Abundant Love
Commentary
One of the fundamental characteristics of human development is inquisitiveness. It leads us to explore our world from infancy to old age. One of the basic questions we ask from early on is: "What am I to do?" This is not only a question of purpose, but also one of procedure. We are concerned about where we are going and also how we are to get there. We look back and wonder if we have achieved any significant purpose in the past twelve months; we wonder if we went about whatever we did in the right way. Some of our thoughts are filled with pride; others, with regret. We look forward with a mixture of hopeful and fearful anticipation, wondering if the new year will bring any betterment in answer to these questions. Coming on the last Sunday of the calendar year, our texts provide practical answers. Let's see what God's Word has for us in this regard.
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
As the last of the judges, Samuel oversees the transition from tribal amphictyony (which had lasted for about 200 years) to monarchy. He succeeds his mentor, Eli. Soon to be anointed as earthly king over God's people will be Saul; then, David. Samuel will perform the sacred task himself. But, for now, we see him growing up, learning the ways of the Lord from the hand of Eli and through the rituals of worship at Shiloh.
The designated text is brief and only gives us a glimpse of the family support for Samuel's training and Eli's blessing upon them. Each year Hannah would sew a linen ephod for her growing child. There were no church supply houses in those days and it was up to Mother to see to it that her boy was fitted appropriately with the priestly garments. The ephod is well-described in Exodus 28. Of particular note are the two onyx stones that adorn it, each written with six of the names of Jacob's sons, representing together the twelve tribes of Israel. Whenever the priest wore the ephod and was tending to the duties in the tent of meeting, all the people of God would be symbolically present and remembered before the Lord. Samuel performed his tasks faithfully before the Lord and in the sight of the people. The aging Eli certainly appreciated the services Samuel provided. The boy was a godsend in more ways than one. So, each year when his parents came, he would dutifully bless them thankfully.
This is all fine and good as a quaint description of Samuel's youthful religious pursuits. But, it really does not tell us much by itself, other than a few cultural and family customs. To catch the value of these few verses, attention must be given to the verses surrounding them and between them. It would be good to attend to this now, since we do not have any more Samuel stories for the remainder of the cycle. This text itself is but a follow-up to Proper 28, just before Advent. This Old Testament storyline is an important precursor to Luke's story of Jesus in the Temple and Paul's description of the godly life.
Verse 21 informs us that Eli's blessing was effective, for Hannah, who had been ridiculed for her barrenness, was blessed with five more children after Samuel (three boys and two girls). It is one thing to receive a blessing of words; it is another thing to experience the fulfillment of those words in your lifetime. Such was Hannah's joy. Her devotion to the Lord was rewarded with family blessings. What Jesus said about seeking the kingdom first (Matthew 6:33) and then receiving other blessings from the hand of God was certainly true for Hannah.
Verses 22-25 report the ugly news that Eli's sons, who also served in the priesthood, were not exemplary fellows. They were "worthless men" of "evil dealings," an embarrassment to their father, as well as to the Lord. (See also verses 11-17.) This is a stark contrast to the behavior and reputation of Samuel, who as it will turn out is a type of Christ. The lack of class of these sons of Eli helps us understand even more the importance of the character of Samuel. Just as blessing follows Samuel, a curse follows Eli's sons. They will die. Eli asks of them a very important question: If a man sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him? It is one thing to sin against another person; God can always intercede with forgiveness and reconciliation. But, who is there to intercede for the sinner, when that sinner is a priest and when the sin is directed against God? Who will be priest for the priests? For a very clear answer to this question, we will have to wait until the coming of the Messiah, Jesus, whom John reminds us God set forth as an expiation for our sins (1 John 4:10).
Colossians 3:12-17
Would you ever dare tell someone you had never met how they should dress? Paul does not hesitate to do so. In this provocative letter, which defines the person and work of Christ (see especially 1:15-23), Paul also defines the character of the Christian life. He does so with the playful image of wardrobe. The Greek word in verse 12, enduw, literally means "dress." Paul tells his Christian readers to put on certain qualities of life, like one would put on clothes. Compassion, kindness, patience, forgiveness -- dress yourself in these ways, Paul says. "Let this be the wardrobe people see you wear in your daily life."
