1 Samuel 2:18-20, 1 Samuel 2:26, Psalm 148:1-14, Colossians 3:12-17, Luke 2:41-52.
A) GROWING BETTER IN BAD TIMES.
1 Samuel 2:18-20; 1 Samuel 2:26.
The children of Israel forsook the LORD, and the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and He visited them with temporal judgments (Judges 2:13-15). ‘Nevertheless,’ (O, precious word!) the LORD raised up judges, or ‘saviours’ to deliver them (Judges 2:16). There was no king in Israel, and everyone did what was right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25) - but God was already at work in the background.
We have seen before how the child Samuel was a gift from God in answer to the prayers of a hitherto barren woman (1 Samuel 1:20), and how the boy’s mother celebrated ‘the salvation of God’ in her song (1 Samuel 2:1). In keeping with her vow (1 Samuel 1:11), Hannah dedicated her son to a life of service to the LORD (1 Samuel 1:27-28). Samuel was to become the last Judge, paving the way for King David just as surely as John the Baptist paved the way for Jesus.
An example of the evil of those days was to be found in the household of Samuel’s tutor and mentor, the priest Eli. The old man’s sons were wicked (1 Samuel 2:12-17) and would not listen to their father (1 Samuel 2:22-25). This forms the immediate context for today’s reading.
‘Where sin abounds, there grace super-abounds’ (Romans 5:20). So, in contrast to the priest’s own sons, we find young Samuel carefully and faithfully “ministering before the LORD” in the tabernacle: “a child wearing a linen ephod” (1 Samuel 2:18). This was a priestly garment, which the high priest permitted him to wear because he had been set apart for lifelong service to the LORD.
Meanwhile, the boy’s mother had not forgotten him. It is easy to picture Hannah prayerfully and carefully crafting “a little coat” for her son and bringing it to him year by year when she came up with her husband for the annual sacrifice (1 Samuel 2:19). Thus Hannah made her contribution to part of the boy’s clothing.
We are told next that, when they came up to the sanctuary, Eli would bless “Elkanah and his wife” (1 Samuel 2:20). Elkanah’s other wife, Hannah’s nemesis (cf. 1 Samuel 1:2), is no longer in the narrative.
Year by year the high priest blessed them, and year by year the LORD “visited” Hannah, and she would have children to compensate for the one whom she had given to the LORD (1 Samuel 2:21). No one is a loser by what they dedicate to the LORD!
Meanwhile, “the child Samuel grew before the LORD” (1 Samuel 2:21; cf. John the Baptist in Luke 1:80). No doubt the young Samuel, like the Child Jesus, ‘became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him’ (cf. Luke 2:40). Like Jesus, too, “he grew on and was in favour both with the LORD and also with men” (1 Samuel 2:26; cf. Luke 2:52).
In contrast to Eli’s sons, Samuel’s person and ministry were acceptable to the LORD. People respected him. The 17th century commentator Matthew Poole comments, ‘he grew better in bad times, which is remembered to his commendation.’
Growth is a wonderful thing. Growing in the Lord is better. May we ‘Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen’ (2 Peter 3:18).
B). THE SONG OF CREATION.
Psalm 148.
The whole of creation - from the cosmos (Psalm 148:1), to terra firma (Psalm 148:7) - is called to praise the LORD. This includes angels (Psalm 148:2), and animals (Psalm 148:10), and men (Psalm 148:12). Psalm 148 could be a sermon amplifying the text of Psalm 145:10 - “All your works shall praise you, O LORD: and your saints shall bless you.”
The Apostle Paul informs us that “the whole creation is groaning and travailing in pain together until now” (Romans 8:22). The Fall of man has had cosmic consequences, introducing death and disorder into creation. With baited breath, nature awaits “the revelation of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19).
The opening exclamation OF praise (Psalm 148:1) is followed by several imperative exhortations TO praise. One by one, the various strata of the created order are challenged to take a different attitude - until at last the final invitation of this cosmic ‘altar call’ is full of expectation and hope (Psalm 148:13-14).
