Listen! God is Calling… Come and See
Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran Church + January 14, 2024 + Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane
Former Bishop Mark Hanson was leading a Bible study and was just getting into the meat of the scripture when a cell phone starts ringing. Everyone – including me - freezes for a second, hoping it wasn’t theirs– it wasn’t mine. Phew. But Bishop Hanson took it in stride and said, “Is it Jesus? And if it is, you had better answer it.”
Listen, God is Calling.
God called for Samuel one night. It was an epiphany, an “Ah ha” moment for Samuel– and the beginning of his life as a prophet. But I love that it begins in such an ordinary way. Samuel hears his name called and dutifully reports to Eli, assuming, of course, that it is the priest who is calling him. It was his job to attend to the priest’s needs. But after three times, Eli is awake enough to have a little epiphany of his own. He recognized what was happening and so he says to Samuel, “It is the Lord. Go back to your bed and if he calls you, say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Samuel listened – and this time, when the Lord spoke, he said, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” And God spoke to Samuel.
God was raising up Samuel to become a prophet and lead his people. But God also worked through Eli, the priest. It was Eli who recognized that it was the Lord who was calling him. Samuel’s role changed dramatically that night from acolyte to prophet/ priest in training. And it was Eli who then mentored him, encouraging him to listen – and to be open to God’s word.
Who has been like an Eli for you? Who has encouraged you to listen to God’s word? Was it a Sunday school teacher, a parent or grandparent who encouraged you to come and listen to Bible stories? Was it a friend who brought you to Sunday school or VBS? Was it a neighbor or a spouse? Or was it a book or even someone on social media which piqued your interest? Most of us have had a mentor or teacher who was our Eli, who encouraged us to “listen” to the Word of the Lord.
And, how have you been an Eli for someone else? I know many of you have read Bibles stories and brought your children, your grandchildren, your friends to Sunday school and Vacation Bible School. You have done this – thank you for your faithfulness in fulfilling the promise to bring your child to the Lord’s house, teach them the ten commandments and bring them to the Lord’s table. Well done… AND… you – and I – are not done.
God has a habit of working through ordinary people of all ages – like the boy Samuel and the very senior priest Eli. Eli was quite old when he was called upon to mentor Samuel – who changed overnight from being his servant into being God’s chosen intern priest and prophet. I wonder… how is God calling you now to help a neighbor, a friend at work or school or in the community in which you live to listen to the Word of God and to see how God is calling them?
Listen! God is still calling.
In his book, Stride Toward Freedom, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. writes about a time when he was at the end of his rope. The path forward was unclear. He writes,
‘‘I was ready to give up. With my cup of coffee sitting untouched before me, I tried to think of a way to move out of the picture without appearing a coward. In this state of exhaustion, when my courage had all but gone, I decided to take my problem to God. With my head in my hands, I bowed over the kitchen table and prayed aloud.
The words I spoke to God that midnight are still vivid in my memory. ‘I am here taking a stand for what I believe is right. But now I am afraid. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they too will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I’ve come to the point where I can’t face it alone.’
At that moment, I experienced the presence of the Divine as I had never experienced God before. It seemed as though I could hear the quiet assurance of an inner voice saying: “Stand up for justice, stand up for truth; and God will be at your side forever.” Almost at once my fears began to go. My uncertainty disappeared. I was ready to face anything.1”
When he was tired, worn out, and did not know where to turn, Martin Luther King Jr. turned to God for help. And there, at his kitchen table, God spoke the words that empowered MLK to continue to lead God’s people in the fight for justice and righteousness and freedom for all people – regardless of the color of their skin. It was a true epiphany that happened not so very long ago.
Listen! God is calling…still… even now. God is calling you and me to:
Listen. Listen for God’s Word in the scriptures. We can do this at home in a devotional time and in Bible study with other Christians so that we can probe into the Word deeply. We can also, like MLK, listen for God’s Word and God’s Way as we pray.
I’ve been studying contemplative prayer and one of the things that I have learned is that it is very hard to listen for God’s direction if I don’t stop talking. So, in addition to sharing all of your cares and concerns with God --- which God wants you to share – I’d like to suggest taking some time to simply listen. Pray for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you and then, in silence, listen for God’s way, God’s word.
Listen! God is calling… and invites your response.
In our Gospel reading, Jesus finds and calls Philip. Philip’s epiphany, his ah ha moment, is to spring into action. He goes to seek out his friend Nathaniel to share with him that the one that they have been waiting for has come! Jesus is the Messiah.
Ever get excited about something and rush off to tell a friend – only to have them say, “What’s so exciting about that?” or “Nah. That can’t be.” That’s sounds like Nathaniel’s snarky response, “Can anything good come out of Nazarath?”
I love Philip’s response to Nathaniel. Instead of arguing or trying to prove his case or “unfriending” Nathaniel because he just is not getting it, Philip simply says, “Come and see.” Nathaniel does, and, when he meets Jesus, something clicks inside. Nathaniel proclaims Jesus as rabbi, Son of God and King of Israel. It’s an“Ah Ha!” Another epiphany.
Listen! God is calling. Come and see.
Who has been a Philip in your life? Did someone invite you to “Come and see?” Or have you been or could you be a Philip to a friend, a spouse, a neighbor?
If Jesus is calling you to share the Good News – and he is – then perhaps the best invitation for you to share is the same one that Philip offers: “Come and See.” This invitation respects the other’s ability to discern and invites them to see for themselves and hear for themselves the Good News that transforms and sustains our lives as followers of Jesus. Come and see. Come and hear. Come and receive the gift of life and love and grace. Could you make that invitation to someone? It could transform their life. It did for Nathaniel.
One more thing: maybe this is obvious – but when you give an invitation to “come and see” it implies that you are inviting them to come with you. I’ve been told that, for people unaccustomed to coming to church, the hardest step to take is over the doorstep of the church and the walk between the door and the pew. It’s all new and unknown. They don’t know what to do or where to go. So… when you invite someone to “come and see” – it’s a good idea to meet them at the door and welcome them over the threshold. It’s not so scary if the invitation is to: “come and see – with me.”
Listen! God is calling you. God is calling you to listen to God’s Word – and be renewed in the knowledge that you are God’s beloved child. God is calling you to bring your cares and concerns to God in prayer and to take time to listen for God’s response. And God is calling you to action, to invite your friends, family and neighbors to: “Come and see Jesus with me.”
Listen! God is calling and Jesus has issued the invitation to you, God’s beloved child: Come and see.