Like with the Samuel text, we have to be sensitive to the verses before our selected pericope in order to appreciate fully what is being said. Paul had just said that in baptism the Christian has died and that the Christian life is now "hid with Christ" (3:3). So, in verse 5, Paul tells the Colossians to "put to death" such things as fornication, impurity, and covetousness. After this death motif, he then switches images to that of one's wardrobe in verse 8. With the word apotiqemai, Paul instructs his readers to "take off" such soiled garments as anger, malice, and foul talk. Yet another fashion term, a bit more radical, is introduced in verse 9: apekdupmai, meaning "to strip away." The old nature, which is soiled with sin, is to be literally stripped off, like one would disarm soldiers of weapons so that they could no longer hurt anyone.
Now, standing basically naked, needing something presentable, Paul's advice is to dress oneself appropriately in Christ-likeness. He describes what this means. First, take common Roman and Greek virtues that moralists of the day would affirm: things like compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience. Add to them the perfect example of Christ in terms of forgiveness, which really goes beyond the pale of common human virtue, since it calls for the forgiveness of even one's enemies. This is the true expression of love and will bear the fruit of peace. Here is a wardrobe that is suitable for everyday use. Such attire prepares one also for eternity, when one will dress up with that which is imperishable (enduw in 1 Corinthians 15:53-54).
Tying this all back to one's baptism, where God speaks those heavenly words, "This is my beloved, with whom I am well pleased," Paul pointedly clarifies the basis for dressing up in these ways. Christians are "God's chosen ones, holy and beloved." As Jesus says to his disciples, "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16), so he says to those who follow him today, those who are baptized into him. In him we are beloved: "For God so loved the world ..." (John 3:16). Through him we are made holy: "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Just like a police officer will wear "the blues," the uniform of his calling in the community, so too will Christians wear a uniform of behavior that will identify them by their calling in Christ. In another letter (Ephesians 4:1), Paul expresses it this way, "Lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called." He then goes on to inventory some of the same attire for the Ephesians as he does for the Colossians.
Luke 2:41-52
Other than the infancy narrative (Luke 2:1-40), Jesus' visit to the Temple at the age of twelve is the only childhood story of Jesus in Scripture. The next time we see him is when he is baptized by John the Baptist to initiate his public ministry as an adult. Other than a reference of the Holy Family's flight into Egypt, Matthew tells no childhood incidents in the life of Jesus. Mark, after a brief introduction with John's ministry, begins directly with the baptism of Jesus; there is no reference even to his birth. Having given only a wink to Jesus' birth (1:14), John does not even mention Jesus' baptism; Jesus' first activity in this Gospel is to begin to gather the twelve disciples around himself.
This visit to the Temple was an annual family event. As such, it was good preparation for Jesus' ministry. All these rearing years enabled him to clearly see that the Temple was to be a house of prayer, not a money market; seeing the Temple construction gave him an illustration with which to comment on his destiny (John 2:13-22). This recurrent pilgrimage certainly bonded him with family, both human and divine. We can only speculate about the close connections he must have had with his relatives, that Mary and Joseph trusted that he was with them. But, it is his own comment that sharpens for us his growing sense of identity with his heavenly Father.
This particular Passover visit to Jerusalem prefigures a future visit to the Holy City and the Holy Site. Here, Jesus is finally found among the religious leaders, conversing about the things of God. They are amazed at the questions, understanding, and answers that this young sprig of a boy exhibits. There would be more questions, understanding, and answers provided at a future date, which they would not appreciate. Perhaps it is that there is a new generation of religious leaders that arose in the intervening twenty years; or perhaps it is that they had time to figure out tricky questions with which to entrap him, questions about taxes and divorce, the ranking of the commandments, healing on the Sabbath, and dealing with adulterers.
Jesus' response to his parents' anxious search sets the groundwork for his later response to his Father's directions. At an early age, Jesus knew that the proper place for him to be was in his Father's house, namely the Temple. When he returned to Jerusalem for the events of Holy Week, he would be set on doing his Father's will. It is almost like Samuel, who slept in the temple and heard the call of God three times in the night (1 Samuel 3). His response was, "Here I am!" When Jesus was called by his heavenly Father "to do the will of him who sent me" (John 4:34 and 5:30), he responded likewise: "Here I am. Not my will but yours be done."
