Intro:
-Since Pastor Craig is out of town, I would like to take this opportunity to give him a bad time.
-We were working at a mental institution on top of the roof, putting on Christmas lights. I think that he thought that I was too close to the edge and that I would fall and he yelled out, “Hey! Get away from there!! Are you CRAZY!!!”
-Obviously it was a little awkward because of where we were at. It was a very embarrassing and inappropriate choice of words.
-Words are very important. There is a lot of power in words. JAMES says that out of the same mouth proceed blessings and cursing. Also, just like a great ship is controlled by a tiny rudder, so is the tongue a small thing that boasts great power.
-Words can be very powerful. They have the ability to inspire us and challenge us and in the case that we will look at today, we see how the words that a young man named Samuel heard would change and guide a nation.
-Samuel heard the words of God.
-In the scripture we will look at it says that “the word of the Lord was rare in those days, there was no widespread revelations”.
But, what I wonder, was it because God was not speaking or was it because his people were not listening? Corruption ruled the church, and people did what was right in their own eyes and nobody listened. Every generation had a prophet, but not this one.
-But, I have to believe that the still small voice that Elijah heard was rattling on waiting for someone to find the right frequency.
-And, I also believe that the still small voice continues today, waiting to be heard.
-The question is, how can we put ourselves in a posture to listen? I think we can learn something from Samuel.
PRAY
Please turn to 1 Samuel 2: 18-25
-Last week we spoke about Hannah pleading with God to grant her a child. She makes a deal with God saying “you give me a child and I will dedicate him to you.” The boys name is Samuel and she places him in the care of Eli the priest. Samuel comes from a strong family and is placed in the service of God under a strong mentor.
Read 18-25
-The first thing we will talk about is how Samuel separated himself from evil
-Here is Samuel, a child, who ministers before the Lord. We see his parents were very religious and that he had the benefit of living with a strong mentor in Eli, but we also see that Eli had failed on his own sons. They were serving as priests and were entirely wicked. So wicked that God had already decided to take them out. Samuel was surrounded by terrible examples of what a priest should be.
-My question is why did Samuel remain good with all the bad around him? He was just a child, surely he was impressionable.
-I think we can find a hint of an answer in something Samuel said much later in life before his death. He said “I am old and gray-headed, but I have walked with you from my youth unto this day.”
-This does not sound like a person that got lucky and followed God, and managed to make the good choices by random chance. This to me sounds like someone who made a commitment early in life
-I tell our students, if you are offered drugs, alcohol, sex will you take it? You must decide today, right now, because if you wait until it is offered, you have failed.
-We must choose sides because, “failing to plan is planning to fail”
-I believe that Samuel chose to walk with God early in life, however it does not matter what stage of life we make this decision. All that matters is that we make that decision to follow God.
-V. 18 And, I like the verse “although he was young, he ministered before the Lord”. What this tells me is that Samuel’s walk was not without its obstacles. Neither is ours. We can insert our own obstacle. Despite his age, despite his influences, he ministered.
-By rising above the obstacles and distractions, it gave him a clearer view of who God was.
-C.S. Lewis wrote:
The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man’s self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred — like the Moon seen through a dirty telescope. That is why horrible nations have horrible religions: they have been looking at God through a dirty lens.
-We must clear our lives so that we can see God more clearly.
-Next, we look at the result
-Verse 26 “the child Samuel grew in stature and in favor both with the Lord and men”
-Next, we see that Samuel built himself a solid reputation. “grew in stature and favor”
-They say that a reputation can take years to build, but only a moment to destroy. We must guard our reputation.
-Billy Graham had a rule that he would never have a TV in a hotel room and he would never be alone with a woman. He closely guarded himself from temptation and closely guarded his reputation. Bible says that we are “to live above reproach”.
-We must not only remove ourselves from sin, but also the appearance of sin.
-Samuel, living under the same roof, somehow removed himself from the sins of Eli’s sons
-By having a good reputation, he made himself a more reliable source for God. People would believe him, that he heard from God.
Verse 3:1-6
-Samuel is asleep in the middle of the night and hears a voice calling him. He instantly jumps up and answers 3 times.
-Now I don’t how you are when you get called in the middle of the night. I have many times gotten called to turn off the alarm in this building. I VERY begrudgingly comply. And if an old man was calling me my response would probably sound more like “WHAT!!!”
-But, not Samuel. Eli had very poor vision and perhaps Samuel was used to helping Eli during the night. And, look at his response. He didn’t hesitate. Instead, it said that he “ran”.
