Text: 1 Samuel 3:1-10January 15, 2012
“Catch Me If You Can,” is a delightful film which is biographical and part comedy and a second part drama. The film is based on the life of Frank Abagnale, Jr. Abagnale is a con man, a very successful con man who before his 19th birthday had successfully performed cons worth millions of dollars. He had posed as a Pan-Am pilot, a Georgia doctor, and a Louisiana prosecutor. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Abagnale who is so confident and convincing, so deft in his cons that he really believes no can catch him. And He was almost right. His primary con was check fraud and he was so successful that when he was finally caught, the FBI enlisted him to help catch other check forgers. While I thoroughly enjoyed the film, I was caught by an interview that was done with the real Abagnale following a TV showing of the film. When asked what made him so successful, he said, “It was all about expectations. I knew what was expected of a person in the role and I delivered.” Clear expectations, even a professional con man knows their importance. Should not we who are called to follow Jesus? Expectations run through our text for this morning.
In fact, Samuel himself is the result of faithful expectations. His mother, Hannah, prayed to the Lord to be delivered from her barrenness and to be given a son. Samuel is that son. In response to God’s answer to her prayer, Hannah dedicates Samuel to the service of the Lord at the temple at Shiloh. Her expectation was that Samuel would express her gratitude. He was placed under the care and instruction of the old priest Eli. These were difficult days, days of barrenness in the land, days when “the word of the Lord was rare” and “visions were not widespread.” Old Eli whose eyesight had grown dim and whose hearing had grown hard, along with his disappointingly decadent sons were visible reminders of the sorry state of religion in Israel. There was little or no expectation, just the same routine; the tottering old priest going through the motions; people showing up periodically to feel better about themselves. But all this was about to change.
One night as the young Samuel was sleeping near the Ark of the Covenant, the very sign of God’s presence, he hears a voice calling his name, “Samuel, Samuel!” Assuming it is Eli who is calling, Samuel jumps up, rushes to the old priest, and says, “Here I am, for you called.” Old Eli somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, replies, “I didn’t call you. Go lie down.” Samuel does as he is told. Just as he drifts off to sleep, once again he hears his name being called a second time, “Samuel! Samuel!” Again he dutifully jumps up and rushes to Eli, and says, “Here I am, for you called.” Poor old Eli, perhaps a bit more awake at this time, responds probably with at least a hint of irritation, “I did not call you. Go lie down!” Once again, Samuel goes back to his place and lays down, no doubt wondering just what is going on. Truly this was a time when the Word of the Lord was rare and visions infrequent; a time of no clear expectations. So Samuel, perhaps perplexed, just lays there quietly. Sure enough, for a third time, he hears the call, “Samuel! Samuel!” This time he goes to Eli with a sense of certainty and says, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Even though almost blind in sight and in insight, Eli can not ignore a third interruption. Slowly the lights begin to flicker in his tired mind. He advises Samuel to go back and lie down and if the voice calls again, to reply, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” Samuel does as Eli instructs him. And once again the voice calls his name, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answers the response of faith, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” And the Lord does.
This is one powerful story; one of those master narratives from which we live as Christians. I believe it speaks of our relationship with God and one another, of the covenant in which we live and the expectations for us as God’s people. John Wesley was fond of this story. He too knew of God’s call in a time of spiritual barrenness when the Word of the Lord was rare and so he believed and so he taught. Wesley called people into covenant relationship in his classes and societies, covenant relationships that had clear covenant expectations for those who were members. The historic General Rules expressed the covenant expectations for those who would be member of a society. These three General Rules were intended to give evidence of a person’s desire of salvation by: first doing no harm and avoiding every kind of evil; second, by doing good of every kind and to all; and third by attending upon the ordinances of God; that is, prayer, worship, the Lord’s Supper care for the poor, fasting, Bible reading. Wesley offers several examples of what it means to do no harm and to do good. The point I would make is that from our very beginning we Methodists understood the Christian life to be a life in covenant with God in Christ and one another, a life with clear expectations, and a life that was engaged in living out the faith. When the movement became a church, those expectations were formalized into vows of membership.