Although this is the only childhood story of Jesus in Scripture, we should not feel short-changed. It is the best one. It is the one that fits in with the entirety of his life's mission. There were other childhood stories that were circulating, but this was the only one worthy of canon. The other stories that appear in such writings as The Gospel of Thomas and The Book of Joseph (or The First Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ) read strangely. They depict a capricious lad who, by the power of his word, could make clay sparrows come to life and fly away, instruct a venomous snake to return to its victim and suck the venom back out, turn playmates into sheep during a game of hide and seek and then turn them back to boys again, and who cursed a lad to death because he bumped into him, withered the hand of an abusive teacher, and smote with blindness those who bothered Joseph.
These stories certainly portray a kind of Wunderkind, but they are inconsistent with who Jesus is, namely the Son of God, who came to serve and not be served, who came to give his life as a ransom for many, not hold people ransom to his fickleness. One can appreciate even more the work of the Holy Spirit in establishing the canon, after reading such stories and realizing that many who called themselves Christian (for example, the gnostics and the Nestorians) valued these writings for the nurture of their faith.
Application
On this last Sunday of the year, especially since it is New Year's Eve day, we look back to recount God's blessings and we look forward hoping that God's blessings will be present in the new year. Most everyone formulates at least one resolution for the new year. We want the future to be better than the past. There are some practical guidelines provided in our texts today to help us chart the course into the new year.
Just as Samuel needed the loving support of his mother, who provided him with new clothing every year, so too the Christian needs the support of others to nurture growth in godliness. We cannot go it alone. Yet, it is so hard for some to accept help. But, without that ability, so many of life's blessings will pass one by! Just as this expresses our need, it also identifies the opportunity we each have in providing that same support for others. Since we all go through various trials, it is so important to have those people by us who can spot the blessings in life -- where they are even when we cannot see them at the time -- and help us deal with those trials with patience. Isn't this part of what Paul means when he writes about teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom?
Like Hannah who gave thanks to the Lord for the gift of Samuel by returning him to the Lord's service, so too we should always live a melody of thanksgiving before the Lord. And just as God blessed Hannah with more children, God will shower down more blessings for us, as we simply trust in his providential care. It's like the saying, "You have to give in order to get." As we give thanksgiving, God will be able to give us more about which we can be thankful (2 Corinthians 9:8). The Bible is replete with expressions of God's desire to care for his world. As we respond to this abundant love, we open ourselves up to receiving even more than we ever imagined. Returning thanksgiving to God is like holding the cup of life heavenward that it may be refilled to overflowing.
With the Christmas holiday over, at least commercially speaking, clothing stores will begin to display their spring and summer clothing. In some areas of the country where winter is truly winter, it is hard to get into the mood for buying warm weather clothing. For the Christian, there is a wardrobe that is always in season. Paul takes us on a strut down the runway to fashion ourselves in the likeness of Christ. This character clothing is not to help us look as trendy as others; it is to help us put on Christ (enduw, Romans 13:14). This is the wardrobe that will see us well into the new year. To resolve to wear this clothing (compassion, kindness, patience, forgiveness, love) is most worthy.
There was a car commercial this past year that featured a father attempting to be at both his children's sporting events. His daughter was goalie on the soccer team. His son was in a swimming meet. His choice of car enabled him to shuttle successfully between both simultaneous events. So much of the time we all feel pulled in competing directions for the attention and energies of our daily life. We need to learn from Mary, who pondered "these things," which, of course, were the things of God (Luke 2:19, 51). As we join Mary and Samuel and Paul in paying attention to what God is doing in the world, we will be better centered for tending to the opportunities and challenges set before us from day to day. Ask your congregation what each household is doing "according to custom" (Luke 2:42), in order to nurture their relationship with the Lord Jesus. There is nothing more important in life than one's relationship with Jesus.
With God's blessing, the new year of 2001 can become an odyssey of growth in godliness for individuals, families, and communities, as Christians take seriously their wardrobe for the journey and customarily wear it faithfully.
FIRST LESSON FOCUS
By Elizabeth Achtemeier
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
Today we come to what has often been called a "low Sunday" in the church year, indicating very low attendance in the church. After the crowds have packed the sanctuary at least on Christmas Eve, we find in the congregation this morning only those faithful whose regular habit it is to come to church. Others are exhausted by all of the Christmas festivities and have decided to sleep in. Or they are busy getting ready for one more round of revelry tonight, celebrating the beginning of another new year.
