Your Servant is Listening
Epiphany 2 Sermon | Captain Cash | Guest Preacher
Each of us has been called by God to fulfill a purpose, a spiritual calling in this life. And the calling process can be divided into three steps. First, there's discovery. Second, there's decision. And third, there is action. May each of us proclaim, as Samuel did, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
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[00:00:00] It is indeed a privilege and an honor to be here with you today and to have this opportunity, uh, to follow "this little light of mine." I tell ya, the music this morning has really taken me back to my southern roots. Uh, we sang several songs in the first service and we'll be singing them here. I, I love southern gospel music and grew up, my parents taking me on Friday and Saturday nights down to the to the river, which we called it.
And there would be Southern gospel groups singing and not too long ago, I got to go back and visit some friends in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, uh, near Dollywood and, uh, went out there to Dollywood tremendous place. I'm not, this is not an advertisement, but it was just, you know, very inspirational, a lot of great music.
And if you're into bluegrass or, uh, that type of music, it's, [00:01:00] it's, it's amazing. And I'm amazed at what they've done there. I went to college, one of my colleges right near there, near Knoxville, Tennessee, Carson Newman College. And it's been a pleasure and a privilege to continue to follow that area and see what Dolly Parton has done for Sevierville, Tennessee.
If I start talking too much, I'll start talking like Dolly, but I'm not going to do that today. And the last name of Cash, you know. It goes without saying. And so, uh, But it is a pleasure to be here with you today. Great opportunity to share a little bit from God's Word and from my heart about, uh, chaplaincy and about the call that God has for each of us in our lives.
Each of us has been called by God to fulfill a purpose, a spiritual calling in this life. And the calling [00:02:00] process can be divided into three steps. First, there's discovery. Second, there's decision. And third, there is action. May each of us proclaim, as Samuel did, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
In her book, A Man Called Peter, Catherine Marshall tells how her late preacher husband felt a sense of destiny, a sense of call in his life. One dark night, Peter Marshall, then a young man, decided to take a shortcut across the Scottish moors. And Cash, by the way, is Scottish. He knew there was a deep, deserted, limestone quarry in that area but he was [00:03:00] confident as a young man that even in the dark he could avoid it.
Suddenly he heard someone call, "Peter." There was a great urgency in the voice and as might to be expected Peter stopped and responded, "Yes. Who is it? What do you want?" But there was no answer. He walked a few more steps and then heard the voice calling more urgently, "Peter." He paused and then he stumbled and he fell on his knees, putting out his hand to catch himself.
He found that nothing was there. He was at the very edge of the abandoned stone quarry. Just one more step [00:04:00] would have meant certain death. There was never any doubt in Peter Marshall's mind, the source of that voice. He felt that God must have some great purpose for him to have intervened so specifically in his life.
As you may know, Peter Marshall went on to become the pastor of New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. And also the chaplain of the United States Senate. Now I have a special place in my heart for chaplains in general, but specifically for chaplains in our government. The chaplain of the Senate is Rear Admiral retired Barry C. Black, former chief of Navy chaplains. Seventh day Adventist in [00:05:00] background, one of the greatest preachers that you'll ever hear.
I remember during, right after 9 11, I was at the Pentagon on 9 11, and we did a memorial service about one month later down at the Pentagon, and the chiefs of chaplains of all the branches in the present, of course, was there and and all the, and all the other folks in, in government.
And Barry Black, who is a, uh, like, as I said, one of the best speakers I've ever heard in my life. And he read scripture. He wasn't even preaching that day. He read from John 14, and he memorizes all of his scripture. So he said, "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me." And he went on to quote John 14.
Well, the next day in the chief of chaplain's office, we got a call and said, why was Chaplain Black allowed to [00:06:00] preach and none of the others were? I said, my friends, he was not preaching, he was quoting scripture. Also in the United States House of Representatives is Rear Admiral Margaret Kibben, Rear Admiral, retired former chief of Navy chaplains.
So the United States Navy is well represented in the halls of government, and I'm very proud to know both of them very well and continue to pray for them and support them with my ministry. The calling that night for Peter Marshall confirmed that he was clearly being called by God. And brothers and sisters in Christ, I am convinced that each of us, no matter who we are and where we are in life, that God is calling us.
[00:07:00] We are being called by God to fulfill a purpose. We are called by God to become a part of God's plan. Our gospel text today, as well as the reading from Samuel, speak to this very fact. Samuel in the Old Testament, Philip and Nathanael in the New Testament were called by God. And in turn, they responded.
This calling, or this process, as I said at the beginning, is divided into three steps. Discovery, decision, and lastly, action. So, how do these steps apply to us? It's great to say those and it makes some neat sermon notes, but what does it really mean to us?
First, there's discovery. Samuel heard someone calling out to him over and over. And each time, [00:08:00] what did he do? He thought it was Eli. It couldn't possibly be God, so it must be Eli. Samuel made a discovery. It was El Shaddai, God Almighty that was calling him. He called him three times and each time Samuel was sure it was Eli. But finally, Eli also, who was being utilized by God to speak to the young Samuel.
