Tune in to God! Don’t Tune Out!
Thesis: We need to make sure our radio is tuned to God. Samuel tuned into God while Eli tuned God out.
Opening Visual Illustration: Tuning In – Video Clip – Visual Edge, Group.
Illustration:
There is one interview with a pro football player that stands out in my mind as we think of tuning into God. This player tells a sports reporter why he choose to go to a certain city to play ball. He was honest enough to say that God spoke to him and he responded back. In other words I talk to God.
The interviewee was Reggie White, who at that time had just completed the
terms of his contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he had made the
All-star team almost every year since he became a professional. After his
contract with Philadelphia had been fulfilled, White, who is also an ordained
minister – hence his nickname, "The Minister of Defense" – had been free to
sign with any team he wished. And he had several offers that would have
made him a very rich man. But when decision time came, White shocked
most football observers and many of his friends by signing with the team
which was located in the smallest city of all the National Football League
franchises – the Green Bay Packers. The reporter who was conducting the
interview asked White how he had reached his decision to play for the
Packers. I will not soon forget what White said next. "I spent a lot of time praying
about this," White said. "And one day as I prayed, I heard God say, ‘Reggie,
go to Green Bay.’ So that’s what I did."
White saw something in the way the interviewer looked at
him at that point because White said this: "You know, when you tell
people you’ve been talking to God, they don’t have a problem with that.
That’s praying. If you believe in that sort of thing, it’s okay. But when you
say that God talked to YOU, then they think you’re crazy or something! Isn’t
prayer supposed to be a conversation with God? And in a conversation, don’t
BOTH parties talk?" (Illustration from Scott Hippler, Sermoncentral)
Introduction:
Throughout the Bible you will find men and women who share their story of how God spoke to them. The key to hearing the voice of the Lord had to do with the willingness of that individual to tune into God’s voice on the radio of life. There are also instances in the Bible when the individual tuned God out. These individuals did not want to listen to what God was telling them so they changed the station. It’s important in our life that we tune into God and not tune God out.
Prop. – Radio on podium to make point. Play with the station. Tuning it in and tuning it out!
Let’s take a look at a person in the Bible who learned to tune into God and recognize his voice. This individual was only about 12 years old when he learned this important lesson – tune God in - listen – respond to him – obey his voice – and grow into his spokes person – then be blessed and live!
We can say that there once were two men of God one became God’s honorable spokesman because he tuned into God where as the other one tuned God out and paid the price of his actions and died in dishonor. The two: Eli the fallen priest and Samuel the Prophet of God. Man of dishonor and man of honor. One man a failure the other man successful. One finished poorly the other finished strong.
Texts:
1 Samuel 2:12
“Eli’s sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the Lord.”
1 Samuel 2:29-30
29Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’ 30“Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and your father’s house would minister before me forever.’ But now the LORD declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.
1 Samuel 3:1-10:
1The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions. 2One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3The 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. 4Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 6Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” 7Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 8The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
1 Samuel 3:19-21
“The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. And Samuel’s word came to all Israel.”
1 Samuel 4: 12-18
12That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh, his clothes torn and dust on his head. 13When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry. 14Eli heard the outcry and asked, “What is the meaning of this uproar?” The man hurried over to Eli, 15who was ninety-eight years old and whose eyes were set so that he could not see. 16He told Eli, “I have just come from the battle line; I fled from it this very day.” Eli asked, “What happened, my son?” 17The man who brought the news replied, “Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” 18When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had led Israel forty years.”
I Samuel 4:20
20As she was dying, the women attending her said, “Don’t despair; you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay any attention.
21She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. 22She said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
1 Samuel 25:1
“Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him at his home in Ramah.”
A comparison of two lives! - Samuel tuned into God while Eli tuned God out.
Our Radio tuner is Samuel a boy of about 12 years old. He ministered under a priest named Eli. In essence the story starts with a boy who grows into a man who hears from God and talks with God. It all started in a time where it says, “In those days the Word of the Lord was rare.”
I. Samuel hears the voice of God and Eli the priest the spiritual leader of Israel does not hear God’s voice.
a. Samuel heard from God in a day when it was rare to hear of God speaking to his people.
i. I find this statement very interesting – Why? You think!
1. There are Scripture texts that tell us “The Lord does not change!” God did not change his broadcasting station to his people they did. Deut. gives us some insight.