Our text for the morning would seem to be rather inconsequential too. Obviously it has a place in the lectionary because verse 26 is parallel to verse 52 in the Gospel reading of Luke 2. Both boys, Samuel and Jesus, are said to grow in stature and in favor with God and men. Perhaps that is just a traditional, formulaic saying, which the biblical authors use to indicate the boys' maturation to adulthood.
We do find similarities between the families of Samuel and Jesus also. Both are obviously good pious Jewish families, who make the yearly visit to the place of worship to offer sacrifices and, in Mary and Joseph's case, to celebrate the Passover. In the time of Samuel, worship still took place at the central sanctuary of the twelve-tribe federation in Shiloh, where was located the Ark of the Covenant. Once a year the tribes came together to offer sacrifices, perhaps in a communion meal, and to reaffirm their faith by participating in a covenant renewal ceremony. In Jesus' time, all sacrifices and festivals such as Passover, Tabernacles, and Weeks, took place at the Temple in Jerusalem, according to the law of Deuteronomy.
Both stories emphasize the love of the parents for their sons. Although Hannah devoted Samuel to the Lord, to be a Nazarite and to be raised by Eli at the central sanctuary, she nevertheless lovingly sews a little robe for Samuel each year, as token of her continuing maternal love. Equally, Mary and Joseph are distraught when the twelve-year-old boy Jesus is found to be missing from their company of relatives and friends after a day's journey away from Jerusalem. It was rather dangerous for Jesus' parents to return by themselves to Jerusalem to seek him; such travelers could fall victim to thieves (cf. the story of the Good Samaritan), and it is evident that Mary and Joseph were very upset. So both Samuel and Jesus come from very secure backgrounds, from families devoted to the Lord and to the raising of their children. Would that all children in our time had such a goodly heritage! It's no wonder that the boys could grow to be pleasing to God and to their compatriots alike. All children need that firm familial foundation, and all parents are responsible for providing it.
But there is much more involved in our similar stories in 1 Samuel and Luke than simply human matters. We have to do with the purpose of God in these stories, and that of course is the central concern of both Old Testament and New.
The verses in our Old Testament text are interspersed with the notices of the failure of Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas (1 Samuel 1:3). Both of them are priests at the central sanctuary in Shiloh, and both of them are greedily taking for themselves portions of sacrifices that should be offered to the Lord (1 Samuel 2:12-17). Worse, they are committing fornication with the women who serve at the sanctuary (2:22), and though the aged Eli remonstrates with them, they will not listen to his correction (2:23-25). The result is that an unnamed prophet foretells that Hophni and Phinehas will both die on the same day, and that the lineage of Eli, with the exception of Abiathar, will be cut off from the priesthood forever (2:27-34).
Why are these stories about Eli's sons interspersed with that of Samuel? First, and unimportant for our immediate purposes, they mark the beginning of the transfer of the priesthood from the Levites to the Zadokites. But most important, they mark the beginning of a new era in the purpose and working of God. Samuel will now be elevated to the office of judge, priest, and ruler over Israel, and it is Samuel who will eventually inaugurate the monarchy by anointing, first, Saul and then David as king over Israel. In other words, God is on the move here in this story. Heretofore, Israel has been made up of a loose federation of tribes, who came together only yearly for worship or occasionally for battle against an enemy. But now God is forming the conditions whereby Israel will become a united people under a davidic king, who will be the anointed one of the Lord. Moreover, that davidic king will be the first in the long line that will eventually lead to the Messiah. There is preparation for kingship here in this story. But as with so much of God's working, the preparations are slowly but surely prepared and moved forward by God. God takes all of the circumstances of a real human history that seems so distant and unimportant to us. And he uses those circumstances to drive forward his purpose for his people -- and finally his purpose for you and me.
Well, there is preparation for kingship also in our Gospel Lesson from Luke, is there not? We find the boy Jesus, raised lovingly in a pious home by devoted parents, and yet speaking with authority to the leaders in the Jerusalem temple. And when his parents come to find him, he acknowledges from the first that he is acting not according to some adolescent whim or on his own authority, but that he is beginning to be about his Father's business. Once again, God is inaugurating a new era in human life, an era that will eventually lead to a kingship (cf. Luke 23:2-3). But the kingship of the Lord Christ will bring a final rule, a final fulfillment of the davidic line, a final Messiah, and the beginning of the Kingdom of God come on earth (cf. Luke 11:20).
