Are you listening?
Notes
Transcript
Have you ever heard God’s voice? Do you want to? If you did hear His voice, would you know it was Him? Why do you what to hear the voice of God?
I’ve had times where I’ve been looking for people in a crowded area. Like Disneyland. It’s hard to see where they are but sometimes you can still hear them. Especially if it’s someone you have known for a long time.
Take out your Bible and turn to 1 Sam 3:1-15
Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.
One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”
“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.
Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!”
Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”
Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went back to bed.
And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”
And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”
Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.”
Samuel stayed in bed until morning, then got up and opened the doors of the Tabernacle as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli what the Lord had said to him.
Samuel grew up in church
Samuel’s mother left him at the Tabernacle (church) when he was very young. He grew up around God and learning about HIm. He served God for years without ever hearing anything from God. He was learning obedience.
Samuel was obedient
He served God, His house and His people faithfully. He wasn’t looking for anything. Samuel was doing what God asked Him to do. Then, when he did hear Someone he thought was Eli, he immediately responded.
Samuel asked questions.
Samuel went to the smartest person he had access to and started asking what to do. He didn’t wait around.
Samuel followed through
He not only did what Eli told him to do, he listened to everything God had to say. Then, when Eli asked what God said, he told him! Even though it was bad news for Eli.