Come and See
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For January 14, 2024:
Come and See
by Elena Delhagen
John 1:43-51
I was in my early ’20s, newly single, unemployed, and on the verge of losing my apartment, when the Great Recession of 2008 hit. I had no idea what I was doing with my life, much less how I was going to afford my bills for the foreseeable future, when the most curious of emails landed in my inbox from a friend I hadn’t seen since we’d graduated high school together seven years prior.
“Long time, no talk!” the screen read. “How’ve you been? I just moved to Liberia — ever heard of it? It’s a small country in West Africa that just went through a major war. It’s pretty bad here. A lot of poverty — so many kids are orphaned. Some friends and I are starting an organization to help. You should come check it out!”
There it was — an invitation, though to what, I wasn’t sure. To something unknown … to a new place … new people. Hadn’t I prayed for God to show me what was next? Could this really be the answer? My friend had said it was pretty bad there; what exactly made him think I’d want to visit, with an endorsement like that?
Yet still, I felt the pull.
“Come and see,” at its core, is an invitation. The phrase, uttered in John 1:43-51 by Phillip, is a response to Nathanael’s cynicism that nothing good could possibly come out of Nazareth. Phillip desires for his friend to experience the life-changing goodness that he has through his relationship with Jesus.
Strangely, my friend’s invitation to visit Liberia was born out of the same desire. There was something beautiful there — so many things, really. I had planned to go for two weeks … and stayed for five years. And I could have missed it all had I never been invited or, worse yet, if I’d been invited but decided not to go because of the images I’d conjured up in my head.
Proximity, you see, changes people. Sometimes we can’t see things ... people … even God … clearly until we get real nice and close to them.
In the Scriptures
What’s interesting is that the phrase “come and see” is used another time in the first chapter of John, just a few verses before and, there it is Jesus who speaks the words. Two inquisitive disciples are curious as to where Jesus is staying after hearing John call him the “Lamb of God.”
Jesus turns to him after they ask this question and responds: “Come and see.” Another invitation. And after spending the day with Jesus, one of these men, Andrew, was so moved by him that he sought out his brother Simon to introduce him to Jesus, the Messiah, as well.
Again, proximity changes us. Jesus knew this. It’s why he invited the two questioners to come spend the day with him. Being in the presence of God and being in relationship with God not only transforms us on an individual level, but it also inspires us to offer the same invitation to “come and see” to others, as Andrew did. God desires true relationship with us, and that we have relationship with one another. One of the best ways to build a community is through word of mouth and personal experience.
In the News
We must be careful to remember that Jesus extended this invitation to the two men as a means to satisfy their curiosity; perhaps they simply really wanted to know what a guest room for the Lamb of God would look like! Phillip, on the other hand, offers the invitation as a direct reply to Nathanael’s prejudice. One can almost hear the disdain in Nathanael’s voice as he sneered with disgust, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” In other words, he’d heard about those people, the ones from Nazareth. They were beneath him, on a lower rung of the socioeconomic ladder than him. It is rhetoric we’ve heard time and time again from the mouth of our former president as he spoke, particularly, about people of color and immigrants. What’s more, this type of speech is used by millions of Americans who would agree with him. Can anything good come out of the projects? Out of Chicago? Out of Mexico or Colombia or Venezuela?
Come and see.
Come and see how immigrants actually boost the US economy through starting businesses, driving up demand for local goods, and helping develop new and cutting-edge technology.
Come and see how immigrants are less likely to commit crime and be imprisoned than US born nationals.
Come and see how the rate of Black individuals with at least a college degree has risen at the same rate as the general population.
It’s easy to hold tight to our prejudices and biases when we’re not confronted with the up-and-close reality, easy to speak about immigrants and people of color when we’re not actually in relational community with them.
As is the case with the current situation in Israel and Palestine, everyone has their “side” and who they think is right or wrong. The truth is that we are only afforded the comfort of our own prejudices because we are observing the conflict from across an ocean. We don’t have proximity to it. Yet if we move closer — if we come and see, hearing from the Israeli and Palestinian population who are actually living through the horrors — our prejudices are confronted. Suddenly, things aren’t as clear-cut as we once thought they were.
And maybe that’s actually the point. Phillip seemed to think so, at least.
In the Sermon
It is astounding how much there is to say about three simple words: Come and see. This phrase is an invitation from God that, at times, is given to us through other people. It is a reminder that God is relational and desires communion with us in addition to us having it with others. There is a beautiful quote by author Ram Dass that says at the end of the day, “We are all just walking one another home.” The beautiful thing about this invitation is the people who extend it go on the journey with us. We are not told to “Go and see,” which implies that we are going it alone. Rather, there is community and relationship that is present throughout the journey.
As noted earlier, the invitation also provides us an opportunity to examine our own biases, particularly ones we hold against other people and even ones we have against God. It’s important to remember that Phillip’s invitation was for Nathanael to come and see Christ for himself, not simply rely on what Phillip told him about Jesus. When we tell others about God, we need to acknowledge that our own interpretations of who God is color our speech. For example, there was a time in my own life where I had a misconception of God as Father, based on troubled experiences with my own father and family of origin. As such, God the Father was authoritative and consistently disappointed with me every time I didn’t measure up to the standards I imagined he had placed on me. During that season, if someone were to ask me about who God is, what a flawed, incomplete picture I would have ended up painting!
This is why we follow Phillip’s lead and extend the invitation for people to come and see for themselves.
And may we not forget to listen for the voice of Jesus Christ himself, who continually pursues us in love, wanting always to be in ever-closer communion with us. May we see the significance of coming to spend time with him, as the two men who visited where he’d been staying did, so that we, too, might be changed simply from being in his presence.
SECOND THOUGHTS
A Wider, More Active Love
by Mary Austin
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
An immigration crisis is in full swing at the US border, and has expanded to cities that receive busloads of confused asylum seekers. The system is creating waves of anger, trauma, and bitterness about the government, while people seeking a life in the US are shuffled around, held in detention, or deported. “Under President Biden, the Border Patrol has arrested more people for illegally crossing the southern border into the country than in any other period since the government started keeping count in 1960. His time in office coincides with a global migration movement driven by tens of millions of people displaced because of war, persecution, climate change, violence and human rights abuses, according to the United Nations.”
Last year, 800,000 people applied for asylum in this country, and the backlog of cases is now at two million people — a number that some say is insurmountable. Working on that backlog are just “659 immigration judges and about 800 asylum officers who make decisions about asylum claims. In July, the government received about nine applications for every case it closed.”
Beyond the numbers, the level of human suffering involved in this is impossible to calculate.
Into the midst of this tangled pain, the psalmist proclaims God’s all-encompassing care. In American Christianity, we read this psalm as an individual gift — a personal connection with God. God knows us, God embraces us, God seeks us out. We are #blessed. We miss the collective side of God’s embrace, forgetting that God’s care is for other people, too.
If we heard this psalm as God’s encirclement of all people, would we construct our lives differently?
A cautious preacher might well skip this text, where the preaching lands in already dicey territory. It’s associated in people’s minds with the pro-life/anti-choice movement, and the people who find support for their cause in the verse that says, “For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Does this psalm still have resonance for people of other beliefs?
For some reason, the lectionary omits the center section of the psalm, where the writer reflects some ambivalence about God’s closeness. The nearness of the divine presence is comforting…and also constraining.
In the sections chosen by the lectionary, the psalmist recounts the depth of their history with God, a relationship that begins before birth and carries on after death. The psalmist starts with awe, and then moves into a deep alignment with God’s purposes. God’s thoughts are “weighty,” a stretch to imagine. Even with the depth of them, the end is the same as the beginning — connection with God.
If that connection belongs to all people, how do we think about immigrants at the border? About people sleeping on the streets? About the people of Gaza, where people are starving and food shortages are affecting the entire population? “International agencies have repeatedly sounded the alarm that Gaza is starving. The UN has said that one in four people are starving and nine out of ten families in some areas spend a day and night without food.” Or, how do we reckon with the death toll in Gaza, where the estimate of 20,000 dead amounts to 1% of the entire population. If we stop to think that God knit together the inward parts of each of those people, how do we preach on this text?
The psalmist’s word is a balm to each of us as individuals. We hold it close as a word of assurance that travels through time. If we hear it as a collective gift, this psalm issues a strong challenge. We can’t rest in God’s particular love for us — the psalm nudges us into a wider, more active love for the other people who are included in God’s care.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Dean Feldmeyer
John 1:43-51 — Philip invites Nathanael to meet with Jesus not by saying “Go and see,” but by saying “Come and see.” It’s an invitation and an offer to go with him. Going with someone is often the kindest and most important way we can be of service to them.
I’ll Go With You
Philip invites Nathanael to “come and see,” not “go and see.” The invitation includes an implied “I’ll go with you,” or “We’ll go together.” Perhaps Philip is volunteering to be Nathanael’s sidekick?
That is, after all, what sidekicks do. They go along. They may do other things, too, but going along is what defines their role as a sidekick. It is their first order of business.
Here are some famous sidekicks. See if you can name the person they went with:
Chewbacca – goes with Han Solo in the Star Wars films.
Dick Grayson – is Robin, who fights crime with Batman’s.