The amazing thing is with what infinite patience and careful attention God works out his purpose in the minutiae of human history. Starting way back with the boy Samuel and the events surrounding Eli's household, God works toward the establishment of the davidic kingship. And then through centuries, until the time is ripe, he brings forth from that davidic line the final King. But the Lord God, that One of infinite patience and care, continues to move his purpose forward in the little events of our history too, until there will come the time when every knee bows and every tongue confesses the lordship of our King, Jesus Christ.
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
As the last of the judges, Samuel oversees the transition from tribal amphictyony (which had lasted for about 200 years) to monarchy. He succeeds his mentor, Eli. Soon to be anointed as earthly king over God's people will be Saul; then, David. Samuel will perform the sacred task himself. But, for now, we see him growing up, learning the ways of the Lord from the hand of Eli and through the rituals of worship at Shiloh.
The designated text is brief and only gives us a glimpse of the family support for Samuel's training and Eli's blessing upon them. Each year Hannah would sew a linen ephod for her growing child. There were no church supply houses in those days and it was up to Mother to see to it that her boy was fitted appropriately with the priestly garments. The ephod is well-described in Exodus 28. Of particular note are the two onyx stones that adorn it, each written with six of the names of Jacob's sons, representing together the twelve tribes of Israel. Whenever the priest wore the ephod and was tending to the duties in the tent of meeting, all the people of God would be symbolically present and remembered before the Lord. Samuel performed his tasks faithfully before the Lord and in the sight of the people. The aging Eli certainly appreciated the services Samuel provided. The boy was a godsend in more ways than one. So, each year when his parents came, he would dutifully bless them thankfully.
This is all fine and good as a quaint description of Samuel's youthful religious pursuits. But, it really does not tell us much by itself, other than a few cultural and family customs. To catch the value of these few verses, attention must be given to the verses surrounding them and between them. It would be good to attend to this now, since we do not have any more Samuel stories for the remainder of the cycle. This text itself is but a follow-up to Proper 28, just before Advent. This Old Testament storyline is an important precursor to Luke's story of Jesus in the Temple and Paul's description of the godly life.
Verse 21 informs us that Eli's blessing was effective, for Hannah, who had been ridiculed for her barrenness, was blessed with five more children after Samuel (three boys and two girls). It is one thing to receive a blessing of words; it is another thing to experience the fulfillment of those words in your lifetime. Such was Hannah's joy. Her devotion to the Lord was rewarded with family blessings. What Jesus said about seeking the kingdom first (Matthew 6:33) and then receiving other blessings from the hand of God was certainly true for Hannah.
Verses 22-25 report the ugly news that Eli's sons, who also served in the priesthood, were not exemplary fellows. They were "worthless men" of "evil dealings," an embarrassment to their father, as well as to the Lord. (See also verses 11-17.) This is a stark contrast to the behavior and reputation of Samuel, who as it will turn out is a type of Christ. The lack of class of these sons of Eli helps us understand even more the importance of the character of Samuel. Just as blessing follows Samuel, a curse follows Eli's sons. They will die. Eli asks of them a very important question: If a man sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him? It is one thing to sin against another person; God can always intercede with forgiveness and reconciliation. But, who is there to intercede for the sinner, when that sinner is a priest and when the sin is directed against God? Who will be priest for the priests? For a very clear answer to this question, we will have to wait until the coming of the Messiah, Jesus, whom John reminds us God set forth as an expiation for our sins (1 John 4:10).
Colossians 3:12-17
Would you ever dare tell someone you had never met how they should dress? Paul does not hesitate to do so. In this provocative letter, which defines the person and work of Christ (see especially 1:15-23), Paul also defines the character of the Christian life. He does so with the playful image of wardrobe. The Greek word in verse 12, enduw, literally means "dress." Paul tells his Christian readers to put on certain qualities of life, like one would put on clothes. Compassion, kindness, patience, forgiveness -- dress yourself in these ways, Paul says. "Let this be the wardrobe people see you wear in your daily life."
Like with the Samuel text, we have to be sensitive to the verses before our selected pericope in order to appreciate fully what is being said. Paul had just said that in baptism the Christian has died and that the Christian life is now "hid with Christ" (3:3). So, in verse 5, Paul tells the Colossians to "put to death" such things as fornication, impurity, and covetousness. After this death motif, he then switches images to that of one's wardrobe in verse 8. With the word apotiqemai, Paul instructs his readers to "take off" such soiled garments as anger, malice, and foul talk. Yet another fashion term, a bit more radical, is introduced in verse 9: apekdupmai, meaning "to strip away." The old nature, which is soiled with sin, is to be literally stripped off, like one would disarm soldiers of weapons so that they could no longer hurt anyone.