For it was Eli that gave Samuel insight in discovering the purpose of God's call. Each of us in our own lives have had those moments, or those what I call Spiritual windows of opportunity. When the heavens were opened, maybe not literally, and we heard the voice, maybe a still small voice, and God has spoken to us.
For some in the military, I look back over my 30 years, [00:09:00] 30 year career, and there were so many things and so many times I knew God was opening that spiritual window of opportunity. . He was opening it up and it was up to me to listen and to respond. Samuel did not know God's voice. He did not know who was calling, but Eli did.
Philip was, was discovered by Jesus, and Jesus all called, also called to follow, for him to follow. Then Philip found Nathaniel. Wonderful story, beautiful story, and told about this Jesus. Philip called to Nathaniel to come. To come and see. So when God opens up that spiritual window of opportunity, when we hear that voice as Peter Marshall heard it in the moors of Scotland and others have heard it on the decks of ships, or flying in aircraft, or in the field with the [00:10:00] marines.
Others have heard that voice. The initial call always, always Comes from God. God discovers us as we are in all of our brokenness. God discovers us where we are. No matter where we are, God speaks to us. And that call that discovery always we, we requires us to make a decision. It's not enough just to hear God's voice.
We must decide that we'll follow what God has for us. God acts first. God makes the opening call to each of us. And if we decide to heed his call, our initial step is to come, to come and see. The first step of any understanding is vital. If you're not in the race, [00:11:00] you cannot finish the race. And as Wayne Gretzky said, the great hockey player, "You miss 100 percent of the shots that you don't take."
So much truth in that. Having a relationship with God is paramount in your calling as a disciple of Jesus. God comes to us. God discovers us. God is calling us.
He's calling us to come and see. He is calling us daily to walk in His will. So this discovery, in turn, that we hear from God, leads to decision. How do you respond to that calling in your life? How do I respond to that calling in my life? Philip, in our Gospel reading, made a decision, a decision to follow.
Our text does [00:12:00] not share any words spoken by Philip. He was probably so into the Spirit that he could not even speak. But his actions make his decision clear to us. He followed. Philip made a decision to follow Jesus' call. Remember when God called Samuel the fourth time, and Samuel heard and knew the call was from God.
God is calling each of us to be in relationship with Him. If the decision is to accept his calling, in our lives, my friends, there's maturity. There is advancement in your faith and in your spiritual life. When God opens one spiritual window of opportunity to another, uh, opportunity, then God is able to speak to each of us.
We realize a greater dimension. A greater dimension to life. A greater [00:13:00] dimension to our relationship with God. What does it take to let go of ourselves? To surrender ourselves into the hands of Jesus? What does it take? It takes trust. It takes faith. Faith in God's promise to each of us. Faith which allows us develop, to develop a richer relationship with Him.
A faith that transform and conforms us to the image of our one and only Savior, Jesus Christ. The scriptures are clear. Christian faith is an active faith. An action faith. It is not a stagnant one. It is a faith that requires us to do something. So there's discovery, there's decision, and finally [00:14:00] there's action.
Samuel and Philip put their decision of faith into action. They put their feet to their faith. They put their commitment to their conviction. And Samuel proclaimed to the Lord, "Speak for your servant is listening." Philip asked Nathaniel to come and see, to come and see this Messiah. And Nathanael in his response made a declaration of faith when he said, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God."
"You are the King of Israel." How are we responding today to God's calling? Whenever he opens those spiritual windows of opportunity, I think back on that day, on September the 11th, and all that happened, and I'm convinced that God showed me so many things on that day. [00:15:00] He humbled me. He comforted me. He spoke to me in the quietness of that moment.
After all was said and done, we are the people of God, and we are a people called of faith. We are a people of action, a people portraying an active faith. There is a transforming power available to each who calls themselves followers of Jesus Christ. Action, faith is the key to unlock this power. We have to get in, we have to start the race.
We have to take the shot to receive this transforming power. We must open ourselves up to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit works through us in faith. If we are to succeed, we must learn to walk in faith. [00:16:00] And finally, we need to exercise our faith through action. In his epistle, James goes on to state that as a result of works, as a result of action, faith was perfected.
That is, our faith becomes stronger. It becomes more mature. Our actions proclaim our faith. They proclaim that we really are God's.
So what causes us to hold back? To not take, uh, that step out in faith. Is it fear that often keeps us from stepping out and doing the right thing? We need to be willing, we must be willing to step out and do God's work, even in the presence of fear. One theologian claimed that the scripture, in the scripture there's, there's over 365 [00:17:00] illustrations and phrases which say, fear not. And be not afraid.
I guess one for each day of the month, or each day of the year. We need to discover God's calling, seek His calling, seek His will for our lives. And every calling of God requires a decision. It is time, it is time to be mature in our faith. Fear not. Be not afraid. A decision to yield to God's calling, to yield to His Lordship, will move us, to put feet to our faith.
When you come into His presence, when you begin to hear His voice, you begin to hear His calling. And as the prophet Samuel, then humble yourself, who shared those words, "speak for your servant is [00:18:00] listening." Amen.