The appeal reaches first to the heavens (Psalm 148:1). Beginning at the place where angels dwell (Psalm 148:2), and through the starry domain of the Hubble telescope and its successors (Psalm 148:3), the summons goes forth into the sky and clouds above us (Psalm 148:4). Let them praise the LORD, for when He spoke they were created, and He made a decree that sets their limits for ever (Psalm 148:5-6).
Then the appeal is made to the earth. The command reaches down into the depths of the sea (Psalm 148:7), through the weather systems (Psalm 148:8), and up into the mountains. Trees are called to break forth into praise (Psalm 148:9); as is animal life, insects and birds (Psalm 148:10).
Then the whole human race (Psalm 148:11-12) is commanded to join the joyful symphony. The highest king is not excused; nor is the smallest child. All must join this song of praise.
The overall reason is given. The LORD has raised up the “horn” OF His people Israel (Psalm 148:14). The horn represents strength. In the song of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-69), the “horn of salvation” raised up FOR Israel is identified with Jesus.
There are no exceptions, no excuses. The LORD alone is worthy of our praise (Psalm 148:13). If mute things are able to praise God - and they are, for they “fulfil His word” (Psalm 148:8) - how much more should “a people near to Him” (Psalm 148:14).
When we worship and bless and praise God we add nothing to Him but, like the Old Testament priest, we magnify Him before the people. It is a command we should delight to obey. “Praise ye the LORD!”
C). THE UNIFORM OF THE DAY.
Colossians 3:12-17.
1. This chapter has already furnished us with four imperatives: ‘seek those things which are above’ (Colossians 3:1); ‘set your affection on things above’ (Colossians 3:2); ‘put to death whatever in you is earthly’ (Colossians 3:5); and ‘put off’ those things in which you once lived (Colossians 3:8). Colossians 3:12 provides us with a fifth imperative: “PUT ON” those moral attributes which are more befitting a follower of Christ. This is the Uniform of the Day - every day.
Paul has already established the universality of the church, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, etc (Colossians 3:11). Now he transfers the titles of Israel to the church: not that Israel has ceased to be, but that Gentile Christians have been grafted in to Israel (Romans 11:17-18). Paul calls all true believers “the elect of God, holy and beloved” (Colossians 3:12).
As such, and because Christ is ‘all, and in all’ (Colossians 3:11), we should “therefore” clothe ourselves with such attitudes as have already been attributed to God, and such acts as have been demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ. The five virtues mentioned are all relational: “compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience” (Colossians 3:12). Yet the list does not stop at these five: we are to “bear one another” - and to forgive each other “just as Christ forgave you” (13). A forgiving attitude is fundamental to right Christian living (Matthew 6:12; Matthew 6:14-15; Matthew 18:32-35).
This is not all: we are also to put on “love” (Colossians 3:14; Ephesians 5:1-2). Perhaps this, above all things, singled the early church out from the crowd: ‘see how these Christians love one another’ (John 13:34-35). In this we are bound together in complete and perfect harmony (1 Corinthians 13:13).
2. If we have ‘peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Romans 5:1), then we are to “LET PEACE PRESIDE” in our hearts (Colossians 3:15). Christ is ‘the head of the body’ (Colossians 1:18). The ‘government is upon His shoulder,’ and He is ‘the Prince of Peace’ (Isaiah 9:6). He has ‘made peace through the blood of His cross’ and wrought reconciliation (Colossians 1:20-21).
We are “called in one body” - so as peace rules in each individual heart, so peace will be the guiding principle in all our relationships within the church. We are to be “thankful” (Greek: ‘Eucharist’) that this is possible. The mutual helpfulness of the church in matters of mediation is a ministry in itself (Philippians 4:2-3).
3. “LET THE WORD OF CHRIST…” (Colossians 3:16) is another imperative. In the parallel passage Paul exhorts the Ephesians to ‘be filled with the Spirit’ (Ephesians 5:18). Here he exhorts the Colossians to let “the Word of Christ” take up its dwelling in their midst. This is the true wisdom.
Elsewhere Paul speaks of ‘comparing spiritual things with spiritual’ (1 Corinthians 2:12-14). Based on this we talk of ‘comparing scriptural things with scriptural’ as a sound method of Biblical exegesis. The Colossians needed to know, since they were troubled by other voices (Colossians 2:4; Colossians 2:18; Colossians 2:20-22), that there is no separating of the Spirit of God from the word of Christ.
