Your life has a purpose
Commentary
We live in a time of deep religious hungering. This generation of seekers longs for meaning. People want to live as though their life has some purpose. Unfortunately, too much of the present quest seems primarily interested in what religion can do for them. People shop for a church the way they used to buy furniture. They want something that will be comfortable, hold up well under stress and still be inexpensive.
Congregational and denominational loyalty seems to be one of the characteristics that distinguishes spiritual journey of earlier generations from the present one. While the most elderly church school classes might grumble if a chicken was sacrificed on the communion table, they would never leave "their" church. The baby-boomers, on the other hand, have been known to transfer their membership when the congregation sings two consecutive hymns they do not like.
It seems that the churches that most appeal to the present age are those which offer positive, upbeat services of worship and in general, become full-service institutions with opportunities for everything from aerobics to Bible study to Twelve Step Programs.
While there is much to commend this, it is entry level Christianity. Our faith begins with an invitation to a relationship with the risen Christ, then moves quickly to an invitation to a life-long journey of growing, changing, and serving others. While important, personal growth is not intended to be an end unto itself. We are to grow spiritually as a way to enhance our response to God's call to be instruments of peace and love to others as well as stewards of the gifts God has bestowed upon us. Christianity is, after all, not merely an intellectual activity. It is to be a way to live.
The lessons for the day can be developed along those lines. Samuel's call reminds us that God has a responsibility for us. Like young Samuel, we may not always hear the voice of God, but we can assume we are called. God has a purpose for our lives.
If "sitting under a fig tree" really refers, as some scholars believe, to being a serious student of the scripture, Nathanael was seeking that purpose for his life and that purpose can be discerned in the teachings of the Bible. Nathanael was a seeker. He knew his heart would not rest until he harmonized his life with God's purpose for it. That same is true for us.
But what is the purpose of our life? The passage from 1 Corinthians reminds us that part of our call is to take care of the temple in which our life is housed. Unlike some of those we see working out at the gym, taking care of our health is not intended as an end unto itself. The bottom line is that God calls each of us to love one another.
During this season of Epiphany, we are to manifest the presence of God in our life by the way we treat one another.
OUTLINE I
Listen for God
1 Samuel 3:1-10
What a terrifying night it must have been for 12-year-old Samuel. The Lord God spoke to him. Samuel thought it was his mentor, Eli, calling him in the middle of the night. (Old men have not changed much in the past several thousand years. I suspect aged Eli got up several times each night and called for Samuel.) Fortunately, the Almighty was persistent and the boy got the message.
Since God may still speak in the midst of our lives, there are some lessons we should garner from Samuel's conversation with God.
A. It is never easy to discern the voice of God in the midst of all the noise of our daily lives. The ancient chestnut holds that a minister claimed he heard the Lord speak two letters to him: "P-C." Naturally he assumed God was calling him to "Preach Christ." A close friend corrected him, "I have heard you preach. God is calling you to "Plow Corn."
B. Given the difficulty of hearing God clearly, do a spiritual reality check before proceeding. Seek the advice of a trusted friend, as Samuel did with Eli. Consult the scripture. If your message runs contrary, you probably misheard. If those you respect the most don't agree, you might want to reconsider.
C. Unlike Samuel, most of us hear God speaking only in retrospect. Sometimes it is long after the event before we come to realize, "God was in the midst of that!"
OUTLINE II
The dwelling place of God
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
"Your body is only a place, but it is the only place you get to live. If you don't take care of your present 'house,' you cannot move elsewhere!"
A local chiropractor began his radio advertisement with that rather astute observation. "Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you" (v. 19) is the way Paul comes at the same truth.
A. God has some definite ideas on sexual practices. Contrary to the agenda of secular society, there is a Christian moral code for human sexual behavior. The abuse of the gift of sexuality damages the body and thus the human spirit.
B. Lest the average person feel too comfortable, remember that just because you are within the bounds of the law does not mean what you are doing is beneficial. (v. 12) It may not be illegal to overindulge on food and to neglect exercise, but it is destructive.
C. "For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body." (v. 20) Do not worship your body, but take care of it. With a healthy body, you can be a servant of the living God.
OUTLINE III
Come, see and be changed
John 1:43-51
There is no real mystery about how the Christian faith spread. The first followers came to Jesus the same way people come today: one at a time and most frequently, at someone's invitation. John the Baptist pointed Andrew in the direction of the Christ. Andrew brought his brother, Simon. Philip came by direct invitation of the Lord. Philip told Nathanael.
A. Nathanael resisted. He didn't think good could come from Nazareth. Such prejudice still exists. "If people kill in the name of religion, I want none of it." "The church is two centuries out of step with the world."
B. Philip didn't debate Nathanael. He invited him to "come and see." That invitation remains the same: come and learn of the Christ yourself. Come and see what a difference faith makes in the lives of people.
C. Every parishioner has a story to tell. Encourage them to think about the men and women who led them to faith. Who were those who played the role of Andrew and Philip in their lives?
D. Coming into contact with people of faith can begin to change us. If a tuning fork is struck and a second tuning fork is held near it, the unstruck fork will begin to vibrate at the same frequency. People of faith can do the same for us.
