand of judgment that all other immoral cultures have fallen under.
If I have offended you ¡V I apologize ¡V
If I have shaken you ¡V I have done my job ¡V
If you exercise your moral obligation to vote and be counted ¡V I am happy
Pray about who is best able to answer the moral crisis facing families in this country ¡V and vote for the people you feel will best address these issues ¡V When you wake up Nov. 7 remember 4 letters WWJD ¡V What Would Jesus Do ¡V and do it.
