9.9.18: Sideways Religion
The Rev. Jackie Pippin’s sermon, Epiphany 2B
This Second Sunday after Epiphany, we are going to take some
time to focus on the Old Testament reading where Samuel is
being called by the divine voice. But, as I think something we
can all relate to, he doesn’t know where to go to answer the call
so he goes to his mentor to help.
This story is broken up into three main sections. First, we have
the response to God’s call. At first, Samuel thinks that Eli calling
him. He repeatedly goes to Eli to answer his call, but it isn’t Eli
that calls him. It is important to point out that Eli is the person
we would assume the call to go to as the High Priest. And yet
the call goes to Samuel. Eli is able to recognize what is
happening, and tells Samuel… “Go, lie down; and if he calls you,
you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’”
Second, we have the response to God’s call. It says that “Samuel
was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.” But Samuel did not have to
worry, because he had Eli. Samuel was worried. Eli had been
good to him but he knew that the news he was given would not
be good for Eli’s family. The message he was given foretold that
the priesthood of Eli and his family would be destroyed. But Eli
gentle coaxed it out of him because Eli knew that this was not to
be directed as a judgement (though his sons had been truly
awful) but this announcement was a way to legitimize Samuel’s
new leadership. There was a change of course in tradition and I
know that we as Episcopalians get uncomfortable when we hear
about changing traditions.
But that brings us to our third section containing the Justice of
God. This section starts with Eli’s sincere and honest appeal
from verse 17 “Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you
and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told
you” The beginning of this new leadership line required the
faithful to recognize and face the failures of Eli and his family.
Eli’s sons had made a mockery of their lineage and their status
in society. And while Eli was not committing evil acts like his
sons, he was too averse to act. He did not discipline his sons for
their corruption and evil deeds that were occuring right under
his nose.
In one way, Eli is looked down on in this passage. He failed to
pass on faithfulness to his own sons and he has failed the
system with his inability to act. But this is still ultimately a story
of redemption. Because Eli is so open to hearing the word of
God through Samuel, he opens up the opportunity to be
forgiven and try again. And while he failed with his own sons, he
has the opportunity to persevere and serve as a spiritual parent
for Samuel, guiding him to hear the Lord when he is calling to
him and guiding him to not be scared of what he has heard.
In this story, God is doing a strange, pretty exciting new thing in
establishing Samuels new lineage and authority. And it is such a
big thing, that we can just imagine the nerves that were felt in
the air. And well, that’s what I think of when I think of big
decisions, the nerves of it all. Hannah can vouch for me that I
am an incredibly type a, high anxiety person. Tums have gotten
me through most major life events paired with some frantic
texts to either my husband or Hannah. I have never confronted
a situation without considering at least 13 ways in which it will
inevitably fail epically or go up in flames. That fear is an
important thing I am mindful of when I make decisions.
This story that we hear today is not different. That balance of
fear and hope, is something that I invite you to hold in your
heart today. As people continue with new years resolutions, or
begin to consider Lenten disciples (its already a month a way),
we must find the balance to being realistic but not paralyzed by
our fear to do Gods work. Samuel has heard God’s call and is
ready, but his community with Eli is a vital part of this story for
how he begins to proclaim God’s word and this notion of
community is a vital part of the story here at St. Marks.
Today, we are baptizing Amelia and Rankin and they
will commit themselves to Christ. And as part of this community,
we have committed ourselves to part of this journey with them.
When we are baptized, God adopts us and makes us members
of the church and in baptize, we share in the new life of the Holy
Spirit and the forgiveness of sins. But, that doesn’t mean the
journey is easy. Renkin and Amelia, like all of us have and will
continue to, will find themselves in hard spots, making difficult
decisions, and trying to figure out life. It is our job, as fellow
members of the family to help guide them like Eli does today in
our reading.
As we renew our baptismal covenant today,
we are called to persevere, proclaim, seek, serve, and strive. We
are not given the option of sitting back, like Samuel wasn’t given
the option of ignoring the call and Eli wasn’t given the option of
simply failing. Both were put to work. Today, we are put to work
to be examples to Amelia and Renkin, to support them and on
another along this journey, and in the covenant, we know that
we can, with God’s help.
Amen.
Photo: Depiction of Eli and Samuel by John Singleton Copley, 1780.
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