Hearing God

1 Samuel 3:1-21

“Hearing God”

15 October 2017 St. Andrew’s Military Chapel

Has anyone heard God speak directly to them? While it hasn’t happened to your beloved chaplain, he is fully aware that sometimes people do hear God speak directly and distinctly to them. I do know that if God were to speak to me I probably would not believe that I was hearing God, that the voice was the one in my mind or that I overheard someone’s nearby conversation.

Because someone hasn’t heard from God doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy or loved by God. Much like the beginning of this passage, God isn’t appearing to us in overt and obvious ways. Again, this doesn’t mean that God has left us to fend for ourselves all alone without communication or guidance. Just that God is working in our world through different means.

I’m also not so sure how God appearing in the sky or simultaneously on every mobile device on earth would be received. There would probably be a mix of fear that the end was near, that it was the greatest hoax ever devised, that an alien race was near and poised to destroy the earth, name whatever your fantasy scenario.

We have become people who expect and demand proof, so when we don’t see God face to face we can doubt the possibility of God in the world. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, for you need faith to doubt. Faith leads to questions that introduce doubt, doubt leads to exploring and strengthening faith. The cycle continues.

God seems distant in the world. The religious establishment is battered and bruised through scandals of all kinds, especially those dealing with sex, money, and substances. People’s trust and high view of religion and those who practice religions are on the decline. Religion is viewed as a hindrance to society rather than a help. Those who are religious begin to quietly ponder if God has abandoned us because of what is going on in the world.

Sound familiar? That is exactly what was going on in Israel during the time of Samuel’s call to the priesthood.

Sometimes, modern culture tends to think that our situation and the state of the world is a new development that has never been experienced in history. Today’s passage demonstrates that history does have a tendency to repeat itself.

Eli was an ageing priest whose sons had completely defamed the name of Eli and the priestly office he held. So much so that God has already told Eli he would be the last priest from his family. Israel was asking for a king, yet again so they could be like their neighbors and have a better standing in the world. The religious judges and priests hadn’t worked, in fact they were getting in the way of Israel becoming the power it was destined to become. People were unsure of God’s power in the world because God wasn’t physically there in a column of smoke or fire anymore.

Just like with Israel, God is still very much present and at work in the world today, just in a different way.

 It’s of note that Samuel’s call is different than the call of Moses and most other call stories we will hear in Scripture. In this case, Samuel does hear God clearly speaking to him, yet he is still young enough in the faith that he doesn’t full understand or recognize what is happening. He didn’t even know enough to ask the right questions. He just assumed that Samuel was calling for him. At least Samuel knew enough to go and ask Eli if he called.

Samuel’s call is also one to speak a word not against Israel, but against one individual, Eli. God tells Samuel that Eli’s days as a priest are over and that Samuel is the next priest for Israel. He will now be God’s voice and representative to God’s people. Samuel was reluctant at first, but did tell Eli. In a bit of shock, Eli took the news in a good spirit and honored both God and Samuel by continuing to teach and mentor Samuel towards his priestly office.

This passage beautifully demonstrates how intergenerational ministry should occur in the world. The youth and open ears of Samuel provided a conduit for God to do some amazing work in the world and to introduce something that would make everyone’s ears tingle. The elder Eli listened to what Samuel was hearing and through his wisdom knew it was God speaking and working in the world and Eli gave Samuel the time and mentorship to help God work in the world through Samuel.

God speaks in a variety of ways so we need a variety of mentors and experienced brothers and sisters in Christ to help us discern God’s voice in the cacophony of noise that surrounds us each day. Those of the older and wiser persuasion need to listen for God’s call on the younger believers through their actions and words. Conversely, the younger members need to take their ideas and inspiration to those who’ve been around a while to hear their suggestions and ways to enact God’s work in the world, because those with experience will help us avoid the pitfalls and frustration endured by many before us.

Along with the dual nature of intergenerational ministry spurring our ideas to completion, let’s also look at the interesting turn of phrase used in this passage, “I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle.”

