A Portrait of Grace

Mason Phillips

River of Life Church VA

Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago • Presented 2 years ago • 49:47

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There is a grace of God that is released to the people of faith. In this message by Pastor Mason Phillips follow the life of Hannah to find a pattern of grace that we can follow to experience the grace of God in life-changing ways for us, our families, and our neighbors.

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A Portrait of Grace

Prayer.

I want to talk to you about a mother whose life is a powerful portrait of grace. The life of faith has the ability to transform people’s lives; and the faith of a mother is surely a force to be reckoned with.

But mothers aren’t the only ones who need to experience God’s grace. We all need to experience the grace of God for ourselves, our families, our children, and our world.

There are things that only a life of faith can overcome. God wants to speak to us today about patterns of faith that invite the grace of God to move on our behalf.

We also need to understand that there is a push in our culture today against the family and against biblical mother- and fatherhood. There is an overwhelming identity crisis that is sweeping through American culture. Men cannot be mothers, they can not carry and nurture life within them and they do not have the same bond with their children as a mother can. We need godly parents. We need mothers and fathers to raise up children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

In the life of Hannah we will discover patterns of faith that we can follow to position ourselves to experience the grace of God.

Her story is found in 1 Samuel 1-2.

1 Samuel 1:1–8 NKJV

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. Also the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there. 4 And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the Lord had closed her womb. 6 And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb. 7 So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat. 8 Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

Hannah’s Spouse

Hannah was loved by Elkanah. He loved her greatly. He gave her a double portion. He provided for her and tried to encourage her. But Elkanah could not provide for Hannah what only the Lord could provide.

We can—and should—create environments of faith and love for those around us. Husbands especially should be supportive and dwell with their wives in understanding giving honor to them (1 Peter 3.7). But there are limitations on what we can do for others.

There are things that only the grace of God can supply. Man can not supply them. Women can not supply them. Things fall short. Only the grace of God can supply all of our need according to His glory (Philippians 4.19).

Hannah’s Sorrow

Hannah was most likely the first wife of Elkanah. According to this tradition, the barrenness of Hannah was what prompted Elkanah to take on another wife. The Mishnah (Codification of basic Jewish Oral Law; edited and arranged by R. Judah ha-Nasi c. 200 C.E.) states that “if a couple has been married for ten years without having any children, the husband is obligated to take another (or additional) wife, in order to fulfill the commandment to be fruitful and multiply (M Yevamot 6:6).”

Peninnah had children and she constantly provoked Hannah. When it came time to eat, she would make sure that for every child she requested food in front of Hannah. Behind the scenes it is likely that she scorned her and mocked her. It’s likely that every time that Elkanah gave Hannah favor, like with the “double portion,” that Peninnah became more jealous and more spiteful.

Not only did this happen in the home, but it happened when the went up to the house of the LORD. It was like she was flaunting her blessings and trying to make Hannah jealous and feel less than.

Hannah was considered to have been cursed by God by the people around her. Because one of the divine commands was to be fruitful and multiply and because Deuteronomy 7.13-14 declares that children are the result of God’s blessing and favor, a closed womb was considered by the Israelites as a curse.

Additionally, in the ancient Near East, husbands were essential for the survival of a woman and children brought them honor. Without children, Hannah would have experienced great shame and isolation.

Side note: marrying two wives was not forbidden in the Mosaic Law but it also was never expressly approved of. It was an accepted custom but restricted and governed by regulations (Deuteronomy 21.15-17). In fact, Jesus clearly states that marriage was meant from the beginning to be between one man and one woman (Matthew 19.5, Matthew 19.8).

But marrying Peninnah was man’s solution to Hannah’s barrenness. And that solution to solve the barrenness and lack of children created more problems in the household. This is like when Abram and Sarai whom God promised to give an heir. Instead of trusting God to provide, Sarai gave Abram her servant Hagar and she gave birth to Ishmael. But Ishmael wasn’t the son that God promised.

Hannah had an impossible situation. And like Hannah, some of us have impossible situations. Our attempts to solve our problems in our strength will result in trouble and pain, just like it did in Hannah and Elkanah’s life. Only a life of faith receives the promises of God.

Hannah was childless and that brought isolation and depression. She felt cursed, ashamed, and at times alone. She was mocked and provoked and attacked by her enemy.

Her womb was closed, by the Lord (verse 6, 7). She must have had questions. She must have wondered why. Why was God testing her? Why was she suffering?

But she remained in faith and she became a candidate for a miracle.

There is a pattern here in the text that tells us to get ready for a miracle. This story parallels the story of Rachel and Leah, the wives of Jacob. Jacob loved Rachel and was deceived by his father-in-law into marrying Leah. Leah was unloved and God opened her womb and she had children for Jacob. Rachel remained barren. In that family, the lesser-loved wife was blessed with children first. Eventually, Rachel would give Jacob his favored son Joseph and the son of his old age, Benjamin. Of the 12 sons of Jacob, 10 of them came from Leah. Elkanah asked Hannah…“aren’t I better than 10 sons?”

