1 Samuel 3:1-10 - How we ought to answer when He calls!

TEXT: 1 Samuel 3:1-10

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. It happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place ... and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was, that the LORD called Samuel; and he said, "Here I am."

Then he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, lie down again." ... Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him. (this happened twice more) ... .

Then Eli discerned that the LORD was calling the boy. And Eli said to Samuel, "Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, 'Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Then the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

TOPIC: Calling; hearing
TITLE: HERE I AM - How we ought to answer when He calls!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How ought we respond when the Lord calls?
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. GOD CALLS THOSE WORTHY OF HIS TESTING!
II. GOD CALLS THOSE WORTHY OF HIS CHALLENGE!
III. GOD CALLS THOSE WORTHY OF GOD SIZED VISIONS!
IV. GOD CALLS THOSE WHO WILL BEAR HIS MESSAGES!

TRUTH/CONTEXT: Samuel’s mother had given up her son to the service of the Lord as a fulfillment of her promise to God; if He opened her womb that she might have a son she would dedicate the boy to Him.

To double her trouble she was one of two wives; of the two one was fertile and it wasn't Samuel’s mommy, Hannah. [1 Samuel 1 & 2:11]

Another aspect of the passage’s context is the priesthood of Eli and his miserable apostate and heretical sons … who Eli knew of and did nothing. God cursed Eli and his seed [1 Samuel 2:12-36] and said …

I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always.

[1 Samuel 2:35]

The real story of our passage is the genuine and innocent obedience of the boy to his surrogate father on earth, and his genuine and earnest desire to serve his Father in heaven.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How ought we respond when the Lord calls?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. GOD CALLS THOSE WORTHY OF HIS TESTING!

A. READER – Genesis 22:1-3 (we ask members to stand and read key Scripture for the message)

Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you." So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

B. Our Response should be “Here I am” because God may test us

1. Even though it may be costly
2. Even though the world may laugh

II. GOD CALLS THOSE WORTHY OF HIS CHALLENGE!

A. READER - Genesis 46:2-4

God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, "Jacob, Jacob." And he said, "Here I am." He said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will close your eyes."

B. Our response should be “Here I am” because God may challenge us at a difficult moment

1. And God is faithful to restore
2. Consider Job and Romans 8:28

III. GOD CALLS THOSE WORTHY OF GOD SIZED VISIONS!

A. READER - Exodus 3:2-4

The angel of the LORD appeared to (Moses) in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, "I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up." When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."

B. Our response should be “Here I am” because we never know when we may be chosen

1. To change the course of time and eternity
2. Remember Esther –

Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, "Do not imagine that you in the king's palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?"

[Esther 4:13-14]

IV. GOD CALLS THOSE WHO WILL BEAR HIS MESSAGES!

A. Isaiah 6:8-10

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here I am. Send me!" He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.' "Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed."

B. Acts 9:10-15

Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight. ... . Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine ... "

C. Hebrews 1:1-2

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

D. Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Our response should be “Here I am” because, if we are indeed authentic blood bought believers, that shed blood of Jesus flowed down upon us and poured out on the ground upon which we stand ... "Behold, we are standing on holy ground."

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Long ago, in the Temple of the King on High, a voice was heard ringing down the halls of heaven, "Who will go that this stubborn people might hear? Who?"

And a voice was heard to answer back, "Here I am, Father! Send Me! I will be Your living sacrifice upon the Mount of the King!"

READER - Romans 10:11-15

For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!"

That any of us has not been called by God to be tested as Abraham, or challenged like Jacob, or trusted like Moses, should not be reason for rejoicing but for sorrow. It should say something to us that we’ve not been called. It should say that we're not considered worthy of God’s testing, challenge, or trust.

You ask, “What can I do?”

Let me suggest that you did not come this far, to this time, to this place alone … but in the presence and power of God.

The circumstances of this moment in your life are not greater than Him. He knows them better than you, and yet He permits them, and He will overcome them if you allow Him to. You are not to fret as though He does not know, does not care, and cannot overcome. Yours is to step out in faith, knowing only that He is there and here.

You are both His creation and His new creation. You are His to do with as it pleases Him - to bless or to consume, to serve or to endure. Today and every day belong to the Lord; it is the only day you have to serve and glorify Him. And so give Him all you have for today.

Lee Ann Womack sings a song called "I Hope You Dance," here are a couple of stanzas ...

Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance …
I hope you dance; I hope you dance

Give the heavens above, More than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance

[Finney] When Chas.Finney finished law school he reported to a law office as an apprentice. The senior lawyer quickly indoctrinated him in the office routine. Then the young lawyer sat at his desk and carried on this conversation with himself.

"What are you going to do when you finish your apprenticeship?"
"Hang out my shingle and practice law, of course!"
"What then?"
"Why, make a lot of money!"
"What then?"
"When I get rich I shall retire."
"What then?"
"Well, then I will die."
"What then?"

So let me ask you what you are making of the life the Lord has given you? What's next?

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