"Principles and Prayers at Parties" January 18 2015

I Samuel 3:1-20 John 1:43-51 Following a heated political argument at dinner, in the opening episode of Downton Abbey, the Grandmother pronounced a loaded chastisement of those arguing, in what will become a classic line: “Principles like Prayer, are Noble of course, but awkward at a Dinner Party!” Twenty odd years ago Bill Clinton, after election and before being sworn in as President described that “Faith is like Butterfly Collections, meaningful to the individual, only taken out for examination in private.” I think these descriptions echo the context of our time and both our readings today. Distinct from the time of Genesis or Exodus, the Book of Samuel identifies “The Word of God was rare in those days” the vision of Eli the Priest of God had grown dim, his sons routinely stole from the offerings for themselves. Different from Easter or Pentecost, in the days following Jesus' Baptism, Jesus is a stranger introduced to Nathaniel, who identifies Nathaniel as “I saw you sitting beneath a fig tree reading Torah.” Referring to an educated person of leisure, who has time and resources to sit in the comforting shade of a familiar tree interpreting what is sacred without anyone's guidance or challenge. The point of Context, being that our circumstance stands in sharp contrast, as if standing out in relief against the flat background. In the First Testament, following the Exodus from Egypt and the 40 years in the wilderness, Moses promised that God would be faithful providing another to carry on the role of leadership as they entered the Promised Land. So began the period of Judges with Moses followed by Joshua and that fabled period of Samson, Gideon and Deborah. The central character now to be born, is the Last Judge like Moses, one who as Priest would ordain Kings for Israel, ordaining both King Saul and King David, who also in turn becomes the First Prophet, followed by Nathan, Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and John the Baptist, speaking truth to power. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. The Book of Samuel begins as each of the stories of The Judges began, identifying an individual's life circumstance as a setting for faith. Moses was born to a Levite Couple in Egypt, Ruth began when a famine drove a couple into exile in Moab. Setting up this story, Elkanah like Joseph with Rachel and Leah in Genesis, had two wives, Hannah whom he loved and also Peninnah. Why Elkanah had two wives is not explained, but there were wars every spring, so there was a shortage of men, and polygamy allowed for the perpetuation of the species. Peninnah is described as being so fertile, if she so much as looked at her husband, she got pregnant. As contrast to Hannah, Peninnah flaunted her sexuality, taunting Hannah and ridiculing her about how easily she got pregnant, where Hannah could not conceive. Hannah becomes so desperate to experience having a baby, she fasts and prays, begging God, that if she could she would give this child to God not as a sacrifice but as a priest so devout that they would never cut their hair. Several times, parishioners have described poor little Samuel abandoned at the Temple by his mother, but throughout history, it was common practice to give a child and their inheritance as well, where pastors choosing a seminary education and career is a recent development. Along that lines, Mario asked that we remind you in an effort to pay for our mission trip, if you would like to leave your children at the church next Friday, they will be cared for! Our first Testament passage actually includes two stories. The first is that Hannah so wanted a child that she prayed, begging God. How do you pray? One of the most common questions from any believer is “I don't know how to pray, teach me to pray?” Most of us, like the Butterfly collection analogy, try to be inconspicuous when praying. We have taken Jesus' instruction in Matthew that you pray so as to not to be seen by others: meaning prayer is private and stoic, invisible as if statues bowing in silence. Hannah wants so much to have a child she is begging God, she is rocking back and forth, raising her fists and ranting at God, but knowing God hears she prays moving her lips not making a sound. Eli the priest witnesses what she is doing, interprets this woman must be drunk! Hannah responds it is not that I have poured out liquor until I am drunk, I am pouring out my heart and soul for God to drink in. When is the last time you cared so much about anything as to pray to God like Hannah? Once her prayer is answered, Hannah faithfully gives the child to God, and now in the second story God Calls, in a voice no one else hears, to Samuel. When Samuel hears this he looks for answers everywhere except with God. Over and over during the night, he hears someone calling his name, gets up and wakes Eli asking what do you want, until Eli instructs Samuel to call upon God. How often we look for how we can control a problem, can I lose weight, can I exercise, can my family fix this, can my doctors correct this, what can our Government or elected officials do? And last of all, as if risking response to a voice in the night saying, “Speak Lord, for Here I am.” Hearing the voice of God, Samuel then has to decide whether to speak power to those in authority or not. To be a whistleblower, to challenge the status quo makes for good television plots but is threatening and has its repercussions. The beautiful irony of the words of Scripture are that in spite of Eli's eyes having grown dim, he sees what God is saying to Samuel and what God is calling to be done. Blind, he still has insight and vision. Listening to the Good News of the Gospel, you have to wonder. John the Baptist witnesses to Jesus. John's disciples Andrew and Phillip follow Jesus to discern who he is and what he wants, to which Jesus says “Come and See.” Andrew seeks out his brother Simon, whom Jesus calls Peter, because Andrew, Simon and Phillip all are from the same town Bethsaida, and all have been looking for the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets. But knowing who his friend was, Phillip seeks out Nathaniel, and does not take offense or get defensive when skeptically Nathaniel responds “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” In the world today, with so many Clergy abuses, with embezzlements, with church closures, if a leader of the church were to speak to any issue, one response might be “Can anything good come out of the Church?” With so many having left the Northeast for warmer climates, with the disrepair of the infrastructure of our cities; If asked “Can anything good come from Skaneateles?” would people respond: 200 inches of snow, Welch Allyn Equipment, TC Timber Trains, Finger Lakes Wines and Necco Wafers, or would we describe our faith in God? There is an old adage about Marriage described as The Seven Year Itch. How often after seven years of marriage, couples look for affection in others. The problem I believe is that after several years we begin to take one another for granted believing nothing new nothing unexpected can come from the other. Jesus' response to Nathaniel is marvelous. Nathaniel believes Jesus to have the Vision of God to have seen he was beneath a Fig Tree reading the Scriptures, when the phrase means one who is self-confident that he needs no one else, especially in understanding the Scriptures. And what Jesus promises is you will share in the vision of Jacob, Father to all the tribes of Israel, you will see the point of connection between Heaven and Earth, between God and Humanity, in faith you will indeed see connections and struggle with what is most important. We have worked to be known and recognized as a Community Center and resource. We are the center of Music in this Community. When people discuss Mission, Locally and Internationally, this church is the focus. But what would it be, if we were Jacob's ladder? If this were not simply an Accessible Building, Presbyterian, Fine Music and Missions, but a holy place where Heaven and Earth meet, where in the moments of silence we listen for God, where we pray not in silent reverence but so convulsing in faith people wonder if we were drunk? All of which leaves us with Downton Abbey, and whether having Principles and Prayer while Noble are awkward for us? Whether our Principles and prayers are for us things relegated to the closet, compromised and hidden as secrets, or whether our Principles and Prayers are what truly do matter in life? What would life be, if our Principles and the Prayers we offer to God became the Context against which the circumstance of our lives stood out?