sermon - 2 after Epiphany "listen, God is calling"

Sermon – 2nd after Epiphany
1 Samuel 3:1-20
January 15, 2012
“listen, God is calling”

There is a story of a man who kept falling asleep during the sermon. His pastor was getting frustrated and, one Sunday, decided to teach the man a lesson.
As was his practice, he started to preach slowly, almost in a monotone -- sure enough, the man soon fell into a deep sleep.
The pastor then said to the congregation, "Everyone who wants to go to heaven, stand up." Everyone stood ... except, of course, the man who was fast asleep.
The pastor had everyone sit down. Then he gently said, "Everyone who wants to go to hell," and with a bang on the pulpit and a rise in his voice, "stand up!"
The sleeping man snorted awake and jumped to his feet as everyone around started to snicker.
The man looked at all the people sitting around him, then looked at the pastor and said, "Preacher, I don't know what we're votin' on. But it looks like you and me are the only ones for it."

In today’s passage from 1 Samuel, the young Samuel was sleeping in church, but not because of the sermon, because it was night time.
Before we get into this passage (which is a favorite) let’s back up to chapter 2. Samuel’s mother, Hannah, who was barren, made a promise to God that if she was able to have a child, she would commit him to serving the Lord. And so when Samuel was born, she brought him to the high priest Eli.

So what is the context that Samuel is born into? It says in chapter 3:1 – “The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.” The people had lost sight of their faith.
The two sons of Eli (who ruled at that time) were real scoundrels it says, they had no regard for the Lord (1 Sam. 2:12) or of the duties of the priests to the people.
They’re corrupt, they follow their own interests over the interests of the people.
When the people would come to offer their sacrifice, they would demand the fat of the offering, which broke the command in Lev 3:16.
“Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD; for they treated the offerings of the LORD with contempt.” (1 Sam. 2:17)

So now back to our text...here’s young Samuel, it’s the middle of the night, he’s asleep in the sanctuary, and what happens? He hears a voice calling him “Samuel, Samuel.” He assumes it’s his teacher, the high priest Eli; after he’s the only other one there.
“Here I am, Eli” … “Uh, no, Samuel, I didn’t call you, go back to sleep.” So, he goes back, lays back down... “Samuel!”
Samuel goes back to Eli, “You called?” Eli replies, “Nope, I didn’t, go lie back down”
What was this voice? Was he hearing things?
So the voice calls a third time: “Samuel!”
This is just getting silly now. What’s going on? Is Eli testing me or what?

But then Eli figures it out, it is the voice of the Lord, so he tells Samuel: “when the voice comes again say, ‘Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.’”
So when the voice calls again, “Samuel Samuel,” he responds, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”
And then the Lord lays out the task at hand, which turns out to be pretty daunting. Samuel is called to stand up against the corrupt sons of Eli. This was not going to be easy or comfortable; it would mean disturbing the status quo…

God is calling us as well.
God is calling us by name, because God knows our name, God formed us in our mother’s womb.
And when God calls, it may be hard to know that God is calling; and to discern God’s voice in the midst of all the voices that vie for our attention.
And when we hear God calling, the task may seem daunting, impossible even.
We may not feel capable or qualified. To follow the call would mean going outside our comfort zone.
But the good news is that God promises to be with us all the way, guiding us.
So the question I think is two fold:
1. Can we hear and discern the voice of God? Are we deeply engaged in prayer? Are we really listening to God?
2. When we listen to God, do we have the faith, the courage, the boldness to answer God’s call? Can we go outside our comfort zone?

…and so then the young Samuel grows to follow God’s call and become a great prophet, and God was with him all the way.

In January 1956, racial discrimination and oppression was a cruel and bitter reality
At this point the Montgomery bus boycott was under way. And Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. received a threatening phone call late in the night. He couldn’t sleep, so he went to the kitchen
At this point, he was exhausted, worn out; he was about to throw in the towel; the problem of racial hatred and injustice seemed too daunting, too steep a hill to climb. But that night, in the kitchen, Dr. King went to God in prayer.
And he listened…
Then he heard the voice of God say: “Stand up for righteousness, stand up for truth. I will be at your side forever.”
In that moment, his fears and uncertainties subsided, and gave him an inner calm.
Dr. King was rooted in prayer and listening.
And even despite all the adversity, all the threats, many of his friends advising him that he should hold back, that it was too dangerous and controversial…he listened to and he faithfully and boldly answered God’s call to bring about justice.

Oh the things God is capable of doing through us when we listen to God’s call. This is what Jesus says to Nathanael, amazed that Jesus saw him under the fig tree: You ain’t seen nothing yet, Nathanael. “You will see greater things than these.”

So, are you listening? Because God is calling, and through the word inviting.
Inviting us to big things, even greater things than these!
Amen.