Being Found on the Edge

You can listen to this sermon here.

 Gate Pa – Year B -Epiphany 2 2024

Readings:

Psalm                          Psalm 139:1-5, 12-18 

First Reading:              1 Samuel 3:1-10         

Second Reading:         1 Corinthians 6: 12-20   

Gospel:                          John 1:43-51

What I want to say and what I want to happen:

A theme for these two weeks is Call.

Use the 1 Samuel story to explore place of others in call, especially with young people. Then use this story to talk about call.

Part of call is being knowing God speaks through and works through the unexpected.

Part of call is being found by God through others

What I want to happen:

People to reflect on when they were found and how they live that out

 The Sermon

1.    Introduction

In season of Epiphany

-        God revealed in Jesus

-        Revelation made available to all people

Last week heard Matthew’s story - coming of unknown number of Zoroastrian priests – Magi

o   Unsettling story that results in death all infant boys under 2

-        Mark’s version of Jesus being baptised

o   unsettling story of ripped heavens and dive bombing doves

This week we have story of Samuel and Eli

-        and the call of Nathaniel from John’s gospel

Next week we hear call first disciples in Mark

-        all in framework of Epiphany

    

2.    Eli and Samuel

One of my favourite stories in Bible

Used a lot when involved in ministry among young people

Preached on this at my farewell service

Really important story

Both for all us in terms of what ministry among young people might look like

-        And our role in that

And for what “call” might look like

Samuel is son of Hannah

-        Given to God through Eli in thanksgiving for God giving her a son

-        Song of praise is echoed in Mary’s song

Eli is high priest in time before temple

-        tent of meeting

-        raised his sons believe that entitled to their lives of privilege

-        result did despicable things and disrespected the Lord

o   knew that he had failed them

o   their corrupt ways would bring calamity on them and his whanau-family

heart of this story is relationship of trust between Eli and Samuel

-        older man with this boy – maybe teenager

-        maybe a chance at redemption

-        despite his failings Eli has a whole life experience and wisdom

-        so when Samuel starts hearing voices in the night

o   takes him seriously

§  doesn’t turn him away

§  eventually works out what might be going on

o   helps Samuel know how to respond

§  both to God

§  and to what God might say

o   knows he, Eli, has to listen to what God might be saying through Samuel.

That is what any ministry among young people looks like

Not flash programmes for youth groups

But older people taking time build life giving relationships with young people

-        taking them seriously

-        helping them with their life and faith questions

-        being willing to not only walk with them

o   but also to listen to what they have to say.

     3.    Voices on the Edge

That is one of big themes of Epiphany.

That the divine revelation often does not come from where it is expected

®   Matthew’s Gospel it is Zoroastrian priests who see the signs and come to see

-        Not high priests

-        Not powerful

-        Not scribes

®   In this story of Samuel it is teenage Samuel who hears the voice

-        Not Eli, not prophets

®   Luke’s gospel – Messiah comes to people from small town Nazareth in Galilee

o   Not important place like Jerusalem

o   Even Nathaniel is incredulous that anything good can come from this hick town.

-        Born among the animals

o   Not palace

-        Laid in feed trough

o   Not in baby’s cot

-        Shepherds who are the first to know and who come to see and worship

o   Not powerful and educated

o   Not temple hierarchy or Herod

Too often forget that

Remember in Feilding being told Spirit of God would only speak though the church

Epiphany reminds us that Spirit of God works through all kinds of people

-        Especially those on the edge

I wonder what church might be like if we had spend less time being sure we had the answers

More time listening to voices from edge

-        For example voice of Māori church

In terms of young people

if we had spent less time entertaining young people

-        Less time tell them what they needed to believe

-        More time standing alongside them and helping them listen so that they might be found by God.

     4.    Found

One commentators I listen to and read talks about call in John as being found.

God finds unlikely people

God is revealed in those unlikely people

Each of call stories including one heard today

-        are stories of people being found

How Amazing Grace puts it

-        Andrew is found by Jesus

-        Andrew helps Peter be found

-        Philip is found by Jesus

-        Philip helps Nathaniel be found

-        Jesus goes through Samaria and finds the Samaritan woman

-        She helps others in her town be found

®   When found their true identity is revealed

In Samuel’s case – his true identity is revealed

-        He is a prophet

-        He is to speak honestly and truthfully

In Nathaniel’s case – his true identity is revealed

-        True Israelite – Jacob who becomes Israel

o   Full of guile and deceit

o   Had a vision of angels descending from and ascending to heaven.

Each case after being found were invite to live out that identity.

We are all found

That is why we are here

My own experience of that – Franciscan Priest – what is mine to do

     5.    Conclusion

When might we say we were found

Who were we revealed to be

How have we and do we continue to live that out

How do we help other people, especially young people, be found?