1 Samuel 3:1-10 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 John 1:43-51

When my wife calls me, sometimes I cannot hear her calling, even though she might even be shouting for me. At such occasions, she gets rather angry about it, and my one and only excuse is that I am getting old, and I am getting a bit hard of hearing.

The stories from the Gospels as to how Jesus called his disciples are all very known to some of us present here today, and over the years, some of us have heard it many times. The story of how God called Samuel to be his prophet should also be rather familiar to some of us present here today.

However, I am very much aware as I am standing here speaking to you, that there are many people who are failing to hear the call of God. Although the church often talks about how we are all called to be followers of Jesus, and despite all the sermons we hear every year that tells us that we are all called to be like the prophets of old and to hear and speak of God’s word to one another.

Why do you think that may be the case?

Why do you think that so many people, many of them are very fine people, many of them are people who already believe in God, who already believe in Jesus, and accepted Jesus as their Saviour, believe that God is not and has not been speaking to them personally? That God is not trying to, in some way or other, guide them in the path that they should be taking? That God is not, and has not been reaching out to them?

I think that the answer to that is that some people failed to hear the call of God, that they failed to notice how God is summoning them. They did not hear it not because the call has not been issued, but it is because either they have no idea as to how God calls us, or maybe because they allow themselves to pass over that call. Maybe they are used to putting aside the call of God as it were, as it might be something that they do want to do, or do not think that they can do it, and so grow used to ignoring the Word when it comes.

Let us think about the boy Samuel for a moment…

He was a special boy – like some of you are – he was a special gift from God to his mother Hannah. He was dedicated to the Lord by his mother upon his birth and sent, when still at a very young age, to live with the Priest Eli at a place call Shiloh.

The scriptures told us that he was living in a time when the Word of the Lord was rare, a time when visions of the future were not widespread at all.

Nevertheless, Samuel was living in a holy place in the holy presence. He witnessed the sacrifices made at the alter in Shiloh, and even as a young boy, he was wearing the line ephod and ministered in the house of God.

Just like his teacher, Eli, Samuel prayed to God.
Just like his master – he served God faithfully.
Like other people, he had heard the teachings proclaimed, he heard the story of the love of God.

Samuel was living in a very special place. In fact, the scriptures told us that Samuel grew up in the presence of God.

Samuel in that case, of all people, should have been able to recognize the call of God when it came to him. But as the story in chapter three of the Book of Samuel told us, when the time came, he did not. He did not recognize the call of God, until Eli recognized that call for him.

We are told by the Scriptures that three times the Lord called out to Samuel when he was lying in bed, and three times he answered by saying “Here I am” and ran all the way out to see Eli who was in the room next to him.

The third time that this happened, Eli understood that it was God’s voice calling Samuel and he instructed Samuel to “Go, lie down, and if the Lord calls you, you shall say, speak, Lord for your servant is listening.”

And so, it only after that did Samuel finally heard what it was that God wanted to say to him. So it was only then that Samuel learned of the fate that was to befall Eli. So it was only at that time did Samuel learned that he was to speak the Word of God to others.

How very much like Samuel are a great many of us. Living in a special place. Listening to the stories of His love for us. Serving Him in his house and in this world where we are living in. Just like Samuel we are dedicated to the Lord. Just like Samuel, a lot of us are thinking that the voices we hear in the middle of the night comes from another room, thinking that those are just dreams which came to us as a result of eating that midnight snack before bedtime. Quite often many of us feel that the inner nudges that we feel is only coming from our own intuition, or from maybe from the fact that our unconscious mind is just playing tricks on us.

God calls all of us in many ways. God speaks to us all in many different forms. And almost of His calls are gentle. Almost all of them are subtle ones; almost all of them can be mistaken as for something else. That is until we really hear those calls, then we discover the power of God is in them and behind those calls.

That is what happens in today's gospel lesson. The power behind the call of God is discovered by the one who finally decided to listen to it. The Gospel reading tells us that shortly after his baptism Jesus decided to go up to Galilee. At that time he already had Andrew and Simon Peter as his disciples.

As he was getting ready to leave Bethany to go on to Galilee Jesus goes out and finds Philip – he seeks him out, just as he seeks out Samuel, and just as he seeks us out – and he says to Philip, “follow me”.

Philip responded to the call of Jesus and as he was preparing to join Jesus he goes out and locates a man by the name of Nathaniel, telling him “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote. Jesus, son of Joseph from Nazareth”. It is obvious from the Gospel reading that both Philip and Nathaniel were men who were seekers, men who were looking for the promised one of God. However, we can see that Nathaniel was not prepared to accept that it was the call of God that he has heard through Philip. He doubted what Philip told him replied to him: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Still, Nathaniel went along with Philip. He went with Philip to check out what he has just been told by Philip. And in doing so discovered that Jesus is a prophet, that Jesus has special powers. For Jesus knew without being told where he was at the moment when Philip called him.