This is important because God was going to do something great in the life of Hannah.

And no matter what situation your are facing today, you don’t know what is written in God’s book about you. You don’t know how God plans to turn your impossible situation around because what is impossible for man is possible for God (Luke 18.27)!

A Pattern of Faith

The rest of Hannah’s story offers us a pattern of faith that we can follow to experience God’s grace.

We Need a Pious, Passionate Faith

Hannah was deeply religious. She was passionate about the things of God.

According to the Law only men were required to present themselves annually at the house of the LORD. But she went up with her husband year by year (1 Samuel 1.3).

She made sure that she was going to be in the house of the LORD. She pressed into God even when her circumstances conspired to push her away.

How many people have been brought to church by their mother? Mothers—when you press into the things of God, your family will follow you.

When you are deeply religious and passionate about your faith others are impacted. Your spouse is impacted. Your children are impacted. Your friends are impacted. Your co-workers are impacted.

If she had chosen to allow her circumstances to keep her from the house of God she would never had received her miracle. Don’t let the enemy keep you from your blessing! Choose to pursue God. Choose to be deeply committed to the house of the Lord and the things of God and watch and see how that positions you to receive His grace.

We Need to Become a People of Prayer

1 Samuel 1:10–18 NKJV

10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. 11 Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.” 12 And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. 13 Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. 14 So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!” 15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.” 17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.” 18 And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

Hannah was a woman of prayer.

She prayed the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous person (James 5.16).

She prayed so passionately that Eli thought she was drunk (cf. Acts 2.1-13). It may be that Eli hadn’t seen too many people passionately and fervently praying and misjudged her.

She prayed through. She knew she had the breakthrough and it showed…she was no longer sad.

She prayed for God to remember her and the Bible says that God remembered her (1 Samuel 1.19). She named her son, Samuel which means “heard of God” (1 Samuel 1.20).

There is something powerful in the prayer of a woman of faith. Especially the prayers of a mother.

Proverbs 17:12 NKJV

Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly.

The word meet in the Hebrew is pāgaʿ. It is also translated as “make intercession” (see Isaiah 53.12 for example).

Try to mess with a mama bear. This is the picture of a passionate mother in prayer over her children. We need praying mothers and praying grandmothers to rise up once again and intercede for the children of this generation!

Even if they look “drunk” and people misunderstand, a mother’s prayer is powerful. It tears down strongholds destroys the schemes of the enemy. If we want to see generational change, we need to pray like Hannah...Hannah’s petitions produced a prophet. When we pray according to God’s will, He hears us and if He hears us we have what we ask for (1 John 5.14-15). Pray in faith. Press through in petition. Who knows what God will answer!

We Need to Stand on the Promises

1 Samuel 1:21–28 NKJV

21 Now the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the Lord and remain there forever.” 23 So Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him. Only let the Lord establish His word.” Then the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 24 Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. 28 Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.” So they worshiped the Lord there.

Hannah stood on the promise of God. She believed God’s promise spoken through the priest.

And she also kept her promise to God.

In her prayer, Hannah made a promise to God. Her son would be lent to the LORD. In other words, she knew that her son belonged to the Lord and that he was a gift to her. She nurtured and weaned Samuel and when it was time, released him to his purpose.

Hannah’s nurture set the stage for national reformation. Her faith and their household devotion to the Lord led to the birth of a prophet.

Despite the division in her home, the divisions did not stop her devotion to God.

Mom’s know the importance of raising your children in the way of the Lord. They know the power of bringing their children to church.

Stand on the promises of God. And keep your promises to the Lord. And God’s grace will flow in your life.

We Need to Live a Life of Praise

1 Samuel 2:1–2 NKJV

1 And Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. 2 “No one is holy like the Lord, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.

After she had received Samuel and gave him to the Lord, she prayed and praised God. Her whole prayer exalts God and His salvation.

There is something about a life of praise that releases the grace of God.

They kept worshipping and every year went to worship at the temple and see Samuel while they were there.

1 Samuel 2:21 NKJV

And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the Lord.

She gave thanks and praise and God multiplied her abundantly more than she asked or thought or imagined (Ephesians 3.20)!

Conclusion

Hannah’s story offers us a pattern of faith that if we follow can lead to us seeing God move in our lives.

As a mother she shows us how to create an environment of faith and to lead our families into the purposes of God.

When we follow her example, we too will experience the grace of God in life-changing ways for ourselves and our families and our neighbors.

Hannah’s name means “charm,” “favor,” “beauty” and in a religious sense, “grace.”

Her life is a portrait of the grace of God. Today, His grace is available to any who would seek Him in faith.