Biblical writers pull no punches. They present life in all its reality warts and all without sugar coating. Why do good parents sometime raise bad offspring. Samuel was under the care of Eli who served the House of the Lord at Shiloh. While Samuel was dedicated to the Lord's service by his mother Hannah from the time of his weaning and served under Eli, Eli's own sons were scoundrels who abused their privileges and came to bad ends. Significant is the fact that Eli treated the boy fairly and accepted God's judgement on his own sons in no way resenting the fact that his own lineage was being superseded.
Psalm 139 sounds like the inspiration for a secular Christmas tune, Santa Claus is Comin to Town but of course it goes further. There is more than a little smacking of predestination in its wording.
The common theme in today's lessons would appear to be the wise use of the freedom that is ours in Christ. Although we are free to choose anything not everything may be good for us. The writer of Corinthians may not have understood Venereal Disease but uses the example of prostitution to express spiritual degradation.
Joh 1:45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one whom Moses wrote about in the book of the Law and whom the prophets also wrote about. He is Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth."
Joh 1:46 "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," answered Philip.
Joh 1:47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, he said about him, "Here is a real Israelite; there is nothing false in him!"
The word made flesh whose infant birth we celebrated mere weeks ago has grown to manhood and is calling to himself the men who would be his followers and support in the years to come. Just as this infant was born to simple parents in the humblest of circumstances and that birth first announced to illiterate shepherds minding their sheep in the fields so in selecting his disciples he chooses honest simple working-class peasants--men of the people not well-connected leaders or scholars. The number twelve has significance and they were men but certainly their were more than 12 among his followers and though rarely mentioned there were women.
There is a branch of study that looks at what verses in the Gospels have true historicity. Surely the initial exchange with Nathanial above would rate high among them. Here is a plain-spoken man, a straight-shooter who frankly speaks his mind. A carpenter's son from Nazareth. Nazareth was emphatically on the wrong side of the tracks. But there was a compelling charisma about this man that drew people to him just as it scared the religious leaders of his day for he undercut their authority. What was novel in the 12-year-old who visited the temple was dangerous and threatening in a 30-year-old.
Psalm 139 sounds like the inspiration for a secular Christmas tune, Santa Claus is Comin to Town but of course it goes further. There is more than a little smacking of predestination in its wording.
The common theme in today's lessons would appear to be the wise use of the freedom that is ours in Christ. Although we are free to choose anything not everything may be good for us. The writer of Corinthians may not have understood Venereal Disease but uses the example of prostitution to express spiritual degradation.
Joh 1:45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one whom Moses wrote about in the book of the Law and whom the prophets also wrote about. He is Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth."
Joh 1:46 "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," answered Philip.
Joh 1:47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, he said about him, "Here is a real Israelite; there is nothing false in him!"
The word made flesh whose infant birth we celebrated mere weeks ago has grown to manhood and is calling to himself the men who would be his followers and support in the years to come. Just as this infant was born to simple parents in the humblest of circumstances and that birth first announced to illiterate shepherds minding their sheep in the fields so in selecting his disciples he chooses honest simple working-class peasants--men of the people not well-connected leaders or scholars. The number twelve has significance and they were men but certainly their were more than 12 among his followers and though rarely mentioned there were women.
There is a branch of study that looks at what verses in the Gospels have true historicity. Surely the initial exchange with Nathanial above would rate high among them. Here is a plain-spoken man, a straight-shooter who frankly speaks his mind. A carpenter's son from Nazareth. Nazareth was emphatically on the wrong side of the tracks. But there was a compelling charisma about this man that drew people to him just as it scared the religious leaders of his day for he undercut their authority. What was novel in the 12-year-old who visited the temple was dangerous and threatening in a 30-year-old.
