Can't make it to Church? 18 January 15

This is the second Sunday in the season of Epiphany, a time of celebrating the making visible the invisible God and making this known to the 'non-religious'* world - which is represented by the Magi (the 'Wise men / three kings / mages').

We begin with one of my favourite books as the scene is set for Eli (a good bloke) and Phineas and Hopni (his dodgy sons) and some real calamities thanks to Eli's weakness regarding admonishing the dodgy pair. But there is a hope in it all, Samuel, a boy who hears the call of God.

'Hear I am, speak Lord, I am listening,' is something every cleric wishes this they serve would say and so Samuel's example here is one of the pivotal passages for the future of the Church (and the reports of our demise are greatly exaggerated). But there is also an explicit warning to those who lead churches now, 'man up and dig in or be replaced,' for God is always on the look to call up new people and relegate those who are disobedient or wrong.

'Who is worthy?' This is the question asked in Revelation - and the answer is ultimately Jesus, for all fall far short, and it is this that sees Jesus open the door for us (all) should we approach the doorkeeper and engage with Him. and it is through Jesus that we are called, just like the focus of the Gospel reading Nathanuel, to follow Him.

As the Samuel story unfolds we see tragedy come upon God's people as the Ark of the Covenant (God in a box) is lost and Eli's sons are killed as the Philistines defeat them. Eli, hearing the news falls backwards off his seat and dies and his now widowed daughter-in-law goes into labour and gives birth to a child. To mark it all. The child is called 'Ichabod' (the glory has departed).

Now, had Eli admonished (Gk. noutheteo) his sons then this would not have happened? This was the word God had given to Samuel, that he would deal with the iniquity of the men - and blimey, he did, didn't he?

This is where we find the Church today - and because of it we, and the Church, are at a crossroads, where we need to correct wrong behaviour in us and others or resign ourselves to seeing God's glory depart.

The choice is ours: Ichabod or noutheteo - which are you going to choose?

The Collect
Almighty God, in Christ you make all things new: transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

1 Samuel 3.1-20
Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.

At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’ and ran to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call; lie down again.’ So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, ‘Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” ’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ Then the Lord said to Samuel, ‘See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. On that day I will fulfil against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to punish his house for ever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering for ever.’

Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, ‘Samuel, my son.’ He said, ‘Here I am.’ Eli said, ‘What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.’ So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, ‘It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.’

As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of The Lord.

Revelation 5.1-10
Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’

Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. They sing a new song:
‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation;  you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth.’

John 1.43-51
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

Post Communion Prayer
God of glory, you nourish us with your Word who is the bread of life:
fill us with your Holy Spirit that through us the light of your glory may shine in all the world. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.