A More Light Congregation

Bethany Presbyterian Church

Sermon

If you ever want to feel small, ask Google “How old is the continent of North America?”

Here's a summary of the answer.


     ·  The rocks in the oldest, thickest part of the continent are more than two billion years old in places.

     ·  The rocks in the oldest, thickest part of the continent are more than two billion years old in places.

     ·  About 750 million years ago, the thickest, oldest part of the continent was, then named Laurentia, was

        part of a supercontinent called Rodinia.

     ·  By 542 million years ago, complex life forms suddenly appear in the fossil record all across the planet.

     ·  What we know as North America was considered its own continent geologically, about 200 million years

        ago.

     ·  Since that time, maybe a mere 65 million years ago, north America began to have the coast lines we

        now have after other land masses stopped banging into it.  Soon after, our beloved San Andreas Fault

        was born, which made its presence known 31 years ago yesterday.

     ·  According to recent study, humans have been in north America for about 33,000 years.

        1, 2, 3, 4, 5


It's pretty mind boggling, humbling, and amazing.  


The reason I bring this up is to put today's story of Hannah and the birth of Samuel into perspective.  This story, which we think of as ancient because it is 3,000 years old, is actually recent by some standards.  


Maybe Hannah felt small.


The most favored, but second co-wife of Elkanah, was barren.  Her husband loved her more, and gave her more, but she could not bear a child and was continually mocked by Elkanah's first co-wife Penninah.  Yearly, the family went to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord.  One of these years, after coming down from Shiloh, Hannah would not eat.  Her husband loved her and tried to console her but she wept.  Hannah presented herself before the priest and silently prayed to the Lord.  Not hearing her but seeing her lips move Eli thought she was drunk and told her to stop making a spectacle of herself.  But Hannah told him that she had not taken any wine, and was pouring out her soul and grief to the Lord.  Not knowing what Hannah had prayed, Eli blessed her and said to her, “Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.” 18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.”

In time, Hannah's prayer was answered and she bore a son, and she named him Samuel.


Her joy was not to be contained.  Her song, much like the song of Mary, tells of the great reversal of fortune that only God can make happen.  She sings, 4 The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength. 5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry are fat with spoil. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. 6 The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low, he also exalts. 8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor.  For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world.


Hannah is clearly not small!


Who is she, that out of all the years of the earth, all the years of humans on the earth, and all of her years as a barren woman, that God should grant her her prayer?  Indeed, 3000 years later, who are we that God should answer our prayers?!  


As promised, after Samuel was weaned, she brought him to Shiloh and presented him to Eli, reminding him that she was the woman who he thought was drunk when really she was praying.   She told Eli what her prayer was and of her promise to dedicate him to the Lord, and she left Samuel with Eli, and went home.  She was the very embodiment of Prayz's introit today, “Take my Life” because when she consecrated her son to the Lord, she not only gave Samuel's life to God, but she gave her own life to God too.  While we are told that she came to see him each year, still she gave to God, all of her life of being Samuel's parent, raising him, watching him grow day by day, and seeing him live in her family.  


Hannah's gave her sorrow to God.  She made a bargain really.  God listened.  Eli blessed her.  God answered her prayer.  Hannah praised God, and kept her part of the bargain.  All of this was a pivot point in the leadership of the Israelites because at the time of Samuel's birth the Israelites counted on priests, prophets and judges to lead them.  Samuel grew up as an adopted son of Eli.  Of all of Eli's sons he was the least likely to become next in line for his father's role as priest at Shiloh.  


The books of 1 and 2 Samuel tell the story of how the Israelites became a kingdom people.  We read familiar stories in these two books, including God's call to Samuel, his life as a composite leader as a prophet, priest and judge, his work ushering in Saul as the first King of Israel, and after his failure, a new kingdom and new covenant relationship with God and King David, and the promise that the line of David will always rule Israel. Next week we will read about this Davidic covenant in 2 Samuel.  


Where else have we read about leaders born of long-childless mothers?  Isaac, Jacob and Samson.  Through this story today we are also reminded that Mary, a different kind of childless mother, gave birth to a child in the line of David, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Jesus.  All of the readings in the narrative lectionary have been telling us of the work of God in our lives from the beginning of time.  Today's reading gives us the foundation of the notion of kingship and is the first reading this year that seems to point to our season of Advent.


There is a great deal of time between Hannah's song and the song of Mary.  About 1,000 years, and many events.  Each of these women gave birth to a different type of leader.  Samuel ushered in the first king and Jesus ushered in the time when an earthly kingship would no longer be the same.  Loyalty and allegiance and faithfulness would no longer be to a person who represented only some people.  Jesus ushered in the time of turning everything on its head.  The time of which Hannah sang, reminding us and the empire, that God in Christ is beginning the great reversal.  4 The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength. 5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry are fat with spoil. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. 6 The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low, he also exalts. 8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor.  For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world.

Now, more than 2,000 years after the birth of Christ, some are still waiting for that great reversal.  We want economic change, systemic change, planetary change, disease eradication.  Hannah's song of praise tells us that God is invested in us.  God will make the rough places plain.


The story of Samuel is the story of the work of God in the leadership of humans.  We are just two weeks from a national election like no other that will determine leadership and direction for us in our particular stories.  This story of Hannah's and the placement of this story in our faith story tells us that God is invested in the leadership activities of humans.  God is the one who heard and answered Hannah's prayers, but in this story, without the humans, the outcome would have been different.  Elkanah loved Hannah, Hannah kept her promise, Eli raised Samuel.  


What is our part of the work of God in the world? Specifically with regard to leadership, this time in our lives is about citizens of our country yes, but about citizens who are followers of Jesus.  How does your faith in, and understanding of, the life of Jesus lead you right now?  I'm not talking about how the media uses the word Christian as an adjective for good or bad behavior.  I only want us to ask ourselves how we use the word Christian, how do we use our belief in the life of our lord Jesus Christ, how do we understand God's call on our lives, how do we as not-at-all small people think and act?


God is invested in us; in you and in me.  God has always been about the small things – a woman mumbling silently to herself in prayer – and the big things – the well being of all of creation.


We may not think that God actually needs us, but God created us as partners in God's mission of a better world.  Whatever our circumstances and abilities, we are not insignificant.  How will you express your partnership with God today?


Let's pray…


1 How North America Grew As a Continent

2 When Did Humans Reach North America?

3 Earliest Evidence for Humans in North America

4 History of North America

5 Tectonic Evolution

Reverend Debra McGuire

October 18, 2020


1 Samuel 1:9-11, 19-20; 2:1-10