Jesus Called, and it’s for You

The Second Sunday After Epiphany

**Please note this service is based on the format of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada. Unless otherwise indicated, all prayers come from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW). Hymns are mainly from the With One Voice (WOV) book and all other hymns and prayers have been sourced to give appropriate credit.

**NRSV translation used for the readings, unless otherwise stated.

**This is for personal use at home as the church is unable to gather in our houses of worship but together we can worship in our own homes.

Introduction to the Day

All the baptized have a calling in God’s world. God calls not just pastors and deacons but also the youngest child, like Samuel. The story of the calling of Nathanael plays with the idea of place. Nathanael initially dismisses Jesus because he comes from Nazareth. But where we come from isn’t important; it’s where – or rather whom – we come to. Jesus refers to Jacob, who had a vision in a place he called “the house of God, and . . . the gate of heaven” (Gen. 28:17). Jesus says he himself is the place where Nathanael will meet God.

Confession and Forgiveness

In the name of the Father,

and of the ☩ Son,

and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

God of heaven and earth, you come in close and make us yours. Equip us by your Spirit to confess our sin, embrace your forgiveness, and seek the way you set before us in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

With honesty of heart, let us confess our sin.

Silence.

Merciful God,

forgive us.

Our will is handcuffed to sin, and we cannot break free.

We have spoken when we should have kept quiet.

We were silent when we should have said something.

We acted when we knew better.

We were still when we know we should have moved.

For the wrong we have done,

for the good we have failed to do,

have mercy on us,

through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

People of God, look to the ☩ Son, given to heal you and set you free because God loved the world so much. Take hold of life – eternal life!

Amen.

Gathering Song – Here I Am, Lord (WOV #752)

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Greeting

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

Kyrie – ELW p.213

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Canticle of Praise – ELW p.213

            Listen Here

Prayer of the Day

Let us pray.

Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ, most merciful redeemer, for the countless blessings and benefits you give. May we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day praising you, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Readings

A reading from the First Book of Samuel                                                                        3:1-20

At a time when visions are rare and unexpected, the Lord comes to Samuel and calls him to speak the divine word. Though just a boy, Samuel responds to God obediently, as Eli the priest has taught him to respond. This marks the beginning of Samuel’s prophetic ministry.

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.

At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” Then the Lord said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever.”

Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” He said, “Here I am.” Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, “It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.”

As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18

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O Lord, you have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

    you discern my thoughts from far away.

You search out my path and my lying down,

    and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

    O Lord, you know it completely.

You hem me in, behind and before,

    and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

    it is so high that I cannot attain it.

For it was you who formed my inward parts;

    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

    Wonderful are your works;

that I know very well.

    My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.

In your book were written

    all the days that were formed for me,

    when none of them as yet existed.

How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!

    How vast is the sum of them!

I try to count them – they are more than the sand;

    I come to the end – I am still with you.

 

A reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians                                6:12-20

Paul helps the Corinthians understand that God has claimed the entirety of their lives through the death of Christ. Hence Christian relationships and conduct, including areas of human sexuality, are to reflect the reality that we belong to Christ and that the Holy Spirit lives within us.

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that whoever is united to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, “The two shall be one flesh.” But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation – ELW p.216

            Listen Here

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John                                  1:43-51

Glory to you, O Lord.

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable and pleasing in your sight O Lord, for you are our rock and our redeemer. Amen.

“Come and See.” That’s what Philip told Nathaniel after Jesus called him to be a follower.

The season of Epiphany is a moment during which we pay attention to the ways in which God is manifested in Jesus. It is a time for us to share this good news of the one who has come into the world as the revelation of God.

That is how the Christian faith has been spread for the last 2000-plus years – from person to person.

What was it about Jesus that caused people to believe in him and follow him with no evidence? There was something about him that drew people to him.

When Jesus said to Philip, “follow me”, he did so straightaway, no questions asked. What made him do so? We don’t really know.

When Nathanael expressed skepticism about anything good coming out of Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth, Philip simply says, “Come and see for yourself.”

When Jesus tells Nathanael that he saw him already Nathanael is so impressed that he impulsively calls him the “Son of God” and the “King of Israel.”

Why the sudden change of heart?

Without doubt there was something about Jesus that drew people to him.

There must have been something extraordinary about his person that affected those with whom he came into contact.

When did you first hear, or feel, or sense a call to follow Jesus?

What was it about Jesus that made you listen to the words, “follow me?”

People meet Jesus, and they are changed. Whatever their deepest need was, Jesus meets it. Then they tell others what happened.

And that’s how it has worked ever since. One person says to another, “I follow Jesus and invite you to do so too.”