Now, standing basically naked, needing something presentable, Paul's advice is to dress oneself appropriately in Christ-likeness. He describes what this means. First, take common Roman and Greek virtues that moralists of the day would affirm: things like compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience. Add to them the perfect example of Christ in terms of forgiveness, which really goes beyond the pale of common human virtue, since it calls for the forgiveness of even one's enemies. This is the true expression of love and will bear the fruit of peace. Here is a wardrobe that is suitable for everyday use. Such attire prepares one also for eternity, when one will dress up with that which is imperishable (enduw in 1 Corinthians 15:53-54).
Tying this all back to one's baptism, where God speaks those heavenly words, "This is my beloved, with whom I am well pleased," Paul pointedly clarifies the basis for dressing up in these ways. Christians are "God's chosen ones, holy and beloved." As Jesus says to his disciples, "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16), so he says to those who follow him today, those who are baptized into him. In him we are beloved: "For God so loved the world ..." (John 3:16). Through him we are made holy: "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Just like a police officer will wear "the blues," the uniform of his calling in the community, so too will Christians wear a uniform of behavior that will identify them by their calling in Christ. In another letter (Ephesians 4:1), Paul expresses it this way, "Lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called." He then goes on to inventory some of the same attire for the Ephesians as he does for the Colossians.
Luke 2:41-52
Other than the infancy narrative (Luke 2:1-40), Jesus' visit to the Temple at the age of twelve is the only childhood story of Jesus in Scripture. The next time we see him is when he is baptized by John the Baptist to initiate his public ministry as an adult. Other than a reference of the Holy Family's flight into Egypt, Matthew tells no childhood incidents in the life of Jesus. Mark, after a brief introduction with John's ministry, begins directly with the baptism of Jesus; there is no reference even to his birth. Having given only a wink to Jesus' birth (1:14), John does not even mention Jesus' baptism; Jesus' first activity in this Gospel is to begin to gather the twelve disciples around himself.
This visit to the Temple was an annual family event. As such, it was good preparation for Jesus' ministry. All these rearing years enabled him to clearly see that the Temple was to be a house of prayer, not a money market; seeing the Temple construction gave him an illustration with which to comment on his destiny (John 2:13-22). This recurrent pilgrimage certainly bonded him with family, both human and divine. We can only speculate about the close connections he must have had with his relatives, that Mary and Joseph trusted that he was with them. But, it is his own comment that sharpens for us his growing sense of identity with his heavenly Father.
This particular Passover visit to Jerusalem prefigures a future visit to the Holy City and the Holy Site. Here, Jesus is finally found among the religious leaders, conversing about the things of God. They are amazed at the questions, understanding, and answers that this young sprig of a boy exhibits. There would be more questions, understanding, and answers provided at a future date, which they would not appreciate. Perhaps it is that there is a new generation of religious leaders that arose in the intervening twenty years; or perhaps it is that they had time to figure out tricky questions with which to entrap him, questions about taxes and divorce, the ranking of the commandments, healing on the Sabbath, and dealing with adulterers.
Jesus' response to his parents' anxious search sets the groundwork for his later response to his Father's directions. At an early age, Jesus knew that the proper place for him to be was in his Father's house, namely the Temple. When he returned to Jerusalem for the events of Holy Week, he would be set on doing his Father's will. It is almost like Samuel, who slept in the temple and heard the call of God three times in the night (1 Samuel 3). His response was, "Here I am!" When Jesus was called by his heavenly Father "to do the will of him who sent me" (John 4:34 and 5:30), he responded likewise: "Here I am. Not my will but yours be done."
Although this is the only childhood story of Jesus in Scripture, we should not feel short-changed. It is the best one. It is the one that fits in with the entirety of his life's mission. There were other childhood stories that were circulating, but this was the only one worthy of canon. The other stories that appear in such writings as The Gospel of Thomas and The Book of Joseph (or The First Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ) read strangely. They depict a capricious lad who, by the power of his word, could make clay sparrows come to life and fly away, instruct a venomous snake to return to its victim and suck the venom back out, turn playmates into sheep during a game of hide and seek and then turn them back to boys again, and who cursed a lad to death because he bumped into him, withered the hand of an abusive teacher, and smote with blindness those who bothered Joseph.