Samwise Gamgee – is Frodo’s friend and sidekick in the Hobbit and the Ring trilogy
Dr. John Watson – is Sherlock Holmes’s sidekick, chronicler, and biographer
Donkey – is Shreck’s friend and sometimes annoying sidekick
Tonto – is the Native American who goes with The Lone Ranger
Sancho Panza – Don Quixote’s loyal squire who goes with him because, “I Like Him.”
Kato – valet and body guard of The Green Hornet (and Inspector Clouseau).
Bernardo – originally the deaf and non-verbal (later just non-verbal) sidekick of Zorro.
* * *
I’ll Go With You
Linguists have argued for years that French and Portuguese are the most esthetically pleasing languages to hear. Others have recently made that argument for English. Here are what they consider to be the top ten most beautiful words in the English language:
1. Cynosure — Originally, it meant the North Star and, while this is still the case, Merriam-Webster notes that anyone who is the "center of attention" or "serves to guide" can also be described as a cynosure.
2. Labyrinth — A maze or a tedious task with many twists and turns.
3. Ineffable — Impossible to speak or set down in words.
4. Incendiary — Extremely hot or inflammatory, anything that causes a fire is incendiary.
5. Ephemeral — Things that don't last forever, things just tend to be short-lived, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
6. Propinquity — Nearness in spirit and inclination or geography.
7. Infatuation — An obsession with something or someone.
8. Incandescent — Brightness of a light or of someone's intellect or personality.
9. Eudaemonia — The state of being happily lucky.
10. Raconteur — A storyteller.
As for me, I believe that the four most beautiful words in the English language are: “I’ll go with you.”
* * *
Come and See
The invitation to “come and see” as it appears in John’s account is more about experiencing than it is about observing.
Observation alone can rarely be trusted.
In 1984, Kirk Bloodsworth was convicted of rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl and sentenced to the gas chamber — an outcome that rested largely on the testimony of five eyewitnesses. After Bloodsworth served nine years in prison, DNA testing proved him to be innocent.
Such devastating mistakes by eyewitnesses are not rare, according to a report by the Innocence Project, an organization affiliated with the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University that uses DNA testing to exonerate those wrongfully convicted of crimes. Since the 1990’s, when DNA testing was first introduced, Innocence Project researchers have reported that 73 percent of the 239 convictions overturned through DNA testing were based on eyewitness testimony. One third of these overturned cases rested on the testimony of two or more mistaken eyewitnesses.
* * *
Perception and Cognition
Geoffrey Loftus is a University of Washington perception and cognition psychology professor who often testifies as an expert witness in trials involving eyewitness testimony.
He warns juries that distance blurs perception. “At 10 feet, you might not be able to see individual eyelashes on a person’s face. At 200 feet, you would not even be able to see a person’s eyes. At 500 feet, you could see the person’s head but just one big blur. There is equivalence between size and blurriness — by making something smaller you lose fine details.”
Gary Wells, a member of a 1999 U.S. Department of Justice panel that published the first-ever national guidelines on gathering eyewitness testimony says, “Like trace evidence, eyewitness evidence can be contaminated, lost, destroyed or otherwise made to produce results that can lead to an incorrect reconstruction of the crime.”
(Reported in Monitor, the journal of the American Psychological Association. )
* * *
What Sidekicks Do
A sidekick in a story plays a crucial role as a secondary character who goes with and supports the protagonist. All sidekicks are not the same, however. They can play different roles:
In summary, a well-crafted sidekick adds depth, relatability, and memorable moments to a story, enriching the overall narrative experience
* * *
Buddies vs. Sidekicks
Sidekicks are always on a lower power and status level than the main character/protagonist or antagonist. A different but equally important kind of fiction wherein the characters go with each other but do so from equal power and status levels would be the “buddy” movie or story.
According to the Rolling Stone Magazine, these are the top ten buddy movies of all time:
10 - Planes, Trains, and Automobiles - John Candy and Steve Martin
9 - Tommy Boy - Chris Farley and David Spade
8 - Step Brothers - Will Farrell and John C. Riley
7 - Withnail and I - Paul McGann and Richard E. Grant
6 - Some Like it Hot - Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis
5 - Wayne’s World - Mike Myers and Dana Carvey's
4 - The Blues Brothers - John Belushi and Dan Akroyd
3 - Up in Smoke - Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin
2 - Midnight Run - Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin
1 - 48 Hours - Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte
I know, I know! How did they leave out classics like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting? How could they not mention Lethal Weapon or Men in Black or Stir Crazy or Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle?
Search me. I’m just the messenger.
* * *
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 – Paul opens this piece from the letter with the observation that “All things are permitted for me, but not all things are beneficial.” Professor Ian Malcom, played by Jeff Goldblum in the Jurassic Park movie paraphrases the apostle when he says, "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Good Guys With Guns: They Can, But Should They?
Recent Supreme Court decisions have brought to the surface some ethical issues that we, as a country, have not had to deal with in a long time. Primary among those is the difference between “can” and “should.”
In June of 2021, Ronald Troyke shot and killed Arvada, Colorado, police officer Gordon Beesley. Bystander Johnny Hurley, 40, confronted Troyke as he ran away clutching a long gun. Hurley produced a handgun and, according to Arvada police, shot Troyke, killing him instantly.
Hurley then picked up Troyke’s long gun and turned to greet responding police officers who, thinking he was the suspect who had shot the police officer, shot and killed Hurley.
On Thanksgiving night, 2018, Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr. (21) was shopping inside the Riverchase Galleria Mall in Hoover, Alabama, when he heard gunshots. He pulled out a gun he was licensed to carry and rushed to protect shoppers, his family said.
An off-duty police officer working security at the mall, saw Bradford with a gun and, thinking he was the shooter, fatally shot him. At first, the officer was praised for stopping a gunman after two people were shot outside a Footaction store on the second floor. Then the police said that Mr. Bradford was not in fact the gunman and that the true gunman remained on the loose.
Mr. Bradford’s death at the hands of law enforcement has also raised questions about the realities of the “good guy with a gun” theory advocated by the National Rifle Association and President Trump as a solution to mass shootings.
* * *
An Early Lesson In Could vs. Should
When I moved out of my parents’ house and into my own apartment, I was suddenly aware of all the freedom that I had never experienced before. Don’t get me wrong, my parents weren’t clingy and they never pried into my life when I was still living at home with them, it was just that now I was truly on my own.
I could do stuff and no one would be questioning my judgement about the decisions I made.
The first thing I did after getting all moved in was to go to the grocery store in order to stock my pantry and fridge. Hamburger, of course. Taco shells. Hot dogs. Bread, buns, peanut butter, canned soup and then the good stuff. Let’s see, vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream, strawberry ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, Oreos, another bag of Oreos, soft drinks, and my favorite candies, five kinds of chips, lunch meat.
Picked up a large pizza on the way home, put everything away and then proceeded to have dinner: Pizza and potato chips followed by ice cream. All I wanted. Without having to share it with my siblings. Whatever I wanted, as much as I wanted. An orgy of self-indulgence.
The next morning I woke up with what can only be described as a food hangover. And a reminder that just because I could doesn’t mean I should. As Paul so wisely said, “All foods are permitted for me, but not all foods are beneficial.”
Or something like that.
* * *
1 Samuel 3:1-10 God really, really wanted to talk to Samuel. In fact, he wanted to talk to him so much that, when Samuel hung up, God called him back. Four times! I can’t get my friends to call me back even once!
Don’t Take It Personally
We shouldn’t necessarily take it personally when even our closest friends fail to call us back when we leave them a message. There can be lots of reasons why they don’t get back in touch. According to experts on human communication, here are a few:
If you find yourself waiting for a callback, try calling from a different phone or leaving a polite message asking them to return your call. But resist the urge to repeatedly call — it’s best to respect their space.
* * *
The Most Famous Phone Calls Ever Made
The First One – In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell made the very first phone call to his assistant, Thomas Watson, uttering the famous words, “Mr. Watson, come here! I want to see you!”
A man on the moon – In 1969, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, and soon after their moon shoes touched the lunar surface, they received a phone call from the President of the United States, Richard Nixon. “Hello Neil and Buzz, I am talking to you by telephone from the Oval Room at the White House, and this certainly has to be the most historic telephone call ever made from the White House.”
Watergate – In 1972, security guard Frank Willis made the phone call that would lead to the resignation of President Nixon and the conviction of dozens of others in one of the biggest scandals in the history of the United States.
In Music
Jenny – Thanks to Tommy Tutone, there were a bazillion calls to the number 867-5309 following the 1982 release of the band’s pop hit, 867-5309/Jenny. Was Jenny real? Band members tell differing stories. But it didn’t stop people from calling to ask for her!
In The Movies
His Girl Friday (1940) – The funny “What’s the story?” exchange between Walter (Cary Grant) and Hildy (Rosalind Russell), reflects Hildy’s love of the newspaper business, the tendency for the pair’s personal matters to get in the way of work, and the indefinite delay of Hildy’s planned departure.
Ransom (1996) – You can only push an angry father so far, and when it comes to Mel Gibson in this film, the proverbial edge is a whole lot closer than usual. While chatting with kidnapper Gary Sinise, Mel Gibson’s wealthy ransom-holder finally makes the decision that he’s not going to take this anymore, turning the tables and threatening his enemy.
