THE PRESENTS OF CHRISTMAS
The Present Of Ourselves
INTRODUCTION: How does the song go, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” ? And Christmas really is, or really should be the most wonderful time of the years, eclipsed ONLY by Easter. Christmas celebrates a birth, and Easter a “rebirth”.
The first Christmas was marked by a gift – God’s Only Son! Easter was also marked by a gift – God’s Only Son as our payment for sin.
So, when you think about it, Christmas is about giving and about presents. This brings us to the crux of our message this morning, how do we make a present of ourselves this Christmas? In order to answer this question, we need to take a good look at Samuel. Samuel’s life reveals the steps to making a present of ourselves to God.
I GET SOMEONE PRAYING FOR YOU – 1 Samuel 1:11
A Here the issue is the fact that Hannah is barren – unable to have children
B She is taunted by others
C She is unconsoled by her husband
D Hannah prays for Samuel EVEN before his birth
1 Hannah’s prayers would be the beginning of Samuel’s presentation of himself to God.
2 God keeps his promises
3 We need to get people praying for us that God would make Himself known to us, and that we might be in a position to give ourselves fully to Him!
II UNDERSTAND THE TIMES – 1 Samuel 3:1
A At the time of Samuel’s call, God did not speak much
1 Israel was in a period of decline
a The system of judges was not working
b The Levitical system was corrupt
c Everybody was doing what was right in their own eyes
2 The priesthood was in decline
a The sons of Eli were treating the offerings with contempt
b The sons of Eli were committing fornication with temple workers
c The sons of Eli would not listen to their father
B God is going to teach us that true power is not found in a man’s position in society, but by a mans posture before God.
1 Samuel 2:30b (NIV) …Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.
1 Samuel 2:30b (MSG) … I honor those who honor me; those who scorn me I demean.
1 God interacts with us when we are right before Him
2 Eli had not heard God speak to him
3 The sons of Eli had not heard God speak to them
4 Samuel was about to hear God, …
III LOCATE YOURSELF WHERE GOD CAN SPEAK – 1 Samuel 3:3-4
A Samuel positioned himself in the Temple
B Today, God dwells within every believer
1 We still need to be “in position”
2 We need to be in physical position
a Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
1 Not giving up, not forsaking, literally means to not leave in a lurch or helpless
2 leave in an uncomfortable or desperate situation.
b Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
1 Believers devoted themselves
2 They gave themselves continually
3 They were strong towards
c Acts 12:11-17 Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating." 12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!" 15 "You’re out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel." 16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell James and the brothers about this," he said, and then he left for another place.
1 Notice that while some were in the right place, God was speaking to others
2 IE: People praying together – The early church was not located in one place
3 God is acting with Peter
4 Sometimes, my being in the right place assists others in hearing God and presenting themselves to Him!
IV TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN
1 Samuel 3:4-11 Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am."
5 And 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. 6 Again 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." 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 8 The 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.
9 So 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. 10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." 11 And the LORD said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle.
A Notice, Samuel was in the right place, but did not listen, he only heard
B He did not know whose voice it was – EVEN though he was in God’s house
C It is important not to just hear what is being said, but to LISTEN to what is being said.
1 God has given us a wonderful gift to assist us – Our conscience
Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
2 Corinthians 1:12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God’s grace.
2 When we are in the right place hearing the right things, …
a And our minds go to how much so and so needs to hear this,
b That is our sin nature fighting with our conscience
1 Our conscience is touched by what is being said
2 Our sin nature is deflecting what is being said
3 This is when we need to listen, not just hear, and act on what we are listening to.
4 This is called conviction!
V RECRUIT THE HELP OF OTHERS
A This is what Samuel did!
B Samuel could not discern the voice of God
C Samuel sought someone he thought could do that
D When we are having trouble hearing God, we need to involve others to help us.
1 Now do not go and ask the crabby person
2 Find somebody that really enjoys his or her walk with the Lord and talk to them!
VI BE READY TO ACT
A The word hear or listen means to pay attention to and obedient
B God does not call us for tomorrow, but for today
Luke 9:62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
C When God calls He begins right away, and an effective call from God, properly obeyed is visible to everyone!
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. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD. 21 The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.
VII CONTINUE TO FOLLOW
A We do not present ourselves for a time
B A gift presented is no longer under our control, but under the control of the receiver
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Follow ENTHUSIASTICALLY
2 Begin, continue, and end EVERY activity to the glory of God!
3 Less speculation about what God wants and more activity about what God wants!
Does God Really want me to present myself to Him? In fact God wants us to present all of ourselves to Him:
Matthew 10:38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Matthew 19:21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
1 Corinthians 6:20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
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