2012-01-15 32k 1 Samuel 3:1–10 2 Epiphany B “Speak, Lord”

Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

God’s Word for our glad hearing and learning this morning is the Old Testament Lesson from 1 Samuel, chapter 3, as was read. (1 Samuel 3:1–10)

Let us all pray, All glory Jesus be to Thee at this Thy great Epiphany, whom with the Father we adore and Holy Ghost forevermore. Amen.

Dear Fellow redeemed of our Lord Jesus Christ,

The story we have for our Old Testament Lesson this morning about the young boy Samuel is one of the most delightful stories in the Bible.  I’ve always liked it.

Having grown up as a P.K., or “preacher’s kid,” I was very familiar with the sanctuaries of the churches my father served, and­ (without his knowledge, of course) my brother and I would assume full reign of these sacred spaces and entertain ourselves in a whole variety of ways.  In other words, what Dad didn’t know was that we would get into all sorts of mischief.

At one church my dad served, there was an intercom system between the office, which was in the church, and the parsonage kitchen.  It was so that the pastor’s wife (our mom) could call to the pastor without having to use the phone (which cost in those days) or having to walk over to get him.

And so, one day my brother and I came up with a brilliant idea.  We took the church’s intercom unit, which was portable, and extended it out of the office and put it into the pulpit.  And then we had the neighborhood kids pay us a nickel or a dime to be brought into the church to “speak to God.”  Of course, I was on the other end doing the talking. I also got the worst of the punishment when we were caught.  I was the oldest and should have known better.

Quite different from our Old Testament Lesson for this morning that tells how God really called to Samuel for the first time when he was just a little boy.  Like I said, I always have enjoyed hearing and reading it.

Martin Luther tells how as a child he never knew this story about little Samuel because it was not part of the medieval church’s lectionary the regular readings of the church at that time.  It was only later, when he was studying the Bible at the university, he came across this story of young Samuel and God calling him in the night.  Experiences like this were partly behind Luther’s desire to translate and get the Bible into the hands of the German people so they could hear stories like this.

If you listen to this account carefully, however, you will notice a couple of things that at first are quite easily overlooked.

First, in verse 1, it says, “the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.”  And second, in verse 7, it adds, “Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.”

“The word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision,” and, “Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.”  Do we realize what these things mean?  They tell us that at this time in the history of God’s people a separation existed that meant the people were not hearing from the Lord.  They were not receiving His word from Him on a regular basis.

And there were two reasons for this.  One was their sins, as we learn from the rest of the story (which you can read for yourselves– about the priest Eli and his sons, who exemplified the general attitude of the people toward the word of God at that time.)  And the second reason was, like Samuel, the people were not listening for God to speak to them.  They didn’t recognize the Lord’s voice because they hadn’t heard it–for sure, but they also hadn’t been listening for the Lord to speak to them.

Samuel did not yet know the LORD.  I believe there is much for to learn from this.  If we want to hear God speaking to us–and I assure you that He wants to speak to us–then we need to listen.  And listening requires first, that we repent of our sins and be forgiven so that we can approach Him to hear from Him, and second, that we be quiet, and listen.

Now what sins do we need to confess in order to hear from God?  ALL SINS.  Including those sins the Apostle Paul warns us about in our Epistle: (1 Corinthians 6:15-20)

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

I find it remarkable as a pastor how I will address the sin of adultery with a person who is having an affair or with a couple preparing for marriage and are fornicating and they seem to be unable to comprehend or accept the fact they are sinning.  As a matter of act, they often refuse to hear God’s Word all together–the Word they have been taught since a child–and arrogantly and brazenly continue in such sins.

Is it a wonder then that such people begin to fall away and are more and more unable to hear God’s Word or have it applied to their lives?  They’ve driven the Holy Spirit from their bodies. God’s Spirit is a spirit of cleanness and holiness.  He can not dwell where there is sin and filth. He will not stay long.

And parents and grandparents support this sort of thing and think that the welfare of the son or daughter­, grandson or granddaughter, is in not upsetting them toward the church, rather than a genuine concern for the soul.  And they’re even proud when they find another church that will tolerate and bless this sinful behavior.  Is it any wonder they cannot comprehend the things that are spiritual? Jesus told Nicodemus, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”( John 3:6)

God speaking to us must take place in the context of a temple that is made holy and suitable for His presence.  If hate, or sexual impurity, or covetousness, or even despising the Word of God is in the heart and on your mind, how can you then expect God to speak to you, let alone come to you and remain with you?

Thankfully, we have forgiveness in Jesus Christ. He has forgiven us all our sins. The writer of Hebrews tells us, (Hebrews 12:22-24)

 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Jesus’ blood gives us complete remission of all our sins.  And as we receive it today it cleanses us so that we may be in the presence of God and the angels and the righteous, and we may also have God speak to us.

For you see, God talks to us all the time.  We’re just not listening.  That is, we don’t take time to listen to Him speaking to us through His Word, yes, but also in the Service, the liturgy, hymns, prayers, anthems. And especially we miss God speaking to us through one another.  Remember how Eli helped Samuel? (1 Samuel 3:8-10)

Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the young man. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”

Yes, God speaks to us through one another.  No matter who that person might be.  And especially through your Pastor.  God has given each of us to one another to speak words to each another.  Words to comfort, to teach, to sing.  And to pray and praise and glorify God together.

And most importantly, to forgive.  To speak about forgiveness but also to speak forgiveness.  And when those Words are from God–and I am not speaking about some special revelation someone might claim to have in the form of a dream or vision–which we would rightly be skeptical of–but when it is the Word of God in the Service and prayers of the church, especially, then God speaks.  And it is time for us to say, “speak Lord, Your servant is listening.” Amen.