Sorry, Wrong Number (1948) – Barbara Stanwyck plays the bed-ridden daughter of a hotshot millionaire, who relies on the telephone as her only connection to the world beyond her room. One day, she overhears a plot to murder a woman, then struggles with credibility when trying to report the incident. Of course, the murder being planned is her own.
Munich (2005) – In Steven Spielberg’s breathless revenge drama, Eric Bana and his fellow Mossad agents seek out their second target in Paris, planting a bomb in the man’s phone that’s set to be detonated by remote. But when it comes time to do the job, the target’s young daughter unexpectedly scurries to answer the call, unbeknownst to the point man who’s tasked to blow the apartment. The dramatic tension is nearly unbearable.
Phone Booth (2002) – Colin Farrell’s Stu Shephard gets the worst call of his life when he steps into a New York phone booth to contact his mistress, Pam (Katie Holmes). He ends up connecting with Kiefer Sutherland’s terrorizing sniper, who wants to teach Stu a lesson for his cocky philandering.
Dial M for Murder (1954) – A highly celebrated mystery long before it hit the screen, Alfred Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder was lifted from the stage play by Frederic Knott, who also penned the movie’s script. It stars Grace Kelly as a cheating wife whose husband (Ray Milland) plots to have her murdered. As the plan goes, Kelly’s victim will answer the phone when Milland’s schemer calls, allowing the hired, invading murderer to strangle her from behind.
Bye Bye Birdie (1963) – Phone calls often figure large in crime stories and mysteries but in this now classic musical comedy the phone lines are abuzz when teenagers Hugo and Kim decide to go steady. Kim tells her friend, who tells two friends, who tell four and the word spreads all over town…via telephone. The number “Telephone Hour” is visible on YouTube.
* * * * * *
From team member Chris Keating:
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)
Active listening
Eli’s failing leadership has prompted God’s call to a new generation, something that will “make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.” But before Samuel can receive this message, he must be coached in his ability to listen. Ironically, it is Eli who is called upon to coach the young Samuel and who teaches him the value of listening. In his book Forbearance: A Theological Ethic for a Disagreeable Church, (Eerdmans, 2017), James Calvin Davis explores some of the current cultural tensions that give rise to division, rancor, and incivility to society. Davis believes that churches may be best suited to provide leadership in this area — if they are able to learn how to listen to one another and overcome internal disputes and bickering, even when we disagree. “In this evocative notion of forbearance,” writes Davis, “I see the promise of a theologically grounded practice where we work hard to maintain the unity of the Body of Christ while we also take seriously the matters on which we disagree.” Forbearance can be a fruit of patience, says Davis, which itself is cultivated in the counter-cultural act of listening. “To be honest,” writes Davis, “we Americans generally do not know when to shut up. We have our opinions, and we share them loudly, and like most things in American culture, the biggest and baddest is what we give the most attention.” This could be especially true in politics, says Davis, though listening might offer us the chance to better understand each other’s positions. “When we shut up and truly listen from time to time,” he says, “we make room for others to share and inquire.” Similarly, as Eli trained Samuel to listen, Samuel was able to make room for God’s voice to speak to him.
* * *
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)
The calls that change us
God’s call to Samuel comes late in the evening. At first it is startling and confusing, perhaps even terrifying. In a slightly different way, it was a startling midnight call that awakened the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. to the discovery of his calling to challenge white supremacy. In 1956, King was serving as a pastor in Montgomery, Alabama. He had just become president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, an organization formed days after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a public bus. Soon after, King became the target of threats and personal attacks.
King found one phone call particularly unnerving. He recounted the event years later at a speech in Chicago. “On the other end was an ugly voice,” said King. “That voice said to me, in substance, ‘N---er we are tired of you and your mess now. And if you aren’t out of this town in three days, we’re going to blow your brains out and blow up your house.’” After he put down the phone, King sat in his kitchen trying to calm himself. He thought of his wife and young daughter, and how they could be taken from him. He reflected on his theology, particularly his understanding of nonviolence. He thought of his mother. Professor Jeff Kelly Lowenstein, writing a few days after the January 6, 2021 insurrection, reflects on King’s speech and how God’s midnight call shaped his life. As he sat at his kitchen table, King thought:
Something said to me, you can’t call on Daddy now, he’s up in Atlanta a hundred and seventy-five miles away,” he said. “You can’t even call on Mama now. You’ve got to call on that something in that person that your Daddy used to tell you about. That power that can make a way out of no way. And I discovered then that religion had to become real to me and I had to know God for myself.”
King bowed his head over a cup of coffee and asked for help from God. “And it seemed at that moment that I could hear an inner voice saying to me, ‘Martin Luther, stand up for righteousness, stand up for justice, stand up for truth. And lo I will be with you, even until the end of the world.’”
Three days later, King’s house was bombed while his family was gone. Though no one was injured. It was the first of many physical attacks on his life that would culminate in his assassination in 1968. In the years following that phone call, however, when discouragement would settle upon him, he would remember God’s speaking to him. “Sometimes I feel discouraged,” King would say, “and feel my works in vain. But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. ‘There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.’”
* * *
Psalm 139:1-6, 16-18
Gaining knowledge of ourselves
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s sermons would often include lessons drawn from psychology and theology in addressing race relations. In a sermon from June 5, 1949, entitled “Mastering Our Evil Selves/Mastering Our Selves,” King explores the ways evil can overtake a person. It’s a reflection that parallels Psalm 139’s affirmation that God is acquainted with all our ways. King notes “there is something paradoxical and contradictory about human behavior,” and goes on to quote Ovid that “I see and approve the better things of life but the evil things I follow,” which sounds similar to Paul’s admonition that “the good I would I do not: but the evil which I would not that I do.”
King continues:
On the national scene this conflict is evident in the area of racial prejudice. The average white southerner is not bad. He goes to church every Sunday. He worships the same God we worship. He will send thousands of dollars to Africa and China for the missionary effort. Yet at the same time He will spend thousands of dollars in an attempt to keep the Negro segregated and discriminated. Yes, we must admit that there is something contradictory and paradoxical about human nature.
Then, not unlike the psalmist, King argues that rising above evil requires more than good habits and a positive outlook by discovering that “God is not a divine hermit hiding himself (sic) in a cosmic cave…God is forever present with us.” He adds that God “somehow transcends the world yet at the same time (God) is immanent in the world.”
* * *
John 1:43-51
Can anything good come out of a fly-over state?
Last summer, country singer Jason Aldean’s song “Try that In A Small Town” put renewed focus on familiar gap between urban and rural America. The song was said to pick up the trail began by Hank Williams, Jr.’s 1982 track “A Country Boy Can Survive.” Aldean added to the image of small towns as being enclaves of right-thinking, self-sufficient, take-matters-into-our-own-hands individuals who mete out justice with shotguns and pickup trucks. Some describe this as a basic moral vs. immoral binary perception of American life. As NPR observed, “Cities are painted as spaces where crime, sexual promiscuity, and personal and financial ruin occur, while the "country" is meanwhile framed as a peaceful space where happiness reigns.” Less explicit, but certainly present, are implications that small town morality is bolstered by racial homogeneity.
It's an intriguing conversation, especially when applied to the national political scene. Current predictions show Donald Trump leading in less populace parts of the nation — even though little about Donald Trump’s upbringing or lifestyle could be described as being “small town.”
Animosity toward cities has been the fodder for many country songs over the years, including Buck Owen’s 1970 song, “I wouldn’t live in New York City (if they gave me the whole damn town)” and George Jones and Tammy Wynette’s “Southern California” from 1977. Amanda Marie Martinez observes:
The rise of anti-city songs during the affluent, post-World War II era coincided with a moment when the formerly rural and heavily white country music audience was rapidly suburbanizing and achieving social mobility through home ownership. At the same time, selective availability of home loans in suburbs and racially restrictive housing covenants in cities furthered white flight, making cities synonymous with non-whiteness.
Perhaps the bias goes both ways. Paul Waldman, writing in the Washington Post, wonders how “refreshing it would be to hear a candidate touting their ‘big city values,’ and explaining how important and useful the things they learned in the city can be.’ Waldman observes that supposedly small-town values are expressed in such vague terms to be “meaningless” in assessing a candidate’s strengths. “In small towns, we’re told, people tell the truth, they work hard and they lend a hand. All of which are good things, but there’s no evidence that those virtues are any more common in small towns than in big cities or the suburbs…”
Of course, it’s also true that Jason Aldean is not likely to be found reading many of Waldman’s columns. Perhaps the best advice comes straight from the Apostle Philip: “Come and see.”
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From team member Katy Stenta:
John 1:43-51
Seeing and Being Seen
Nathanael has to be seen in order to see. How many people is that true for? The affirmation of being seen and called by name is so important. Mutual seeing of one another, actually being able to see and understand one another, is so hard. How often are you stuck in a fight because neither person will step aside to see the other person’s point of view. Have you ever been in a fight and been aware that you might be wrong, and know that you are too angry to step aside and consider the other person’s perspective? Or realized later that this is what has happened? Have you ever been too busy to see or hear what was really going on, and then realize later that was what happened? There is a reason why we call it “paying” attention.
