EPIPHANY 2, B, 2009 – LIFE SUNDAY (1/18/09)

SCRIPTURES: 1 Samuel 3:1-20; 1 Cor. 6:12-20; John 1:43-51

 “And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.” Our Old Testament reading today begins with this rather strange, almost parenthetical, remark. It is one that begs explanation.

 What does it mean that “the Word of the Lord was rare”? Well, printing was expensive and difficult, and so books were rare. For this reason, it seems that God communicated with His people by appearing and speaking to their priests. For instance, the priest Eli, whom Samuel served, recognized that it was God calling Samuel, and he directed him in how to respond. Eli must have had the same experience. Our text also notes that “the Lord came and stood” and called out to Samuel after he had been readied by Eli to receive the Lord’s word. God appeared in some physical and visible form to speak His message. This is how things were in 1,800 B.C.

 But, by Samuel’s time such communications from God were rare. “there was no frequent vision.” Why? It was a judgment from God. You see, Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phineas, were evil priests. They stole from the offerings the people brought to the Lord. They even slept with some of the women who came to worship. By treating God’s worship and His people as if they were not holy but were theirs to use as they wished, they were blaspheming, treating God with contempt. And, “[Eli] did not restrain them.” God therefore condemned them and destroyed Eli’s house, and instead of choosing one of his descendants to lead Israel after him He called Samuel – an unknown, a nobody who was not from a priestly family, a young man who was not yet known for his wisdom or experience. God brought down the mighty and raised up the humble one who trusted in Him.

 Things are very different today, of course. “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,” says the writer of Hebrews. Jesus Himself says: “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but by Me” (John 14:6). Jesus is God’s final revelation. We should not look for visions or new words from God but should listen to Jesus and His words. God speaks to us through Christ and His words, and only through them.

 Now, we have those words in abundance. The Bible is the largest selling book every year by far; nothing else comes close! But, of our day it could also be said: “And the word of the Lord was rare in those days.” For, most people in our country treat God’s Word lightly. It is rarely read or heard; if it is read or heard, it is not believed and followed but considered old stories and tales that must be updated to have anything to say to us today. God’s revelation is treated lightly, with contempt. For this reason, the great blasphemy of treating God and His holy gifts as if they were ours to use as we wish has come upon us, and great judgment lies ahead for our country and our world.

 But, aren’t we on the verge of change? Isn’t this the dawn of new hope? Isn’t the economy going to be turning around and wars ended? We’ll see. We should certainly pray for incoming President Obama and his administration, for wisdom to face these and other great and pressing issues and govern with justice and compassion.

 But, economic disaster and war are not the greatest dangers facing us. Israel’s leadership, Eli’s family, was destroyed because they were treating God with contempt, blaspheming Him by abusing His holy gifts. Such blasphemy is taking place today in our leadership’s contempt of and abuse of human life itself.

 Every single human being is a miracle, an incredible gift from God that God has Himself honored. God has honored every human life, every person:

q   By creation. Although God made everything, only human beings were made in the very image and likeness of God. Humanity is the crown of God’s creation! Every person is specially and wonderfully made by God Himself.

q   By the incarnation. God became, not a duck or a cow or a dolphin or an elephant, but a man. God entered into human flesh and become human! And, He remains man, God in flesh. No other creature in all creation has been so honored!

q   By redemption. “you were bought with a price” we are told in 1 Corinthians. God became man and died for you! He not only died; He died as a sinner, taking the responsibility for your sins and suffering God’s eternal judgment of them for you. How incredible it is that the Holy God has in His own flesh paid the price for our sin!

God has honored every human being in these ways. Believers in Jesus have the further honor:

q   Of sanctification. “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?… he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him… do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” Such incredible words! How greatly has God exalted every believer in Jesus! You are His holy temples in whom He lives!

q   And glorification. Jesus told Nathanael, “You will see greater things than these. Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” If we hold to Christ in faith we will all see this one day, for we will be taken to heaven!

 Our governmental leadership has treated all of this with contempt, however, by passing laws that blaspheme God by allowing and supporting the great evil of abortion. Abortion is called a woman’s right and a matter of choice. It is held up as a constitutional right, a matter of personal privacy and decision that is the essence of opposition to governmental intrusion. Such high sounding, patriotic words! The true word that defines it, however, is blasphemy. It is blasphemy against God the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, blasphemy against the Incarnation itself. Great is the guilt it brings and the judgment of God that will come!

 God told Samuel that the blasphemy of Eli and his sons would not be forgiven. Thanks be to God that in Jesus, who bore every sin for us and saved us from their condemnation by the sacrifice of His own flesh, there is still forgiveness for all who turn from their sin to Him. In Jesus there is change, for as we are Sacramentally joined to His body our bodies are cleansed, made members of His body and holy temples of the Holy Spirit. And, in Jesus there is hope, for we will one day be completely raised up from our sin and its judgment to “see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Rejoice in this hope and embrace this change. Repent! Turn away from every sinful and selfish desire to glorify God with your body! Flee from sin, and speak out of God’s faithfulness and salvation in Christ. This is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

 Will this mean change in our country, in our state, in our communities, the honor-ing of life and so the honoring and not blaspheming of God? I don’t know. Great change in hearts and minds must take place, and this we leave to God. Regarding Samuel, we are told that “Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.” God will do this for all who honor Him. As, with our bodies and lives, we glorify Him and the lives He has made and honored, He will honor each of us as He honored Samuel. He will bring down the mighty and raise up the humble who trust in Him. The Lord will be with us and will let none of our words fall to the ground.