2. Deut. 30:11-20: 11Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 14No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. 15See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.19This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
a. When God delivered the nation of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt he promised them life. But he warned them in this text that if they choose later on to follow their own path their own ways then they would choose death over life- curses over blessings.
i. Listen to God’s directive again in verses 19, 20.
b. The spiritual condition of the nation of Israel has declined into a calamity were even the high priest does not hear God’s voice any more.
i. They choose not to listen to God or His word.
ii. They choose their own sinful path.
iii. They choose the curse and not the blessing
iv. They choose death and not life.
v. They choose to tune God out not tune him into their lives.
b. Why was the Word of God rare? Why no visions from God? The people had tuned out God and His daily Word.
i. Why had God quit speaking? Truth is he didn’t - No he had not - the reality is the nation followed the leading of its spiritual leader and they tuned God out!
ii. Truth is - God has always and will always communicate to his people.
1. But the problem arises when the people tune God out. This was the condition of Israel at this time.
iii. The man –the priest Eli –the one who should be speaking to God did not communicate with the Lord.
1. He was to busy listening to other stations of the day as well as the people were. Stations like:
a. Materialism 101.6
b. Sin City 106.6
c. Lusty words of fun 96.6
d. Self talk for self gratification 104.6
e. Sacrifice your kids and live 103.6
f. Indulge yourself 105.6
g. Satanism Rocks 666.6
h. Killing you softly hits 86.6
i. Easy listening lies 66.6
j. Be your own god talk 109.6
k. Party Hearty hits 110.6
l. Idols worship for death 111.6
iv. So God chooses to speak to a twelve year old boy sleeping near the Ark of Covenant.
1. It is important for you to know that the Ark of the Covenant was were God’s power , God’s direction and God’s presence dwelled.
2. The reason Samuel heard God’s voice was he was near to were God presence dwelled.
3. Do you want to hear God call your voice? Get near to God you will hear him. Tune into were his presence is and you will hear him speak to you.
4. The reason Samuel heard God is clear listen to 1 Samuel 2:26 “And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men.”
5. A key in hearing God’s voice – in tuning in to God’s voice is to grow spiritually to take the time to learn how to tune into God’s word, God’s daily broadcast to you. His food for thought for the day. His daily directives for life. His weather report! His news flash of the day.
T.S. - Samuel heard God even when others in the nation rarely heard God’s voice even their own spiritual leader was not in tune to God’s call. Eli did not speak to God and a spiritual silence had overshadowed the nation. But God still called out to a young boy named Samuel and he heard his call and Samuel learned to recognize the voice of the Father.
II. Samuel learned to recognize the voice of the Lord and Eli forgot what it sounded like.
a. Samuel learns the sound of the Father’s voice and tunes into him clearly.
i. Samuel two times heard the voice of the Lord but he has not at this point learned to recognize God’s voice. He went to Eli thinking it was him but two times Eli said go back to bed, your dreaming, I did not call.
ii. But the third time happens and the Priest gets a divine revelation “The Lord is calling the boy.”
iii. So he gives him some insightful advice from his past. Go back and quiet your thoughts get near to God and if you hear the voice again say this “Speak, Lord your servant is listening.”
iv. Samuel heeded the instruction of the Eli and God came to him and spoke to Samuel calling his name.
v. Samuel responded the exact way Eli said and God spoke directly to Samuel.
1. A key point here is if you hear God call your name say, “Speak, Lord your servant is listening.”
2. Then understand God will speak to you if you willing to answer him and be his servant.
vi. The said fact of this whole scenario is God had to speak to Samuel a 12 year old boy because Eli – the priest of God – the one who was to be in tune to God’s voice - had tuned God out. The result was God could not speak to Eli directly.
b. Eli had drifted so far from God that he had totally tuned God out of his life.
i. Eli had drifted so far away from the Lord that God needed to use Samuel to tell Eli a second time that He was going to judge Eli and his household because he did not restrain his sons and correct them.
1. The first warning Eli received from the Lord was in 1 Samuel 2:27-36.
a. His sons had become detestable in the sight of God because of their greed, their sexual immorality and the like and Eli never dealt with their sins.
i. He addressed them but did nothing to correct them.
ii. He saw it and ignored it. He pretended it would go away.
iii. When he addressed his sons they did not listen to him and Eli did not make them listen.
iv. Remember Eli was the head spiritual leader of Israel and he had the power and authority to deal with the situation but he did not.
b. They were priests not of God but of self. They helped lead the people away from God’s voice not to it.
c. They tuned God out and lead the people of Israel away from God’s station. They encourage the people to tune God out of their lives by their actions and their lives.
d. Eli did nothing- he did not repent- he did not take responsibility for his family- he did not remove them from ministry positions-he continued to let them treat God with contempt.
e. The result of Eli putting his head in the sand caused his ears to tune God out more and more and this led to his demise, his family’s demise, and the nation’s demise.
c. The truth is if we fail to stay tuned into God it will affect our lives, our families lives, and our nation’s security.
T.S. - Samuel learns to tune God in while Eli had decided to tune God out. Samuel then grows closer to God by learning to respond to God’s call while Eli continues to sleep in his apathy toward God’s Word and way.