One year at a pageant, a little girl told me a friend was coming to see her. Later I asked her if that was her divorced father, she told me no. I immediately stopped everything I was doing and got down on one knee and apologized. “I am sorry,” I said, “I am so sorry, I must not have been seeing you and paying attention to you, please tell me again what you said to me.” I looked her in the eye so that she knew that I saw her. She looked me in my eye and said, “This is my friend and neighbor.” I said, “Thank you again for telling me. It is hard when people do not pay attention to you, I did not mean to do that to you.” That little girl then knew that I saw her, and that made all of the difference. She believed in me, because I believed in her.
* * *
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
This psalm always puts me in mind of the Abrahamic promise — the God who knows every star in the sky and every grain of sand, of course God knows the hairs on our head. Our God, the great accountant. Our God who is near and far. Nothing is too big or small for our God. These verses might be a little creepy, almost stalker-like for some people. Is God watching us to judge us, to change our actions? Is there freedom to God’s watching? Those who want to control our lives like to weaponize these verses, yet the LGBTQIA community points out that we are “beautifully and fiercely” made by God. The point of these verse are the scope: God is not just one thing. God is big. God is small. God is protective when we need it, and God is hands off when that is what is needed. God can be in our pocket, or hold us in the palm of our hand. It’s almost like a commercial: The amazing, malleable God, fits all situations, needs, and personalities. God is not one thing, God is multeous (this is a totally made up word that I use). God is flexible. God is dependable, yet more than our imaginations can hold, so beyond our understanding that God simply describes Godself as the great “I Am.” So the real question is, what do you need from God today?
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WORSHIP
by George Reed
Call to Worship
One: O God, you have searched us and known us.
All: You know when I sit down and when we rise up.
One: You discern our thoughts from far away.
All: You are acquainted with all our ways.
One: We praise you, for we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
All: Wonderful are your works; that we know very well.
OR
One: God comes among us as the one who knows us completely.
All: We welcome God into our lives and hearts today.
One: The One who loves us loves our friends and our enemies.
All: May God’s love fill us so we can love others, as well.
One: The Christ comes to us in the faces of the others.
All: We will treat others as we would treat our Savior.
Hymns and Songs
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
UMH: 103
H82: 423
PH: 263
GTG: 12
NCH: 1
CH: 66
LBW: 526
ELW: 834
W&P: 48
AMEC: 71
STLT: 273
Renew: 46
O Worship the King
UMH: 73
H82: 388
PH: 476
GTG: 41
NNBH: 6
NCH: 26
CH: 17
LBW: 548
ELW: 842
W&P: 2
AMEC: 12
Now Thank We All Our God
UMH: 102
H82: 396/397
PH: 555
GTG: 643
NNBH: 330
NCH: 419
CH: 715
LBW: 533/534
ELW: 839/840
W&P 14
AMEC: 573
STLT: 32
I Sing the Almighty Power of God
UMH: 152
H82: 398
PH: 288
GTG: 32
NCH: 12
W&P: 31
Renew: 54
O God of Every Nation
UMH: 435
H82: 607
PH: 289
GTG: 756
CH: 680
LBW: 416
ELW: 713
W&P: 626
This Is My Song
UMH: 437
GTG: 340
NCH: 591
CH: 722
ELW: 887
STLT: 159
Open My Eyes, That I May See
UMH: 454
PH: 324
GTG: 451
NNBH: 218:
CH: 586
W&P 480
AMEC: 285
Where Charity and Love Prevail
UMH: 549
H82: 581
GTG: 316
NCH: 396
LBW: 126
ELW: 359
Help Us Accept Each Other
UMH: 560
PH: 358
GTG: 754
NCH: 388
CH: 487
W&P: 596
AMEC: 558
In Christ There Is No East or West
UMH: 548
H82: 529
PH: 439/440
GTG: 317/318
AAHH: 398/399
NNBH: 299
NCH: 394/395
CH: 687
LBW: 259
ELW: 650
W&P: 600/603
AMEC: 557
I Am Loved
CCB: 80
You Are Mine
CCB: 58
Music Resources Key
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
GTG: Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day/Collect
O God who is closer to us than our own breath:
Grant us the grace to be willing to see as your see
by drawing near to others and opening our hearts;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God, because you are the one who is closer to us than we are to our own breath. You see us as we truly are and not just as we appear on the outside. Help us to draw close to others so that we might get to know them as you know them. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
One: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially our judging others.
All: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We sit in judgement on others without even knowing them. We condemn people on the road for the way they drive, people in the market for what they buy, people on the street for what they wear. All this we do without really knowing these people. Even the people who are more directly in our lives we judge without getting to know them. We don’t take the time to sit with them and hear their stories. Forgive us for our arrogance and judgmental attitudes. Renew your Spirit within us that we may love as you love. Amen.
One: God welcomes our change of mind and attitude. God is always ready to help us draw together as God’s children. Receive God’s grace and forgiveness and share these with others.
Prayers of the People
Praise and glory belong to you, O God, because you are the one who created us and who knows our inward thoughts. You know us far better than we know ourselves.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We sit in judgement on others without even knowing them. We condemn people on the road for the way they drive, people in the market for what they buy, people on the street for what they wear. All this we do without really knowing these people. Even the people who are more directly in our lives we judge without getting to know them. We don’t take the time to sit with them and hear their stories. Forgive us for our arrogance and judgmental attitudes. Renew your Spirit within us that we may love as you love.
We give you thanks for the many ways you share your love with us. You dwell within us and offer yourself to us moment by moment. You never leave us nor forsake us. You are our redeeming God.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for one another in our need. We pray for those we don’t really know and yet we judge them. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear that our hearts may be open to all your children.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
Hear us as we pray for others: (Time for silent or spoken prayer.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father....Amen.
(Or if the Our Father is not used at this point in the service.)
All this we ask in the name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
* * * * * *
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Here I Am
by Tom Willadsen
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)
This week’s children’s time can be a simple reading of the Hebrew scripture lectionary reading. Or you can lead a guided discussion with the questions at the end of this article. You’ll need three microphones and three readers. I recommend a female narrator, a man with a deep voice to read Eli’s part, and an agile boy between the ages of 9 and 13 for Samuel. Have the kids stay in their seats for this reading. The narrator and Eli/the Lord should be off stage. Samuel should lie down as though asleep in the front of the sanctuary where he can be seen. When he speaks, he should look off stage as he responds to Eli/the Lord.
Optional: Have the children gather up front after the reading ends. Questions to guide the children’s time follow the reading.
NARRATOR: Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called,
ELI / THE LORD: “Samuel! Samuel!”
NARRATOR: and he said,
SAMUEL: “Here I am!”
NARRATOR: and ran to Eli and said,
SAMUEL: “Here I am, for you called me.”
NARRATOR: But he said,
ELI / THE LORD: “I did not call; lie down again.”
NARRATOR: He went and lay down. The Lord called again,
ELI / THE LORD: “Samuel!”
NARRATOR: Samuel got up and went to Eli and said,
SAMUEL: “Here I am, for you called me.”
NARRATOR: But he said,
ELI / THE LORD: “I did not call, my son; lie down again.”
NARRATOR: Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli and said,
SAMUEL: “Here I am, for you called me.”
NARRATOR: Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore, Eli said to Samuel,
ELI / THE LORD: “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’”
NARRATOR: So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before,
ELI / THE LORD: “Samuel! Samuel!”
NARRATOR: And Samuel said,
SAMUEL: “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
NARRATOR: Then the Lord said to Samuel,
ELI / THE LORD: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore, I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever.”
NARRATOR: Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said,
ELI / THE LORD: “Samuel, my son.”
NARRATOR: He said,
SAMUEL: “Here I am.”
NARRATOR: Eli said,
ELI / THE LORD: “What was it that he told you? 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.”
NARRATOR: Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said,
ELI / THE LORD: “It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.”
NARRATOR: As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
* * *
There is a lot of uncertainty and ambiguity in this reading. Ask the kids what happened, what they think happened. (And give this question some thought yourself!)
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, January 14, 2024 issue.
Copyright 2024 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
- Come and See by Elena Delhagen. Need a change in perspective? Try getting closer.
- Second Thoughts: A Wider, More Active Love by Mary Austin based on Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18.
- Sermon illustrations by Dean Feldmeyer, Chris Keating, Katy Stenta.
- Worship resources by George Reed.
- Children's sermon: Here I Am by Tom Willadsen 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20).
Come and See
by Elena Delhagen
John 1:43-51
I was in my early ’20s, newly single, unemployed, and on the verge of losing my apartment, when the Great Recession of 2008 hit. I had no idea what I was doing with my life, much less how I was going to afford my bills for the foreseeable future, when the most curious of emails landed in my inbox from a friend I hadn’t seen since we’d graduated high school together seven years prior.
“Long time, no talk!” the screen read. “How’ve you been? I just moved to Liberia — ever heard of it? It’s a small country in West Africa that just went through a major war. It’s pretty bad here. A lot of poverty — so many kids are orphaned. Some friends and I are starting an organization to help. You should come check it out!”
There it was — an invitation, though to what, I wasn’t sure. To something unknown … to a new place … new people. Hadn’t I prayed for God to show me what was next? Could this really be the answer? My friend had said it was pretty bad there; what exactly made him think I’d want to visit, with an endorsement like that?