Jesus said to him: “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these. Very truly I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Do we listen to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ – Do we check out the calls they issued out to us on behalf of God. Do we check out the call to meet the Lord in a particular place and time? Do we check out the call to discover what we have been looking for?

Do we check out the call?

If I praise all of you all too much now – let me know, because when I look out here on Sunday morning, I see faithful people. I see people here who have decided to follow Jesus, people who are struggling real heard to do what is right. I see people who worship and who pray. I see people who listen to the holy stories, and seek to obey the will of the Lord.

I see amongst you all people who are like Samuel, and Philip and Nathaniel. I see here people who work for God.

But still, I cannot help but wonder, when I see you, how many of you here today believe that God has spoken to you? How many of you do believe that God has called you in person and not sent an angel to do it. He has personally called you to do what you are doing here in the church? Here in this place call Hong Kong?

And of those of us who do believe this. How many of you here believe that God is still with you – guiding you, or tying to guide you, each and every day?

God is calling all of us – He is calling ALL OF US! He is calling us not to just Him. He is also calling us to do and say certain things at certain times. He is calling for us to walk a particular path with Him, a path that is very similar to, but not the same as the path of all the disciples, apostles and saints of all the ages before our time and of this day and age.

God has a personal plan for you.
God seeks to guide you in your daily life.
And that call of God to you is a personal call.

God is seeking you out, just as Jesus called out Philip.
God is calling you by your name – just as He called Samuel by name.

God calls us in our dreams. He calls in the voice of those people who are tying to help us find our way. He calls us through our spouses and the people at work. He calls us when we take the time to calm down and to read His Word, or to meditate. He calls us when we are trying to decide as to what to do next in our life. He calls us when we gaze upon the heavens. He calls out to us when we are praying.

God is calling us.

A great many people speak to God, they pray to him daily, whether it be five minutes a day or half an hour a day, or even an hour a day. They do that without even really thinking of how it is that God might answer them, without seriously thinking as how they are meant to listen to Him.

It is like picking up the telephone to speak into it, and instead of HOLDING IT LIKE TH IS, they are trying to HOLD IT LIKE THIS.

I remember a cartoon I looked at in a newspaper some time ago. In the cartoon the yard was filled with children playing in the way that only children can. They were yelling and screaming, blowing horns, and crying. The dog was barking, a plane flies overhead, and there were two boys beating drums. Inside the house, the mother of one of the children says to her husband, “Listen. That is PJ crying!”

I am sure that those of you who are mothers sitting here today will be in agreement with me if I said that mothers’ ears are conditioned to h ear the sound of her child’s voice, no matter how much noise there might be in the background.

God calls each and every one of us for a purpose – a very good purpose. He calls us to come to him so that He may be able to transform our lives. He calls on us to listen to Him and to do what he tells us to do, so that he might change us, and the world we are living in, making it holy and good, full of love and joy, whole and at peace…

If we really want to hear what God is trying to tell us, it will certainly help to hold the telephone in the correct way. It will certainly help if we have learned as to how and where He will speak to us. It will certainly help if we, by continual practice, conditioned our ears and hearts and minds to hear His voice.

Listen for God’s voice where-ever you may be – in whatever you see or hear. Whether it is a dream you have just had. Whether it is the message of a preacher you have just heard. Whether it is in the still small voice y9ou have heard inside you at the seashore, or in the words of a friend who is telling you how God has dealt his or her situation, and what it is that he or she thinks that God is trying to tell you.

That happens when you belong to a church you know. That happens when you are gathered with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Sometimes they speak to you about God. Sometimes they have a message from God that is meant especially for you.

Listen to the “Good Book” and judge the things you hear by the Book and by the Spirit that is within you. Examine what is happening around you and pray about what you just heard or read. Look and listen – and I promise you that you will hear the voice of God, you will hear his call.

LISTEN.

Listen and then do as you feel or believe that you have been called to do, and if it is truly the Word of God, you will find and experience the power that lies behind that very Word, that very call.

You will see things happening as promised. You will see changes that are good. You will see God glorified and people who only seek after their own desires humbled. You will see mercy and grace, judgment and vindication. You will see new life arise out of sinners and new hope comes out of despair.

Listen, and it will be as Jesus promised to Nathaniel, you will see heaven opened up and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.

Listen and you will find what you have been looking for all the time.

Let us pray. Dear Lord, we know that you do call each and every one of us. Help us to listen for you call. Help us to be able to recognize it and to accept it. Help us discover your personal Word for us. Help us discover your personal demands upon each and every one of us. Let us discover your personal will for each and every one of us. We ask of it in Jesus’ name. Amen.