Sermon by Rev Sydney Maitland for Sunday 2 June 2024.
Christ among the Pharisees,
• First Reading: 1 Samuel 3: 1-20 (The call of Samuel. First task: to pronounce judgment on Eli)
• Epistle: 2 Corinthians 4: 5-12 (We preach not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as servants)
• Gospel: Mark 2: 23 – 3: 6 (Jesus and disciples in the grainfields)
Some people like confrontation: they may even seek it out, like a bully looking for someone to humiliate and abuse. Maybe it is their own sense of failure or inner weakness, but the sight and sound of one who cannot answer back, let alone hit back is the stimulant.
There is that knowing glancing around at their passive supporting gang and audience, giving their tacit support, before proceeding with inflicting torments on their victims.
And yes, there is that satisfaction in seeing them slink away to lick their physical or more usually emotional wounds.
But Samuel was only a young boy, maybe under 10. He had been serving in the sanctuary, evidently tending the sanctuary lamps.
He had been born later in the life of his mother and she had dedicated him to the service of the temple, under the guardianship of the priest Eli.
Eli was old and frail while his sons, also supposedly serving in the sanctuary, ‘did not know the Lord’ but took advantage of their position. But Eli was father figure for Samuel, regardless of what his sons were doing, so there was a lot of loyalty and affection for him in Samuel.
And then it came. The voice of God, silent for so long, was heard again in the sanctuary, calling Samuel.
In his innocence he went to Eli, who eventually told him how to reply if the voice called again.
A young boy, living away from home, in the care of a frail and failing priest whose sons were taking every advantage of their position. Yet Samuel still had a respect and affection for Eli.
And having been called by God the first thing he had to do was to pronounce God’s condemnation of and sentence on Eli. The one he was looking up to was now under condemnation. And Samuel had to give the message.
He was learning very early on that his own feelings had to be set aside for the word of the Lord to be pronounced. He could not interfere with it and give voice to his own feelings or instincts. Certainly not his politics or views on the social issues of the day.
If Samuel was going to serve the Lord then it would be on the Lord’s terms and in the Lord’s calling, not of his own choice.
God had called and all Samuel could say was ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ And what was true then would be true for the rest of his life.
But Samuel was faithful and his ministry to the Lord was long and fruitful.
Looking at Jesus and the Pharisees, the story had moved on. The Pharisees had led the formation of the synagogues during those years of exile and led them back in Israel. They were zealous for the law, possibly coming from a time when people were more relaxed and compromising.
But they were on fire for the law, determined to keep it in every last detail, and to encourage others to do the same. Rather than see the law broken, they would extend it so that people might be protected from the consequences of breaking the law itself.
Hence their strictures on the Sabbath. Break it – or be thought of breaking it at your peril. Even being perceived at breaking it was risky.
And so Jesus set about keeping the Sabbath: with love for the Lord and mercy for the people. Gleaning in the fields was not harvesting, grinding, storing or anything else. It was just an exercise of the right to glean – to take a few grains and eat them.
Nothing to see here: it was all within the law.
And then there was the healing of a man with a withered arm. Sure, he could be healed on any other day – but just what was wrong with healing him on the Sabbath?
So yes, the law were there to liberate and show mercy, and not a tool for condemning others. Its leaders were there to help and encourage the people, and not to burden them with guilt. Its scope was so that love of God and love of neighbour may be lived out.
As for the objections of the Pharisees, Jesus would have none of it. Was their love for the Lord – or the Law – or perhaps, for themselves?
Writing to the church in Corinth, Paul makes it very clear. His ministry is for the believers in Corinth. He would live the death of Jesus so that the people might have the life of Jesus.
He would accept his weakness so that they might become strong. In his ministry to the Lord, they were his priority – and not himself.
He would pour himself out for them before the Lord, so that they might thrive and be fruitful.
And so in our time and circumstance, we also are here for the sake of the Lord and in order to offer a light and a hope to others. It might mean being misunderstood, accused and ridiculed.
But if we offer these challenges and even setbacks to the Lord, He also will receive and honour them.