Yet still, I felt the pull.
“Come and see,” at its core, is an invitation. The phrase, uttered in John 1:43-51 by Phillip, is a response to Nathanael’s cynicism that nothing good could possibly come out of Nazareth. Phillip desires for his friend to experience the life-changing goodness that he has through his relationship with Jesus.
Strangely, my friend’s invitation to visit Liberia was born out of the same desire. There was something beautiful there — so many things, really. I had planned to go for two weeks … and stayed for five years. And I could have missed it all had I never been invited or, worse yet, if I’d been invited but decided not to go because of the images I’d conjured up in my head.
Proximity, you see, changes people. Sometimes we can’t see things ... people … even God … clearly until we get real nice and close to them.
In the Scriptures
What’s interesting is that the phrase “come and see” is used another time in the first chapter of John, just a few verses before and, there it is Jesus who speaks the words. Two inquisitive disciples are curious as to where Jesus is staying after hearing John call him the “Lamb of God.”
Jesus turns to him after they ask this question and responds: “Come and see.” Another invitation. And after spending the day with Jesus, one of these men, Andrew, was so moved by him that he sought out his brother Simon to introduce him to Jesus, the Messiah, as well.
Again, proximity changes us. Jesus knew this. It’s why he invited the two questioners to come spend the day with him. Being in the presence of God and being in relationship with God not only transforms us on an individual level, but it also inspires us to offer the same invitation to “come and see” to others, as Andrew did. God desires true relationship with us, and that we have relationship with one another. One of the best ways to build a community is through word of mouth and personal experience.
In the News
We must be careful to remember that Jesus extended this invitation to the two men as a means to satisfy their curiosity; perhaps they simply really wanted to know what a guest room for the Lamb of God would look like! Phillip, on the other hand, offers the invitation as a direct reply to Nathanael’s prejudice. One can almost hear the disdain in Nathanael’s voice as he sneered with disgust, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” In other words, he’d heard about those people, the ones from Nazareth. They were beneath him, on a lower rung of the socioeconomic ladder than him. It is rhetoric we’ve heard time and time again from the mouth of our former president as he spoke, particularly, about people of color and immigrants. What’s more, this type of speech is used by millions of Americans who would agree with him. Can anything good come out of the projects? Out of Chicago? Out of Mexico or Colombia or Venezuela?
Come and see.
Come and see how immigrants actually boost the US economy through starting businesses, driving up demand for local goods, and helping develop new and cutting-edge technology.
Come and see how immigrants are less likely to commit crime and be imprisoned than US born nationals.
Come and see how the rate of Black individuals with at least a college degree has risen at the same rate as the general population.
It’s easy to hold tight to our prejudices and biases when we’re not confronted with the up-and-close reality, easy to speak about immigrants and people of color when we’re not actually in relational community with them.
As is the case with the current situation in Israel and Palestine, everyone has their “side” and who they think is right or wrong. The truth is that we are only afforded the comfort of our own prejudices because we are observing the conflict from across an ocean. We don’t have proximity to it. Yet if we move closer — if we come and see, hearing from the Israeli and Palestinian population who are actually living through the horrors — our prejudices are confronted. Suddenly, things aren’t as clear-cut as we once thought they were.
And maybe that’s actually the point. Phillip seemed to think so, at least.
In the Sermon
It is astounding how much there is to say about three simple words: Come and see. This phrase is an invitation from God that, at times, is given to us through other people. It is a reminder that God is relational and desires communion with us in addition to us having it with others. There is a beautiful quote by author Ram Dass that says at the end of the day, “We are all just walking one another home.” The beautiful thing about this invitation is the people who extend it go on the journey with us. We are not told to “Go and see,” which implies that we are going it alone. Rather, there is community and relationship that is present throughout the journey.
As noted earlier, the invitation also provides us an opportunity to examine our own biases, particularly ones we hold against other people and even ones we have against God. It’s important to remember that Phillip’s invitation was for Nathanael to come and see Christ for himself, not simply rely on what Phillip told him about Jesus. When we tell others about God, we need to acknowledge that our own interpretations of who God is color our speech. For example, there was a time in my own life where I had a misconception of God as Father, based on troubled experiences with my own father and family of origin. As such, God the Father was authoritative and consistently disappointed with me every time I didn’t measure up to the standards I imagined he had placed on me. During that season, if someone were to ask me about who God is, what a flawed, incomplete picture I would have ended up painting!
This is why we follow Phillip’s lead and extend the invitation for people to come and see for themselves.
And may we not forget to listen for the voice of Jesus Christ himself, who continually pursues us in love, wanting always to be in ever-closer communion with us. May we see the significance of coming to spend time with him, as the two men who visited where he’d been staying did, so that we, too, might be changed simply from being in his presence.
SECOND THOUGHTSA Wider, More Active Love
by Mary Austin
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
An immigration crisis is in full swing at the US border, and has expanded to cities that receive busloads of confused asylum seekers. The system is creating waves of anger, trauma, and bitterness about the government, while people seeking a life in the US are shuffled around, held in detention, or deported. “Under President Biden, the Border Patrol has arrested more people for illegally crossing the southern border into the country than in any other period since the government started keeping count in 1960. His time in office coincides with a global migration movement driven by tens of millions of people displaced because of war, persecution, climate change, violence and human rights abuses, according to the United Nations.”
Last year, 800,000 people applied for asylum in this country, and the backlog of cases is now at two million people — a number that some say is insurmountable. Working on that backlog are just “659 immigration judges and about 800 asylum officers who make decisions about asylum claims. In July, the government received about nine applications for every case it closed.”
Beyond the numbers, the level of human suffering involved in this is impossible to calculate.
Into the midst of this tangled pain, the psalmist proclaims God’s all-encompassing care. In American Christianity, we read this psalm as an individual gift — a personal connection with God. God knows us, God embraces us, God seeks us out. We are #blessed. We miss the collective side of God’s embrace, forgetting that God’s care is for other people, too.
If we heard this psalm as God’s encirclement of all people, would we construct our lives differently?
A cautious preacher might well skip this text, where the preaching lands in already dicey territory. It’s associated in people’s minds with the pro-life/anti-choice movement, and the people who find support for their cause in the verse that says, “For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Does this psalm still have resonance for people of other beliefs?
For some reason, the lectionary omits the center section of the psalm, where the writer reflects some ambivalence about God’s closeness. The nearness of the divine presence is comforting…and also constraining.
In the sections chosen by the lectionary, the psalmist recounts the depth of their history with God, a relationship that begins before birth and carries on after death. The psalmist starts with awe, and then moves into a deep alignment with God’s purposes. God’s thoughts are “weighty,” a stretch to imagine. Even with the depth of them, the end is the same as the beginning — connection with God.
If that connection belongs to all people, how do we think about immigrants at the border? About people sleeping on the streets? About the people of Gaza, where people are starving and food shortages are affecting the entire population? “International agencies have repeatedly sounded the alarm that Gaza is starving. The UN has said that one in four people are starving and nine out of ten families in some areas spend a day and night without food.” Or, how do we reckon with the death toll in Gaza, where the estimate of 20,000 dead amounts to 1% of the entire population. If we stop to think that God knit together the inward parts of each of those people, how do we preach on this text?
The psalmist’s word is a balm to each of us as individuals. We hold it close as a word of assurance that travels through time. If we hear it as a collective gift, this psalm issues a strong challenge. We can’t rest in God’s particular love for us — the psalm nudges us into a wider, more active love for the other people who are included in God’s care.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Dean FeldmeyerJohn 1:43-51 — Philip invites Nathanael to meet with Jesus not by saying “Go and see,” but by saying “Come and see.” It’s an invitation and an offer to go with him. Going with someone is often the kindest and most important way we can be of service to them.
I’ll Go With You
Philip invites Nathanael to “come and see,” not “go and see.” The invitation includes an implied “I’ll go with you,” or “We’ll go together.” Perhaps Philip is volunteering to be Nathanael’s sidekick?
That is, after all, what sidekicks do. They go along. They may do other things, too, but going along is what defines their role as a sidekick. It is their first order of business.
Here are some famous sidekicks. See if you can name the person they went with:
Chewbacca – goes with Han Solo in the Star Wars films.
Dick Grayson – is Robin, who fights crime with Batman’s.
Samwise Gamgee – is Frodo’s friend and sidekick in the Hobbit and the Ring trilogy
Dr. John Watson – is Sherlock Holmes’s sidekick, chronicler, and biographer
Donkey – is Shreck’s friend and sometimes annoying sidekick
Tonto – is the Native American who goes with The Lone Ranger
Sancho Panza – Don Quixote’s loyal squire who goes with him because, “I Like Him.”
Kato – valet and body guard of The Green Hornet (and Inspector Clouseau).
Bernardo – originally the deaf and non-verbal (later just non-verbal) sidekick of Zorro.
* * *
I’ll Go With You
Linguists have argued for years that French and Portuguese are the most esthetically pleasing languages to hear. Others have recently made that argument for English. Here are what they consider to be the top ten most beautiful words in the English language:
1. Cynosure — Originally, it meant the North Star and, while this is still the case, Merriam-Webster notes that anyone who is the "center of attention" or "serves to guide" can also be described as a cynosure.