What a powerful way to let the world know something amazing is about to occur. If someone were to tell you today that they had something that would make your ears tingle, what kind of news would you expect? Perhaps it would be juicy gossip. Maybe there is some bad news on the way for which they want to prepare you. Much like the character Saru in the new Star Trek Discovery series, where his body physically reacts to fearful situations, in our world today we tend to assume that when our ears tingle it signifies something bad is on the way.

There is nothing bad with ears that tingle in fear. In fact, that is a great defense mechanism that can save us from much trouble and harm. However, we cannot ever let fear be the only way in which our body reacts, or our ears tingle, to upcoming events and news. We also need to allow our ears to tingle with hope that good news is coming.

Hope in the world and people is a diminishing art and skill in the world. Not every situation or every action is something to fear and cause stress. Granted, there are plenty of situations where fear is warranted. I’m not saying that we should ignore the tingle of fear, rather that we should allow our souls to recognize both fear and hope in the world around us and act out of a healthy balance between the two.

I must make a confession to you all. I am one who tends to assume any tingle of my ears is one due to hope while ignoring the dangers of the world or the actions of others. If you doubt me self-assessment, feel free to ask my lovely wife and she will regale you with tales of my leaning too far towards a posture of hope. So, I need to work on not subduing my fear response as much as I do. I think we all need to get to a healthy balance. Not exactly 50-50 but maybe 70% hope and 30% fear.

This takes us back to the need to do what Samuel did in this passage. He was listening with both ears and wasn’t sure so took his concern to someone with more experience for advice and guidance. Something I know I could do more often in my own life. Even when God told him something that was fearful for Samuel in having to speak against his mentor, Eli gave him the strength and courage to do what God had instructed. Eli gave him the safe space he needed to be the priest God had intended.

As a church we are called to be that safe space where people can discern the right balance of fear and hope. A place where we can help others navigate the rapids of life with experienced guides. A place where our fears and hopes can be laid bare so that we can go forward with confidence and trust not just in each other but in God. Then we will know that even when the word of the Lord is rare, God is still speaking.

You can listen to sermons from St. Andrew's Military Chapel here.

What A Birthday

Acts 2:1-4, Galatians 4:1-7

“What a Birthday”

04 June 2017 St. Andrew’s Military Chapel Singapore

Happy Birthday! Did you even know that today was the church’s birthday?

What would be your dream birthday party? Would it be extravagant? Would it involve a trip to an exotic location? If I could have a dream birthday, what we read today would come pretty close. Not having my party in a church and scaring everyone with the rattling of the Holy Spirit.

Rather, a party full of all my friends I have met over the years who all come from different backgrounds, and something they will remember for the rest of their lives. A place where I could thank all of those who have impacted my life. Where stories would be told and people I think would enjoy each other’s company finally get to meet.

Just imagine the scene in today’s passage. All the believers in one place. Is there anywhere today that could hold every Christian? Everyone speaks different languages and looks slightly different. Different theological interpretations. Probably a bunch of bickering and arguing. Different cultures so I’m sure they are offending each other. But, there is enjoyment in the opportunity to learn from others. Some are in awe of the sight of so many people and are soaking it all in. I’m sure there are quite a few that aren’t even paying much attention to what is going on, they only here to say they were part of such an event. Just your typical gathering of differing people today.

Then, a lot of noise and wind shake the house. Much like the crazy thunderstorms we frequently experience. I’m sure it felt and sounded as if a nearby house got hit by lightning, getting everyone’s attention as happens here in Singapore. As if that wasn’t enough to grab our attention, tongues of fire are leaping around and splitting all over the place. Those who didn’t run out were either frozen in place or understood what was going on. The Holy Spirit had finally arrived, just like Jesus promised.

To top it off, everyone understood all the different languages that were spoken as if they were hearing their native tongue. Makes me think, when I see all the bickering in the church and the inability of us to communicate basics to each other, have we lost the Holy Spirit in church today? We don’t seem to speak the same language anymore.

