1st Sunday of Christmas

Readings: 1 Samuel 2v18-20&26; Psalm 148; Colossians 3v12-17; Luke 2v41-end.

Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.

A Word : In the readings from Samuel and Luke we hear how God calls children into his service. In the reading Samuel was a child who had been handed over to the priest Eli for training in the service of God. Samuel was the son of Hannah and Elkannah, a child that Hannah had prayed for over many years. A child that she wanted and loved and continued to provide for, even though she had handed him over to the service of God. As a child gifted from God, Samuel was blessed by God and became a prophet and guide who accepted by God and the people. Elsewhere in the Book of Samuel we hear that when he was a child that he heard God calling to him, even though Eli the priest had not yet taught him that God makes his presence known to some people in supernatural ways. In the gospel of Luke we hear that Jesus went to Jerusalem every year with his parents for the feast of the Passover. However, when he was 12 years old, Jesus lingered in the temple and was left behind when his parents and those they were travelling with set off for home. After a search of three days, Mary and Joseph found Jesus in the temple and because of their anxiety, Mary complained to Jesus when they found him. However, instead of apologising, Jesus questioned why they had not first come to the temple because he thought his parents knew that he had to be in his father’s house. As Jesus’ parents did not understand what he meant, Jesus left with them and returned to Nazareth where he was obedient and grew in wisdom as well as growing in favour with God and those who knew him.

I believe that these readings are a reminder to us that children are God’s people, they are the Church of today and the ministers of God’s people as they grow up. Paul’s letter to the Colossian people, tells us how we should live and how we should raise the children of the world if we and they are to live as God’s blessed, much-loved and chosen people. Pauls says that In our dealings with others we are to be: gentle and modest; caring and kind; patient and forgiving; loving and peaceful and agreeable. And as one body of people serving Christ we are to: study God’s word; teach and correct one another wisely; gather for worship and live our lives in the service of Jesus. This is an important calling for all of us who believe in God and follow his son Jesus, for from ancient scriptures such as Psalm 148, we have been taught we have a God who created us and is to be exalted for from his glory he raised up a Saviour for his people. For we have a God who the whole of heaven and creation is called to pray to, praise and give thanks to. The God of creation who is worshipped by: angels and the heavenly multitude; the sun, the moon and stars; the earth, the waters and the weather; the mountains, the hills and the trees; the birds of the air, all wild and domesticated animals, all creatures that live in fresh and salt waters and all the creepy crawlies of the earth. Alongside all creation, there is a special call to humankind: the kings, princes and rulers of the earth; the young and old – both male and female; all God’s faithful people and his chosen people Israel. I pray we take this calling to heart and live by it as best we can, each day of our lives.

Let us Pray: Heavenly Father, redeeming God we thank you for sending your son into the world to show us the way to heaven. Fill us with your grace, teach us how to be obedient and show us the way you have designed to be – for the love of Jesus. Amen

Thanks for joining us today.