Sermon Tone Analysis

Again, we are glad you chose to worship with us today at Fellowship.

We have come to week 10 of a series entitled “The Story” which is a chronological look at the Bible.

Week 10 brings us to the book of 1 Samuel, if you’ll join me there - Pew Bible #___.

March 18, 2018 • Week 10

“Standing Tall, Falling Hard”

1.

The Backdrop of the Three Major Distortions (1 Samuel 1)

A. A man named Elkanah in Ephraim had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah.

(1:1-2a)

1. Hannah was barren (childless) and heart-broken.

2. Peninnah, who had many kids, purposely provoked Hannah’s pain.

B. At Shiloh where the Tabernacle rested Hannah prayed to God for a child, promising to dedicate the child to God.

So in the backdrop of what we will look at this morning, you have Hannah who is seeking after God, trying to make a deal with Him.

And although God doesn’t always answer in this manner, in vv.

19-20

C. God hears Hannah’s prayer and Samuel is born and dedicated to God in service at the Tabernacle.

The name Samuel means “heard by God.” His very name represented the struggle Hannah had and the answer God gave.

I think its important to note that God was not obligated to answer this way.

There is a culture in Christianity today that teaches that if you claim something or speak it to be true, then you will be able to claim it - so if you’re finances or relationships or anything else isn’t where you want it to be, you name it before God, and then somehow He is obligated to provide that for you.

This is not a biblically healthy view of God, and it is not a healthy view of prayer.

God is not obligated to grant every request that we make.

His only obligation is to His own good pleasure.

So why does God answer Hannah in this manner, and not others?

He doesn’t do it just because it was Hannah’s will.

You see, God’s will does not revolve around our will.

God is not reactionary.

In His rule over everything, He is not obligated to our every request.

So, when we petition God, and it becomes apparent that His will is different than ours, we adjust to His will.

Now, we pray earnestly and expectantly with the deepest desire that God’s will would be done - and that we would submit to His will.

Illustration: Lost my keys this week...

but why?

Why would God allow that craziness to just have me find them right before I hopped on my bike…

Deeper Illustration: Loved ones are sick

So, to circle back to our context in 1 Samuel, Hannah prays and conceives and gives birth to Samuel.

And in chapter 2, once Samuel is old enough to serve the Lord in the temple, Hannah brings him back and fulfills her promise.

If you get time this week, read the first 11 verses of chapter 2 - Hannah’s prayer of thanks to God for the gift of Samuel…

Now in the book of 1 Samuel, you will find 3 major distortions to God’s Purpose

2. The Three Major Distortions of God’s Purpose

A. The Distortion of Phoniness.

(1 Samuel 3-4)

1.

At Shiloh, the Priest was Eli and he had two sons, Hophni and Phineas, who abused the sacrificial system and committed immoral acts.

2. Eli refused to reprimand his sons

But evidently, this is as far as the reprimand went, so,

in chapters 4, God judged them all Hophni, Phineas, and eventually Eli with death and the Ark of the Covenant was stolen by the Philistines from Shiloh.

Application: You can’t just have an outward appearance of religion.

You must be genuine on the inside.

We must be authentic.

Live what we believe.

Later on in the book of 1 Samuel, David is getting ready to be anointed by Samuel, but all his older brothers are big and brawny and a seemingly perfect fit to be the next king, but the Lord reiterates to Samuel a lesson he learned in his early years with Hophni and Phineas...

ILLUSTRATION: You can’t have both...

B. The Distortion of Conformity.

(1 Samuel 8)

To this point in Israel’s history, they did not have a King.

God ruled over His people through priests and judges.

But in Chapter 8, we find:

1.

The people ask Samuel to anoint a king over them.

So, Samuel is displeased, but God tells Samuel that the people are not rejecting him; but that the people are rejecting God

2. So Samuel explains that the king will rule over them and enlist their children into his army and as servants and will tax them.

But they respond with their real motivation in vv.

19-20.

So, what do we do with this distortion of conformity?

Application: Don’t aim to be like everyone else.

God’s people are to be distinct.

We are not called to be like other people.

We are God’s unique people.

Paul said in Romans 12:1-2

C. The Distortion of Misrepresentation.

(1 Samuel 9-13)

1. God allows the people to have a king though it was not God’s perfect will.

God’s original plan was that the people would walk with Him and would not need a King.

Nevertheless, God allows their desires to be fulfilled - but remember it would turn out to not be a good thing.

2. Samuel anoints Saul who is empowered by the Spirit to defeat the Ammonites.

So God’s blessing is upon His debut.

But as we see in chapter 15, there is a tragic turn of events.

3. Saul disobeys God by not obeying God’s command to destroy the Amalekites for their sin.

4. God rejects Saul as king for misrepresenting God to the nations around him.

(David is chosen.)

Saul misrepresented God to those around him.

What can we learn?

Application: We, too, are representatives of God to the world.

When we disobey God we distort God to the world.

Let us be like Samuel who obeyed God and not like Saul who disobeyed God.

If you claim to be a follower of Jesus today, you are portraying a message about Him.

At home, at work, in our community - you are constantly portraying Jesus.

If this is true, the question then becomes is the picture you are portraying is accurate or distorted.

If you’re honest today, at times we each have a tendency to distort the portrait of Jesus with:

Phoniness.

- You can’t just have an outward appearance of religion.

You must be genuine on the inside.

We must be authentic.

Live what we believe.

Conformity - Don’t aim to be like everyone else.

God’s people are to be distinct.

We are not called to be like other people.

We are God’s unique people.

Misrepresentation - We, too, are representatives of God to the world.

When we disobey God we distort God to the world.

Maybe today, you’re hear with us, and you don’t have a personal relationship with God.

Maybe you have been burnt by a professing follower of Jesus before and their distortion has marred your view of God.

But at some point today, you have seen that people fail, and misrepresent God, and that although that person has failed - God hasn’t.

At some point throughout our time together, you have felt that drawing of God in your heart and you know you need Him.

Scripture is clear:

We were created by God.