A Woman Of Faith

Hannah: A Woman of Faith By: Clint Turek

1 Samuel 1:1-2:11

Thesis: What women of faith can do for the world, and down through the ages.

In a Calvin and Hobbes comic strip, Calvin is standing by his mother’s bed when he says, “Hey, Mom! Wake up. I made you a Mother’s Day card.” His mother was very pleased and started to read it out loud.

“I was going to buy a card with hearts of pink and red.

But then I thought I’d rather spend the money instead.

It’s awfully hard to buy things when one’s allowance is so small.

So I guess you’re plenty lucky I got you anything at all.

Happy Mother’s Day. There, I’ve said it. Now I’m done.

So how about getting out of bed and fixing breakfast for your son.”

It’s not easy to be a mom. Almost 90 years ago, by an act of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. He established the day as a time for “public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.

This morning we’re going to study the lifestyle Hannah of the Old Testament.

As we look at the first two chapters of 1 Samuel, we’ll see a Woman of Faith.

Body

1. Women of faith exhibit real problems (1:1-8). It’s easy to think that the heroes in the Bible were somehow different than we are. We might think that it’s tough to relate to them because their lives were so perfect and their culture was so different than ours. Actually, the Bible is filled with real people with real problems, who face them with real faith.

A. Hannah was barren, that is she was unable to have children.

1. In those days that was seen as a curse from God.

2. Some women do not feel that they are truly fulfilled if they do not have children especially in those times.

B. Hannah was also teased about being childless.

1. Peninnah seemed to take pleasure in the fact Hannah had no children.

2. Think about the school bully who finds a person’s weakness and uses it for his own pleasure, or to make himself feel better about himself.

C. She was also misunderstood.

1. Her own husband did not understand her.

a. He did not understand how important it was for her to have children.

b. He did not support her the way she needed.

2. Even the Priest did not understand her.

II Her faith remained unmoved.

A. Even though a barren womb was thought to be a curse from god Hannah still had faith in God.

B. She knew that God could provide her with a child.

1. It could have been easy for her to be angry with God.

2. She had the faith needed to stand up to the test she was facing.

III Her faith was recognized.

A. At first the priest thought she was drunk, but after she explained he understood.

1. Eli told Hannah that God would answer her petition.

2. Because of her faith she believed Eli and it says she was no longer sad.

B. God recognized her faith.

1. Think about this for a second, God knows if we truly believe in him or not.

2. We know he recognized Hannah’s faith because she was given a son, Samuel.

3. After Samuel we are told that Hannah had 3 more sons and 2 daughters.

IV Now let’s look at what the faith of a mother accomplished.

A. Without Hannah’s faith we would not have 1st and 2nd Samuel.

B. God was given another servant.

1. This was part of Hannah’s prayer.

2. God would use him to speak to His people.

C. Israel was given another prophet.

1. He was used to rebuke the wicked such as the sons of Eli.

2. He was also used to anoint two kings for Israel.

D. We can look at his life and know that he brought honor to his mother.

Conclusion

1. Hannah was a woman of faith who was also a mother.

A. She never let the setbacks of life shake her faith in God.

B. Therefore she was rewarded by God with sons and daughters.

2. It is because of mothers like Hannah that the world has been blessed with men such as Samuel.

Invitation

1. Remember to honor your mother today and every day.

2. Following God and doing his will is the greatest honor you can give her.