III. Samuel responds to the call of God while Eli never bothered to get out of bed.
a. Samuel responded to God and he listened to what God had to say.
i. He received his instruction from the Lord and laid their that night worried about what he had to say to a man who was suppose to be teaching him how to listen to God and obey him.
1. This is tough position to be in!
2. Remember Samuel is only 12 and the Lord just told him to communicate to his boss that he’s ran out of time and God’s going to deal with him and his family for their sins.
ii. The next morning Eli inquires of Samuel what did the Lord tell you last night?
1. It’s possible after this question he saw the look of hesitancy or even apprehension on the part of Samuel.
2. Eli wanted to know what God said since he himself had tuned God out. He sees the hesitancy and states, “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide it from me anything he told you.”
a. Truth is Eli knows the consequences first hand of what happens to a person who refuses to communicate God’s message to people. It’s severe consequences like Eli was experiencing.
iii. Samuel then communicates the message of God to Eli.
1. It’s important to note that Samuel is obedient in delivering the message regardless of the earthly consequences. He does what he is supposed to do. Deliver the message!
2. He learns a valuable truth always speak the truth in a situation regardless of how it might affect you.
3. Samuel was true to this even in the years to come when he had to deal with King Saul.
iv. This act of obedience once again enables Samuel to become the man of God he is to be. He becomes God’s spokesman.
v. Samuel learned that obedience to God’s word brings blessings.
b. Eli learned that ignoring the voice of the Lord and not speaking the truth results in disaster.
i. His spiritual deafness caused God to reject his spiritual leadership and to pronounce judgment on his and his family’s sin. His spiritual deafness caused him and his family to receive the curses of disobedience. The result would be death and destruction for his household- for him- and for Israel.
T.S. – Samuel listened and obeyed God and developed into a top notch spiritual leader while Eli swelled into an overweight priest who died because he fell over and broke his neck when he discovered the presence of God had departed Israel.
IV. Samuel becomes God’s Prophet and Eli experiences a fall from grace.
a. Samuel grew into becoming God’s Prophet to the nation of Israel while Eli’s disobedience caused him to lose his spiritual leadership role for him and his household and the end result of death.
i. He fell and broke his neck- symbolically his spiritual condition caused him to fall and die.
ii. Maxwell has this to say about Eli’s pitiful condition:
1. How could a priest like Eli miss the mark? By making some crucial errors:
a. Emphasis: Eli emphasized teaching his colleagues and clients, not his family.
b. Expectations: Eli thought his sons would “get it” just because they lived in the house of the Lord.
c. Example: Eli failed to live out in his home what he taught in his work.
d. Entanglements: Eli got so caught up with his profession, he blinded himself to his failure. (Maxwell Leadership Bible: notes, page 320)
iii. Eli failed because he tuned God out of his life and failed to hearken to his voice. The result he loses his spiritual leadership role for him and his lineage and they all die tragic deaths.
1. The symbolism of the Ark of the Covenant being captured by the Philistines means the presence of God departed Israel and Israel’s current spiritual leaders – Eli and his family are now out of God’s presence.
a. This is why Eli fell off his chair and broke his neck.
i. They had tuned God out and when the enemy came to over power them they lost the battle and the enemy stole the presence of God from them.
1. Which meant there was no hope for Israel.
b. Please note how the Bible says Eli was heavy!
i. Important point not to miss!
ii. The reason he is so overweight was he along with his sons kept taking the best from the offerings. They would actually steal more meat than they needed and they would binge like gluttons and they would get fatter and fatter. The truth is they stole from the offerings that were meant for God. They stole from their own people.
iii. The thought here is Eli and his sons gorged on the offerings – the food – the meat and they became gluttons.
1. I Samuel 1:29 “Why do you kick at My sacrifice and my offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people?”
iv. Samuel on the other hand succeed because he tuned into God, he listened to God, he responded to God, he was obedient in serving God and he spoke the truth of God to all. Result was he grew into a great spiritual leader.
1. He dies with all of Israel mourning his death. Why?
2. He was a man who spoke God’s word.
3. The truth is when he spoke people listened because they knew Samuel heard from God and communicated with God.
a. He was like the E. F. Hutton commercial when Samuel spoke everyone listened.
Conclusion:
Samuel’s life teaches us the importance of tuning into God while Eli’s life gives us the warning of what could happen to us if we tune God out.
Samuel went on to become a Great Prophet of God. He lived his life in tune with God and became a great spiritual leader for the nation of Israel.
Eli on the other hand was a fallen priest who died in dishonor because he tuned God out of his life. His spiritual leadership failure was he tuned the presence of God out of the life of Israel and contributed to the nation losing the presence of God and his blessings.