These stories certainly portray a kind of Wunderkind, but they are inconsistent with who Jesus is, namely the Son of God, who came to serve and not be served, who came to give his life as a ransom for many, not hold people ransom to his fickleness. One can appreciate even more the work of the Holy Spirit in establishing the canon, after reading such stories and realizing that many who called themselves Christian (for example, the gnostics and the Nestorians) valued these writings for the nurture of their faith.
Application
On this last Sunday of the year, especially since it is New Year's Eve day, we look back to recount God's blessings and we look forward hoping that God's blessings will be present in the new year. Most everyone formulates at least one resolution for the new year. We want the future to be better than the past. There are some practical guidelines provided in our texts today to help us chart the course into the new year.
Just as Samuel needed the loving support of his mother, who provided him with new clothing every year, so too the Christian needs the support of others to nurture growth in godliness. We cannot go it alone. Yet, it is so hard for some to accept help. But, without that ability, so many of life's blessings will pass one by! Just as this expresses our need, it also identifies the opportunity we each have in providing that same support for others. Since we all go through various trials, it is so important to have those people by us who can spot the blessings in life -- where they are even when we cannot see them at the time -- and help us deal with those trials with patience. Isn't this part of what Paul means when he writes about teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom?
Like Hannah who gave thanks to the Lord for the gift of Samuel by returning him to the Lord's service, so too we should always live a melody of thanksgiving before the Lord. And just as God blessed Hannah with more children, God will shower down more blessings for us, as we simply trust in his providential care. It's like the saying, "You have to give in order to get." As we give thanksgiving, God will be able to give us more about which we can be thankful (2 Corinthians 9:8). The Bible is replete with expressions of God's desire to care for his world. As we respond to this abundant love, we open ourselves up to receiving even more than we ever imagined. Returning thanksgiving to God is like holding the cup of life heavenward that it may be refilled to overflowing.
With the Christmas holiday over, at least commercially speaking, clothing stores will begin to display their spring and summer clothing. In some areas of the country where winter is truly winter, it is hard to get into the mood for buying warm weather clothing. For the Christian, there is a wardrobe that is always in season. Paul takes us on a strut down the runway to fashion ourselves in the likeness of Christ. This character clothing is not to help us look as trendy as others; it is to help us put on Christ (enduw, Romans 13:14). This is the wardrobe that will see us well into the new year. To resolve to wear this clothing (compassion, kindness, patience, forgiveness, love) is most worthy.
There was a car commercial this past year that featured a father attempting to be at both his children's sporting events. His daughter was goalie on the soccer team. His son was in a swimming meet. His choice of car enabled him to shuttle successfully between both simultaneous events. So much of the time we all feel pulled in competing directions for the attention and energies of our daily life. We need to learn from Mary, who pondered "these things," which, of course, were the things of God (Luke 2:19, 51). As we join Mary and Samuel and Paul in paying attention to what God is doing in the world, we will be better centered for tending to the opportunities and challenges set before us from day to day. Ask your congregation what each household is doing "according to custom" (Luke 2:42), in order to nurture their relationship with the Lord Jesus. There is nothing more important in life than one's relationship with Jesus.
With God's blessing, the new year of 2001 can become an odyssey of growth in godliness for individuals, families, and communities, as Christians take seriously their wardrobe for the journey and customarily wear it faithfully.
FIRST LESSON FOCUS
By Elizabeth Achtemeier
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
Today we come to what has often been called a "low Sunday" in the church year, indicating very low attendance in the church. After the crowds have packed the sanctuary at least on Christmas Eve, we find in the congregation this morning only those faithful whose regular habit it is to come to church. Others are exhausted by all of the Christmas festivities and have decided to sleep in. Or they are busy getting ready for one more round of revelry tonight, celebrating the beginning of another new year.
Our text for the morning would seem to be rather inconsequential too. Obviously it has a place in the lectionary because verse 26 is parallel to verse 52 in the Gospel reading of Luke 2. Both boys, Samuel and Jesus, are said to grow in stature and in favor with God and men. Perhaps that is just a traditional, formulaic saying, which the biblical authors use to indicate the boys' maturation to adulthood.