I realize that a lot of Christians have a difficult time in sharing their beliefs. Increasingly, it seems that as soon as you mention that you are a Christian, people around you change how they think about you.

There has been a lot of bad stuff done in the name of Christianity lately so it’s no wonder that we want to keep that part of ourselves private.

As Protestants, we struggle with the “e-word.” Not only because we want to keep our religion private, as I mentioned before, but because of our deep aversion to offending others.

Thus, religion, like politics, remains off-limits in polite company. But, how can we keep silent about something that defines our very being?

As with Phillip and all the others, Jesus has called on us to spread the good news – of God with us, of Jesus and his teachings, and of the miracle of the resurrection.

The spread of the Christian church across the world is the person-to-person story of the thousands of people who fanned out across the globe to tell the story about Jesus and what Jesus had done for them.

People become Christians because they have seen what the Christian faith has done for those whom they know. The saying passed down from the early years of the church still rings true: “See those Christians, how they love one another.”

Our task as Christians is not to “prove” the truth of the Christian faith.

Our task is not even to persuade others to become Christian.

Our task is to say, “Come and see.”

Philip could have given Nathanael some of his own opinions. Instead, he simply said, “Come and see,” as if to say, “You don’t need me to advertise for Jesus; come and see for yourself.” Nathaniel came and saw for himself.

That now becomes our task, to tell people, “Come and see.” Come and see what Jesus has done and is doing for you!

That is where evangelism comes into play. You see, evangelism doesn’t have to be an ugly word or something to be avoided.

It also doesn’t have to mean preaching to the people.

Evangelism by doing. That is how you will reveal your Christianity, your faith in Jesus, and why you follow him.

Tell people to “come and see” Jesus by feeding the hungry, fighting for change that would end poverty, taking care of the earth, welcoming the unwanted and the rejected, and loving those around you with all of your heart.

People will know that you are Christian by your love.

People will know Jesus by you reflecting his love onto others.

Jesus absolutely radiates love. That is what called me to him.

And not just love for people who are similar to him. Not just love for those who might be able to give him something in return.

Jesus loved everyone. Period.

And that is good news indeed.

Amen.

Hymn of the Day – They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love

            Listen Here

Creed

Let us confess the faith of our baptism, as we say the Apostles’ Creed:

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

 

Prayers of Intercession

Guided by Christ made known to the nations, let us offer our prayers for the church, the world, and all people in need.

Silence.

For the body of Christ gathered throughout the world and for all servants of the gospel, that following Jesus, the church lives out its calling every day,

let us pray.

Have mercy, O God.

For the well-being of creation, for plants and animals, and for all that God has marvellously made, that we serve as wise stewards of Earth, our home,

let us pray.

Have mercy, O God.

For police officers and firefighters, for attorneys and paralegals, for peacekeepers and military personnel, and for the leaders of governments, that they provide protection to all people, especially the most vulnerable,

let us pray.

Have mercy, O God.

For those lacking food or shelter, for those who are sick or grieving, and for those who are imprisoned or homebound, that God console all who suffer,

let us pray.

Have mercy, O God.

For our neighborhood, for visitors joining us for the first time or returning, and for those absent from our assembly, that all who seek to know God are nourished by word and sacrament,

let us pray.

Have mercy, O God.

Please take time to offer your own intercessions or to pray in silence.

In thanksgiving for the saints who have gone before us (especially Antony and Pachomius, renewers of the church), that their lives give us a vision of the gospel in action,

let us pray.

Have mercy, O God.

Merciful God, hear the prayers of your people, spoken or silent, for the sake of the one who dwells among us, your Son, Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Peace

The peace of Christ be with you always.

And also with you.

Offering

**Although not physically at our church buildings to share our offering together I would encourage you to set your offering of money aside so that it can be dropped off or placed in the church once services resume, to mail your offering to the church, or to make donations online. Please remember ministry is still taking place.

Hymn of Thanksgiving – Shine, Jesus, Shine (WOV #651)

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Thanksgiving for the Word

Let us pray.

O God of justice and love, we give thanks to you that you illumine our way through life with the words of your Son. Give us the light we need, awaken us to the needs of others, and at the end bring all the world to your feast; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever.

Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name,

thy kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those

who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory,

forever and ever. Amen.

 

Blessing

May God who has called us forth from the dust of the earth,

and claimed us as children of the light,

strengthen you on your journey into life renewed.

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord’s face shine upon you with grace and mercy.

The Lord look upon you with favor

and give you ☩ peace.

Amen.

Sending Song – We Are Marching in the Light: Siyahamba (WOV #650)

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Dismissal

Go in peace. Serve the Lord.

Thanks be to God.