A prayer of approach:
Vibrant God, call us afresh today to a new vision of your kingdom, to a new understanding of your purposes, to a new knowing of how best to serve you, to a new appreciation of your presence with us, to a new awareness of all that you would have us do, as your people in this place and time. In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.
StF 594 Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us
Lord Jesus Christ. You have come to us
You are one with us. Mary’s Son:
Cleansing our souls from all their sin
Pouring Your love and goodness in
Jesus, our love for you we sing,
Living Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, You have come to us
Born as one with us, Mary’s Son: Led out to die on Calvary, risen from death to set us free;
Living Lord Jesus, help us see. You are Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ. I would come to you
live my life for you. Son of God
All your commands I know are true;
Your many gifts will make me new;
Into my life your power breaks through
Living Lord.
Prayer of confession
Dear God, when knowing myself causes me –
to doubt that you could ever want me as your disciple:
Forgive me and help me to trust you more deeply.
to doubt that you could ever love me:
Forgive me and help me to trust you more deeply.
to doubt that you could ever accept me:
Forgive me and help me to trust you more deeply.
In Jesus’ name I pray. So, Generous God, thank you that, in forgiving us, you give us
fresh energy to serve you, fresh understanding of our calling, fresh wisdom as we share our faith, fresh purpose as we live out that faith day by day, fresh appreciation of the gifts of others, and fresh hope for all that lies ahead.
Amen.
Bible Readings
1 Samuel 3:1-20
The Lord calls Samuel
3 The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.
2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel answered, ‘Here I am.’ 5 And he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’
But Eli said, ‘I did not call; go back and lie down.’ So he went and lay down.
6 Again the Lord called, ‘Samuel!’ And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’
‘My son,’ Eli said, ‘I did not call; go back and lie down.’
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
8 A third time the Lord called, ‘Samuel!’ And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’
Then Eli realised that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, ‘Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’
Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’
11 And the Lord said to Samuel: ‘See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family – from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family for ever because of the sin he knew about; his sons uttered blasphemies against God, and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, “The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.”’
15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, ‘Samuel, my son.’
Samuel answered, ‘Here I am.’
17 ‘What was it he said to you?’ Eli asked. ‘Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.’ 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, ‘He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.’
19 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognised that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.
John 1:43-51
Jesus calls Philip and Nathanael
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, ‘Follow me.’
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’
46 ‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Nathanael asked.
‘Come and see,’ said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, ‘Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.’
48 ‘How do you know me?’ Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, ‘I saw you while you were still under the fig-tree before Philip called you.’
49 Then Nathanael declared, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.’
50 Jesus said, ‘You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig-tree. You will see greater things than that.’ 51 He then added, ‘Very truly I tell you, you will see “heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on” the Son of Man.’
Psalm 139: 1-6, 13-18
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand –
when I awake, I am still with you.
Prayers of thanksgiving
We praise you, God of grace, for bringing into our lives those who draw us closer to you,
those who speak your words of encouragement, those who believe in your calling for our lives, those whose testimonies inspire, excite and move us, and those who reflect your love, faithfulness and compassion, day by day.
Amen.
Prayers of intercession
Holy God, we feel overwhelmed and helpless as we see and hear and feel the pain of the Holy Land, Ukraine and Russia. We pray for families there and all who are bereaved, fearful, homeless, hungry and stateless. Who are suffering because of the ongoing war.
Most want to live in peace and harmony with each other but the violence prevents them from living the life they would wish.
Holy God, all around the world there seems to be pain and anguish created by political tactics and desires, while people simply seek peace and calm, home and shelter, food and water.
Holy God, our national health service in the UK is under so much pressure; both staff and patients are suffering. So many people with illness and injury cannot get the help and healing they need. So many staff not able to give the help and healing they would like to.
Holy God, as we put away our Christmas treasures in our decorations box, we think of those who have nothing to put away, no happy memories, nothing to pass on.
May they find someone and something that gives them a meaning and a memory.
Holy God, as we prepare for a new year, we think of those who will be spending their first year without a treasured loved one; for those who will be stepping into the new year with sadness, loneliness and uncertainty.
Lord, hear all our prayers for them and help us to be alert to the needs of them and the world. Holy God, bless all we have prayed for,
all we have brought to mind and bless us too we pray.
Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
Please use the version that you prefer
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,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
And deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours
Now and for ever.
Amen.
Time to reflect:
God calls in many ways, so we need to be alert in order to recognise the call. This week we look at ways in which we might be called by our God, who is caring and understanding as we look at God calling Samual and Jesus’ encounter with Nathanael. We need to understand that God knows us as quoted in Psalm 139. The writer of this psalm reminds us that God knows us intimately. His knowledge of us is not only wonderful, it liberates us to live our lives certain that God is with us throughout our ups and downs, our every situation – protecting, loving, guiding. He knows and loves us completely. He also knows all those around us and the situations in which we can effectively serve Him.
Nathanael is called by Jesus at the end of a string of events around a group of people who know each other and who want to share in the Good News of God through the Messiah. One of John the Baptist callings from God was to point people to Jesus. Andrew and John had been prepared by John the Baptist to follow Jesus. Andrew accepted John the Baptist testimony about Jesus and immediately went to tell his brother Simon, whom Jesus changed his name to Peter. Then in the same town of Bethsada there friend Philip joins them who knows Nathanael from Canan. Whom Philip tells all about Jesus and says “come and see” so Nathanael meets Jesus and becomes a disciple.
It is Nathaneal who when told about Jesus said “Can anything good come from there?” If he had stuck to his prejudices without investigating further, he would have missed the Messiah! Its friends telling friends not being afraid to talk about Jesus and what it means to follow him in your life
As we tell Samuel’s story, how could it apply to our Church. In particular, how might adults hear from God through our young people? What is the relationship between young and old in our Church community? How can we both learn together how to hear from God? Might this be the way that God starts something new and exciting in our church’s life? How will we all ensure that we not only hear what God is saying, but how together we might put it into practice.
God says to Samuel “I am about to do something in Israel (Northampton) that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle” We are told that the word of the Lord and visions were rare in those days. Perhaps the people and their leaders were no longer in the habit of listening and looking out for God. It took a young person to be able to listen and hear. At a time of transition for the nation. Samuel was to become a trustworthy prophet and leader. So, what makes our ears tingle? How ready are we to hear and receive messages from God and act on them?
StF 662 – Have you heard God’s voice.
Have you heard God’s voice; has your heart been stirred? Are you still prepared to follow? Have you made a choice to remain and serve, though the way be rough and narrow?
Refrain (except the last time) Will you walk the path that will cost you much and embrace the pain and sorrow? Will you trust in One who entrusts to you the disciples of tomorrow?
Will you use your voice; will you not sit down when the multitudes are silent? Will you make a choice to stand your ground when the crowds are turning violent?
In your city streets will you be God’s heart? Will you listen to the voiceless? Will you stop and eat, and when friendships start, will you share your faith with the faithless?
Will you watch the news with the eyes of faith and believe it could be different? Will you share your views using words of grace? Will you leave a thoughtful imprint?
We will walk the path that will cost us much and embrace the pain and sorrow. We will trust in One who entrusts to us the disciples of tomorrow.
A going out prayer:
So now we go out with confidence in you;
our loving God who leads us; You know are weaknesses and our strengths. Lord call us, guide us, and strengthen us in your service.
Amen.