We do find similarities between the families of Samuel and Jesus also. Both are obviously good pious Jewish families, who make the yearly visit to the place of worship to offer sacrifices and, in Mary and Joseph's case, to celebrate the Passover. In the time of Samuel, worship still took place at the central sanctuary of the twelve-tribe federation in Shiloh, where was located the Ark of the Covenant. Once a year the tribes came together to offer sacrifices, perhaps in a communion meal, and to reaffirm their faith by participating in a covenant renewal ceremony. In Jesus' time, all sacrifices and festivals such as Passover, Tabernacles, and Weeks, took place at the Temple in Jerusalem, according to the law of Deuteronomy.
Both stories emphasize the love of the parents for their sons. Although Hannah devoted Samuel to the Lord, to be a Nazarite and to be raised by Eli at the central sanctuary, she nevertheless lovingly sews a little robe for Samuel each year, as token of her continuing maternal love. Equally, Mary and Joseph are distraught when the twelve-year-old boy Jesus is found to be missing from their company of relatives and friends after a day's journey away from Jerusalem. It was rather dangerous for Jesus' parents to return by themselves to Jerusalem to seek him; such travelers could fall victim to thieves (cf. the story of the Good Samaritan), and it is evident that Mary and Joseph were very upset. So both Samuel and Jesus come from very secure backgrounds, from families devoted to the Lord and to the raising of their children. Would that all children in our time had such a goodly heritage! It's no wonder that the boys could grow to be pleasing to God and to their compatriots alike. All children need that firm familial foundation, and all parents are responsible for providing it.
But there is much more involved in our similar stories in 1 Samuel and Luke than simply human matters. We have to do with the purpose of God in these stories, and that of course is the central concern of both Old Testament and New.
The verses in our Old Testament text are interspersed with the notices of the failure of Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas (1 Samuel 1:3). Both of them are priests at the central sanctuary in Shiloh, and both of them are greedily taking for themselves portions of sacrifices that should be offered to the Lord (1 Samuel 2:12-17). Worse, they are committing fornication with the women who serve at the sanctuary (2:22), and though the aged Eli remonstrates with them, they will not listen to his correction (2:23-25). The result is that an unnamed prophet foretells that Hophni and Phinehas will both die on the same day, and that the lineage of Eli, with the exception of Abiathar, will be cut off from the priesthood forever (2:27-34).
Why are these stories about Eli's sons interspersed with that of Samuel? First, and unimportant for our immediate purposes, they mark the beginning of the transfer of the priesthood from the Levites to the Zadokites. But most important, they mark the beginning of a new era in the purpose and working of God. Samuel will now be elevated to the office of judge, priest, and ruler over Israel, and it is Samuel who will eventually inaugurate the monarchy by anointing, first, Saul and then David as king over Israel. In other words, God is on the move here in this story. Heretofore, Israel has been made up of a loose federation of tribes, who came together only yearly for worship or occasionally for battle against an enemy. But now God is forming the conditions whereby Israel will become a united people under a davidic king, who will be the anointed one of the Lord. Moreover, that davidic king will be the first in the long line that will eventually lead to the Messiah. There is preparation for kingship here in this story. But as with so much of God's working, the preparations are slowly but surely prepared and moved forward by God. God takes all of the circumstances of a real human history that seems so distant and unimportant to us. And he uses those circumstances to drive forward his purpose for his people -- and finally his purpose for you and me.
Well, there is preparation for kingship also in our Gospel Lesson from Luke, is there not? We find the boy Jesus, raised lovingly in a pious home by devoted parents, and yet speaking with authority to the leaders in the Jerusalem temple. And when his parents come to find him, he acknowledges from the first that he is acting not according to some adolescent whim or on his own authority, but that he is beginning to be about his Father's business. Once again, God is inaugurating a new era in human life, an era that will eventually lead to a kingship (cf. Luke 23:2-3). But the kingship of the Lord Christ will bring a final rule, a final fulfillment of the davidic line, a final Messiah, and the beginning of the Kingdom of God come on earth (cf. Luke 11:20).
The amazing thing is with what infinite patience and careful attention God works out his purpose in the minutiae of human history. Starting way back with the boy Samuel and the events surrounding Eli's household, God works toward the establishment of the davidic kingship. And then through centuries, until the time is ripe, he brings forth from that davidic line the final King. But the Lord God, that One of infinite patience and care, continues to move his purpose forward in the little events of our history too, until there will come the time when every knee bows and every tongue confesses the lordship of our King, Jesus Christ.