2. Labyrinth — A maze or a tedious task with many twists and turns.
3. Ineffable — Impossible to speak or set down in words.
4. Incendiary — Extremely hot or inflammatory, anything that causes a fire is incendiary.
5. Ephemeral — Things that don't last forever, things just tend to be short-lived, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
6. Propinquity — Nearness in spirit and inclination or geography.
7. Infatuation — An obsession with something or someone.
8. Incandescent — Brightness of a light or of someone's intellect or personality.
9. Eudaemonia — The state of being happily lucky.
10. Raconteur — A storyteller.
As for me, I believe that the four most beautiful words in the English language are: “I’ll go with you.”
* * *
Come and See
The invitation to “come and see” as it appears in John’s account is more about experiencing than it is about observing.
Observation alone can rarely be trusted.
In 1984, Kirk Bloodsworth was convicted of rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl and sentenced to the gas chamber — an outcome that rested largely on the testimony of five eyewitnesses. After Bloodsworth served nine years in prison, DNA testing proved him to be innocent.
Such devastating mistakes by eyewitnesses are not rare, according to a report by the Innocence Project, an organization affiliated with the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University that uses DNA testing to exonerate those wrongfully convicted of crimes. Since the 1990’s, when DNA testing was first introduced, Innocence Project researchers have reported that 73 percent of the 239 convictions overturned through DNA testing were based on eyewitness testimony. One third of these overturned cases rested on the testimony of two or more mistaken eyewitnesses.
* * *
Perception and Cognition
Geoffrey Loftus is a University of Washington perception and cognition psychology professor who often testifies as an expert witness in trials involving eyewitness testimony.
He warns juries that distance blurs perception. “At 10 feet, you might not be able to see individual eyelashes on a person’s face. At 200 feet, you would not even be able to see a person’s eyes. At 500 feet, you could see the person’s head but just one big blur. There is equivalence between size and blurriness — by making something smaller you lose fine details.”
Gary Wells, a member of a 1999 U.S. Department of Justice panel that published the first-ever national guidelines on gathering eyewitness testimony says, “Like trace evidence, eyewitness evidence can be contaminated, lost, destroyed or otherwise made to produce results that can lead to an incorrect reconstruction of the crime.”
(Reported in Monitor, the journal of the American Psychological Association. )
* * *
What Sidekicks Do
A sidekick in a story plays a crucial role as a secondary character who goes with and supports the protagonist. All sidekicks are not the same, however. They can play different roles:
- Aiding the Protagonist: The primary purpose of a sidekick is to assist the main character. They might provide practical help, emotional support, or advice during the protagonist’s journey.
- Friend and Confidante: Sidekicks often serve as the protagonist’s good friend and confidante. They share secrets, offer encouragement, and provide a listening ear.
- Source of Advice: Whether it’s solving a mystery, overcoming an obstacle, or making a tough decision, sidekicks offer valuable advice to the protagonist.
- Comic Relief: Sidekicks can inject humor into the story, providing moments of comic relief. Their witty remarks or quirky behavior lighten the mood.
- Contrast or Similarity: Sidekicks can be a contrast to the protagonist’s personality or beliefs, highlighting their differences. Alternatively, they may have a personality similar to the protagonist, emphasizing shared traits.
- Supporting Antagonists: While sidekicks are often associated with heroes, antagonists can also have their own sidekicks.
In summary, a well-crafted sidekick adds depth, relatability, and memorable moments to a story, enriching the overall narrative experience
* * *
Buddies vs. Sidekicks
Sidekicks are always on a lower power and status level than the main character/protagonist or antagonist. A different but equally important kind of fiction wherein the characters go with each other but do so from equal power and status levels would be the “buddy” movie or story.
According to the Rolling Stone Magazine, these are the top ten buddy movies of all time:
10 - Planes, Trains, and Automobiles - John Candy and Steve Martin
9 - Tommy Boy - Chris Farley and David Spade
8 - Step Brothers - Will Farrell and John C. Riley
7 - Withnail and I - Paul McGann and Richard E. Grant
6 - Some Like it Hot - Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis
5 - Wayne’s World - Mike Myers and Dana Carvey's
4 - The Blues Brothers - John Belushi and Dan Akroyd
3 - Up in Smoke - Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin
2 - Midnight Run - Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin
1 - 48 Hours - Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte
I know, I know! How did they leave out classics like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting? How could they not mention Lethal Weapon or Men in Black or Stir Crazy or Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle?
Search me. I’m just the messenger.
* * *
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 – Paul opens this piece from the letter with the observation that “All things are permitted for me, but not all things are beneficial.” Professor Ian Malcom, played by Jeff Goldblum in the Jurassic Park movie paraphrases the apostle when he says, "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Good Guys With Guns: They Can, But Should They?
Recent Supreme Court decisions have brought to the surface some ethical issues that we, as a country, have not had to deal with in a long time. Primary among those is the difference between “can” and “should.”
In June of 2021, Ronald Troyke shot and killed Arvada, Colorado, police officer Gordon Beesley. Bystander Johnny Hurley, 40, confronted Troyke as he ran away clutching a long gun. Hurley produced a handgun and, according to Arvada police, shot Troyke, killing him instantly.
Hurley then picked up Troyke’s long gun and turned to greet responding police officers who, thinking he was the suspect who had shot the police officer, shot and killed Hurley.
On Thanksgiving night, 2018, Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr. (21) was shopping inside the Riverchase Galleria Mall in Hoover, Alabama, when he heard gunshots. He pulled out a gun he was licensed to carry and rushed to protect shoppers, his family said.
An off-duty police officer working security at the mall, saw Bradford with a gun and, thinking he was the shooter, fatally shot him. At first, the officer was praised for stopping a gunman after two people were shot outside a Footaction store on the second floor. Then the police said that Mr. Bradford was not in fact the gunman and that the true gunman remained on the loose.
Mr. Bradford’s death at the hands of law enforcement has also raised questions about the realities of the “good guy with a gun” theory advocated by the National Rifle Association and President Trump as a solution to mass shootings.
* * *
An Early Lesson In Could vs. Should
When I moved out of my parents’ house and into my own apartment, I was suddenly aware of all the freedom that I had never experienced before. Don’t get me wrong, my parents weren’t clingy and they never pried into my life when I was still living at home with them, it was just that now I was truly on my own.
I could do stuff and no one would be questioning my judgement about the decisions I made.
The first thing I did after getting all moved in was to go to the grocery store in order to stock my pantry and fridge. Hamburger, of course. Taco shells. Hot dogs. Bread, buns, peanut butter, canned soup and then the good stuff. Let’s see, vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream, strawberry ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, Oreos, another bag of Oreos, soft drinks, and my favorite candies, five kinds of chips, lunch meat.
Picked up a large pizza on the way home, put everything away and then proceeded to have dinner: Pizza and potato chips followed by ice cream. All I wanted. Without having to share it with my siblings. Whatever I wanted, as much as I wanted. An orgy of self-indulgence.
The next morning I woke up with what can only be described as a food hangover. And a reminder that just because I could doesn’t mean I should. As Paul so wisely said, “All foods are permitted for me, but not all foods are beneficial.”
Or something like that.
* * *
1 Samuel 3:1-10 God really, really wanted to talk to Samuel. In fact, he wanted to talk to him so much that, when Samuel hung up, God called him back. Four times! I can’t get my friends to call me back even once!
Don’t Take It Personally
We shouldn’t necessarily take it personally when even our closest friends fail to call us back when we leave them a message. There can be lots of reasons why they don’t get back in touch. According to experts on human communication, here are a few:
- Forgetfulness: Sometimes, friends genuinely intend to call back but get distracted and forget. It’s a common occurrence, even for the best of us. So, before assuming the worst, consider that they might simply be absent-minded.
- Preference for Texting: In our fast-paced world, some people prefer texting over phone calls. If your friend is more comfortable texting, they might not prioritize returning calls. It’s worth asking them directly if this is the case.
- Cost Concerns: Believe it or not, some friends might avoid returning calls due to phone charges. Especially if you live far apart, they might be hesitant to incur additional costs. Suggest switching to video chat services like Skype or Zoom to catch up without charges.
- Anxiety About Conversation: If you’re close to a friend or have a crush on them, they might feel anxious about what to say during a phone call. Fear of awkwardness could lead them to avoid returning your calls.
- Busy Lives: While it’s not the best excuse, some friends are genuinely busy with work, school, or social commitments. Stress affects everyone differently, and for some, making a quick call during a break can be stressful.
If you find yourself waiting for a callback, try calling from a different phone or leaving a polite message asking them to return your call. But resist the urge to repeatedly call — it’s best to respect their space.
* * *
The Most Famous Phone Calls Ever Made
The First One – In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell made the very first phone call to his assistant, Thomas Watson, uttering the famous words, “Mr. Watson, come here! I want to see you!”
A man on the moon – In 1969, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, and soon after their moon shoes touched the lunar surface, they received a phone call from the President of the United States, Richard Nixon. “Hello Neil and Buzz, I am talking to you by telephone from the Oval Room at the White House, and this certainly has to be the most historic telephone call ever made from the White House.”
Watergate – In 1972, security guard Frank Willis made the phone call that would lead to the resignation of President Nixon and the conviction of dozens of others in one of the biggest scandals in the history of the United States.
