Hope not Despair in the Face of Decline and Death

Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!

This is not a cry of naïve optimism, but hope founded on the reality of Christ’s resurrection. A new life is possible out of death, as Paul writes, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Rom 6:4). However, there must be dying before new life.

It is easy to predict decline—look around: the post-WWII international order has disintegrated as Russia resorts to imperial wars for land and power. The social contract is broken as voters seem to tolerate the most outrageous lies from leaders seeking their votes. The Christian church that Jesus said would stand even against the gates of hell seems dying and impotent as congregations shrink and close. A Sept 2022 study by Pew Research describe 4 scenarios for the next 50 years—and 3 of the 4 predicts that Christians will be a minority and that “no affiliation” will be the majority (ir)religious identity. Looking at even the rosiest scenario is pretty depressing.

Where do Christians find hope in this midst of dying? The Risen Christ, of course! Because he lives, “we too may live a new life.” Tim Keller, retired pastor from the Presbyterian Redeemer Church in New York City, points us to the resurrection of Jesus so we will not despair. (Read the full article).

While many observers of Christianity wring their hands about the forces that are beyond our control, Keller is helpful in pointing out the things we can do, that historically have been things Christians have been good at doing. I would add that Lutheran Christians have experience in balancing the both/and’s, and so each of his points fits the ways we juxtapose both Law and Gospel as God’s Word.

• speak compellingly to non-Christians by both affirming their best longings and challenging the inadequate ways of achieving those hopes
• unite both justice and righteousness, which means standing against all forms of oppression while emphasizing the Lordship of Jesus Christ over our lives
• embrace both global and multi-ethnic character of the church
• balance both innovation and conservation; and
• offer both grace and covenant, the no-strings-attached love of God in Christ and humbly sacrificing self-interest for the sake of the other.

Each of these is worth discussion—I hope you will take some time to talk with others what that may look like at St. John’s and in the Phoenix-area.

Yet these alone will not trigger renewal, Keller argues. Before that can happen, he suggests that three things must happen:

1. Churches must escape from political captivity. Congregations that identify with one political party or ideology will “not be relevant,” he writes.
2. A union of “extraordinary prayer.” Renewal movements of the past began with the movement of the Holy Spirit in people who waited on the Lord in prayer, people across denominational, theological, and ideological boundaries. I heard from a member of St. John’s recently who said she wasn’t sure she knew how to pray. We will need to (re-)learn to pray so that we are open to the renewal of the Spirit.
3. Distinguishing the Gospel from moral absolutes. The “Gospel” is that “we are saved by Christ alone through faith, not by our works.” By definition, we are not saved by having or hewing to some moral standard but by Christ, his death and resurrection. This cuts off legalism on one side and “anything goes” on the other side to reveal a middle road for Christians (see Romans 6).

St. John’s may not feel like it is declining, but it is cold comfort when we recognize that the Christian Church around the world is going through a epic, era-defining, historic dying. What we and every Christian can trust is that there is new life in Christ in this age and forever.

Trusting in Christ and his resurrection, 

Pastor Peter

The World is Not What We Thought

The Russian war on Ukraine has revealed that the world is not what I thought it was. In the 21st century, I thought nations would not send hundreds of thousands of troops across a border to seize land from another sovereign nation. By not having to build up huge militaries, we could spend our money and energy to build dynamic societies and economies that provide opportunity for those who have historically struggled with poverty and access to education. The internet would guarantee that truth would be accessible to everyone and lies would be easily disproved. If you thought these things too, the Russian war on Ukraine has proved us wrong. It seems like we haven’t learned the lessons of the 20th century. Here we go again.

Cycles of humans hurting humans have happened throughout history, but it never felt so personal or real as it does now. The book of Judges tells story after story of God’s people learning from their failures for a generation or two, but then falling back into idolatry and self-destructive ways before crying out to God from the rubble. Repeat, with increasing suffering and death. Reading Judges from the relatively comfortable position of the late 20th century, we could say, “Oh, aren’t we enlightened!” Wrong. Human nature rears its ugly head again.

The resurrection of Christ is our only hope to break the cycle. I’ve said this before, but it is true in a visceral way now: hope of human progress has once again been blown up. Once again, we have human dreams dying under a barrage of cruise missiles and artillery, human aspiration dying on an imperial cross. What hope is there for life when looking at the power of death and evil? Only Christ’s resurrection.

This Easter, we will proclaim, “Christ is Risen! He is risen, indeed!” and we can say it with the fervor of a people who know there is no other hope. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:17-19: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins…. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died!” Because Christ lives, we can face what seems like the endless cycle of human sin knowing that ultimately the cycle is broken, and only life in Christ remains. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?... But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 15:57-58). The world is not what we thought—Christ is alive!

I am encouraged by Christ’s resurrection, willing to face the cycle again with renewed energy to love neighbors and enemies, and pray you will be too.

Pastor Peter