Sermon Notes - 09/12/21

Hope listens
1 Samuel 3:1-4:1a

The boy Samuel served the Lord in Eli’s presence. In those days the word of the Lord was rare and prophetic visions were not widespread.

² One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing, was lying in his usual place. ³ Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was located.

⁴ Then the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, “Here I am.” ⁵ He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“I didn’t call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

⁶ Once again the Lord called, “Samuel!”

Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“I didn’t call, my son,” he replied. “Go back and lie down.”

⁷ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, because the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. ⁸ Once again, for the third time, the Lord called Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹ He told Samuel, “Go and lie down. If he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰ The Lord came, stood there, and called as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”

Samuel responded, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

   - 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (CSB)

 

Dis-enchantment
1 Samuel 3:1

 

Re-enchantment
1 Samuel 3:21-4:1a

“I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions.” - Joel 2:28

“It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment…” - Jesus, John 16:7-8

 

Recognizing “The Voice”
1 Samuel 3:7

“I ended my first book with the words no answer. I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You are yourself the answer.” – Till We Have Faces, 351

 

“I had heard reports about you, but now my eyes have seen you.” – Job 42:5

 

 

Resources To Take You Further:
Overview video of 1 Samuel
Lewis, Till We Have Faces (1956).
Smith, How (Not) To Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor (2014). 
Waltke, Finding the Will of God: A Pagan Notion? (1995).

Next Week's Passage: 1 Samuel 4:1b- 7:1