So the greatest weapon in any church’s armoury is a right understanding of the Bible. Individually, like Jesus in His temptations (Matthew 4:4; Matthew 4:7; Matthew 4:10), we use Scripture to fight off the devious attacks of the devil. Collectively, a church enriched by the word of God is a church empowered to ward off every attack, and to take the world by storm.
It is interesting that the “teaching and admonition” of one another is the task of the whole church. The preaching of the word of God is for the edification of the whole body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12). Scripture equips us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
“Psalms and hymns and songs (spiritual)” are all headings in the Greek translation of the book of Psalms. It would be futile to try to make any distinction between these three terms. Our praise consists in “singing to the Lord” with gratitude in our hearts for the grace of God.
4. The final imperative of this section is “DO EVERYTHING IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS” (Colossians 3:17). If we have ‘renewed our minds’ (Romans 12:2), and ‘set our affection on things above’ (Colossians 3:2), then our thoughts have already been ‘brought captive to the obedience of Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Now Paul exhorts us to be careful what we say, what we teach, and how we live.
Paul prayed for the Colossians to have thankfulness (Colossians 1:9; Colossians 1:12). Now he instructs us to “give thanks to God the Father through the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17). Amen.
D). THE BOY JESUS COMES TO HIS TEMPLE.
Luke 2:41-52.
It was obligatory for men to attend the three main feasts in Jerusalem, but it is evident that Mary and Joseph went up as a couple (Luke 2:41). They also took Jesus with them “according to the custom of the feast” (Luke 2:42). Habits set in youth remain with us throughout life - and we will find Jesus later, as an adult, going into the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath day “as His custom was” (Luke 4:16).
Holy days were also holidays, and a party of extended family and friends would make the arduous journey from Nazareth to Jerusalem in caravan together. This explains the circumstances of Mary and Joseph ‘losing’ Jesus: they each presumed that He was with someone else (Luke 2:44). ‘Home Alone’ in reverse!
Sometimes we lose sight of Jesus, and imagine that He must be ‘lost’ to us. This is not the case. If we trace our steps back towards the point in our lives where we last encountered Him, we will find Him (Luke 2:45). In fact, He has never left the precincts of the Temple (Luke 2:43; Luke 2:46).
“After three days” (Luke 2:46) is sometimes thought to be a covert anticipation of Jesus being ‘three days’ out of sight in the tomb. There may be some symbolism here. However, Luke usually refers to the resurrection of Jesus under the motif of “the third day” (Luke 9:22; Luke 13:32; Luke 18:33; Luke 24:21; Luke 24:46).
The Rabbis understood the age of twelve to be the threshold between childhood and adulthood: the enquiring mind is beginning to prepare for the day when the youngster must leave the nest. Yet Jesus was not asking questions of those with Doctorates as one who does not know (Luke 2:46) - but rather as a method of teaching them! It was His answers, not His questions, which caused the astonishment (Luke 2:47).
Joseph was not the father of Jesus, as Mary had briefly suggested in her frustration (Luke 2:48): yet we may understand her consternation. The first recorded words of Jesus (Luke 2:49) may appear stern, as do those which He spoke at the wedding feast in Cana (John 2:4). However, Jesus’ attitude to His mother is not without its tenderness (John 19:26).
This incident in the Temple was a precursor to the fact that Jesus would one day be leaving the comforts of home (Luke 9:57-58), in order to be about the affairs of His heavenly Father (Luke 2:49). For the time being, Mary and Joseph could not understand what Jesus was telling them (Luke 2:50).
So Jesus returned with them to Nazareth, and continued to submit Himself to their ‘parenthood’ (Luke 2:51). Mary, for her part, treasured all the sayings about Him in her heart. Not just what He had said (Luke 2:49), but also the words of Simeon (Luke 2:34-35), and of the angel (Luke 1:32-33).
The incarnate Jesus continued to grow (Luke 2:40; Luke 2:52). This is Jesus subjecting Himself to human limitations: part of the mystery of His self-emptying (Philippians 2:6-7). He has been through all the stages of human experience needed to qualify Him as our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:15-16).
