Watch this week's service on YouTube

Download the order of service here: 24 12 15 3rd Sunday of Advent Eucharist

 

 

 

 

The Readings

1 Samuel 2.18-20, 26

Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy wearing a linen ephod. His mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year, when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, ‘May the Lord repay you with children by this woman for the gift that she made to the Lord’; and then they would return to their home.

Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favour with the Lord and with the people.

Luke 2.41-end

Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour.

 

Scripture Quotations are from: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Sermon
Prepared by Joe, Reader at St Mary's.

In Oscar Wilde’s play, ‘The Importance of being Earnest’, the
formidable Lady Bracknell takes one of the male characters who has
told her that he is an orphan ‘To lose one parent, Mr Worthing, may
be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.’

What Lady Bracknell would have said to Mary and Joseph about
losing track of the Messiah is perhaps best not considered….

Today’s readings, present us with two glimpses into the early lives of
Samuel and Jesus—two figures central to the story of God’s plan of
salvation. We hear of the young Samuel ministering before the Lord,
and of his mother Hannah’s unwavering faith and devotion. And then
we encounter a story from Jesus’ boyhood: his visit to the temple at
the age of twelve, when he stays behind to engage with the teachers
while his parents frantically search for him.

One phrase stands out from both the readings; the boys both “grew
in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man”, and these
readings invite us to consider spiritual growth, calling, and obedience
to God.

Samuel’s mother, Hannah was childless for many years and asked
God to give her a son, that she would then dedicate to the Lord.

Samuel was born, and Hannah was true to her word, taking her son
to the temple to serve. She was also blessed with three other sons
and two daughters; we see again how God keeps his promises with
largesse and generosity. Hannah visits Samuel annually, to bring him
a new robe, and from the beginning Samuel was immersed in the
worship of God.

What strikes us here is the faith of Hannah and the faithfulness of
God. Hannah nurtures Samuel in the temple through her visits,
supporting him, expressing her love and devotion. Samuel “grows in
the presence of the Lord”, a sign of God’s blessing on his life and
calling.

Our Gospel reading is the only story of Jesus’ boyhood in the
Gospels. Tales of ‘Jesus: Boy Messiah’ were not recorded!

In many ways this reading tells us all we need to know about Jesus’
life between his babyhood and the start of His ministry. On their way
home from Jerusalem, Mary and Joseph realise that they’ve lost
track of their 12 year old son. Now, this may sound like an example
of what Dr Hibbert in the ‘The Simpsons’ would have called ‘Bad
Parenting’ but it’s worth noting that Jesus, Mary and Joseph would
have been travelling as part of a larger group of friends, relatives and
folks heading in the same direction. They start searching for Jesus,
and eventually locate him…back in the Temple.

When they find him, Mary, unsurprisingly, expresses her
exasperation, worry (and no doubt a bit of annoyance) to Jesus:
“Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been
anxiously searching for you”

Jesus’ response, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s
house?”, reveals his awareness of his relationship with God the
Father.

One might think that Jesus would know all this stuff, so to say, being
fully divine and fully human. But he embraces that fully human
aspect of Himself to immerse himself in the religious teachings of the
day, sitting with the teachers and questioning them.

Both Samuel and Jesus are described as growing in wisdom and
favour with God and other people. We’re told of Samuel:

And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favour
with the Lord and with people.

Similarly, Luke concludes his account with these words about Jesus:
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God
and man

Growing in wisdom and favour is not just about acquiring knowledge
or achieving success but about deepening our relationship with God
and living in a way that reflects his love and truth. Both Samuel and
Jesus lived lives marked by faithfulness, humility, and obedience to
God’s will.

This is something for us to consider in our spiritual lives as well. For
us, this growth is an ongoing process. We are expected to seek God,
to learn from his Word, and to allow the Holy Spirit to transform us.
Growth in wisdom and favour also means showing kindness,
compassion, and integrity in our relationships with others.

Both these boys experience a calling to God. Samuel was dedicated
to God from birth and grew up to become a great prophet who
would anoint kings. Jesus, even as a child, was aware of his unique
mission to fulfil God’s plan of salvation.

While our callings may not be as dramatic, God has a purpose for
each of our lives. He calls us to love him, to serve others, and to
share the good news of his kingdom. Discovering and living out our
calling isn’t always easy, and requires prayer, discernment, and trust
in God’s guidance. And sometimes, when we are exploring our
calling, our behaviour may be misunderstood by others – even those
we regard to be closest to us. Jesus’ parents are somewhat surprised
at His response to them when they ask about his behaviour:

“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I
had to be in my Father’s house?”

Jesus didn’t just want to be at the Temple; he HAD to be there; his
calling dictated it. Similarly, we may face moments of uncertainty or
misunderstanding as we follow God’s leading, but we can trust that
he is with us every step of the way. So – what can we learn from
Samuel and Jesus?

How are we nurturing our own spiritual growth? Even Jesus himself
felt the need to immerse himself in studying scripture with others.
Are we praying, studying and exploring scripture by ourselves and
with others?

How are we encouraging the faith of those around us, especially the
next generation? We’re called to cultivate an environment in which
faith can flourish—both in ourselves and in others. This might mean
encouraging children to participate in the life of the church,
mentoring young people in their faith journeys, or simply living as an
example of Christ’s love and grace that others can follow.

Are we prioritizing time in God’s presence and seeking his wisdom?

Are we finding quiet times when we put aside the world and focus on
listening to the Word of God, even if this means we need to spend
sometime away from family and friends?

How are we responding to God’s calling on our lives? God will not
leave us alone on our faith journey. It’s not always easy to hear Him
in the bustle of the world. But have faith that He will guide us; like
Hannah, we can trust in Him that His promise will be fulfilled.
Amen

 

The Prayers
Prepared by David.

Let us pray to our incarnate Lord, who has brought us out of darkness and into his own marvellous light.

Christ born for us,
Son of God given for us:
help us to know you,
to worship and to serve you.
Jesus, saviour,
hear our prayer.

Wonderful counsellor,
you order all things with your wisdom:
help the Church to reveal the mystery of your love
and fill her with the Spirit of truth, wisdom and humility.
Jesus, saviour,
hear our prayer.

Mighty God,
the government is on your shoulders:
guide the leaders of the nations
and bring in your kingdom of justice and righteousness.
Jesus, saviour,
hear our prayer.

Everlasting Father,
you call us to live together in unity:
protect by your mercy all your children,
bless our families and renew our communities of work, learning and recreation.
Jesus, saviour,
hear our prayer.

Prince of peace,
you bring reconciliation through the cross:
by your healing power give to all who suffer
your gift of wholeness and peace.
Jesus, saviour,
hear our prayer.

Jesus, Saviour, child of Mary,
you know us and love us,
you share our lives
and hear our prayer.
Glory to you for ever. Amen.

 

Common Worship: Times and Seasons, material from which is used here is copyright (c) 2010 The Archbishops' Council