What’s so amazing is that this event didn’t divide the church, it drew people in. Despite the multiple languages, the different interpretations, people gathered in and became closer to God and each other. In large numbers. People ran to see what was going on.

Now, not everyone understood what was happening and assumed the Christians were drunk. Jews who were there from many other lands came to see what was going on and were amazed that people were speaking in their languages. So not only did the church see and experience this event, the world did.

Peter goes on to preach a great sermon, letting the words of Joel speak to the crowd. Even your sons and daughters will prophesy. He knows the Jews understand and have the Scriptures memorized. He is working to get them to understand what is going on in front of them. He is evangelizing with the simple message to call on Jesus and be saved. We tend to make Peter’s first message on the day the church was born more complicated than Peter said. We’ll tell people his message and then add a big BUT. But do this, don’t do that and the list goes on and on.

Are there churches were people run to see what is going on around us anymore? I’m not so sure about the ones in the US, but in Africa and Latin/South America this scene plays out each day. What is special about them and what message do they tell their people? Those areas have the most growth in Christianity right now.

We complain about having to drive more than a few miles to find a good church. They walk for days to hear God’s word. What is the difference between us and them?

We are comfortable and don’t live in much danger. Those of us in the Western world tend to preach and seek an easy Gospel. Over 70 years ago a young pastor named Dietrich Bonhoeffer pondered this pull of Christians, especially those in modernized cultures, to seek what he termed “cheap grace” instead of the “costly grace” that we see depicted in the life of Christ and what we can witness a short plane ride away from Singapore.

“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession…Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

“Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble, it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.

“Costly grace is the sanctuary of God; it has to be protected from the world, and not thrown to the dogs. It is therefore a living word, the Word of God, which he speaks as it pleases him. Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus. It comes as a word of forgiveness to the broken spirit and the contrite heart. Grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him; it is grace because Jesus says: ‘My yoke is easy and by burden is light.”

When we look at many churches in the global south, their message is one of costly grace. The hope there is something out there greater than the situation in which they find themselves. That whatever is occurring in their lives, or the hopeless situation in which they is not the purpose of their lives. They have faith that God is big enough to take care of their problems on God’s timeline. Costly grace. Grace that comes at a cost.

And that’s what people need and want in their lives. Grace that has power and worth. Cheap grace isn’t worth anything so why seek it out. Costly grace costs everything so it is priceless and cherished.

            What is more in line with the story of the Bible and the life of Christ? Tough grace or cheap grace. I, and Bonhoeffer, would submit that tough grace is the grace offered by Christ.

We can learn a lot from our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. This passage highlights that diversity and Paul continues the theme in Galatians. Paul writes about how we are all heirs to the kingdom. Now that the Spirit has arrived, our inheritance is here and we are to go out and live and bless the world with that inheritance.

The early church did a great job living into that inheritance and blessing the world. Over the centuries, the church has continued that tradition of blessing the world through their work, inspired by the Holy Spirit. We have started some of the greatest institutions of education in the world, founded hospitals where anyone could receive care for free, sent missionaries out around the globe to spread the Gospel through their actions and love of cultures not their own, sat with people suffering from horrible infectious diseases at great risk to one’s own health and life.

Our inheritance into the family of God is complete, but we have to live into that inheritance. Our family tree is full of good deeds welcoming others without regard to their context, culture, or situation. Grace is costly and truly grace when it is freely given without regard to the cost borne by the giver. We are called to be givers of costly grace for that is what truly blesses the world.

I’m not one to say we need to go back and reclaim the ancient church to be authentic. Their context is much different than ours today. But we can learn from them what an amazing thing the church is when it is alive and on fire with the Holy Spirit. What a birth for an institution as the church. God wouldn’t have had it any other way. Let your life come alive and be reborn in the Holy Spirit so people run to see and experience the blessing we are to the world. That’s the continuing birthday party that God designed for us and in which God wants to participate with us every single day.

You can listen to sermons from St. Andrew's Military Chapel here.