Sermon notes for preaching at LTC Chapel - 05 august 2012

1. 1. Your PAST 12 Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord.
Samuel had been “left” in the temple by his 13 Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of
parents
the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come
- no hint of rejection in his life though one
with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being
might question his father role when his
children cannot follow the priestly pattern boiled 14 and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or
as Eli’s did not before him caldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would
- maybe it is better to emphasise the fact take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who
that God does not have grandchildren -
came to Shiloh. 15 But even before the fat was burned, the
each generation needs to be priests for
priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was
themselves and to walk before God for
themselves sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t
2. The SONS of Eli accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”
- abuse of the sacrificial system - therefore 16 If the person said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and
abuse of their privileged position
then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No,
- they should have been disciplined early in
hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.”
life, now they were too old for it and
walked their own path This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight,
- (maybe Eli had been too busy with for they[b] were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.
ministry to give the proper attention to his 18 But Samuel was ministering before the Lord—a boy
children during their younger years - he
wearing a linen ephod.19 Each year his mother made him a
had assumed they would pick it up from
little robe and took it to him when she went up with her
him)
- it appears the boy brought into focus the husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20 Eli would bless
ungodliness of the sons of Eli - heaping Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children
burning coals on their heads? by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and
3. Your CIRCUMSTANCES
gave to the Lord.” Then they would go home. 21 And the Lord
Samuel was in the midst of a corrupt
was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two
priesthood, yet he was not the same as
them daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence
of the Lord.

2. 4. YOUR FOCUS The boy Samuel ministered before theLord under Eli. In those •Samuel was about 12 years old at this time
- Samuel focussed on God 3:1 - he days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many •He had been there since he was 3 years
ministered before the Lord old
- in fact Samuel was faithful in small things - visions. 2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak
taking care of little practical issues in the •He was a child born of a promise made to
Tabernacle, sweeping and dusting, taking that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. God - and God fulfilled his part as did the
care of an old man mother (do you fulfill the promises you make
3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying
- he was lying down in the house of the to God?)
Lord - perhaps the intimate presence draws down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was.
focus to the idea of the Tent of Meeting? •Eli should have stopped minsitering at age
4 Then the Lord called Samuel. 50 - Num 4:46, 47
5. A PRIEST who could not see
- 3:2 or possibly would not - he chose to Samuel answered, “Here I am. ” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, •The fire was not to go out - Lev 6:12,13 -
ignore sin, he would not address it for fear so was this a metaphor for God’s speech
of losing what little he had - the result was “Here I am; you called me.”
going out or was it physical during the
that he lost everything, the priesthood
went from his family, his preeminent But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went night?
position was lost
and lay down. •What voices are you listening to?
- he had gotten lost in habit and tradition,
6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and •internet, tv, radio
doing what he had always done
- he was almost blind physically, was he •people / traditions
went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
also blind spiritually? •friends, peer group
- he had been warned previously but had “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
•bible - you can be Biblical without
failed to act
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the being Christian (Jews and Muslims
6. No one knew God
have high regard for scriptures)
Relationship with God was a “right” of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
children of Israel •the church
8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up
7. God was still speaking •
- 3:4 he spoke to Samuel and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
- did he want to speak to others and they
Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli
just did not have an ear to listen?
8. Samuel had not been taught to listen told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak,
- 3:4 he did not recognise the voice of God
Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay
down in his place.

3. - no one was listening to the voice of God - 10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times,
yet there was still a great deal of religious
“Samuel! Samuel! ”
activity
- God was recognised / acknowledged in Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
what took place, but no one met with him
11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do
- the person who should have taught him
had not - to their own shame! something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who
- it took 3x for God to get through so that Eli
dredged up from the depths of his hears about it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli
memory that God still spoke
everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end.
13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because
Do you listen? of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God,[a]and he
Note: I love the bible - arguably I have told
people to read and study the Bible more failed to restrain them.14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli,
than most teachers, But,
‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or
The 1st disciples did not have Bibles but
knew what God was saying offering.’”
Have you excused having a Bible for having
a relationship? 15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors
Would you know the voice of God if it hit of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision,
you over the head?
- the 1st missionary journey of Paul 16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”
- Rom 8:14/15 led by Spirit - also Gal Samuel answered, “Here I am.”
5:16…
- Jn 16:13, 14 - how did the first disciples 17 “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it
know? the Sp of God revealed it to them
from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you
or reminded them of it
- Jesus Luke 4:1 - temptation hide from me anything he told you.”18 So Samuel told him
- isa 43:18ff
everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the
Do you act?
When God speaks do you act on what he Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.”
has said?

4. If it doesn’t fit in with what you want to do
do you ignore it or argue against it?
19 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of
Do you work hard to see it in the
perspective of God’s bigger plans? Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan
Samuel proves himself faithful - he is
to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet
prepared to listen here and then act on what
has been told him of the Lord.21 The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and
we make all sorts of excuses for not doing
what God has said yet as Saul will discover there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.
later - “to obey is better than sacrifice”
9.