In Music
Jenny – Thanks to Tommy Tutone, there were a bazillion calls to the number 867-5309 following the 1982 release of the band’s pop hit, 867-5309/Jenny. Was Jenny real? Band members tell differing stories. But it didn’t stop people from calling to ask for her!
In The Movies
His Girl Friday (1940) – The funny “What’s the story?” exchange between Walter (Cary Grant) and Hildy (Rosalind Russell), reflects Hildy’s love of the newspaper business, the tendency for the pair’s personal matters to get in the way of work, and the indefinite delay of Hildy’s planned departure.
Ransom (1996) – You can only push an angry father so far, and when it comes to Mel Gibson in this film, the proverbial edge is a whole lot closer than usual. While chatting with kidnapper Gary Sinise, Mel Gibson’s wealthy ransom-holder finally makes the decision that he’s not going to take this anymore, turning the tables and threatening his enemy.
Sorry, Wrong Number (1948) – Barbara Stanwyck plays the bed-ridden daughter of a hotshot millionaire, who relies on the telephone as her only connection to the world beyond her room. One day, she overhears a plot to murder a woman, then struggles with credibility when trying to report the incident. Of course, the murder being planned is her own.
Munich (2005) – In Steven Spielberg’s breathless revenge drama, Eric Bana and his fellow Mossad agents seek out their second target in Paris, planting a bomb in the man’s phone that’s set to be detonated by remote. But when it comes time to do the job, the target’s young daughter unexpectedly scurries to answer the call, unbeknownst to the point man who’s tasked to blow the apartment. The dramatic tension is nearly unbearable.
Phone Booth (2002) – Colin Farrell’s Stu Shephard gets the worst call of his life when he steps into a New York phone booth to contact his mistress, Pam (Katie Holmes). He ends up connecting with Kiefer Sutherland’s terrorizing sniper, who wants to teach Stu a lesson for his cocky philandering.
Dial M for Murder (1954) – A highly celebrated mystery long before it hit the screen, Alfred Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder was lifted from the stage play by Frederic Knott, who also penned the movie’s script. It stars Grace Kelly as a cheating wife whose husband (Ray Milland) plots to have her murdered. As the plan goes, Kelly’s victim will answer the phone when Milland’s schemer calls, allowing the hired, invading murderer to strangle her from behind.
Bye Bye Birdie (1963) – Phone calls often figure large in crime stories and mysteries but in this now classic musical comedy the phone lines are abuzz when teenagers Hugo and Kim decide to go steady. Kim tells her friend, who tells two friends, who tell four and the word spreads all over town…via telephone. The number “Telephone Hour” is visible on YouTube.
* * * * * *
From team member Chris Keating:1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)
Active listening
Eli’s failing leadership has prompted God’s call to a new generation, something that will “make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.” But before Samuel can receive this message, he must be coached in his ability to listen. Ironically, it is Eli who is called upon to coach the young Samuel and who teaches him the value of listening. In his book Forbearance: A Theological Ethic for a Disagreeable Church, (Eerdmans, 2017), James Calvin Davis explores some of the current cultural tensions that give rise to division, rancor, and incivility to society. Davis believes that churches may be best suited to provide leadership in this area — if they are able to learn how to listen to one another and overcome internal disputes and bickering, even when we disagree. “In this evocative notion of forbearance,” writes Davis, “I see the promise of a theologically grounded practice where we work hard to maintain the unity of the Body of Christ while we also take seriously the matters on which we disagree.” Forbearance can be a fruit of patience, says Davis, which itself is cultivated in the counter-cultural act of listening. “To be honest,” writes Davis, “we Americans generally do not know when to shut up. We have our opinions, and we share them loudly, and like most things in American culture, the biggest and baddest is what we give the most attention.” This could be especially true in politics, says Davis, though listening might offer us the chance to better understand each other’s positions. “When we shut up and truly listen from time to time,” he says, “we make room for others to share and inquire.” Similarly, as Eli trained Samuel to listen, Samuel was able to make room for God’s voice to speak to him.
* * *
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)
The calls that change us
God’s call to Samuel comes late in the evening. At first it is startling and confusing, perhaps even terrifying. In a slightly different way, it was a startling midnight call that awakened the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. to the discovery of his calling to challenge white supremacy. In 1956, King was serving as a pastor in Montgomery, Alabama. He had just become president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, an organization formed days after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a public bus. Soon after, King became the target of threats and personal attacks.
King found one phone call particularly unnerving. He recounted the event years later at a speech in Chicago. “On the other end was an ugly voice,” said King. “That voice said to me, in substance, ‘N---er we are tired of you and your mess now. And if you aren’t out of this town in three days, we’re going to blow your brains out and blow up your house.’” After he put down the phone, King sat in his kitchen trying to calm himself. He thought of his wife and young daughter, and how they could be taken from him. He reflected on his theology, particularly his understanding of nonviolence. He thought of his mother. Professor Jeff Kelly Lowenstein, writing a few days after the January 6, 2021 insurrection, reflects on King’s speech and how God’s midnight call shaped his life. As he sat at his kitchen table, King thought:
Something said to me, you can’t call on Daddy now, he’s up in Atlanta a hundred and seventy-five miles away,” he said. “You can’t even call on Mama now. You’ve got to call on that something in that person that your Daddy used to tell you about. That power that can make a way out of no way. And I discovered then that religion had to become real to me and I had to know God for myself.”
King bowed his head over a cup of coffee and asked for help from God. “And it seemed at that moment that I could hear an inner voice saying to me, ‘Martin Luther, stand up for righteousness, stand up for justice, stand up for truth. And lo I will be with you, even until the end of the world.’”
Three days later, King’s house was bombed while his family was gone. Though no one was injured. It was the first of many physical attacks on his life that would culminate in his assassination in 1968. In the years following that phone call, however, when discouragement would settle upon him, he would remember God’s speaking to him. “Sometimes I feel discouraged,” King would say, “and feel my works in vain. But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. ‘There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.’”
* * *
Psalm 139:1-6, 16-18
Gaining knowledge of ourselves
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s sermons would often include lessons drawn from psychology and theology in addressing race relations. In a sermon from June 5, 1949, entitled “Mastering Our Evil Selves/Mastering Our Selves,” King explores the ways evil can overtake a person. It’s a reflection that parallels Psalm 139’s affirmation that God is acquainted with all our ways. King notes “there is something paradoxical and contradictory about human behavior,” and goes on to quote Ovid that “I see and approve the better things of life but the evil things I follow,” which sounds similar to Paul’s admonition that “the good I would I do not: but the evil which I would not that I do.”
King continues:
On the national scene this conflict is evident in the area of racial prejudice. The average white southerner is not bad. He goes to church every Sunday. He worships the same God we worship. He will send thousands of dollars to Africa and China for the missionary effort. Yet at the same time He will spend thousands of dollars in an attempt to keep the Negro segregated and discriminated. Yes, we must admit that there is something contradictory and paradoxical about human nature.
Then, not unlike the psalmist, King argues that rising above evil requires more than good habits and a positive outlook by discovering that “God is not a divine hermit hiding himself (sic) in a cosmic cave…God is forever present with us.” He adds that God “somehow transcends the world yet at the same time (God) is immanent in the world.”
* * *
John 1:43-51
Can anything good come out of a fly-over state?
Last summer, country singer Jason Aldean’s song “Try that In A Small Town” put renewed focus on familiar gap between urban and rural America. The song was said to pick up the trail began by Hank Williams, Jr.’s 1982 track “A Country Boy Can Survive.” Aldean added to the image of small towns as being enclaves of right-thinking, self-sufficient, take-matters-into-our-own-hands individuals who mete out justice with shotguns and pickup trucks. Some describe this as a basic moral vs. immoral binary perception of American life. As NPR observed, “Cities are painted as spaces where crime, sexual promiscuity, and personal and financial ruin occur, while the "country" is meanwhile framed as a peaceful space where happiness reigns.” Less explicit, but certainly present, are implications that small town morality is bolstered by racial homogeneity.
It's an intriguing conversation, especially when applied to the national political scene. Current predictions show Donald Trump leading in less populace parts of the nation — even though little about Donald Trump’s upbringing or lifestyle could be described as being “small town.”
Animosity toward cities has been the fodder for many country songs over the years, including Buck Owen’s 1970 song, “I wouldn’t live in New York City (if they gave me the whole damn town)” and George Jones and Tammy Wynette’s “Southern California” from 1977. Amanda Marie Martinez observes:
The rise of anti-city songs during the affluent, post-World War II era coincided with a moment when the formerly rural and heavily white country music audience was rapidly suburbanizing and achieving social mobility through home ownership. At the same time, selective availability of home loans in suburbs and racially restrictive housing covenants in cities furthered white flight, making cities synonymous with non-whiteness.
Perhaps the bias goes both ways. Paul Waldman, writing in the Washington Post, wonders how “refreshing it would be to hear a candidate touting their ‘big city values,’ and explaining how important and useful the things they learned in the city can be.’ Waldman observes that supposedly small-town values are expressed in such vague terms to be “meaningless” in assessing a candidate’s strengths. “In small towns, we’re told, people tell the truth, they work hard and they lend a hand. All of which are good things, but there’s no evidence that those virtues are any more common in small towns than in big cities or the suburbs…”
Of course, it’s also true that Jason Aldean is not likely to be found reading many of Waldman’s columns. Perhaps the best advice comes straight from the Apostle Philip: “Come and see.”
