The Sunday Service in Hagley
The Parishes of Clent and Hagley
Worship for 17 January – Epiphany 2
We will be using this service together on Zoom at 10.30 am.
A call to worship and Opening Prayers
We have come together in the presence of God. Let us open our hearts, We are named and called by God. Let us respond to God’s call. and we meet in God’s presence - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Living God, we gather this morning as Jesus’ disciples. like Philip and Nathanael.
Hymn In Christ alone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENtL_li4GbE
In Christ alone my hope is found,
In Christ alone! - who took on flesh,
There in the ground his body lay,
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
Prayers of thanksgiving
We thank you, O God, for the times when we are very aware your presence, when we sense you speaking to us, or see new insights. to be able to hear you and to recognise your presence with us. Help us also not to get in the way of others finding you: Amen.
Loving God,
Asking for God’s forgiveness
Loving God, we ask you to speak to us, as Jesus spoke to Philip and Nathaniel. Show us anything for which we need And so we come before you now in penitence.
For times we’re been so busy talking and doing we fail to hear you: Father, forgive us.
For times we have not said “Come and see”, like Philip: Father, forgive us.
For times we judge others quickly and wrongly, like Nathaniel: Father, forgive us.
For times we follow you slowly and reluctantly: Father, forgive us.
Generous God, forgive us, inspire us,
A Collect
Eternal Lord, Amen.
An Old Testament Reading 1 Samuel 3.1-10
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.’
Hymn There is a Redeemer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61CJdXmxxLU
There is a Redeemer,
Thank you, O my Father,
Jesus, my Redeemer,
When I stand in glory,
A Gospel Reading John 1.43-51
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 come 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.’
A Reflection on the calling of Philip and Nathaniel
Despite not having Sunday themes any more, God’s calling us is very much the theme of our readings today’s – both from John’s Gospel and also from 1 Samuel.
The Gospel story tells us about Philip and Nathaniel. Nathaniel is fairly sceptical about Jesus when Philip first tells him about him. “Can anything good some out of Nazareth?”, he says. But his mind isn’t completely shut. He’s prepared to go with Philip and meet him, and when he meets Jesus, the experience is such that it changes his life and he becomes a disciple.
In Jewish literature, the fig tree is symbolically the place when people study the Torah – the first five books of the Bible, the Jewish law. So it would seem that Nathaniel is someone who studies faith and is open to discovering new things. When he meets Jesus, whatever his previous understanding of things are, he sees everything in a new light, and commits himself to follow him.
This a story that’s relevant for us – because God has called each of us to follow the way of Jesus. Our task is to recognise that call, and to respond to it - to leave behind any cynicism, and be open-minded to seeing everything in a new light. Our task is to make a commitment and to change the way we live – and to do so again and again.
Today’s readings also tell us that we don’t just have obligations in relation to ourselves, but that we have responsibilities for each other, as well.
In I Samuel, it’s Eli – who’s old and who’s “eyes are dim”, as the text puts it – who helps the young boy Samuel respond to God. Samuel can hear God’s voice, but he’s completely confused about who it is who’s speaking to him and what he should do. Eli has to help him and guide him.
In the Gospel reading, Nathaniel only comes to faith because of Philip. It’s Philip who tells him about Jesus, and leads him to him. It’s Philip who responds to Nathaniel’s cynicism by saying “Come and see”.
Both readings suggest that bringing others to faith is a task we all share in. We have a responsibility to help others to see things more clearly, to be open-minded about this person from Nazareth, and to make that first step of “going and seeing”. And Eli’s example reminds us that we all have a particular responsibility to foster and develop the faith of children, and to make sure that they’re welcomed and valued in our Christian community.
The Psalm set for today – Psalm 139 – has these verses:
O Lord, you have searched me out and known me; you know my sitting down and my rising up; You mark out my journeys and my resting place You yourself created my inmost parts . . . I thank you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Those words have a lovely echo with Jesus’ encounter with Nathaniel – with Jesus knowing all about him. They also remind us of something else that’s really important – that each of us are precious in God’s sight.
Jesus’ call to us follows on from God’s delight in us as human beings. It’s because God loves us, and because you and I are precious in God’s sight, that we’re called (in Jesus) to a new kind of life. We’re each precious in God’s sight – and we’re each called to follow the way of Jesus, and to nurture and encourage one another.
If we follow the example of Nathaniel, and continue to go and find out more about this Jesus, surely our eyes too will continue to be opened, and we will continue to perceive things in a completely new light.
Hymn When God almighty came to earth for tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKab6pf2q3I
When God Almighty came to earth
When God Almighty went to work
When God Almighty walked the street and whispered, “Humbly follow me.”
When God Almighty met his folk
When God Almighty took his place
When God Almighty comes again
John L Bell and Graham Maule
Intercessions
God of all compassion, For all sitting under fig trees of suffering, For all sitting under fig trees of loneliness, For all sitting under fig trees of decision, And we give thanks for all who have God of compassion,
The Lord's Prayer
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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.
Hymn Will you come and follow me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk6IUalJ3sk
1. Will you come and follow me, if I but call your name? Will you go where you don't know and never be the same? Will you let my love be shown, will you let my love be known, will you let my life be grown in you, and you in me?
2. Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name? Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same? Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare? Will you let me answer prayer in you, and you in me?
3. Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name? Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same? Will you kiss the leper clean, and do such as this unseen, and admit to what I mean in you, and you in me?
4. Will you love the 'you' you hide if I but call your name? Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same? Will you use the faith you've found to reshape the world around, thro' my sight and touch and sound in you, and you in me?
5. Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name. Let me turn and follow you and never be the same. In your company I'll go where your love and footsteps show. Thus I'll move and live and grow in you, and you in me.
A Closing Prayer and Blessing
May we speak words of truth and gentleness;
May Christ the Son of God perfect in us the image of his glory and may the blessing of God almighty,
As we leave this worship, Lord, in your name,
Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000
Some material is Copyright © Roots for Churches Limited
Hymns and songs are reproduced under CCLI numbers: 742099 (St John’s) 493867 (St Leonard’s) 154120 (St Saviour’s)
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