Morning Prayer and Sermon
2nd S after the Epiphany Year B 12 Jan. in the Year of our Lord 2024
I Samuel 3:1-20
Psalm 139:1-5,12-17
I Corinthians 6:12-20
John 1:43-51
Raised in a Baptist home, I grew up learning the Old Testament in one hour Sunday School classes that preceded the worship services. I loved those classes. The men and women who taught them believed that the LORD God was both Creator and Master of the earth, and that His people could do wonderful things, if they had faith in Him, and were obedient. What they taught was a step up from what I was learning about my parents: they loved me and if I listened to them, things would go better for me. They had plans for me and perhaps the LORD did too.
One such story is that of the call of Samuel. Samuel was the long-awaited son of Hanna, a righteous woman who was childless. Her prayer granted; Hanna dedicated her son to the Lord’s service, when he was weaned at 3 years old.
“I prayed for this child, (she told Eli) and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.” (I Samuel 1:27,28)
Consequently, he was raised at the worship center of the nation at Shiloh, by the High Priest and Judge of Israel named Eli. Samuel served in the Tabernacle (Tent of meeting). Hanna would have 3 more sons and 2 daughters but would regularly visit Samuel and each year brought him a priestly linen ephod robe like Eli’s. His mother believed the LORD had plans for her son.
Chapter 2 of I Samuel is the exultant prayer of Hanna. It is a wonderful poetic statement of confidence in God’s sovereignty and her thankfulness for everything he had done. It may have influenced the Magnificat of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Both prayers are prophetic and display true confidence of God’s ultimate control over our lives, thankfulness for our blessings and praise for all His good gifts. Both were inspired by the Holy Spirit.
After the death of Moses and Joshua, Israel was a theocracy, ruled for 200 years by Judges. Eli and Samuel are the last of those judges. What takes place one night in the life of Samuel captured by the OT lesson this morning. It is an unveiling of the determination of God to choose a new leader for His people, the nation of Israel. Samuel was trained serving before the LORD under Eli. Normally Eli’s sons would replace him, but they were corrupt, and all Israel knew it and would learn:
“That the Lord was with Samuel as he grew up and let none of his word’s fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD. The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh and there He revealed himself to Samuel through his word.” (I Samuel 2:19-21) Samuel replaced Eli as the Prophet and Judge of Israel and would anoint Saul as Israel’s first king, and years later anoint David, the king whom God chose to establish the Messianic royal line.
The Epiphany is the revealing or manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ to the world. He came bringing the opportunity for salvation to the Jews, and the entire world. He came to be a light in the darkness, through repentance and belief in Him.
His coming was manifested in both dramatic and quiet ways. The unveiling of God’s plan to Mary, by the greatest of the Angels, the Archangel Gabriel. Then the narrative of the men following the Star. Wealthy Magi (Perhaps Zoroastrian Scholars) came from somewhere in East, probably Babylon, to Jerusalem to worship and bring gifts to the one they believed was the King of the Jews, a child Messiah. The men, traditionally 3 (because of the three gifts) were prominent enough to be invited to the court of King Herod with their news. The length of their trip explains why they entered a house not a barn to worship Jesus and bring their gifts. When an angel told Joseph in a dream to flee with the mother and Child to Egypt; the gift of gold would support the family during their sojourn. We also have the story of the Angel of the Lord terrifying shepherds tending their herds, by appearing to them in the glory of the Lord. “Do not be afraid I bring you good news that will cause great joy to all the people. Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord … With the departure of the angel, the shepherds hurried to find Mary and Joseph and the baby.” (Luke 2:9-11)
There were also the singular testimonies of Simeon the Righteous also found in the Gospel of Luke. Simeon had been told by the Holy Spirit “that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.” Upon seeing the child Jesus, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God saying: Sovereign Lord … you may now dismiss your servant in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation … which you have prepared in the sight of all nations; a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel. (Luke 2, 25-32)
To complete the epiphany or unveiling of Jesus as a youthful Messiah we must go to an annual trip that Mary and Joseph have made to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. Jesus was 12 years old, but instead of playing with other children of his age, he gravitated to the Temple and remained there when his parents left for home, thinking that he was with neighbors and family and friends. Not finding him among them they returned to Jerusalem, frantic with worry.
“After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.’ Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. (Luke 2: 46-49)
Joseph J. Muñoz
Professor Emeritus
Feather River College