Sermon Tone Analysis
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God works through man, for man (God allowed Eli to disciple Samuel (who was ignorant to the ways of God) to help him learn how to approach, listen to God).
God works through the humble, not the exalted.
This week we continue on our journey through 1 & 2 Samuel...
Last week we saw a Tale of Two Families...
The family of Elkanah
The family of Eli the priest
Elkanah was a man who prioritized the worship of God...
Provided an amazing example of faithfulness - to his family...
Year after year - offering his best to the Lord
This example rubbed off on Hannah - as she ALSO faithfully went to God - year after year...
Pleading her cause for a child - a son
And we saw that it was this OBEDIENCE of the heart - that led to - BLESSING...
The blessing of God!
That was one side
One the other side - we saw the family of Eli the priest!
His sons - the Bible tells us - created their own custom in eating the FATTY portions of the people’s OFFERINGS...
Well - this went completely against the command of God - and so what happened?
Judgment came!
Last week we saw...
The Judgment of God - comes on the path of Disobedience!
God had HAD enough!
Judgment was rendered!
Today - we break into chapter 3...
The CALL of Samuel
I’m hoping that as we walk through this text today - we’ll see a great TESTING ground for our souls!
That we might test ourselves against the BACKDROP of our text...
Let’s get to it - and see what we find!
Today we clearly see the call of Samuel...
And in this call - we see a particular way that God works in the lives of men.
The important thing for us is - God still works this way...
SLIDE: The Way of God: Works Through Man, For Man
The Way of God
If we go back to our text - we see God work in a particular way...
So God here was calling Samuel...
But Samuel kept THINKING it was Eli...
Eli kept telling him - No - I didn’t call you....go lay back down!
NOW - Could God had just bypassed this whole - BACK-N-FORTH...
Could he had just MADE IT known to Samuel - DIRECTLY - that He was the one calling out to Samuel?
Yes - of course!
But He didn’t!!
What did God do instead?
God wanted to speak to Samuel… BUT He USED Eli to do it!
Think of all that was in play in this?
God COULD HAVE revealed himself to Samuel in a way that Eli wouldn’t have been needed...
BUT...
Eli - WAS needed!
God works THROUGH man - FOR man!
WE look at this story and we see a mass of CHAOS...
Confusion...
Misdirection....
Misunderstanding....
And YET - while that stuff is PRESENT - we also see this was God’s PLAN of speaking to Samuel!
God wanted to USE Eli in a way where Eli would GUIDE/Shepherd Samuel in the WAYS of the Lord!
Samuel was ignorant to how God worked...
Samuel wasn’t GRASPING that this voice COULD HAVE BEEN - God!
**And no doubt - MANY TIMES we fall into the same trap!
Often times - we DON’T consider - a CALL from the pulpit...
to attend bible study
an event
an encouragement from a Christian friend...
a WARNING from that same person...
Often we don’t CONSIDER those things as - GOD speaking to us…THROUGH that person!
We might think of it as THAT PERSON just giving us advice...
But do we REALLY believe - that in you being encouraged to...
Attend that bible study...
Attend that retreat...
teach that class
preach that sermon...
That it REALLY IS - God speaking to you - THROUGH that person?
God has ALWAYS operated this way!
Just think about the prophets...
Moses going to Pharaoh… (that was GOD - speaking to men - THROUGH man)
Jonah going to Nineveh
Nathan going to David
John the Baptist going to Israel
Even CHRIST Himself - coming to mankind!!
Jesus says - JUST AS I was sent into the world - SO I SEND them...
God works THROUGH MAN - FOR MAN!
KNOW THIS - as you converse with each other...
KNOW THIS - as you HEAR the call - to ENGAGE the church…each other!
And KNOWING that God works this way....
We must also keep this in mind...
SLIDE: The Way of God: Works Through Humble Dependence on God
The Way of God
Back to our text...
There are 2 sides to this Humility that God works through...
On the one side:
ELI
Does it take humility to - be USED by God?
YES
Now you might think - WAIT a sec - How does it take HUMILITY - IN ME - for God to USE ME - to go to someone and speak to them…encourage them…?
Wouldn’t that take - COURAGE?
Answer - YES…BUT...
God-honoring courage BEGINS - with humility.
When Nathan went to David - Of course that took COURAGE on Nathan’s part...
BUT think about it...
What if Nathan would have thought -
Wait - you want ME - to go to King David and call him out????
“I’m NOT QUALIFIED to do that!”
What if Nathan had responded this way?
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