Delivered by Rev Dr John A Evans
on Sunday 27th December, 2009
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
Psalm 148
Luke 2:41-52
This is a good time of the year. There is space. The busyness of getting reading for Christmas and then celebrating Christmas is passed – and the urgency of the New Year has not begun. It is a delightful in-between time. An ideal time to reflect.
Our readings today also encourage us to reflect – and how we gather to worship, I trust also would encourage us to reflect.
In the gospel reading Jesus, as a twelve year old is left behind in Jerusalem after Passover. I don’t quite know how that would happen, but he is left behind. His frantic parents find him in the temple discussing matters with the elders. He then utters these words – “Why are you searching for me? Did you not know I must be in my Father’s house?”
These are the first words recorded in all of scripture of Jesus speaking. Up until this point everything had all been about Jesus – angels, Mary and Joseph, wisemen, shepherds, Simeon and Anna – everyone had been speaking about Jesus. “Christ the Lord’; “prince of peace” - and the like. Finally Jesus speaks. The words are not particularly grand – they indeed have a delightful prepubescent air about them. Jesus however, is, however haltingly, giving voice to who he is; what lies ahead in his life. Here the Jesus speaks.
Giving voice to that which is silent, or has remained silent, is important.
I used to belong to the then Pitt St Congregational Church – now Uniting. . . indeed it became Uniting when I was a member. It was a then a very small struggling. It had however, a very interesting and useful custom. At morning tea each Sunday – we would all gather around, just like we do. Talk – but there would be a organised part of this. People would be asked to share their week with others. This would in turn prompt some discussion. And at the end of the discussion the week would be named. It was the week that xyz was born; or died. Or when a particular meeting took place. Or whatever. The name for the week would then be recorded.
Before God and each other we would give voice to what was happening. It might be thanks giving, confession and lament or of concern.
Giving voice. Indeed right towards the end of Jesus’ life there is similar giving voice. He is coming into Jerusalem – we callit palm Sunday. The crowds are exultant. Hosana’s Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. And the officials are not happy. They want Jesus to tell his disciples to stop. But Jesus says, with great rhetorical flourish – if these were silent, the stones would shout out”.
Giving voice is something we should not be afraid of doing.
So we are going to give voice to what has happened this year and name it before God.
Two questions
- What has happened this year – internationally, nationally, locally and in this congregation – perhaps even personally.
- What is it we need to say, to give voice to about this year
- It may indded have been silent
- Or it may have been very public – but have we acknowledged the event or incident appropriately.
(Discussion and sharing)
Our Old Testament reading is not so much about giving voice; but about listening. . . which sometime can be more or less the same thing. It is the well known story of the boy Samuel, working with old Eli the priest. When Samuel believes that he is being addressed by God, Eli famously suggests to Samuel when he believes he is being called by God, to say – “Speak now, your servant heareth”.
As we stand at the gateway to another year – believe it or not, another decade. What is it we believe the Spirit of Christ saying to us about the year ahead?
Is it about a call to serve in a new and different way.
How do we address some of those issues we have just being giving voice to?
How are we as a congregation being addressed? How are you being addressed?
Giving voice and listening – perhaps we do not do it often enough.