E. We should understand that we have the same impact on those around us. For good or ill, those near us vibrate at the same frequency.
Congregational and denominational loyalty seems to be one of the characteristics that distinguishes spiritual journey of earlier generations from the present one. While the most elderly church school classes might grumble if a chicken was sacrificed on the communion table, they would never leave "their" church. The baby-boomers, on the other hand, have been known to transfer their membership when the congregation sings two consecutive hymns they do not like.
It seems that the churches that most appeal to the present age are those which offer positive, upbeat services of worship and in general, become full-service institutions with opportunities for everything from aerobics to Bible study to Twelve Step Programs.
While there is much to commend this, it is entry level Christianity. Our faith begins with an invitation to a relationship with the risen Christ, then moves quickly to an invitation to a life-long journey of growing, changing, and serving others. While important, personal growth is not intended to be an end unto itself. We are to grow spiritually as a way to enhance our response to God's call to be instruments of peace and love to others as well as stewards of the gifts God has bestowed upon us. Christianity is, after all, not merely an intellectual activity. It is to be a way to live.
The lessons for the day can be developed along those lines. Samuel's call reminds us that God has a responsibility for us. Like young Samuel, we may not always hear the voice of God, but we can assume we are called. God has a purpose for our lives.
If "sitting under a fig tree" really refers, as some scholars believe, to being a serious student of the scripture, Nathanael was seeking that purpose for his life and that purpose can be discerned in the teachings of the Bible. Nathanael was a seeker. He knew his heart would not rest until he harmonized his life with God's purpose for it. That same is true for us.
But what is the purpose of our life? The passage from 1 Corinthians reminds us that part of our call is to take care of the temple in which our life is housed. Unlike some of those we see working out at the gym, taking care of our health is not intended as an end unto itself. The bottom line is that God calls each of us to love one another.
During this season of Epiphany, we are to manifest the presence of God in our life by the way we treat one another.
OUTLINE I
Listen for God
1 Samuel 3:1-10
What a terrifying night it must have been for 12-year-old Samuel. The Lord God spoke to him. Samuel thought it was his mentor, Eli, calling him in the middle of the night. (Old men have not changed much in the past several thousand years. I suspect aged Eli got up several times each night and called for Samuel.) Fortunately, the Almighty was persistent and the boy got the message.
Since God may still speak in the midst of our lives, there are some lessons we should garner from Samuel's conversation with God.
A. It is never easy to discern the voice of God in the midst of all the noise of our daily lives. The ancient chestnut holds that a minister claimed he heard the Lord speak two letters to him: "P-C." Naturally he assumed God was calling him to "Preach Christ." A close friend corrected him, "I have heard you preach. God is calling you to "Plow Corn."
B. Given the difficulty of hearing God clearly, do a spiritual reality check before proceeding. Seek the advice of a trusted friend, as Samuel did with Eli. Consult the scripture. If your message runs contrary, you probably misheard. If those you respect the most don't agree, you might want to reconsider.
C. Unlike Samuel, most of us hear God speaking only in retrospect. Sometimes it is long after the event before we come to realize, "God was in the midst of that!"
OUTLINE II
The dwelling place of God
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
"Your body is only a place, but it is the only place you get to live. If you don't take care of your present 'house,' you cannot move elsewhere!"
A local chiropractor began his radio advertisement with that rather astute observation. "Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you" (v. 19) is the way Paul comes at the same truth.
A. God has some definite ideas on sexual practices. Contrary to the agenda of secular society, there is a Christian moral code for human sexual behavior. The abuse of the gift of sexuality damages the body and thus the human spirit.
B. Lest the average person feel too comfortable, remember that just because you are within the bounds of the law does not mean what you are doing is beneficial. (v. 12) It may not be illegal to overindulge on food and to neglect exercise, but it is destructive.
C. "For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body." (v. 20) Do not worship your body, but take care of it. With a healthy body, you can be a servant of the living God.
OUTLINE III
Come, see and be changed
John 1:43-51
There is no real mystery about how the Christian faith spread. The first followers came to Jesus the same way people come today: one at a time and most frequently, at someone's invitation. John the Baptist pointed Andrew in the direction of the Christ. Andrew brought his brother, Simon. Philip came by direct invitation of the Lord. Philip told Nathanael.
A. Nathanael resisted. He didn't think good could come from Nazareth. Such prejudice still exists. "If people kill in the name of religion, I want none of it." "The church is two centuries out of step with the world."
B. Philip didn't debate Nathanael. He invited him to "come and see." That invitation remains the same: come and learn of the Christ yourself. Come and see what a difference faith makes in the lives of people.
C. Every parishioner has a story to tell. Encourage them to think about the men and women who led them to faith. Who were those who played the role of Andrew and Philip in their lives?
D. Coming into contact with people of faith can begin to change us. If a tuning fork is struck and a second tuning fork is held near it, the unstruck fork will begin to vibrate at the same frequency. People of faith can do the same for us.
E. We should understand that we have the same impact on those around us. For good or ill, those near us vibrate at the same frequency.