-Samuel had a heart of a servant and it is here where we see (maybe) why Samuel was able to hear the still small voice. He had the signs of a servant
-Samuel had emptied himself of his own ambitions and attended to those of others.
-Read about George Washington during revolutionary war. He was not wearing his proper uniform and came across a squadron building defensive barrier. There was a Corporal shouting at his men, but doing none of the work himself. Washington asked him why he wasn’t helping his men. The corporal (not knowing who George Washington was) said “because I am a corporal”. George Washington apologized and started helping the men. Afterwards, he said, “next time you need help, ask your commander and chief and I will help you again”.
-A servant is humble and self sacrificing. Remember, even when Jesus came he said “not to be served but to serve.”
Verse7-9 (having a mentor)
-Again Samuel responds to the calling and a few things that are important happen here.
-First, Samuel had a mentor in Eli that recognized the call of the Lord (or was tired of getting bothered!). It is crucial that we surround ourselves with people wiser than we are.
-If you are the most complete, put together Christian that you know, than you have a problem. I am not even in the top ten of my own list. There are many, many people that I have in my life that are wiser and more spiritually put together than I am.
-If you do not have a spiritual mentor, you need one. Eli recognizes something that Samuel did not. Also, I think that his advice of saying to go lie down is important.
-There is a lot of wisdom in intentionally listening for God to speak.
-Samuel didn’t recognize the voice at first because he was not listening for it.
-Like when you buy a new car and start seeing them everywhere. You begin to search for them
By going to a quiet place and waiting, Eli is saying what James said “draw near to god and he will draw near to you” or “seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened to you.”
Verse 10 (expectations, direct calling)
-Here is the most important part of what we are speaking about.
-First it says that the Lord “came and stood”, meaning that he was physically present, in the room with Samuel.
-When I read this it gave me goosebumps. I thought about this and wondered “why does this come as a surprise to me?” Having God literally in the room with me is something I often never realize.
-When I was a kid, I used to play video games that I shouldn’t have. My mom used to say, would Jesus approve of that video game? I would rudely come back with “I don’t think he plays video games”.
What I need to realize is that he IS present. I also have to have an expectation that I will find him at every turn.
-What do we expect when we come to church? Friends, music, coffee, a sermon? Why shouldn’t we come expecting God to move powerfully in our lives?
-Second, notice that Samuel is called by name and with an exclamation mark. God calls us individually and the call is urgent!
-Finally, the response that Samuel gives is crucial “speak for your servant hears”
-Isn’t this what God has been waiting for all of us to say?
-A couple of days ago, Pastor Craig asked me to speak on this scripture. I read this verse and it has been running through my head constantly. I have been saying to God, speak for your servant hears you and I feel that this is the most important thing that we can say today.
Verse 11-18 (the tough calling)
-God tells Samuel some really tough news. God is going to punish Eli his mentor. Eli takes it like a man and realizes that he has failed
-How difficult was it for a 12 year old boy to speak these words to his mentor?
-Usually if God is telling you something, the chances are that it will not be something simple. For example, God probably will not tell you to stop tithing and spend that extra money on TWINKIES. Chances are, that is not God.
-Stuff like telling an old man to build a large boat to carry every kind of species or a man with a stuttering problem that he will lead his people out of a land of slavery… That is God.
-His commands are not intended for our comfort, but for HIS glory. We need to recognize what is God and what is not. We will know it is God if it is in sync with the word.
Verse 19-21
-This chapter closes in Samuel’s life and in our discussion with a couple simple statements.
-First, God establishes Samuel as a prophet.
-It would no longer be said that “the word of the Lord was rare”. Israel had its prophet.
-Second, the Lord revealed himself to Samuel by the WORD of the Lord.
-All of us would long to hear the voice of God in an audible way that changes our lives forever. But, the voice of the Lord can be heard in other ways (worship, our own hearts), but most commonly he speaks to us through his word
-Hebrews 1:1-2
God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things,
-God has revealed himself to us through his word and he can speak to us through it.
IN CLOSING:
-Samuel would move on to become the mouthpiece of God for the nation
-He facilitated the choosing of Saul to be king and it was Samuel who (through God’s guidance) was able to find a giant killer and king in God’s beloved David.
-As a child he had the uncanny ability to hear the voice of God, He:
Separated himself
Built a good reputation
Had a heart of a servant
Had a spiritual mentor
Had an expectation of hearing God