* * * * * *
From team member Katy Stenta:John 1:43-51
Seeing and Being Seen
Nathanael has to be seen in order to see. How many people is that true for? The affirmation of being seen and called by name is so important. Mutual seeing of one another, actually being able to see and understand one another, is so hard. How often are you stuck in a fight because neither person will step aside to see the other person’s point of view. Have you ever been in a fight and been aware that you might be wrong, and know that you are too angry to step aside and consider the other person’s perspective? Or realized later that this is what has happened? Have you ever been too busy to see or hear what was really going on, and then realize later that was what happened? There is a reason why we call it “paying” attention.
One year at a pageant, a little girl told me a friend was coming to see her. Later I asked her if that was her divorced father, she told me no. I immediately stopped everything I was doing and got down on one knee and apologized. “I am sorry,” I said, “I am so sorry, I must not have been seeing you and paying attention to you, please tell me again what you said to me.” I looked her in the eye so that she knew that I saw her. She looked me in my eye and said, “This is my friend and neighbor.” I said, “Thank you again for telling me. It is hard when people do not pay attention to you, I did not mean to do that to you.” That little girl then knew that I saw her, and that made all of the difference. She believed in me, because I believed in her.
* * *
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
This psalm always puts me in mind of the Abrahamic promise — the God who knows every star in the sky and every grain of sand, of course God knows the hairs on our head. Our God, the great accountant. Our God who is near and far. Nothing is too big or small for our God. These verses might be a little creepy, almost stalker-like for some people. Is God watching us to judge us, to change our actions? Is there freedom to God’s watching? Those who want to control our lives like to weaponize these verses, yet the LGBTQIA community points out that we are “beautifully and fiercely” made by God. The point of these verse are the scope: God is not just one thing. God is big. God is small. God is protective when we need it, and God is hands off when that is what is needed. God can be in our pocket, or hold us in the palm of our hand. It’s almost like a commercial: The amazing, malleable God, fits all situations, needs, and personalities. God is not one thing, God is multeous (this is a totally made up word that I use). God is flexible. God is dependable, yet more than our imaginations can hold, so beyond our understanding that God simply describes Godself as the great “I Am.” So the real question is, what do you need from God today?
* * * * * *
WORSHIPby George Reed
Call to Worship
One: O God, you have searched us and known us.
All: You know when I sit down and when we rise up.
One: You discern our thoughts from far away.
All: You are acquainted with all our ways.
One: We praise you, for we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
All: Wonderful are your works; that we know very well.
OR
One: God comes among us as the one who knows us completely.
All: We welcome God into our lives and hearts today.
One: The One who loves us loves our friends and our enemies.
All: May God’s love fill us so we can love others, as well.
One: The Christ comes to us in the faces of the others.
All: We will treat others as we would treat our Savior.
Hymns and Songs
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
UMH: 103
H82: 423
PH: 263
GTG: 12
NCH: 1
CH: 66
LBW: 526
ELW: 834
W&P: 48
AMEC: 71
STLT: 273
Renew: 46
O Worship the King
UMH: 73
H82: 388
PH: 476
GTG: 41
NNBH: 6
NCH: 26
CH: 17
LBW: 548
ELW: 842
W&P: 2
AMEC: 12
Now Thank We All Our God
UMH: 102
H82: 396/397
PH: 555
GTG: 643
NNBH: 330
NCH: 419
CH: 715
LBW: 533/534
ELW: 839/840
W&P 14
AMEC: 573
STLT: 32
I Sing the Almighty Power of God
UMH: 152
H82: 398
PH: 288
GTG: 32
NCH: 12
W&P: 31
Renew: 54
O God of Every Nation
UMH: 435
H82: 607
PH: 289
GTG: 756
CH: 680
LBW: 416
ELW: 713
W&P: 626
This Is My Song
UMH: 437
GTG: 340
NCH: 591
CH: 722
ELW: 887
STLT: 159
Open My Eyes, That I May See
UMH: 454
PH: 324
GTG: 451
NNBH: 218:
CH: 586
W&P 480
AMEC: 285
Where Charity and Love Prevail
UMH: 549
H82: 581
GTG: 316
NCH: 396
LBW: 126
ELW: 359
Help Us Accept Each Other
UMH: 560
PH: 358
GTG: 754
NCH: 388
CH: 487
W&P: 596
AMEC: 558
In Christ There Is No East or West
UMH: 548
H82: 529
PH: 439/440
GTG: 317/318
AAHH: 398/399
NNBH: 299
NCH: 394/395
CH: 687
LBW: 259
ELW: 650
W&P: 600/603
AMEC: 557
I Am Loved
CCB: 80
You Are Mine
CCB: 58
Music Resources Key
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
GTG: Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day/Collect
O God who is closer to us than our own breath:
Grant us the grace to be willing to see as your see
by drawing near to others and opening our hearts;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God, because you are the one who is closer to us than we are to our own breath. You see us as we truly are and not just as we appear on the outside. Help us to draw close to others so that we might get to know them as you know them. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
One: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially our judging others.
All: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We sit in judgement on others without even knowing them. We condemn people on the road for the way they drive, people in the market for what they buy, people on the street for what they wear. All this we do without really knowing these people. Even the people who are more directly in our lives we judge without getting to know them. We don’t take the time to sit with them and hear their stories. Forgive us for our arrogance and judgmental attitudes. Renew your Spirit within us that we may love as you love. Amen.
One: God welcomes our change of mind and attitude. God is always ready to help us draw together as God’s children. Receive God’s grace and forgiveness and share these with others.
Prayers of the People
Praise and glory belong to you, O God, because you are the one who created us and who knows our inward thoughts. You know us far better than we know ourselves.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We sit in judgement on others without even knowing them. We condemn people on the road for the way they drive, people in the market for what they buy, people on the street for what they wear. All this we do without really knowing these people. Even the people who are more directly in our lives we judge without getting to know them. We don’t take the time to sit with them and hear their stories. Forgive us for our arrogance and judgmental attitudes. Renew your Spirit within us that we may love as you love.
We give you thanks for the many ways you share your love with us. You dwell within us and offer yourself to us moment by moment. You never leave us nor forsake us. You are our redeeming God.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for one another in our need. We pray for those we don’t really know and yet we judge them. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear that our hearts may be open to all your children.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
Hear us as we pray for others: (Time for silent or spoken prayer.)
All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father....Amen.
(Or if the Our Father is not used at this point in the service.)
All this we ask in the name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
* * * * * *
CHILDREN'S SERMONHere I Am
by Tom Willadsen
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)
This week’s children’s time can be a simple reading of the Hebrew scripture lectionary reading. Or you can lead a guided discussion with the questions at the end of this article. You’ll need three microphones and three readers. I recommend a female narrator, a man with a deep voice to read Eli’s part, and an agile boy between the ages of 9 and 13 for Samuel. Have the kids stay in their seats for this reading. The narrator and Eli/the Lord should be off stage. Samuel should lie down as though asleep in the front of the sanctuary where he can be seen. When he speaks, he should look off stage as he responds to Eli/the Lord.
Optional: Have the children gather up front after the reading ends. Questions to guide the children’s time follow the reading.
NARRATOR: Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called,
ELI / THE LORD: “Samuel! Samuel!”
NARRATOR: and he said,
SAMUEL: “Here I am!”
NARRATOR: and ran to Eli and said,
SAMUEL: “Here I am, for you called me.”
NARRATOR: But he said,
ELI / THE LORD: “I did not call; lie down again.”
NARRATOR: He went and lay down. The Lord called again,
ELI / THE LORD: “Samuel!”
NARRATOR: Samuel got up and went to Eli and said,
SAMUEL: “Here I am, for you called me.”
NARRATOR: But he said,
ELI / THE LORD: “I did not call, my son; lie down again.”
NARRATOR: Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli and said,
SAMUEL: “Here I am, for you called me.”
NARRATOR: Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore, Eli said to Samuel,
ELI / THE LORD: “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’”
NARRATOR: So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before,
ELI / THE LORD: “Samuel! Samuel!”
NARRATOR: And Samuel said,
SAMUEL: “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
NARRATOR: Then the Lord said to Samuel,
ELI / THE LORD: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore, I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever.”
NARRATOR: Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said,
ELI / THE LORD: “Samuel, my son.”
NARRATOR: He said,
SAMUEL: “Here I am.”
NARRATOR: Eli said,
ELI / THE LORD: “What was it that he told you? 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.”
NARRATOR: Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said,
ELI / THE LORD: “It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.”
NARRATOR: As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
* * *
There is a lot of uncertainty and ambiguity in this reading. Ask the kids what happened, what they think happened. (And give this question some thought yourself!)
- Was the Lord speaking through Eli? If so, did Eli know what he was saying?
- It took Eli a while to figure out what was going on. Do you think he got much sleep that night?
- What do you think Samuel was thinking and feeling as he heard that voice in the dark?
- Do you think Samuel was afraid of the Voice?
- Do you think Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the bad news that was coming to his family?
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, January 14, 2024 issue.
Copyright 2024 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
