Second sunday after Epiphany

Second Sunday After Epiphany

Year B

January 15, 2006

All Saints, Morristown

In our reading from first Samuel we hear the words that the lamp of the Lord had not yet gone out.

The lamp spoken of was a lamp that burned all night in the temple and it was Samuels’ job to make sure that it did not go out before dawn. So, Samuel slept in the temple with the Ark of the Covenant. When God called, Samuel mistakenly thought that it was Eli. He most likely was spending a great deal of time caring for Eli as he was getting older.

The Ark of the Covenant was  a wooden throne that was designated for carrying the invisible God, Yahweh. It was from this throne that Samuel was hearing the Lord. Samuel heard Him call twice thinking it was Eli calling. He responded to the Lord on the third call. Even then, Eli…(who was wiser) had to tell Samuel what was going on.

 But the thing that intrigues me in this reading is the comment that the “word of the Lord was rare in those days: and visions were not widespread”

How about the word of the Lord in today’s time? How rare are visions today? If you had a vision or heard the Lord in a audible voice would you even tell anybody? Or would you need to be called again and again, and someone else tell you, what is going on?

I think that anyone who feels the call to ministry (ordained or otherwise) always has doubts from time to time about that call and just who it is calling. I can certainly vouch for my own case. You see, my first call came when I was about 5 years old and that call came through my grandmother and aunt. I actually felt like I might grow up to be an Episcopal priest some day. Fast forward approximately 50 years.

It was through tragedy that God started to really get my attention. I was some kind of angry at God for a while. I felt that God had deserted me. Wasn’t even sure of God’s existance. So, being wise and experienced, I set up a quick little test for God to prove to me that if I ask, it shall be given. Like I said this was a simple test; not even any lightning bolts or financial reward was required. I was giving God one more chance to show me something. (pause) It never happened. (Pause) God wouldn’t even do this simple thing to prove to me that I should believe.

So, how in the world do I get from there to here in less than 5 years? Easy…I was called. I was called through people that love me. More than once I have told people that I have looked directly into the eyes of God through others. As time has passed I have come to realize that I was never deserted. I think I would not have survived if I really had been deserted. My call truly came in the form of love. In my most trying of times, I was loved the most. All I could feel then was hurt. All I was given by those surrounding me was love. That was and is my call.

(Pause)

I came to the Christmas Eve midnight service here this year. It was a rainy night. We all were given a candle and the flame from a single candle was passed from one person to the next until everyone had their own light. All of those lights were passed from one single flame. But the original flame was not the least bit diminished by its sharing with the whole congregation. The more that was taken or shared from that original flame…the brighter it got. Light is funny like that.

As I read the Gospel reading for today, I realized that the gathering of disciples was not unlike this sharing of light. Jesus is the flame and his light is being passed from person to person. From one it was passed to twelve. From the twelve to how many thousands and in the following two thousand years to God knows how many billions? God does know how many billions.

But there are two parts of the Gospel reading that I found particularly intriguing. One is the part where Jesus tells Nathaniel that he saw him under the fig tree before Phillip called him. And it is because of that knowledge Jesus has that Nathaniel believes that Jesus is the Son of God. Then Jesus tells him, “you ain’t seen nothing yet” ……That’s a paraphrase.

Well so what, that Jesus saw him under the fig tree? Why is that some great revelation? I thought about it and decided that this fig tree had to have been in a place or at least of a nature that a person under this tree could not be seen by others.

I looked up fig trees on the internet and found some that could very well hide a man at its base. But even at that, I think there must have been more to it than just being under the tree. I think that something had happened to Nathaniel under that fig tree. I think that Nathaniel was praying or had some sort of vision or experience that no one could have seen, even if they were with him under that fig tree. Or, perhaps Nathaniel was never really even under a fig tree but had a vision or dream that he met God under a fig tree. If so, I can understand the incredulous reaction.

I said that there were two parts of intrigue for me. This second part is something we can all relate to. Philip had come face to face with Jesus; and all that was necessary for him to convert, were the words “Follow me.” Now, those words are directly from the source. That is a call that I can understand. Up close and personal.

 Now, Philip is immediately out evangelizing and finds Nathaniel. We found him, is the claim. Nathaniel isn’t buying it, because this Jesus guy is from Nazareth and he knows the messiah will come from the City of David. (Bethlehem)

The part I like most is what Philip says next to Nathaniel…Come and see…(pause)…come and see.  Now that is what I call evangelism. It would have been easy for Philip to say, you are wrong, and here is why. He was issuing a call but there is something special, to me, about the way that call is handled…Come and see… Nobody ever argued someone into becoming a Christian, although I know it has certainly been tried by many. So many times, evangelism includes threats of hellfire and damnation if you don’t believe the way I believe. Jesus said “you will see things greater than my knowing you were under some fig tree.” No threats.

When I received my most recent call, I questioned it’s validity, and the response was Come and see. The process I have been through since that time has been come and see. Although I must admit it sometimes has seemed more like I’ll show you.

Everyone has some type of ministry that they are called to. Some are fortunate enough to discover what that call is, early on in life. Others go almost their whole life searching for that true calling. I even think some people answer their particular call without any conscious realization that they even had a call. They are merely doing what they know is right. Either way it is never too late to answer.

My favorite parable is about the workers in the vineyard. You know, the one where the guy only works one hour and gets paid the same as those that worked all day? That is about answering the call. The rewards are the same. Seniority doesn’t count for much in the Kingdom of God. You only need answer whatever that call might be. You need not be afraid. Just Come and see.