Never were these General Rules or the expectations they generated meant as some petty legalisms or rigid forms of law. Wesley means for them to promote a faith that was vital, that was at the very center of a person’s life, that enabled continued growth in faith and spiritual development. As his heirs we believe that the life of faith is one of continued growth in grace or as Wesley put in, “a going on to perfection.” Many of you are aware that the Church Participation Task Force and the Future Team are reading a book by Albert Winseman entitled, Growing an Engaged Church, which carries the provocative subtitle, “HOW TO STOP DOING CHURCH AND START BEING THE CHURCH AGAIN.” The key teaching of the book is that an engaged congregation creates a vital church, a church that is faithful, alive and growing. Such engagement begins, Winseman argues, when people are clear about what is expected of them and what they can expect from the church. When I read this, I thought, this sound very Wesleyan—clear covenant expectations. Then I discovered Winseman is a UM pastor. This we believe.
If I asked you, “What is expected of you as a member of BUMC?” What would you say? If you were engaged when we receive the ten new members a few minutes ago, you heard the member expectations. What can they and you expect from the church, well that is the subject of a later sermon. This morning it is what the church can expect from its members. Hear the vow: “As members of the BUMC will you faithfully participate in its ministries by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service and your witness?” I believe this is a call to engagement in the life of this congregation, not just in the words of the pastor but God in Christ calling you to a life of faithful discipleship. How do you answer?
Will you pray for the church? That’s not something we may think about very often—praying for the church. We pray for our families, our friends, issues and situations, for ourselves. But the call is to pray for the church, the big “C” and this congregation. I would call you to pray of our congregations that we be faithful to our calling, that we be open to God’s vision for us, that we be willing to follow the Spirit’s leading. Will you engage by your prayers?
Will you participate in the church’s ministries by your presence? This means in worship, in learning, in service, in fellowship; involved in the life and mission of the congregation. In a recent article in the CHRISTIAN CENTURY, it was stated that regular attendance for many has come to be once a month; something of a time-share arrangement. I was reminded of a marketing mistake of a few years ago. A theologian wrote a book entitled: Jesus Then and Now which in the hands of the marketer became: Jesus Now and Then. Promised presence means your body here, present. Someone in a membership class awhile back asked if that meant every Sunday. I answered, “Can you imagine Aaron Rodgers asking Mike McCarthy or Drew Brees asking Sean Payton, or even Jay Cutler asking Lovie Smith, ‘Do I have to show up every Sunday?’” Will you engage by your presence?
Will you participate in the ministries of BUMC with you gifts? This means both kinds of gifts, gifts spiritual and gifts financial. Each one of us has been given at least one spiritual gift: that is clear from Scripture. If you don’t know what that gift is, we will help you discover what it is. But you need to share it. Likewise, financial gifts are expressions of your gratitude, your faithfulness. You need to give. It is time for you to make the commitment. I received an email from my daughter-in-law, DeAnna on Tuesday. She told me that in church last Sunday the pastor was urging the people to be thankful for God’s blessing and this new year. He paused and my grandson, Derek, shouted, “Thank you God!” We need to express such thanks. Will you engage through your gifts?
Will you participate in the church’s life with your service? Service comes in many shapes and sizes, involvement on a ministry team, teaching a class, singing in the choir, being in mission outreach. The expectation is that each member is in service. Jesus is the model. As He came to serve rather than be served, so we follow Him in a life of service. As He calls us to follow Him, so we follow. This is what it means to be a church member. Will your engage by your service?
Finally, will you support he church’s ministries with your witness; that is, by your actions, your words, and your very life which are a testimony to the gracious love of God. I am not suggesting you must imitate Tim Tebow—not that this would be bad, but most of us are uncomfortable with such an overt witness. I am suggesting we find our own way. Bill was a quiet, unassuming man. Yet he was constantly reaching out to others, working at the shelter, driving for Meals on Wheels, doing home repairs for the elderly, teaching children in VBS. In fact, his was the first name mentioned when a new ministry or need was raised. He had many connections in the community. Someone asked me, “Why does Bill do all these things?” I answered, “He knows he has been blessed and just can’t help himself.” Will you engage through your witness?
These are the covenant expectations as presented by our UMC membership vows. I believe they clearly state what is expected of each of us. I also believe they point to engagement, engagement in the life of the church, but even more, in the life of disciple-ship. If we are really serious about wanting our church to be a faithful, vital and growing congregation, I firmly believe each of us must look into our own hearts and ask, “Am I ready to commit to these expectations?” God in Christ is calling you. Will you answer? Thanks be to God! Amen!
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